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TOUR DU MONT BLANC & ITALY- AUGUST 2023
BACKGROUND
The trip was planned and subscribed FULLY (trips have a maximum of 12 pax) by the first week of January. This trip was meant to be seamless and straightforward. The Schengen visa application is well documented and as long as you provide all the supporting documents, Visas should not be an issue. Well, not to get into too much detail, one person had his Visa denied and another dropped out of the trip at the very last minute because he was overwhelmed by other competing life events. Not to worry, as always, I strongly believe that if you are meant to be on a trip, you will be on the trip.
This is the travel diary.
TOUR DU MONT BLANC
31st July 2023
Location: Nairobi- Dubai- Geneva- Courmayeur
I left home for JKIA at 19:30. There was surprisingly no traffic for a weekday night, I arrived in good time and had a smooth check-in. I was on the same Emirates flight from Nairobi at 22:45 with Linda, Sara B, Wanjira and Wangari. It was a smooth uneventful flight to Dubai and after a 3.5hour layover, we flew to Geneva and landed at 13:27.
1st August
Location: Geneva- Courmayeur
The rendezvous location was Geneva Airport for those who had travelled earlier, live in Geneva or had flown on different flights. Dorothy, Carol, Ndunge and June arrived as scheduled and we proceeded to our vehicles that were to transfer us to Courmayeur, Italy. Evelyne (our Mountain Slayer from Uganda), and the final member was already in Courmayeur waiting for our arrival.
The transfer from GVA to Courmayeur was slow due to it being the Swiss International day (fun fact! We were last in Switzerland in 2018, exact same day so we had previously had the opportunity to witness the celebrations up close and therefore we fully understood how revered the cow is.
We took the route through the Tunnel du Mont Blanc which is 11.6kms long and it runs between France and Italy, cutting through the Mont Blanc Mountain.
Due to a tragedy in March, 1999 that claimed 39 lives and took over 53 hours to put off, they strictly control how many vehicles can cross the tunnel at a time. You can read about that tragedy here
We eventually arrived in Courmayeur at 19:15 and checked into our quaint hotel Les Jumeax.
After settling in, we took a stroll around the town before settling down for dinner in an Italian restaurant. Food was good- pizza. I love pizza. Like I really love pizza. Summer nights are long so we stayed out with the sun still out and eventually got back to the hotel & in bed by 23:00.
2nd August
Location: Courmayeur- Arp Nouvaz- La Fouly
Distance: 13.5kms
Estimated Time: 4-5 hours
Currently 4am, body clock alert (my gym alarm time). I’m excited about the trek looking forward to continuing to see and experience God’s favor and blessings. I really do not take it for granted that I get to facilitate and curate unique travel experiences for people. It is a true blessing.
3rd August
Location: Courmayeur- Arp Nouva- La Fouly (Hotel Edelweiss)
Distance: 13.5kms
Actual Distance 15.15kms
Estimated Time: 4-5 hours
Actual Time: 6 hours 57 min including breaks
Current Time: 5am
Yesterday’s trek was a good trek. Not too hard. We caught the bus from Courmayeur to Arp Nouva about 37min and started the trek. It started with a climb, that led us past Rifugio Bonatti and over the Col Du Ferret at 2553M ASL, our starting elevation was 1605M ASL.
The elevation in Courmayeur is about 1400M so the bus ride got us up.
Groups of hikers will generally split into natural groups based on pace and conversations. Evelyn & June were at the lead, Dorothy & Carol at the back and everyone else in the middle.
I broke away at some point to commune with self & God- offering my thanksgivings and supplications. After crossing the Col Du Ferret, I decided to wait for everyone to get up and over. When the last ladies got up, I walked back up to them and went to also take pics of the monuments & sign posts I had missed. And there lay God’s answer. A cross at the top had a plaque with the following message.
Have you once stopped in your life to take time to examine your heart? It’s important to do so! Maybe even more so at this altitude! Look deep down inside yourself and do not let hatred, anger, despair, revenge, violence and refusing to forgive overwhelm you. Take time to love yourself and to abandon your bad habits. Then you will be able to see the true face of this world all around you! If perhaps you happen to fall along the road, no matter! Jesus is your strength. He will help you up and will carry you in his arms. Never forget: God is beside you! And everything that is not centered in Him will sooner or later fall! Jesus has not come to increase the number of human crosses, but to give them a meaning. It has been said: << Whoever seeks Jesus without the cross, is bound to find the cross without Jesus. >> Dare speak to Him with your heart!
Prayers are answered in different ways at different times. Isn’t God just a truly faithful and awesome God? The rest of the day was easy, bonding with Dorothy & Carol and we eventually arrived at La Fouly, a cute little town at the bottom of the trail. Dinner & drinks were great. Lots of laughter. A perfect day one. I’m truly grateful for this journey I’m on, and with a fantastic group of ladies.
4th August
Location: La Fouly- Champex (Chale La Grange)
Distance: 14.8kms
Actual Distance: 18kms
Estimated Time: 4-5 hours
Actual Time: 8hours
Current Time: 5:00am
Yesterday was another good day. We all woke up on time and were ready to begin our trek at exactly 8am. The weather was good and as promised it was easy and scenic.
The first group completed the circuit in 5hours, the stragglers came in after 8hours. I stayed with the slower team because, one of the hikers fell & twisted her knee so after first aid, I stayed back. Another hiker didn’t drink any water today so she developed a deep muscle pain.
All in all we all made it to our auberge via Champex-Lac. The beauty of that lake blew our minds! The long days, and the favourable weather allowed us to chill by the lake and soak it all in. This is a trail I can do over and over without tiring.
5th August
Location: Champex- Trient (Auberge Mont Blanc)
Distance: 14.7kms
Actual Distance: 15.47km
Estimated Time: 4-5 hours
Actual Time: 4.5hours
Current Time: 04:50
Yesterday was a great day indeed! We met these elderly American ladies along the trail from La Fouly and invited them over for drinks at Champex- Lac. They are over 70 years of age and are doing the full Tour Du Mont Blanc 11-day trail. They have been friends for over 50 -60 years and travel together annually. What a blessing it is to be strong enough at that age to do the TMB trail. If there was ever a reason needed to stay fit, this was it!
Today is our last trekking day. I am looking forward to Italy. I love all this for me & the lovely ladies. The chemistry is amazing. Beyond my wildest dreams. It is so magical to watch unfold.
6th August
Location: Trient-Chamonix (Hotel La Croix Blanche)
Distance: 14.2kms
Actual Distance: 16.8km
Estimated Time: 4-5 hours
Actual Time: 15:30
Current Time: 05:30
The TMB is finally done. Everyone safe sound. Yesterday’s trail was a little bit tricky to navigate. France has extremely poor signage compared to Switzerland and Italy. It was therefore God’s grace that allowed us all down and to find each other along the trail and just when each person was feeling overwhelmed or about to make a mistake.
God’s cover was so present and evident.
During dinner, in our usual fashion, time to say goodbye was time for sharing from an individual perspective, how the experience was. There was lots of laughter and it just warmed my heart listening to everyone sharing.
Today we move to Italy. It’s going to be another whirlwind of activity and I’m looking forward to it.
9th August
Location: Florence or Firenze (Atlantic Palace Hotel)
Time: 18:30
The switch over from the hike to tour of Italy was dramatic. That’s why the log has 2 days missing. To track back, after saying our goodbyes to the ladies moving on to other trips, we left Chamonix and caught the bus to Geneva at 09:00. Ndunge invited us (Bakata, Wanjira, Wangari) to her place to chill & tour Geneva before our flight to Zurich. It was a short but sweet visit. We had some Pisco sour then we took a quick short tour of Geneva before catching our flight. The flight to Zurich was delayed by over an hour which meant that catching our connecting flight from Zurich to Venice was in less than 30minutes. Our luggage didn’t make it.
Venice is a quantic little aquatic town that is bustling with hundreds of tourists. It reminds me of Old Town Mombasa. The confusion of losing our luggage made our transfer from the airport to Venice longer than it should have been. However, our stay at Hotel Cavalletto and Doge right on the canal was worth it. After settling in, we were directed to this bustling restaurant for dinner that had the yummiest pizzas. I am in the land of pizza and eating to my heart’s content! Also, I still haven’t found a comparison to this pizza yet!
After dinner, Sara, Wangari & I decided to have a night cap but ended up getting lost in the winding small streets of Venice for 2 hours. I eventually asked a stranger for directions and he kindly took us home, less than 100metres from where we were. Apparently getting lost in Venice is part and parcel of the experience.
On 7th, we spent the morning shopping for essentials before taking a walking tour of Venezia and a gondola ride. The walking tour was led by a great guide but ended in tears, one of the ladies was pick pocketed and lost her wallet, which also had her passport.
