Ngong Hills Hike with Dr Faith

Morning Hike – Ngong Hills end to end and back • Hiking Route » outdooractive.com

In Nairobi ahead of my Kilimanjaro climb, Dr Faith and her brother Steve took me to Ngong Hills for a training hike – more altitude than I’ve found in Hampshire (with a minimum elevation above 2,000m it’s higher than anywhere in UK)!

We met at 5am then an hour’s drive from Syokimau to Ngong in time to see the sun rising.

Well, just about see the sun rising as we were up in the clouds. As we started the hike (it was chilly) we could hear rather than see the wind turbines around us, and views were pretty limited.

The hike starts with a steady climb (250m in 3km)

This is followed by a series of mini-summits and improving views.

Then a long descent to the southern gate (100m lower than the northern gate) where we had to pay our entrance fees.

Then reverse the route back to the start, with increasing temperature and sun.

This group were singing and playing hymns that could be heard far our over the hills, an inspiration as you slogged up towards them.

We made it – the two daktaris!

Back near the start, cattle and goats were grazing in the sunshine.

My new boots, bought the day before I left and only worn on the flight out, now looked well and truly used!