Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro is one of the top items on my bucket list and this year, I finally decided to be proactive about it. You, however, cannot just wake up one day and decide to summit the highest mountain in the world; it takes a lot of physical and mental preparation.
With this in mind, I have come up with a very simple game plan: start with Mt Kilimambogo, take on Mt Longonot, summit Mt Kenya before finally tackling the Kilimanjaro. To put the first phase of this plan into action, I booked a stay at Ol Donyo Sabuk Resort on the border of Kiambu and Machakos counties.
Less than a two-hour drive from Nairobi early Saturday morning and I was standing on the wet lawns of the farmhouse, chatting up the executive chef as he picked some fresh mangoes for breakfast later that morning, all while taking in the majestic and somewhat intimidating mountain, which I was set to summit later that afternoon.
Built to resemble an old English farmhouse with comfortable and stylishly designed living spaces, the resort itself offers quite the idyllic setting for an unhurried countryside retreat, spent revelling in the magnificence of the surrounding flora and fauna, coupled with a myriad of activities like horse riding or exploring the town (be sure to check out Macmillan's Castle).
The resort paired me up with their experienced resident guide Yemen, who regaled me with interesting tales about the mountain, the buffaloes after which it is named, the town, as well as its people and their history. Located within Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park, it was a 9.2km hike to the top, which, given your level of physical fitness, is relatively easy and should take about two hours with pitstops at the observation area with a scenic 180-degree view of the town and Macmillan's burial site.
The thrill of having summited a mountain is amazing, since if you can conquer a trail that seemed almost impossible to hike, you can overcome any challenge that life throws your way.
LOCATION: Kiambu
Contacts: oldonyosabukresort.co.ke, +254 724 176518
Star rating:
4.5/5