On 8th we woke up early, had breakfast and departed for the train station. Mary, Wanjira & I chose to walk. We discovered the real side of Venice. Where the locals live and go to school. It was a side of town I’d not have seen if we took the water boat. I’m glad we walked. We caught the train- 2hours 15minutes to Florence and spent the rest of the day chilling. We had a very posh lunch, I had roast Cockerel (Hahaha!) that was very delicious. The ladies indulged in the famous Florentine steak. It looked absolutely orgasmic.
We walked around Firenze looking at things, finally had gelato and drinks then called it a night. Italians truly have a Kenyan vibe. They’re laid back but very good looking. Oooof! So good looking.
Our luggage isn’t going to make it here, hopefully to Rome.
10th August
Location: Firenze
Time: 07:00
Today we leave Florence for Rome. Looking forward to it. Our bags are supposedly in Rome. Shopping has become a daily activity until we can be safely reunited with our luggage.
Yesterday was a good day. We toured Florence then shopped, had dinner. Celebrated Dorothy then came back home.
12th August
Location: Roma
Time: 05:45
We leave for Naples this morning. Rome has been a mixed bag.
- Our luggage never made it and will not make it to Italy. It will instead be delivered to JKIA-Nairobi.
- We visited the Vatican City. St. Peter’s Basilica, The Sistine Chapel as part of the tour. We then took ourselves to the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain where we made our prayers and wishes and tossed coins into the famous fountain.
Being in Rome has left me in awe at the Romans and what they did. I’m particularly drawn to Michael Angelo. I want to learn more about him.
Wangari left yesterday for Nairobi. It has been such a treat having her with us, we shall miss her.
13th August 2023
Location: Headed to Amalfi Coast by boat
Time: 12:08
This is the last leg of the tour. We landed in Napoli (Naples) by high speed train, were picked up by the driver & transferred to our hotel (Hotel Michaelangelo) in Sorrento. Sorrento is a seaside tourist town. It’s a couple of streets long with restaurants, clothes stores & bars. The drive from Napoli Town to Sorrento was about 1hour. We arrived at 13:30 and went out for a pizza lunch. Afterwards we went shopping.
Time: 17:30
Just finished the Positano, Amalfi, Ravello Tour. It’s been a full day from 09:00 to 17:00. It’s been a good day. A great way to end the Italy tour. I’m happy but also quite ready to go home too.
PERU 2023
lost city of the Incas- Machu Pic-chu
DAY 0-14th June: 18:10
The interest we received after our inaugural trip to Peru, Machu Picchu trip in 2019 was phenomenal. It was therefore obvious that a repeat would happen at some point. Towards the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, I knew Peru had to come back.
After the pandemic, we needed a pick me up international trip to aid in our recovery. Morocco was our intro back into international travel in 2022. The Atlas Mountains gave us the much-needed fix that we required to get back into ‘’normal’’ living.
2023 was going to be the year for South America Season 2! I did my research and was going to do Peru, bigger and better. Our 2019 trip was so easy to plan & process that I knew this was going to be a breeze, I mean, I knew it and had all the contacts.
At this point I have to pause and laugh at myself because…. HAHAHA! WHAT??
As with all trips, I shared the trip requirements and timelines to all interested parties, secured initial commitment fee and we were off! Or so I thought…
Road block one
First stumbling block was acquiring the certificate of good conduct. What was at most a two-week affair in 2019 turned into a 2-month affair for most of the team and in some cases, it required some kenyanese to facilitate. (if you know, you know)
Road block two
The shifting of all visa processes from the consular in Kenya to the Peruvian Embassy in Egypt.
I had taken for granted the power of dealing with humans’ face to face. The email process proved to be one of the most heartbreaking tasks of the entire process! After submission of all relevant documents, we patiently waited for approval to send our passports to Egypt for our Visas. The process was random, in my view. One person left out her Visa history and received an email requesting her to submit them, another did the same issue but the instant reaction was Visa denied! My shock at seeing two of my team members denied visas in quick succession really threw me off.
I went through their documents trying to establish what had happened and could not identify any red flag. These are people who hold senior positions in their organisations, are well travelled and have children, family and property tying them to Kenya. Our attempt to appeal the denial was met with a firm “apply after one year!” and no explanations as to why.
My attempt to inquire about this was met with radio silence. As if denials were not enough, enter the process of trying to extract our passports from the Embassy of Peru in Egypt, and doing this through a faceless process. Let me not bore you with the details but one thing I am eternally grateful for, are the amazing relationships I have formed through Mountain Slayers Kenya. When two of my team members hit a wall in extracting their documents from Egypt via DHL, I scratched my head and called the one person I knew is a logistics guru. She didn’t pick my call because she was in a meeting, I sent her a text with my request, she responded immediately with a name & number. The person delivered in less than 24hours.
Thank you Mo. I’m truly humbled.
I always say Mountain Slayers is about relationships, it truly is.
Road block three
All factors held constant (which I’ve already clearly demonstrated were not! I was to arrive in Lima, Peru a day before my clients started arriving. That was my plan. I usually book tickets about 3months prior to travel, this time was no different. As the day for departure drew nearer, I prepared everything and advised my travel agent to check me in & secure a particular seat for me. Check-in happens about 72hours to travel. First sign of trouble was when I was asked to send my previous visa to Peru, my current visa, my itinerary and hotel bookings. I was like, am I applying for a Visa or what? Anyway, shortly thereafter I received a call & was told, Ethiopian Airlines has categorically stated it is not allowing any Kenyans bound for South America on their flights.
Deep breath in & out. Hooold up! When they were taking my money and booking my seat on their flights three months ago, didn’t, they realize I was a Kenyan? Never mind, they were not open to discussion and just said no, ‘’We are not taking Kenyans to South America’’ Okay. It’s less than 24hours to my departure. What next?
The travel agent was quick on the job to get me another option, the only challenge was it was going to cost me close to an additional $700. Excuse me. In this economy? No thank you. They quickly secured another option that put me on Qatar Airways via Doha, Brasil and finally Peru.
Because this is my business, and my business is Kenya, I do not want to say exactly which Kenyans have a terrible reputation in South America. But I will say this, we cannot keep on selling our heritage and expect zero consequences.
This is going to be my blog on my journey and I am using it to unpack, process and document my journey as the Lead Mountain Slayer.
I cannot forget to acknowledge my tribe who know me who pray with & for me and hold me down. Thank you, Judy, for checking on me and calling me ceaselessly even when I ignored you because I was so tired & beaten. You listened to God’s voice and you sought me out, listened to me and prayed for me.
In all things, God remains God.
I arrived safely in Doha (by the way, the professional standards on Qatar are quite remarkable. I fully recommend them)
Travel Time: Nairobi to Doha 5hours 35min
Layover: 7hours 45min
DAY 1- 15th June: 07:20
After keeping vigil, the whole night, I was ready to board my flight and sleep. Of course, sleeping on flights is a challenge but I’m grateful for the fact that Qatar is a stellar airline and travelling with them was smooth & pleasant.
I travelled to Peru via Brasil.
Despite the lengthy travel, because of gaining time, I adjusted pretty well in Peru but arrival back in Nairobi after losing time, just like last trip, was absolutely chaotic!
It’s so weird seeing time gain. One minute it’s 2pm and I’m wondering why it’s taking forever to serve lunch, then I finally see them serving lunch and I look at my watch & voila! It’s a few minutes to 1pm again.
Travel Time: 15hours 55min
Layover: 2 hours
15th June: 16:39
I’m about to land in Sao Paolo, Brasil. I’m experiencing some nervous energy. I can’t believe that this trip is finally about to commence. I have been through the ringers emotionally just trying to ensure that this trip happens. I am nervous about whether all the road blocks were preventing this trip from happening for some reason, or as I’ve chosen to look at it, it’s simply the business experiencing growing pains. Well, I’m about to find out.
Time difference between Nairobi & Sao Paolo is 6 hours. And just like that, I’ve gained 6 hours😅😅
Time check: 21:55
Lima Airport- Peru
We have another hour or so to my final destination. Peru!!! Sao Paolo was short & painless. The only thing was the profiling of Kenyans due to our acquired notoriety, because we have sold our heritage. If you are travelling to or through South America as a Kenyan on a Kenyan passport, have all your documentation in check. ALL. I had everything printed out so it was smooth but every official who encountered me had to screen my documents.
This is my first time travelling alone for Mountain Slayers Kenya assignments. We are usually a team & this has made our passage through different ports, easier. The itinerary to Peru 2023 is pretty extensive unlike the 2019 itinerary. This time it also allows joining in at different legs of the trip. Of course, the fact that I lost 4 members along the way (Visa denials etc) has meant that we are way fewer than originally planned.
Guinea pig- Peruvian delicacy
But as always, my motto is, if you were meant to be on a trip, you will be there. Otherwise I consider that this wasn’t meant for you, for whatever reason.
DAY 3- 17th June: 03:09
Location: Miraflores, Lima.
