How these beautiful Kenyan hills can deceive you to take a hike!

1 day trips and tours are a popular getaway model for Kenyans and visitors in Kenya looking to make the best of their Saturdays and get the needed break from the demands of the week.

Hiking is such a big deal especially for people living in Nairobi and its environs.

A friend invited us on one such excursion to go and  conquer Mt. Longonot.

Africageographic.com

Caution to waking up early and climb the mountain before it got too hot of course was ignored, and I am not sure anyone of us was working out at all in preparation for this conquest! Hahaha.

I was certain the climb would be a quick one, followed by more challenging activities like swimming, (for the love of water)...please don't laugh at how proudly ignorant I was...my ribs hahaha.

We got late, of course, the sun had taken its powerful position and we met other climbers descending.

I got to base of the mountain and waaaaa! I thought the mountain just looked monstrous. It was waiting waiting to be conquered, nope, to conquer me.

So yes Mt. Longot is a must visit if you haven't been there. It is green, full of trees and a challenging terrain all the way up, and a crater that you can go around to give your body that final push.

This is another great place for networking and forming friendships without strain! You will understand this part once you take the challenge.

So the climb began, I was quietly and proudly laughing at how healthy and fit I felt and just how amazing this experience would be! I then realized we had not yet started the climb, we were just cutting through a stretch to get to the real deal.

aluochbonnita.com

When the real climb began, the music changed! Hahaha. Okay at least now I can laugh.

Everyone seemed to have swifter legs, everyone seemed lighter, then you could see a long trail of humans going up into heaven and that was supposed to be the climb! My heart felt like a time bomb, my chest was saying no!!, my mind was calculating the options available, quitting.

This was where the networking began and the many climbers felt like brothers and sisters, the mountain makes you realize you are better together!

People start falling behind, and of course pride kept us going. Here is where pride is very positive! You keep at it and you convince yourself you won't quit.

The momentum became slow, the walk felt endless, the objective stopped making sense...exactly why were we doing this?

Let me tell you how amazing the climb was, they put a resting place halfway the climb. This really helped to keep most of us going. The last stretch was a real challenge though.

travel.jumia.com

Now there are those people who, when you have finally given up, pass you so swiftly looking so light yet carrying those large big bags stuffed heavily! So special these people. If you know you know. These people carry those big bags even in Nairobi town, what exactly do you put in there and how exactly do you carry them?

Anyway, let's continue with the climb.
There was this particular one who made stare in shock! We sat a bit longer discussing him then we challenged ourselves to keep going.

That stop mid-climb can kill your resolve to go up. The moment you take that seat and join the rest of the climbers and join in the conversations, your desire to conquer the mountain shrivels. You could consider standing under the shade then continue with the climb.

So there was this white man I mentioned earlier who passed us. Now the guy was carrying those big bags and had strapped his child to the front on a baby carrier! That time even an empty bottle felt so cumbersome, I had to forego the bottle and water!

So with renewed zeal thanks to this dad, we, well some of us, continued climbing.

All I remember is that when I got to the top I had very strange walking postures and I am not sure my eyes were open. That felt like the best place to just sit down and cry! No need for a reason to. That was a humbling experience.

But oh my the views from up there filled me with a sense of joy and satisfaction to imagine how glorious God designed this world! Sooo beautiful.

Are you guessing if I went round the crater? Oh my, no I didn't. My whole body was numb, my eyes and mouth were the active parts at that moment. The escarpment looked beautiful and we started dreaming of the kind of animals that could have been hiding in there. The trees made a beautiful thicket, the rocks showcased their strength! I did not have the courage to peep inside the crater, I have a thing against heights.

By the way all my friends made it all the way up! We were so happy, genuinely happy!

Now let me inform you that going down Mt. Longonot is another story on it's own. There is a skill needed to descend and resist the urge to run and topple and give in to the gravity pull! Oh no, I thought the descent would be breezy!

kenyaeasysafaris.co.ke

Confessions, when we were going up I kept wondering what was wrong with the people descending. They were all walking funny, with sticks and making very strange postures. I must have been a rib cracker when my time to descend came. I had to be helped down. My skills were terrible, very.

That was a good Saturday!
Then one friend said, we should do this again. I almost cried.

Enjoy a hike, trek, walk, any other one day activities!

Carry on for your next hike
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