I’ve always admired people who go out for outdoor adventures like hiking. They always seem effortlessly cool — maybe because it’s something not everyone does. The fascination grew deeper recently after watching TikTok videos about hikers stuck on Mount Everest. The online debates were wild:
“Why do people do crazy things like hiking?”
“Why do people love hurting themselves?”
Those questions sparked my curiosity. I asked myself what the worst that could happen if I tried hiking — and honestly, I couldn’t picture anything too dramatic. That was enough motivation.
So when my friend invited me for a hike, I said yes.
Stepping Into Mt Longonot National Park
On Saturday morning, we arrived at Mt Longonot National Park in Nakuru County at around 10 a.m. The sky was grey and chilly — perfect hiking weather, or so I thought. The plan was simple: hike the 3.1 km trail to the crater rim, then (maybe) go around the crater.
“Three kilometres? Easy,” I told myself.
I walk from my house to the bus stop almost every day — how different could it be?
Very different, as it turns out.
We started with high spirits. The group ahead of us seemed to be hiking for therapy. They joked about politics, mimicked leaders, and shouted “Jowi! Jowi!” in honour of Raila Odinga. Their loud music kept us entertained, and we felt like part of a lively expedition.
But within 30 minutes, their noise faded into thin air.
That’s when I realised:
This was not my usual stroll. This was an actual hike.
The trail twisted, climbed, narrowed, and got rugged. The terrain demanded respect. And my body started bargaining with my soul.
Reality Hits at Halfway Point
The weather favoured us — not sunny, not too hot — but the mountain didn’t care. The 3.1 km to the rim still felt like 20.
People descending the mountain encouraged us with the classic line:
“You’re halfway there!”
To me, that felt more like a warning than motivation.
After an hour of struggling, sweating, and questioning my life choices, we reached the halfway resting point. And honestly, I was done. Completely done. I told my friend I was going back.
I was dizzy, nauseous, and exhausted. My legs were weak. I genuinely thought I would nosebleed at any second.
A sip of water and some glucose revived me just enough to keep hope alive. I imagined how disappointed I’d be if I didn’t get to see the crater. That thought alone pushed me onward.
Reaching the Summit: A Reward Like No Other
A few minutes into the second half of the climb, we heard people cheering — and that sound alone restored my determination. I knew we were close.
And then…
We finally reached the top.
The view was breathtaking — the Great Rift Valley stretching endlessly, Lake Naivasha shimmering in the distance, the enormous crater yawning beneath us. It looked exactly like the geography maps we used to study in school.
At that moment, all the struggle felt worth it.
I even joined the group trekking around the crater — an additional 7.2 km. Surprisingly, it was more enjoyable and less exhausting. We made it all the way to Kilele Ngamia, the highest peak.
The entire crater walk took about three hours. Descending took another hour.
And guess what?
I wasn’t as tired as I expected.
What Mt Longonot Taught Me
This hike taught me something incredibly simple but life-changing:
Just try.
Just start.
My confidence shot up that day. I learned that most limitations exist only in the mind. As Napoleon Hill said:
“Our only limitations are those we set up in our own minds.”
I’m already planning my next hike. If this was the beginning, I can’t wait to see where the trail leads next.