Altitude: Sea level 12M ASL
Population: 11 million (Total Population of Peru is 33million)
I arrived safely in Lima at 22:45 local time. A solid 8 hours ahead of Nairobi. Found my local contact waiting for me at arrivals. Transferred to our hotel in Miraflores and gratefully jumped into the shower and then to bed. The power of gaining time meant that by 5am I was up and ready for breakfast before the walking tour of Lima.
Lovers Park- Lima
Our guide for the tour was a beautiful local lady called Carolina. Her essence was just what we needed for the tour. First stop was The Lovers Park along the Pacific Ocean coastline, a gentle stroll taking it all in before moving to Freedom Square and touring a Monastery the San Fransico monastery with such rich history including lots of bones of people died over 300 years ago. The murals on the wall were mind blowing. At the exit we saw an Afro Peruvian art display. The Afro Peruvians are descendants of black slaves.
Lunch was at a Creole restaurant in midtown Lima, a local food place with authentic creole food. The food was totally orgasmic! The Lomo Soltado dish was a favourite, and a Pisco sour to wash down the meal.
Larco Museum- Lima
Next stop was a private museum, Larco Museum. The history goes back to the beginning of time. Peru is credited as one of the six regions in the world that developed independently. The cradle of humanity. It is in good company with the other 5 cradles of humanity: India, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Mesoamerica, and China.
The first religions (Peru is currently primarily Catholic) were guided by the structure of their livelihood- Agriculture. The skies, the land and the subterranean. Depicted by the condor (Andean Vulture) the Puma/jaguar & the snake.
The early inhabitants, the Mochache, personified the bird, the feline and the serpent as their gods. Sacrifices, both animals and human were to the 3 deities to appeal to them to make their area of dominion productive so that they could be able to carry out their primary livelihood of agriculture. The next stop was to the second part of the Larco Museum, the erotic gallery.
The depth of the Erotic Gallery is refreshing as it looks at love and different sexual acts and the role they play in human interaction both with the living and dead. Eg: Fellatio & anal sex were symbolic of sex with the dead.
Overall the Larco Museum is a must visit when in Lima.
DAY 4- 18th June: 06:40
Location: Sunset Hotel, Paracas
Altitude: sea level (-6M)
Population: 300,000
Sea lions on Ballestas Island- Paracas
We arrived in Paracas about 7:30am yesterday, checked into our hotel and crossed the street to the beach where we boarded the speed boat to Ballestas Island. A fast 50min speed ride found us at the Isle of Ballestas which is home to the Sea lions. The Paracas National Reserve is about 300,000kms and has a number of Islands on them, Ballestas being one of the most popular due to the sea lions. They’re cute and look so cuddly and fat. We were done with the tour in 2hours and stopped for coffee by the sea.
Pacific Ocean- Paracas National Reserve
Next stop was the other side of the Paracas National Reserve. A different side of the Pacific Ocean with lots of little islands. The beauty of the Pacific Ocean is one for the books. The rock formations were breathtaking. I got the opportunity to swim in the Pacific Ocean as well before lunch, ceviche is such a delicious meal!
It was such a beautiful way to spend the day. To wind down, we drove back and watched the sunset before turning in for the night.
DAY 5- 19th June: 02:51
Location: Driving from Huacachina to Arequipa.
Huacachina Altitude: 412M ASL
Ica- Pisco Winery
Today we head off to Ica, the desert that grows lots of fruits (grapes, melons, oranges, avocados) and is the home of Pisco. Pisco is made from grapes. We went to the oldest Pisco winery and were taken on an educational tour by Ĵesùs. Very informative and lovely tour. We started the tour by sampling some canned Pisco, and ended the tour with Pisco tasting. For lunch we headed to a vineyard, for an educational tour on the different wines, liquors and chocolate treats made at this vineyard.
Huacachina
From here we headed to Huacachina (an oasis in the desert) for sandboarding and a thrilling drive on buggies through the desert. The activity was well worth it and after it, we took a refreshing shower before heading to our next location.
DAY 5- 19th June: 09:15
Location: Arequipa (Quechua word that means, I’ll stay here)
Altitude: 2097M ASL
Population: 1.1 Million
Time Check: 17:55
Location: Arequipa (Plaza)
Arequipa
We arrived here about 9:30am, dropped our luggage off at the hotel,then proceeded for a coffee at the Plaza. Lunch was at an authentic Peruvian restaurant where I ate guinea pig. It was yummy.
Plaza in Arequipa
Arequipa is a town in between snowcapped mountains and the desert. It’s so so beautiful! Apparently, it has 3-4 tremors every day because of its location.
DAY 6- 20th June: 11:48
Location: Transit from Arequipa to Puno
Enroute I have seen 2 active Volcanoes, spewing out smoke. How does one even capture that? Arequipa is truly Mountain country.
Driving past Salinas National Reserve, the home to the protected and revered Vicuńa and Guanaco (they look like dik-dik). The Vicuñya produce premium yarn. Lots of Alpacas at this high altitude as well.
We gained altitude up to 4600M ASL before descending to Puno.
Puno
DAY 8- June 22nd: 05:19
Location: Lake Titicaca, Homestay
Altitude: 3800M ASL
Local language: Quechua & Aimaran & Spanish
After breakfast we got onto some bicycle operated carts that took us to the dock where we caught our boat to explore the world’s largest navigable lake.
First stop was on Uros the reed floating homes on the lake, afterwards we went to our Homestay on Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca. Because of the high altitude and the lake, the temperature drops to as lows as -10°.
We walked 1km to the highest point of the island, 4070M ASL to watch the sunset. The sunset was at 5:14pm because this is the shortest day in the year, winter solstice.
Time Check: 12:08
Location: Taquile Island
Altitude: 3800M ASL
Size: 5kms long, 1 km wide.
After a good 4km walk from our homestay we walked the length of the Island (4kms) to the dock. Of course I took a swim in the very cold lake before lunch. The views of Lake Titicaca, Bolivia in the distance with the snowcapped peaks of Illampu Mountain (6300M ASL) has been enchanting.
Lake Titicaca
DAY 9- 23rd June–
Puno- Cusco
Chicas in Cusco
Long day transferring from Puno to Cusco. We started off at 8am and arrived in Cusco at 5:30pm. We made several stops at different locations. Arrival in Cusco was fire! The atmosphere was charged, the city was alive with anticipation of the Inti Raymi Festival The sun festival. It was so exciting to just walk through the city square and be part of the vibe.
DAY 10- 24th June-
Inti Raymi Festival
Inti Raymi Festival- Cusco
Prior to heading to the stadium, we did a tour of Cusco. We visited the Chocolate Museum, a jewelry factory, an Alpaca factory before heading to the hill for the climax of the Inti Raymi Festival. This takes place on a hill overlooking the city. It’s such an intricately planned activity that just blew our minds away. The depiction of how the Inca people from the four regions of the Inca empire would gather before their ruler, the son of the sun god (Inca), give their report of how the past year had been (weather, agriculture and the people) and then celebrate or lament before their ruler, was absolutely mind-blowing!
They then sacrificed a llama and the Coya (Inca’s wife), petitioned Pachamama for a good year.
The whole festival took 3hours. Keep in mind the buildup celebrations begin a week before.
DAY 11- 25th June: 05:13
Location: Cusco enroute to Kilometer 82 to begin the Inca Trail.
As we drive to the beginning of the Inca Trail, I’m totally in awe of the Peruvians and the rich culture they have. This is truly a once in a lifetime trip that anyone who has the ability, should make.
Beginning of the Inca Trail- Kilometre 82
We arrived at Km 82, checked in and started hiking at 8:45am. We had a good leisurely walk of about 7kms and arrived at lunch with the usual pomp I remember. Lunch was delicious chicken, vegetable salad, guacamole and sweet potato fries.
After lunch, we walked another 6kms bringing the total to 13.45kms.
DAY 12: 26TH June: 05:00
Location: Wayllabamba
Altitude: 3200M ASL
Today we start trekking early our target being the dead woman’s pass at 4200M before descending into our camp for lunch. This is meant to be the hardest part of the trek, but easily manageable with adequate preparation and of course the correct gear. We walked a total of 9.23km in 7hours
DAY 13- 27th June 2023 05:00
Location: Pacayamaya
Altitude: 3600M ASL
Dead Woman’s Pass
Today we trekked a total of 13.65kms through Runkurakay (ruins of old) and came down the gringo killers. Today we say goodbye to our porters, they shall descend before 5:00am and we shall proceed to the sun gate.
DAY 14- 28th June 2023 04:30
Location: Wiñaywayna- Machu Pic-chu Gate
Altitude: 2679M ASL
This is an experience in itself. Walking through the sun gate and seeing the lost city of the Incas, it is clear why the Spanish conquistadors were never able to locate the Peruvians hidden in the Andean mountains.
After spending enough time walking around the city, we descended into Agua Calientes, a town at the base of Machu Pic-chu for lunch. We then caught our train back to Ollantaytambo where we found our van waiting to take us back to Cusco. The tour ends today with everyone catching their various flights out beginning tomorrow morning.
