Elephant Hill.
You know those plans you make and the moment you start actualizing them you start regretting? This was one of them. Don’t get me wrong, I was only regretting because I don’t think I was fit enough for the hike and what I had read about Elephant hill was not even half of what I experienced.
Let’s start with the fact that between the legit starting point and where the cars are parked it’s almost 5kms plus. Then the hike begins, ooh man. We got to the first resting point and our guide told us we had not even started hiking the hill. At this point, I was honestly going to quit. I am glad I did not though coz the beauty and atmosphere in this place are amazing. Going through the bamboo thickets was not so easy coz it was muddy but luckily it had not rained so it would have been worse. After what seemed like an eternity we got to the clearing and we were at the point of despair. This is the point where most people give up but it is also the point with the best view. From this point, one can see Mt.Kenya, Mt.Longonot, L. Naivasha, if you are lucky enough to find no mist and fog. You also get to see elephant hill (it’s actually shaped like an elephant).
I wanted to stop there but my buddy Rodney (check out his blog tukizuru.blogspot.com) kept psyching me up so we continued walking. The hike up the tail was hell. It took so much pep talk for me to actually keep moving. At some point I told Rodney to continue I am behind him. To make sure I did not quit he kept calling my name after every five minutes. Got to the top, we were literally in the clouds, and it was totally worth it.
I took so many moral lessons from this hike yaani, I am still super proud of myself. First, walk at your own pace in life. Don’t run because everyone else is running. We will all get to the top . Second don’t quit, no matter how much easier it seems to quit, or how bad the going gets, do not quit. Take a moment, catch your breath, hydrate, relax and continue. Third, do not stress about things that are so far, concentrate on taking the next step and you will get to the top (at some point I kept wondering how I was going to get back down lol). Lastly, there will always be people to help you (btw I was so ready to slide all the way down if that was an option).
It was fun though, trying to get people who had given up to continue, the view at the top, the experience and the fact that I was aiming to do Elephant hill before turning 25 and I actually did so yeey.
Elephant Hill is in Njabini (take a left at the junction). It is roughly 90km and will take you about 7hrs so to summit you need to get there early. You need an armed guide to hike. Call Tsuma – 0712468494 to organize for one.
