Dad & Daughter Conquer Mt. Kenya

dad celebrated his 78th birthday atop Mount Kenya, summiting the snowcapped peak of Lenana Point"

Njambi has always wanted to be a KWS ranger and in 2021, she joined Let’s Drift, Kenya’s community of people who love adventure, specifically hiking. At the time, she spent her weekends hiking; and if she was not treating summit fever on a mountain, she was chasing waterfalls.

To Njambi, there is no difference between her adventures and her other life: "The rules that need to be followed while hiking still apply to everyday life, where we still have to face and climb mountains. I use the same consistency, endurance, knowledge, and tenacity in my 'normal’ life as I do to tackle mountains, waterfalls, and other hikes.”

One experience that has stuck with her was when she hiked to the top of Mt. Kenya with her 77-year-old dad. “My dad has always been a nature lover. I definitely got that from him,” says Njambi. When she was getting ready to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro, she invited her family on a practice hike at Ngong Hills. To her surprise, her father did really well on a trail that many hikers term as hard.

After seeing his daughter scale Africa's highest peak, Njambi’s father expressed an interest in climbing mountains too, so they planned a trip to Satima, Kenya's third-highest mountain. He became one of the first to reach the top of the 4000-meter mountain, the highest point he had ever been to!

Shortly after climbing Mt. Satima, he got the idea to climb Mt. Kenya for his birthday. For training, they climbed Rurimeria Hill (3,860m above sea level) in the Aberdares, which is one of the steepest mountains that shows the true measure of endurance. Afterward, to test his speed, they went back to Ngong Hills, noting his significant improvement.

Njambi’s dad celebrated his 78th birthday atop Mount Kenya, summiting the snow-capped peak of Lenana Point. He has been featured in one of the local newspapers as being one of the oldest (if not the oldest)

Kenyan to have summited Lenana Point.

“I have climbed a total of 4 mountains with my father and nothing beats watching countless stars in the quiet of the mountains or playing with snow on the second-highest mountain in Africa. We have always had a good relationship and he has been a constant presence; an encourager, and a huge supporter in my life, so it was nice to see him lean on me for the same,” says Njambi.

She believes that hiking is a mental activity, so how you talk to yourself to keep moving matters. If you start with the mindset that you do not have to get to where you are going, you will talk yourself out of it; but if you strive, push yourself, and surround yourself with likeminded people, you will get closer.

"Let us be honest, hiking and mountaineering have risks," Njambi says. "Just by living, we are at risk. But it’s always best to prepare. Prepare your mind and body. Gear up. Team up for preparation and keep going. I told my dad he could slow down or speed up, but he never stopped moving. Why wait? Life's short. Live it and make unforgettable memories while you can. So what’s next for us?

To summit the highest mountain in Africa!"

These two-wheeled wonders have revolutionized the way we explore, blending the joy of cycling with the power of electric assistance. From conquering challenging terrains to discovering hidden gems off the beaten path, there is a boundless sense of excitement they bring to every adventure seeker.

In the past few months, The Rift eBike Company, together with Let's Drift and Tubike Tours, introduced the first electric mountain bike tours to the Kenyan market, giving riders a newfound thrill to conquer challenging terrains.