DAY 15- 29th June 2023 12:45
Location: Lima
The trip has been great and now I am homebound. Grateful for the safety and provision for the entire trip. God truly had His hand on us from start to end. He truly is an amazing God.
If you have enjoyed reading this, and would like to experience this, sign up! We are doing it all over again in 2024!
Mount Kilimanjaro June 2022
I first went to Mount Kilimanjaro in June of 2015, I was excited and scared to take on this challenge but felt ready. The summit push from Kibo was difficult, very difficult and I almost gave up at Gilman’s Point. However, the words that had been told to me by my brother before this trip, ‘Dad got to Gilman’s Peak with far less gear than you have. You must push further than him’ rang so loudly in my head that I pushed through to Uhuru Peak.
The world closed down in 2020 and my relationship with Mount Kilimanjaro went on pause mode, I was therefore excited to be heading back in June of this year, 2022. For the past 8 years in which I have been climbing hills and mountains, I have come to appreciate the complexity of this extreme sport. The complexity and inability to control all factors while climbing is the thing that keeps me climbing. The unpredictability and uncertainty of the final outcome mirrors life. This trip brought to fore this pretty clearly.
These are some of the major factors that have a direct impact on the outcome of a trip.
- Fitness-
- Physical: Hiking is heavily endurance based so it is of utmost importance that you condition your body to withstand hours and hours of walking without being overly fatigued. The summit push is the hardest and longest and your body has to be able to push beyond what is considered normal.
- Emotional: The physical battery that the body takes has a way of bringing all emotional baggage to the surface. My formative years climbing was wrought with lots of tears as I battled emotional baggage that lay deep within. Sometimes this baggage is so heavy that it physically drains you and limits your ability to walk.
- Spiritual: Being in nature has a way of confirming that indeed humans are not it. There is a larger force at play in the universe. In my case, God is that force. Depending on my spiritual health, it will positively or negatively impact my trip.
- Team Dynamics: Each member carries their own level of fitness (physical, emotional, relational, spiritual) to an expedition and whether we are consciously aware of it or not, it directly affects the team psyche.
- Weather/Climate: This cannot be controlled but can only be managed by having the right gear and not focusing on the discomfort that is definitely part of mountain climbing.
This trip to Mount Kilimanjaro was difficult. The summit push was excruciatingly painful and needed me to dig deeper than I have done in a long time. As the expedition leader, I was cognizant of the overall fitness of my team members. One member was struggling physically and I was aware and carrying the weight of this as I monitored her progress to ensure that the situation did not escalate. Another member was struggling emotionally and I was aware of this and carrying it and hoping and praying that she would also heal on this journey.
On day 5, we started our summit attempt at 12:20am. By the time we got to Gilman’s Peak, one client had opted out of the summit push due to emotional exhaustion. The physical struggle of the other client was quite pronounced but still manageable. I was exhausted but knew I had to soldier on to the summit to motivate the two clients.
The distance between Stella Point and Uhuru Peak took everything out of me and I was ready to throw in the towel and wait for the client to head to the summit alone while I waited for him enroute. His words made me push through the pain and drag myself to the summit on fumes. He said, ‘if you stop here, I stop here too’ no way was I going to rob him of his summit while I could see he definitely had the ability to make it.
The summit is always such a high! All energy returns and spirits uplifted just by achieving that thing that brought us there. The tears flowed freely because of the struggle and the sweet victory we had achieved. After taking numerous videos and photos we started our descent, the victory was amplified and magnified when we met our one team member a few meters away from the summit. Such a beautiful site and clear embodiment of what willpower is. She dug deep ‘’scrapped the bottom of the barrel’’ and pushed herself. It takes a very special type of person to push past all the pain and physical discomfort to achieve that thing that you truly want.
Isn’t life the same?
Atlas Mountains, Morocco 20th- 31st May 2022
The dream to climb the highest Mountain in Northern Africa was planted by one of the members of Mountain Slayers-Kenya. Like most bespoke destinations, we indulge our clients’ desires, after all if it were not for them, we would not be.
In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic put to rest all thoughts of international travel until the vaccination protocol become global. To kickstart our international travel, we decided Africa would be the best place to commence, North Africa- Morocco to be precise.
All protocols and preps done, we left Nairobi on 20th May a few minutes after midnight. We arrived in Casablanca, Morocco on the 20th of May at 1:25pm. After a 3 hour layover, we were on the final flight of the journey to Ouarzarzate (pronounced Wazazat) this flight was quite dramatic. The strong winds from the Sahara meant the plane experienced turbulence that left many people in tears and one of the hikers also got some cardiac massage to ease her discomfort from one of the locals. The turbulence was a sneak peak of what we would experience later in the Sahara. Kindly note that I am not calling it Sahara Desert. Sahara is the Berber term for desert, now you know.
After a brief stopover in Zagora, we landed in Ouarzarzate at 4:25pm. Ouarzarzate is a city southern of the high Atlas Mountains and is a gateway to the Sahara. A team of black travelers in a predominantly white country is always cause for curiosity. We therefore had to explain who we were and what we were doing in Morocco. After the authorities confirmed with our local handlers that we were indeed who we said we were, their previously stern faces turned warm and welcoming and in we walked. Travelling to Morocco in May meant we had not only gained 2 hours but the long daylight hours meant the sun does not go down until 9:00pm.
Our first shock was when we realized that not all our luggage had made it to Ouarzarzate. 3 of us only had the clothes on our backs and shoes on our feet. Due to the nature of such expeditions, we don’t have much downtime so off we started our trip with what we had, hoping and praying that our luggage would make it to us by the second leg of the trip.
After settling in to our accommodation for the night, we set off for dinner at a local restaurant, we were all eager to try out the world famed Moroccan tagine. This is a local way that food is prepared. Accompanied with mint tea and fresh orange juice the meal hit the spot and put us ready for bed.
21st of May, we woke up bright and early to begin our trip to the desert. A quick stopover at the airport reconfirmed that we would indeed be heading to the desert without our luggage. But like all things in life, we must adapt to the challenges thrown at us or else risk expiry. After stopping at a few shops to buy replacement clothes and making peace with the fact that we were looking for a needle in a haystack (looking for trekking gear in small primarily muslim towns). Our new gear made the rest of the team refer to us as ‘’Aunty wa Harriers” from the sweater covered caps, to Jalabiya’s, harem pants and Moroccan khamis.
The drive to the Sahara started giving us an idea of the beauty of this Northern country. I must add here that the common language spoken in Morocco is French, Arabic and Berber, which meant that we were mostly at the mercy of our local guide, Khalid, and the few hikers who knew French. The start of our Sahara experience was in Tazzarine a town in the small province of Zagora. We had a short welcoming walk of 3.4kms to Taghbalte Oasis where we pitched tents for the night.
The Moroccan team ran a slim human team with the heavy lifting being done by dromedaries, camels of Morocco. We were therefore involved in pitching of the tents, a first for many and quite easy to learn. At an altitude of 750M ASL we had a pretty easy time. The Sahara is the largest desert in the world at 9.2km squared! We walked a total of 32kms for the 3 nights we spent in the desert. We hiked up sand dunes and across the land formations.
On our second evening we hiked up a dune to catch the sunset and while there we encountered a sandstorm. If you have never been caught in a sandstorm, in shorts, let me try and explain, it is like being pelted with gravel at lightening speed. Not sure whether to laugh or cry, but mostly cry, we soldiered on and before we knew it, it was over. Just as quickly as it had come, it disappeared just like that.
The amount of sand that collected in our clothes and hair during the 3 days we were in the Sahara would have been enough to fill a children’s sandbox. We were lucky enough to get the best and worst of the Sahara all in one trip so it is safe to say, that is one box ticked. One of the most memorable experiences we had was taking a shower by a well. Many of us are familiar of the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. Five of us decided to go freshen up at a well by an Oasis. It was such a new and novel experience that all I could do was laugh throughout the experience as I hang my clothes in some bushes and proceeded to take a shower without a care in the world. The desert is pretty much deserted so we had the entire well to ourselves and took turns to hide behind some bushes and freshen up. However, after freshening up, the winds blew the sand all over us and we were promptly covered in sand again. Goes to show that we shouldn’t always judge a book by the cover. We were for all intents and purposes clean but no one meeting us would have known that. The bath at the well and the sandstorm were two of my most memorable experiences of the Sahara.
Sahara done and literally dusted! We headed back to Ouarzarzate to reunite with our long-lost luggage and head over to the Atlas Mountains to hike. Being without luggage was such a liberating and easy life. We had no choices so we were simply always on the move. I believe life becomes complicated by too many choices.
Day 5- 24th May,
Let me first take a break on narrating about our trip. With 93% of Morocco arid and semi-arid, it is a wonder that the country is teeming with fruits and vegetables that are voluminous and nutritious. From the oranges (that’s a story in itself), cherries, melons, watermelons (never tasted sweeter watermelons than those grown in the Sahara), the onions are huge! Olives, dates, figs, nuts. I mean the fresh food available in this primarily desert country was simply boggling.
