Review of Mother Kinangop in Aberdare Ranges

This giant mountain in located in the northern part of Aberdare Ranges about 3 hours’ drive from Nairobi CBD. The mountain is accessed through Mutarakwa Forest station after Engineer town in Nyandarua county. Hiking Mount Kinangop is an exciting adventure for outdoor enthusiasts. This is one of the prominent peaks in the Aberdare Range of central Kenya. It offers stunning views, lush landscapes, and a challenging hike.

The trail demands one to be physically fit, have the right gears and be mentality prepared to face the challenges awaiting. Novice hikers are not spared as majority always regret and some takes the option of going back and console themselves “there is always next time”, “This mountain will be always here”.

“Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year- and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade”. ~

Tony Robbins.

Time management is very crucial when planning for such tough hikes, this gives you an added advantage.  My appeal to all hikers always be punctual as advised by your organizer as most of them have the knowledge of the trails and the primary goal is to enjoy and summit.

People hike with different motives; some to have fun, challenge themselves, physical fitness, adventures…. There are those who want to compete and they end up being humbled by altitude sickness. When hiking in high altitude areas take is slow, drink enough water remember to always walk with your pace.

People hike with different motives; some to have fun, challenge themselves, physical fitness, adventures…. There are those who want to compete and they end up being humbled by altitude sickness. When hiking in high altitude areas take is slow, drink enough water remember to always walk with your pace.

The trail to Kinangop peak is not a walk in the park, the first few kilometers present a perfect moment for warmup through man made forest then to natural forest full of red cider. The gain in elevation is gradual which gives the body opportunity to acclimatize and moment to reflect as you get to “listen” to your body. The trail is marked clearly with ribbons, one would also follow the path even without seeing ribbons. Along the edges the path is full of vegetations which during the rainy seasons or when it is raining will force your put on your rain gears.

Bamboo section is very friendly though at some point the trail is wet and muddy, the boots get baptized sliding gets it way now. Elephant section is where your boots get tested, those survived getting wet were not spared by the heavy rain. Here comes the moorland, the effects of altitude become worse and the summit seems to keep on “shifting” from one point to another. On a clear day the views are breathtaking and rewarding to the hardest climb. On your way to the summit Elephant hill peak is one sight to behold the real elephant. Others notable peaks are Rurimeria and twelve apostles. Another toughest part is summiting to the peak at this point one crawl and those with height fear give up and reverse. The photo at the summit is so beautiful and brings the joy of accomplishing, bravo I made it to mother Kinangop.

Descending all the way to end of moorland is friendly, the heavy rain made the path slippery getting down was a real struggle to many and the hands helped in crawling down.  We all overcame the challenges and retuned home happy some wishing to do it again during dry season.

To summit and back took the first team 7hrs 26mins while the last group took 11hrs.

Mother Kinangop and the rain taught us a number of lessons,

1. Resilience: Tough hikes test your physical and mental endurance. When you face steep inclines, fatigue, and discomfort, you learn to push through these challenges and develop resilience. This resilience can be applied to other areas of your life when you encounter difficulties.
2. Preparation and Planning: Proper planning and preparation are essential for a successful hike. You learn to research the trail, check the weather, pack appropriate gear, and anticipate potential hazards. This teaches you the importance of being prepared in various life situations.
3. Perseverance: Hiking uphill for hours or dealing with adverse weather conditions can be discouraging, but pushing through these difficulties teaches you the value of perseverance. You learn that with determination and patience, you can overcome obstacles.
4. Self-Reliance: Hiking often takes you to remote areas where you must rely on yourself and your companions. You learn to trust your instincts, make decisions, and solve problems independently, which can boost your self-confidence.
5. Teamwork: If you’re hiking with others, you quickly discover the importance of teamwork. You learn to support and encourage each other, share responsibilities, and make group decisions. These skills are applicable in both personal and professional relationships.
6. Time management is very crucial: purpose to have enough time while on the trail
7. Hiking gears do not guarantee 100% protection. All our hiking boots never survived this.