Liz Mokamba

Truth be told, after the introduction to a running community and a realization that Mt. Kenya can be climbed in one day, I ate all the money I had been saving up for a four-day climb. And now, I have gone too far into this recreational running thing to restart that saving. As such I am only left with one option, to climb Mt Kenya in one day or as the outdoor community calls it, a Day Dash.

After my first attempt in last June 2024, I was due for another visit to the beautiful mountain this year. Luckily, Ubuntu Fitness Club organized for a day dash in June 2025, unofficially marking my one-year anniversary of hiking Mt Kenya.

In 2024, I hiked up Sirimon route from Old Moses Camp and turned back at Shiptons Camp. This time we were going up the Naromoru route. My first time there.

I was relaxed this time since I hadn’t had time to overthink and overanalyze my options. I was ready for whatever may be as my goal was to challenge my body, enjoy the mountain and summit.

It was a fairly chilly morning at MET Station, our starting point. Ahead of us was a 10km hike to Mackinder’s camp and a further 4 km to point Lenana. We started the ascent at 7.00 am and according to my calculations, I had at most seven hours till turn back time and I thought If I become serious enough I would summit this time. I was energized and hopeful and less packed compared to last time. (I had learnt my lesson)

We started the ascent on a trail with fair terrain through the forest, the kind that made me think of that village road that leads towards a stream. I imagined that this is a fair gentle ascent to allow the body to adjust.

But the mountain was waiting for this chance to slap me on my hopeful face exactly five minutes into my ascent. My heart started sending distress signals, pounding through my well buckled hopeful self. Well, I thought, looks like the mountain has no time for gentle ascents and I shouldn’t trust my eyes but feel the body’s reaction. I paced myself, slow enough to keep my panting in check and tackle the elevation gain but fast enough to keep up with the group. Altitude?? I didn’t feel anything yet.

I sighed with relief as I exited the forest onto the moorland. I was met with beauty packaged in yellowy green tall bushes of grass as the morning sun penetrated through the vegetation directly hitting my face.  The mountain had started showing off, and I liked it. However, as soon as I continued with my ascent through the moorland, I understood that the beauty of the moorland was a distraction from its harshness as it was mushy, boggy and occasionally needing me to dodge water puddles, muddy pits and slippery sections.

Still, I felt pretty energetic, often walking and resting as I take photos and videos. The mountain looked beautiful, peaceful, quiet, real. The weather was excellent and I couldn’t be happier. I noted some obvious differences between this route and Sirimon. While the stretch from Old Moses camp to Shiptons camp offers you some downhill sections, this route serves you an all uphill course to your face from the first step you take.

Subconsciously, Hozier’s ‘Take me to Church’ and Sia’s ‘Alive’ were interchangeably playing in my head and sometimes out loud.

I then transitioned into a drier moorland section as I started spotting some type of vegetation other than the moorland grass. Independent giant lobelias made the trail more pronounced, some green while some looked half burnt. I wondered what caused that.

My body started feeling more relaxed and the terrain flatter. I gained speed by walking faster. I could hear the sounds of a river and I knew at some point I would cross it (I had watched a couple of tiktoks). I could see a big rock protruded afar in front of me and wondered whether that’s where I am headed.

I picked up momentum as I headed towards Mackinder’s Camp. I loved the vegetation, the landscape, the vastness and quietness of the mountain. I crossed the river and saw the camp just ahead of me. I arrived there still strong, motivated with little to no altitude sickness. The board said 4300m ASL and I was happy to have surpassed my previous record of 4200m ASL.

I took a snack, had a bathroom break, re-buckled myself up and dared go for the summit push. I had separated from my group and those ahead of me were too far for me to join. There were lots of people coming down from Lenana and the trail felt active enough for me to proceed.

I passed by a lady whose hiking pants were all dusty. I asked her how Lenana is and she told me to go and find out myself. I followed the trail, and my body responded to the now sharply increasing elevation and altitude with heavy pants. My nose could no longer singlehandedly sustain my breathing and I had to breathe through my mouth.

The view of Mackinder’s camp was beautiful. The huts looked spectacular from a higher ground. I wondered how they brought up the building materials. I saw the humongous rock lying bare in front and above me. I had no idea whether that is where I am headed. I crossed a small stream and proceeded to a gentler terrain, then all of a sudden there was a 90 degrees’ hill ahead of me

I decided to push till I meet Ubuntuz coming downhill or until 2pm, whichever came first. The terrain consisted of slippery dust and rock outcrops. A sharp ascent that necessitated a zigzag move. I took one step after another often looking back and wondering how I will descend this section. I then understood why that girl’s pants were all dirty as she must have rolled down this section (voluntary or otherwise)

At around 1.30pm, I met the first crew of Ubuntuz running downhill. They encouraged me to continue to Austrian Hut then turn back. I kept going, and going, and going. At 1.57pm, I sat on a rock, somewhere less that 2km from point Lenana. I saw another batch of Ubuntuz coming downhill. They asked if I will go on and I said no. I decided to make that rock my summit for the day, 12.2km from MET station, approximately 4500ASL. I ate a banana, took a recharge drink, checked my phone and snapped a few pictures.

I soon spotted our Captain Ness and decided to use his company going downhill. It was relaxed, a tad bit fast but calm descent. The weather was still excellent, the mountain still beautiful. Then boom, the boggy moorland section came back, harsher than before and it made sure I got a headache for remembrance.

I found it better to admire the mountain during ascent as a way of utilizing those little breath catching breaks as the descent requires much more concentration lest you leave your teeth on the trail.

It was a successful hike, a good pressure release and a great interaction with nature. We made it this far, kid. And see you next time, Lenana.

Read about my first Mt. Kenya hike https://lizmokamba.com/2025/01/28/for-god-so-loved-the-world-journey-to-point-lenana-first-attempt/

With Love, Liz