Morocco was colonized by France so the French influence of bread and pastries is wide spread. Bread, cheese and olives is a staple at every meal and offered as bitings at almost all restaurants we visited. The thing I loved most about the meals served while on the excursion was that the vegetable spread was fresh and easy to digest and process given the amount of walking, we did.
Day five had us drive from Ouarzarzate to Oukaïmeden, a world-famous ski resort in the Atlas Mountains, which would be our starting point for the second leg of the trip. From the formidable heat of the Sahara, the cool weather was a welcome change. After a night at the base of the ski mountain at 1657M ASL we started off on an 18km hike with a pass at 2951M ASL and ended the day at 1800M ASL.
The journey across Oukaïmeden was one we were not ready for. The beauty and magnitude of this range cannot be captured by cameras. We were left in awe at how beautiful the range is. The sheer magnitude meant that we climbed high highs and dropped into low lows just because of how this range was created No wonder they call these the high Atlas Mountains.
As we were trekking the Sahara, we got to learn and understand about the nomadic culture of the Berbers of Morocco. They migrate between the Sahara and the high Atlas Mountains based on weather conditions.
As Kenyans who live at the equator, we take it for granted what living at the equator means. Simply put, it means that our conditions are never too extreme but well regulated and equalized. Northern Africa is waaay out of the equator and this means the weather conditions aren’t well regulated.
The Atlas Mountains highest point, Mount Toubkal is 4167M ASL. The vastness of this high Atlas mountains meant that while the summit can be made in 2 days, the distance covered to get there is not for the beginner hiker. One of the best things of this trek is that we came across fresh juice along the route and people who live on the lower levels of the mountain.
On day 7 we meandered along the mountain towards the base camp of the Atlas Mountains. It was a busy route with a number of tourists either heading to the summit or to the sacred rock midway up the mountain. The locals believe that if you make a sacrifice on this rock, your prayers will be answered. There are small kiosks that sell special oil that can be used during the pilgrimage and trinkets for hikers. From the base of the mountain to the summit and back took us 8 and a half hours. The trek up to Toubkal had huge boulders to contend with, scree, snow, ice and cold wind
The summit as always is a just reward for the pain we bore to get there. Our descent was slow due to the terrain but thankfully we had opted to spend another night at the base and not trek out to Imlil like most trekkers do, which would have made our memories of this mountain painful.
On the 28th of May, our last day of trekking was off the mountain and onwards to Marrakech for soft life pleasures. A mule ride was definitely a must:
Dreaming of hamam (Moroccan bath), exploring the Medina and taking in the touristic town of Marrakech, we were ready. On our drive to Marrakech we stopped at Agadir Town where Argan oil is made. We got to learn the benefits, uses and see how it is made. Next stop was Marrakech. We checked into our hotel, freshened up and were ready to experience what we learned is hailed as the capital city of night life in Morocco. It did not disappoint.
The Marrakech Old Medina is one that needs a whole day to fully appreciate. One thing about Morocco is that they will start selling things at about 10 times the actual price. For the times we forgot to haggle, we paid out through our noses for things which would have cost a few Moroccan dirhams.
The Medina is bustling with so much energy and people that it was quite an exciting experience for us. Morocco is not a cheap country, where our Kenyan shilling pits against the dollar at about Kshs. 116, the Moroccan dirham is about 10 to the dollar.
From Marrakech to Fes the oldest city in Morocco and the current favourite of king of Morocco. Here we made a riad in the medina our home. It is run and owned by a French lady who moved there about two years ago before the Covid-19 pandemic. It was different living within the medina but such a lovely experience. Fes is known for its tanneries, which we visited and learnt about the different types of leather.
Our last stop was Casablanca, the largest city of Morocco but also a business hub. At this point we were ready to come home. Done with struggling to communicate and standing out, home was beckoning.
Morocco and the Atlas Mountains has been a trip of a lifetime. Never would I have imagined myself standing at the highest point of Northern Africa. God has truly been faithful and I am forever humbled.
To Dr. Linda, Njeri, Buyani, Debby, Magana and Wanjira, thank you for trusting Mountain Slayers- Kenya to lead you on this trip. You were all such sports and truly amazing company for the trip. Buyani, your photography skills have captured what we saw and experienced while on the trip. Thank you so much. God bless each of you.
Hiking Boot 101
Hiking terrain
Generally, there are 3 types of hiking terrain:
- Easy trails: The track surfaces are stable and even, with a few slight hills.
- Uneven trails: This is a technical terrain and can be found in the mountains or undulating landscapes with slanted trails.
- Off-trail: this terrain is uneven, often unstable with loose rocks, grass tussocks and the trails are not usually marked.
In Kenya we have uneven and off-trails therefore your hiking boot needs to offer wholesome protection.
Things to look for in a good boot
- Stiff outsole: Gives you more stability. A higher cut shoe protects and supports your ankles. Reinforcements (rubber toe, heel protector, side and instep protection etc) and thicker outsoles, increase the durability of your hiking shoes but they make the shoes heavier.
- Water resistance: An impermeable membrane, like Gore Tex, protects your feet from dampness but makes the shoes less breathable.
- High cut shoes will give you extra ankle support.
Tips:
- A pair of shoes that have reinforcements (rubber toe, heel protector, side and instep protection etc) give you added protection and they last longer. Thicker outsoles protect the soles of your feet.
- Light weight shoes reduce fatigue but are not as durable.
Buying the boot:
- Start by putting on a good pair of hiking socks (they’re thicker than the usual sports socks)
- Even if the shoes are new you shouldn’t be able to feel any pressure points at all on your feet. The fit of your shoes (the shape and volume of the inside of the shoe) should be adapted to the anatomy of your foot (and not the other way around!).
- You must be able to adjust your shoe easily without pulling hard on the laces, no matter what the lacing system.
- Ideally, try on different styles at the end of the day, wearing hiking socks, as your feet tend to swell a little.
- When your shoe is undone, you should be able to fit one finger behind your heel when your toes are in contact with the front of the shoe.
- If you fall between two sizes, choose the bigger size as your feet will swell during your hike. You can easily reduce the size of a shoe that is too big by adding an insole. The other way around isn’t so easy!
SWISS ALPS AND EURO TOUR 2018
It all begun with a dream: To unwrap the world, one destination at a time.
After months of meticulous planning, trying out different options, having doors slammed in our face, negative feedback that this was a wild dream, going back to the drawing board several times and finally setting a date Mountain Slayers Kenya made it to the Swiss Alps in August 2018! But not before we had our day at the Embassy which made me realise that the reason many people do not bother to travel is because we are made to feel like second rate citizens begging for a chance to leave our country. We all got our travel documents in order thankfully, then the countdown begun, and before we knew it, it was July 31st and we were at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport- finally the dream was coming true.
Ten Mountain Slayers believed in the dream, signed up and were on our way to the inaugural overseas hiking expedition. Switzerland was no longer a dream but a reality. Here is our story.
After an 8 hour journey aboard Kenya Airways, we landed in Amsterdam with one hour to catch our connecting flight to Zurich, call me a greenhorn, I was bright eyed and mouth hanging somewhere halfway between my tummy and my knees. It was my first time to travel to Europe and I was taking in all the sights and scents with all my five senses, yes, ALL MY FIVE SENSES. We were processed through immigration in Amsterdam quite smoothly (except for my spray can of Deep Freeze that was confiscated) and hoped onto our KLM flight to Zurich. I was surprised to note that the air stewards were quite mature in age unlike the ladies who are the norm on Kenya Airways and other local flights. But I must admit that these mature ladies seemed to appreciate their jobs much more and offered service with a smile and were all eager to offer any assistance.
The first indicator that I might not have understood what summer is was when we landed in Zurich and we were hit by a wave of heat and bright sunlight despite the fact that it was 6:30pm. We quickly located the train station and jumped onto the train that would drop us off at Zurich Central Station (ZCS) from where we would find our accommodation for the night. I cannot even begin to talk about the efficient transport system that they have, the only problem that I had was the fact that everything is automated, I am used to talking to a human being and not a machine, so I was that person who would look for a uniformed officer to ask for directions.
Our hotel for the first night was 5 minutes walk from ZCS, we were too wound up to sleep early or maybe it was because the sun did not go down until 10:00pm. Eventually we settled in for the night and planned to meet at ZCS at 9:00am to begin our journey to Lauterbrunnen. I have seen pictures of Switzerland many times before, but those pictures and movies did not prepare me for the actual thing. To say that Switzerland is beautiful would be an injustice. I will just say that the Swiss are blessed to have sensory gourmet on a daily basis.
We travelled a distance of about 100km to Lauterbrunnen which is South-West from Zurich. When we stepped out of the train station, we knew that we had picked the right country for the inaugural Mountain Slayers- Kenya overseas hike. We could not stop gaping and staring at the rolling hills around us. Some were capped in snow and others had a brilliant green on them. If I thought that the excitement was high, we were now almost giddy with joy. We had a quick lunch and shopped for a few supplies before we jumped onto a bus that would take us to the little town of Stechelberg from where we would begin our hike. We made our way to the inn for the night, Alpenhof Inn, which was run by a sweet couple- Marc and Diane. 
But I think I am getting ahead of myself, now note that we are deep in Switzerland, and here we were ten black people carrying huge hiking bags and carrying on in joyous banter as we made our way along. To say that the locals were surprised and shocked to see us would be to put it mildly. I remember we walked into this little diner for a meal and the patrons sat with their mouths wide open. I kid you not. They were mesmerized by us. I could tell it was not from a negative place, but simply curious as to how and who these dark skinned individuals were and what language they were speaking in. One of the attendants asked us where we were from and whether we were talking to each other in our native language. Well, clearly we do not speak the Queen’s English but something that I learnt is referred to ‘Kenglish’ or ‘Kenyanesse’
We were lucky to land in Switzerland the eve of their National Day so our stay in Stechelberg, this little village town in Stechelberg was quite festive. The Swiss are known for their Cheese and Chocolate so it was not a surprise that the cowbell ringer is a revered man in this town. The climax of the celebrations was when the cowbell ringer and his assistant led the town members in a march around the town, marching in time to the cowbell gong that they were clanging as they made their way. After the parade, we were treated to fireworks which had been rigged from one of the hills closest to the town. We were warmly welcomed to partake in the traditional brew and hot cross buns after the cowbell ringers had returned. We were so engrossed in the celebrations, and the long days were confusing that we almost forgot that we had come to hike.
After a restful night at Alpenhof Inn, where we had to feed coins into a machine to dispense hot water for showering, we were treated to a hearty breakfast before we set off for our hike. We took a cable car from Stechelberg to Murren and then began a trek that would take us almost 9 hours to complete. The weather was favourable, the trails well marked plus an added bonus of having water points along the way, including a mountain inn where we had our lunch before proceeding to Sefinenfurgge pass. I must let you know that we were starting from a level of about 250M and ascended up to about 1500M above sea level.
When they say summer, you best believe that it is hot. This was Mountain Slayers- Kenya first self-guided tour with no porters and the experience was amazing! I now believe that Kenyan hikers carry too many things because they know that they have the luxury of giving their stuff to the porters to carry. Well, I must commend my team, they all carried their bags with no complaints (even if they were tired, complaining would not have helped because there was no assistance to be offered)
We kept at a steady pace, manoeuvring over streams, passing by cows in the meadows (I finally understood this phrase from the movie ‘Sound of Music’- ‘The hills are alive, with the sound of music’ the cowbells make the most melodious sound) leaving the meadows, getting onto the scree and eventually the peak. We had to scramble up the last section, but thankfully we found ropes fastened into the side of the mountain to pull ourselves up. We made it to the summit and were relieved that we had made it without any incident. 
This joy was short lived. We glanced down the other side of the mountain where we were treated to steep stairs that descended into clouds of fog and mist. We descended into the valley and crossed some more streams and focused on making our way to Griesalp where we would spend the night. Now, we had thought that Stechelberg was a village town, nothing prepared us for Griesalp. This place was even further in, and their shock at seeing a troop of black folk was even more pronounced. I remember one small boy who came out with his binoculars to stare at me; I was less than 5 feet away from him. As we walked through the town, the place came to a standstill. The people stopped and unashamedly starred at us. There were some calves frolicking in a pen right before us. These calves were playing with some European hikers who were passing close by, but when we approached, they took off, the calves, not the hikers.
I thank God for the long days that we had, the natural light made it easier to keep on walking way even when we knew it was late. We were grateful to eventually get to Naturfreundehaus, which was manned by an interesting fellow called Heinz. The next day we had one more summit to slay. Out of the ten hikers who had started this journey, only five were committed to the second summit. 
We set off to conquer Hortuli, which was another 1,000 metre ascent and just as steep descent. We were rewarded with crossing right by the breathtaking Oeschinensee. Such aqua blue water, I have never seen before. If I thought the previous day was long, I was in for an even longer day. To understand just how intense our hikes were, let me share this. The first time we mentioned our destination to fellow hikers, the reaction we got was, ‘Oh my God!’ We were getting to Kandersteg at 8:30pm. The rest of the team that had opted not to hike were waiting for us and wondering what happened. We were out on the hills, enjoying ourselves, getting rained on, and taking pictures, getting chased by cows and soaking in all the glorious beauty around us.
When we arrived at Kandersteg, we were treated to the loveliest of inns, and well worth the struggle. Our hiking trip came to an end at Bernerhof Inn. We celebrated a birthday, toasted the persistent, resilient fabulous five hikers who hankered down and slayed the two peaks of the Swiss Alps.
The next day we transferred back to Zurich where we spent the night before starting off for the Euro Tour that took us to Germany, Czech, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria and Lichtenstein. Eastern Europe is filled with such rich history. We did so much in such a short span of time that my head is still spinning from everything that I saw. We passed by the Rhine falls in Germany where we were taken through the history of the Cuckoo clock and learnt about how Eiswein is made visited. We then moved on to Frankfurt for the night. The next day we made our way to Prague (pronounced Praha) where we visited the St. Vitus Cathedral and visited the Schonbrunn Palace. Hungary was our next stop. We sailed the Danube River and grabbed a meal at a little café run by the famed Chef Jamie Oliver. That same evening we were treated to a traditional Hungarian dinner. I cannot begin to go into detail about how exquisite this experience was you had to be there. Vienna, the home of Mozart, was our next stop. We went to Musikverein where we had a delightful musical evening watching the Vienna Orchestra. Our second last day took us back to Germany, Munich, where we stopped at the factory of the famous Octoberfest, where we indulged in original ale, straight from the factory pitchers. I know understand why Octoberfest is such a huge deal. After a whirlwind tour, we made our way back to Switzerland where we made a visit up Mount Titlis. A tour to Switzerland would be incomplete without the famous cheese fondue. As you can tell, we soaked in as much as we could given the short amount of time that we had. Space cannot allow me to get into more detail here. This is simply a condensed version of our experience.
To the fabulous group of Mountain Slayers-Kenya who were on this trip, I take my hat off to you. I salute you for believing in the dream. This is just the beginning.
If you want to be a part of this amazing group of hikers, email us on info@mountainslayers.co.ke for more information.
THREE COUNTRIES- ONE SUMMIT
I have not written this year. Do not mistake that for saying that I have not been hiking. I have. And to many exciting and exotic places. I was encouraged to get back into writing after the Mt. Sabinyo trek so here I go.
I did not plan to go on this trip. No specific reason I just did not wrap my mind around going on it but boy am I happy that I went. The adventure began right here on home turf. I made it to the airport for the early 5:00AM flight in good time. I was at the airport by 3:00AM and I am glad that Njeri, my neighbour, had insisted that we get there in good time. No sooner did we get there then I realized I had left my identification card at home, and the immigration guys were too happy to sarcastically tell me, ‘Karibu Kenya’ I was having none of that and quickly hailed a taxi and dashed off home to get my card and was back to the airport in good time. This would definitely not have been the case if the flight had not been at that Godly hour (God had His hand on the timing of the flight-CLEARLY!)
We landed in Kigali International Airport at about 8:00am, after a brief stopover in Entebbe. I was wide eyed and taking in all the sights and sounds of this little gem in Africa. The place is clean and orderly. The motorbikes (bodabodas) follow the traffic lights and the passengers on the bikes actually put on their helmets. I was in awe. Beyond that Kigali is such a beautiful city- the country of a thousand hills. It truly is breathtaking. First stop was breakfast. We headed to a mall in the city where we had a sumptuous breakfast- the portions were so huge that had we known this, we would have shared the orders. We took our time having breakfast and bonding with a few Kenyans who have made Kigali their home.
Our destination was Kisoro in Uganda and to get there we had to get to Musanze, a border town in Rwanda, where we would then cross over into Uganda before making our way to Kisoro which is the little village that is at the base of Mt. Sabinyo. I think I should have paid more attention in my intermediary French classes. When we got to the bus park I could hear what was being said but understanding, not so much! Luckily we had a very amazing and funny lady as part of our team, she was able to imitate the local dialect so precisely that she was able to decipher what they were saying and they in-turn believed that she was a local. Eventually we sorted out our transport and off we headed to Musanze. The roads in Rwanda are well constructed, no potholes, proper drainage, lighting, pedestrian and pedal-cyclist paths- such good planning. The rambling hills which were green from the current good rain and the streams and rivers bubbling along; I have not had such optical pleasure in such a long time. The one other thing that stood out for me was the genocide memorial sites that are evident as you move from town to town. On the surface, Rwanda has really come a long way from the horror they underwent more than 20 years ago.
Eventually we got to Musanze where we met up with fellow hikers who were joining us on the expedition. I think the people at the bus park knew we were tourists because the rates that they were quoting to get us across the border were mind boggling! Eventually we decided to use regular transport which gave us the edge of interacting directly with the culture of the place. Something interesting about how they drive in Musanze is that, as much as they drive or are meant to drive on the right side of the road, they actually veer to the left side and only move back to their side of the road when there is on coming traffic. Another thing I noticed is that they would put on their indicators as they passed each other on the road. I tried to ask the driver about this and he fluently explained it all to me in crisp French.
Eventually we crossed the border and made our way to Kisoro and to Amajambere Community Camp for the night. We woke up in the morning excited about our adventure and were ready to hit the trails by about 7:00am. By the time the administration and briefing was done, we started walking at about 7:45am. We were a mixed group comprising of Mountain Slayers Kenya, Mountain Slayers Uganda and some Americans who were syked up for the trip. We set off at a comfortable pace all dreaming of chewing up three summits and eventually arriving at the peak that sits on 3 countries (Rwanda, Uganda and DRC)
Now, I do not like researching in detail about the trail I am going to blaze and the reason is that I do not want to be prejudiced by anyone’s opinions. Someone had mentioned ladders on the mountain but I paid no heed. Well, it is safe to say that I will never look at a ladder the same way AGAIN! After a deceptive easy, leisurely one hour walk, things got real. The incline on the mountain started at a very rapid rate and before I could say Sabinyo, I was on all fours scrambling up the ladders. The crazy thing about this mountain is that you think the ladders are not that many until you realize you are on ladders more than you are on terra firma. One after the other after the other! Because of the rapid ascent and the fact that I was trying out some new eating plan, I got hit by the altitude right in my tummy. Waves of nausea swept over me and I knew that it would not be long before I gave up. Luckily my trusted partner, gadget guy, had me covered and he eventually caught up with me and gave me some mint sweets that helped ease the nausea. At this point I had made it to the first summit and was seriously contemplating turning around. Whether it was a touch of mountain madness or just the euphoria of climbing ladders on a mountain and not actually hiking, I pushed past the pain and made it to summit two and finally to summit three. If I thought the ladders I had encountered were bad, the final set of ladders (like 4 sets of stairs each with about 150 stairs) was gruesome. The cloud cover had descended so low that looking back where I had come from, I could see nothing and looking up into the clouds, I could also see nothing. We rightly named the ladders, ‘staircase to heaven’ because it felt like that is what we were doing.
As I hauled myself up the ladder I questioned my level of sanity at subjecting myself to such an ordeal. Did I actually pay to bring myself to this monstrosity of a mountain? Well, I did. And you know what? The summit was worth it. I think the clouds had descended low to prevent me from seeing the sharp declines all around me, but when I got to the summit, Oh My!! The pain, the sweat, the tears were worth it. The clouds lifted and there was Rwanda, Uganda and DRC to the North, West and East. Such beauty.
This disease that gets me on mountains every so often is a disease that I gladly bear- it is an affliction that I am happy to have. It is a burden that I gladly carry. There is no better way to experience life, to live than to be out in the wild with nature. If you think my story is over, you have no idea. The trip down was filled with laughter and dancing because of what we had just been blessed to experience. 12 hours later we were back in camp and ready to drop into bed. We had another adventure awaiting us the next day.
Gorilla Tracking:
When I heard about gorilla tracking I really had no idea what that meant. I just assumed we would find the gorillas lined up in an organized way and we would smile at them, take pictures and head off. How wrong was I? Gorilla tracking is just that. Literally tracking gorillas in their natural habitat; how they do it is that they have a team of rangers who follow the gorillas on a daily basis and then give direction on where to head to in order to find them. Gorillas share about 95.7% DNA with human beings and are therefore some of our closest relatives in the animal kingdom. It takes about two and a half years to habituate Gorillas. It is a slow and arduous process that requires patience. So there we were at Mghainga Gorilla National Park in the Virunga mountains chasing Nyakagezi gorilla group. After walking in the mountains for about an hour and a half we spotted Mafia, a huge silverback who preened and posed for us from a distance. Eventually we spotted Mark, the dominant silverback of the group and shortly thereafter we spotted the most adorable gorillas- a mother a her 9month old young one. The adult gorillas were not disturbed by our presence and actually allowed us to get really close to them, the baby was shy and kept peeking at us from behind his mother trying to understand who these ‘relatives’ were who were speaking a different language. This was simply one of the most amazing experiences that I have had to date and it is something that I would be willing to do again and again.
After spending enough time with the gorillas, we quickly hiked out of the mountains and headed back to camp to collect our luggage before heading to the border and back to Kigali. The adrenaline rush we had experienced in the three days had me sleeping for most of the journey back to Kigali.
One final thing I needed to do before leaving Kigali was visiting the genocide museum. This is not something I can write about. It is a personal experience that shifts how you view life. Human beings have a lot to learn from the animal kingdom.
For a trip that I never intended to go for, how glad am I that I went on this trip? Everything about the trip was more than I bargained for and I know I am blessed and richer for having experienced three countries in one short weekend.
For more on how to join us on our next adventure, follow us on Facebook, Instagram or send an email to info@mountainslayers.co.ke
MT. KENYA- OCTOBER 6th-10th 2017
Same mountain, different team, different experience. Always. Guaranteed.
We set off for Mt. Kenya on the 6th of October- 9 eager and excited hikers. This was not my first time there and I am sure it is also not my last time there. We had two repeat hikers. One who had successfully summitted when he was younger and one who had made it almost the whole way up but had missed the summit by less than 300meters.
Roadtrips are exciting even without the promise of a mountain to slay. We were going up through the Sirimon gate and so after meeting up at Java, off we went. The banter in the van was pregnant with anticipation, expectation and nervousness. I love tuning out and listening to the chatter of the team. It wasn’t long before I nodded off to sleep.
For the first time I got to see the slopes of Mt. Kenya from Karatina. Amazing that I have never seen this ever; and yet this is a route that I have taken numerous times. It helps when you have a Captain among your team, they have a comprehensive hold of geography and he was able to point this out and also give direction to those of us (read I) who are geographically challenged.
Day 1 is a 3 hour trek that covers roughly 10 kms from Sirimon gate to Old Moses campsite. Lunch was served at the gate- and that meal was just fingerlicking delicious! There is something about mountain food. It is just so tasty! But of course all props to Benson our chief chef for the trip. He really threw those meals down. The weather was favourable and the pace comfortable so the team kept up the banter while stopping to take in their surroundings as we moved along to Old Moses. 
We got there in the dark and quickly changed out of our hiking clothes and headed straight for the mess tent for our dinner. I remember some of the team October slayers discussing and saying how dinner would be a waste seeing that it was going to be served only a few hours after our lunch. Well! Nothing was wasted. We scoffed down all the food laid before us. Something about the mountain that works up an appetite- but I should add that this only happens at the lower altitudes. The higher up we went, the lower the appetite levels were for a number of the slayers.
Day 2- Old Moses to Shiptons- Mt. Kenya is still one of the most scenic mountains I have been on. It is a pity that the authorities do not take better care of the amenities on the mountain. Shortly after the junction that heads either to Likii North or to Shiptons, the heavens opened. It started off as harmless drizzles before the hailstones started coming down. The rain thereafter was heavy. Being pelted and rained on at the same time is what make these trips so enjoyable (well, I can say that now, but as I was being pelted and had to walk sideways to avoid getting the hail direct into my eyes, I wondered what I was doing back on the mountain!) 
We sheltered briefly while we waited for the rain to dissipate. When we realized that was an exercise in futility, on we trodded to the caves before the Mackinder valley where we were scheduled to stop for lunch. Thank goodness for Weetabix, their Alpen bars and Protein bars kept us energized from breakfast all through the hike. Thank you Weetabix!Now, I knew that the word cave was being used very loosely but the rest of the team had no idea what lay ahead of them. Shock on them when they were directed to a huge rock, it was actually amusing to watch the team struggle to find the ‘entrance’ to the cave. Poor guys. Lunch was served and we gobbled it down as the rain continued to pelt us mercilessly. If there was a point of giving up and turning back, this was it for me. I was frozen to the bone and thought that I was going to be sick-no doubt. Luckily our porters were also ‘in’ the cave so I was able to get out my summit jacket to keep me warm. After lunch, one of the slayers felt faint and had to be attended to. How the body behaves on the mountain is unpredictable so you always need to be prepared for any eventuality. She was quickly put in the recovery position and covered with a thermal blanket as the team watched and prayed that it would end quickly. Thankfully she recovered well and we were able to continue our journey to Shiptons camp. 
We took in the amazing views as we marched on to the base camp. We got there slightly after dark and thankfully we were able to change and dry out in the Shiptons bandas before heading to our tents for the night.
Day 3: Summit. The initial plan had been to attempt a night summit and then walk to Lake Ellis for the night. One thing I have learnt over the years is that I may have my plans and schedule however plans change according to the team dynamics. By the time the entire team was at Shiptons, one of the slayers was suffering from mild mountain sickness. It was time to make a decision about how we proceeded as a team. As we were doing the initial briefing before the journey begun at Sirimon gate; I had made it clear that the trips is all about the journey and not the destination. The peak is less than a 30minute affair but the struggle and pain to get there is where all the growth and bonding happens.
These were the options; begin our summit attempt at 2:00am as planned and be prepared to have a less than 100% success or a very prolonged and painful summit attempt. Or sleep in, begin the journey at 8:00am and give the entire team an equal chance of success. Group dynamics are so important because this is the point where the members decided that we would all sleep in to give the weaker members an equal chance at summitting; and that’s exactly what we did.
I think night summits are overrated. After summitting both during the day and at night, I believe day summits are so much more easier on the body. It is not frighteningly cold or windy. Off we trudged to Point Lenana- excited that we could take in the majestic views as we headed to the summit. Along the way we broke into three groups based on pace and ability. I was keeping a keen eye on the lady who had not summitted the last time because I knew that she would not make it without the group support. When we got to the first Harris Tarn we dropped our daypacks and waited for her to catch up with us. It is amazing how the team pulled together. We chatted and psyched each other up as we trudged up towards the rock of despair.
The last meters to the summit are the hardest, when you are almost there, it is like your body realizes how close to the end you are and just tries to shut down. It took team work to get everybody to the summit. When you are closest to your goal is when you feel the fatigue of the journey and want to give up. (This is also very true in life situations. Failure rate is highest when people are closest to their goals. It is important to have a supportive tribe that will cheer you on to your desired goal). The cries of jubilation, the war songs that were sang, the dancing, the sheer joy that was expressed by the team when we sat at Point Lenana made the struggle all worth it.
Each slayer in Team October was on this journey for individual reasons. After pushing your body to the breaking point there really is nothing that you cannot achieve. Mountain climbing gets you to a place where the physical body tells you enough is enough, if your mind believes your body then your journey is over. If you are able to break past your mental barriers then you will find the strength to push your body to the next level- this next level is within your reach if only you try.
This is one of the reasons that I keep going back to the mountain, I need to remind myself that indeed it is possible, no matter how bleak the situation is, it is possible to move beyond. It is also refreshing seeing people achieve that which they thought was impossible. It is like scales fall from their eyes and they are able to see the world anew. Believing that the stumbling blocks that they left behind are simply that, stumbling blocks that they can easily trample if they push deeper and further within themselves.
After the successful summit, we started our descent off the mountain via the Chogoria route, which is the windward side of the mountain. Our first stop for the night was Mintos campsite where we had a lovely celebratory dinner and turned in for the night satisfied and content by our group accomplishment.
Day 4 had us walk to Meru bandas. On the way we passed by Lake Ellis for a hot lunch. The landscape on this side are nothing that can be captured in word or picture- this you need to simply experience for yourself. Lake Michaelson and the Gorges valley are just some of the wonders that our eyes feasted on as we trekked.
Eventually we made it to Meru bandas where we finally had a hot shower and warm bed after days of being at one with nature. Thankfully we were still out of network range so we were able to talk and unwind without the interruption of our gadgets. As the expedition leader, it is always rewarding to hear the feedback from the team. That means that not only did they fully engage in the activity but are interested in more activities in future.
To Team October, well slayed! On to the next!
Rurimeria Hike- 23rd September 2017
If I have said this once, I have said it many times and I will say this again, same hike different experience every single time. There is no way you can replicate an experience. It is impossible. Many things change;
- Group members
- Support team
- Personal characteristics
- Environmental conditions
- And many more that I will not name.
No matter how much you try to hold things constant, it is simply impossible to re-experience an experience.
So there I was again, back to Rurimeria Hill after having successfully slayed it in January this year. I was lucky enough to have 2 repeat climbers and they can testify to the above- you cannot repeat the experience.
This time around we tried to leave Nairobi a little early, and the Mountain Slayers did me proud. They were there on time and ready for their adventure. 4:30 am. That in itself shows the commitment of the hikers. The drive to Rurimeria is a good 3 hours away and people took the time to catch up on sleep while others simply caught up (we rarely see each other between hikes)
After eating the birthday cake courtesy of our partner- Valentine Cake House, we loaded the support team into the van and drove for another 45 minutes to the start point. We had a quick brief, shared out the awesome Alpen bars courtesy of our other partners- Weetabix EA and off we went. It did not take us even one hour to fall into groups of the super-fast (those guys move at sonic speed) the average hiker and the guys who have the most fun- the sweeping team.
Rurimeria has a very sharp incline at the beginning and it absolutely knocks the wind out of you. It is a pretty rude shock but the thing is to pace yourself and power through. There are many tricks to pace yourself, some include taking photos of the amazing scenery and my favourite is ‘beating’ stories. Perfect excuse to pause as if you are thinking of the response when in actual fact you are breathing!
The Aberdares were amazing this time around. They gave us fantastic mountain weather. It not only rained but we had hailstones pelting us as we tried to navigate our way up the numerous false summits.
Here is the thing, without proper pacing and fuelling your body, soon enough you will begin to feel sick (altitude sickness is real any height above 1,000M from where you originate from) and the only way to manage the sickness is to rest and descend. We do not have much time to play around with on a day hike so once your body starts to resist, the only option is to descend. During long hikes (over a series of days) this can be managed by rest and fuel and then moving on at a pace that does not punish the body.
The interesting thing about dealing with adults is that even though they don’t know, they pretend to know and therefore suffer the effects of not following the team leader’s advice.
After a whopping 9 hours (for the sweeping team) we were back to base- frozen to bits but happy to have had an interesting day out. The advance team made it back in 11hours. Big up to them! Seeing that we were turning into popsicles as we waited for them, one of the slayers managed to rustle up some tea from the neighbouring homes which we kept hot and used to receive the advanced team. Never has a cup of tea been received with that much gratitude.
All in all Rurimeria was as tough as it had promised to be but as beautiful as I remember it to be. I am already looking forward to the next hike! If you want to be a part of this team of hikers, drop an email to info@mountainslayers.com and find out how you can connect with the Mountain Slayers Kenya.
RAGIA FOREST- September 2017
So far in my exploration of Kenya I must admit that the Aberdare’s have proven to be one of the most scenic and easily accessible hiking destinations (accessible from Nairobi). Ragia forest did not disappoint. This was my second time there having been there in early 2016- January 23rd to be precise. Unfortunately the visit back was one that left me in shock and pretty sad about what we humans are doing to our environment. (Below is a pic from January 23rd 2016)
In January 2016, the drive through the boundary that separates Kiambu from Nyandarua County we were able to see why Sasumua dam is one of the critical water towers that supplies Nairobi County with 12% of her water. The water levels were pretty high and water was all around us. We drove over bridges and spillways that were brimming with water. The sun bounced off the surface of the water causing us to squint at the beauty that lay before us. We took out our cameras (phones mostly) and captured the waterscape before us for posterity. (Below is September 2017)
Fast forward to September 9th and the experience was not the same. I strained my neck trying to figure out where the water was, trying to convince myself that we had taken a different route to our starting point. When I inquired from our chatty guide if this was the case, he sadly said no. It was at this point that I took a keener look around and then it hit me, we were on the same path just without water. Where before there was massive water all around, this time we were looking at greenery; the water basins were replaced by grass. I did not know whether to laugh or cry so I simply stared around me with my mouth agape. Apparently the last time the water levels was high was when we were last there in January 2016. (Below is January 2016, navigating across the water took tremendous skill, this year it was like walking over a puddle)
What have we done to our environment? What have we done to ourselves? By cutting down trees, by littering and choking the environment, we have sent the ecosystem to the brink and now we have drought. The weather patterns have been changing over the last couple of years and we will rue the day that we stopped taking care of the environment. The system of life is that we protect the environment and it in turn protects and provides for us. We have forgotten that and abused the environment. Unfortunately the environment can be pretty unforgiving as has been witnessed by the current ‘natural’ disasters that are taking place all around the world. We will regret the decision to drop that wrapper on the ground, to cut down that tree without replacing it, by killing off the wildlife for quick personal gain. We indeed shall reap the effects of our nonchalance to the environment.
The Mountain Slayers who made it to the hike were energetic and committed to the six hour hike. We learnt a lot of history about Ragia forest and the important part that it played in the struggle for Kenya’s independence. Save for the shock of seeing how badly depleted the environment has become, we enjoyed a beautiful hike that left us ‘nicely’ exhausted and looking forward to the next trip. If you want to be a part of the next hike, send an email to info@mountainslayers.com
Until the next hike, take care of your environment and speak out when you see people litter or degrade your environment. Remember that your environment is not only the obvious but also includes any space you find yourself- your office, your home, transport (bus, car, train, plane).
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