SoulBoosters

This post has been read   To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here .   Emily Dickinson’s famous ‘I dwell in possibility’ poem encapsulates my Mt. Kenya hiking experience from  20th to 24th December 2021 from all angles. The key lessons that hiking Mt. Kenya taught me was (i) the trail is very doable, to the point where one of our hikers inspired us with a 40-day to Mt. Kenya successful summitting mission, and how to navigate with varied emotions and fear of heights on summit day (ii) there are simple antidotes to zero altitude sickness (iii) seeing opportunities in your valley life seasons.   Besides the amazing itinerary (more details shared on this post ), what stood out for me at Mt. Kenya was the serenity, simplicity and magnificence of the expansive area. I had thought it would be one huge climb from bottom to top (this only happens on summit day on your way up to point Lenana)…turns out Mt.Kenya is...

This post has been read  To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters here .   Are you looking for a multi-purpose cycling, running, and/or walking spot in Nairobi that is less crowded? I was recently in search of such a place, something different from the popular Karura Forest on Limuru & Kiambu Roads, especially as I was keen to get to cycle more regularly over the weekend when so many people also flock Karura Forest. A friend who cycles regularly recommended Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary (NRFS), also as they live nearby. I was excited! As a brief comparison, I learned NRFS is similar to Karura Forest in 7 key ways: (i) similar opening hours, that is, 6.00 AM to 6.00 PM, (ii) well-marked trails, (iii) picnic sites even for those with children (at NRFS it goes for only KES 200/about USD 2), (iv) management by the government-run Kenya Forest Service (KFS), (v) the bike rent model of KES 500/about USD 5 every two hours (though bikes at N...

This post has been read  To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . All you can reap when you let go of excuses This week, SoulBoosters would like to inspire you through the hiking journey of MaryLiza (I fondly call her ML) - my dedicated and consistent hiking friend. Despite residing two hours away from Nairobi city, the epicentre of most popularly organized hikes in Kenya, she's an evergreen enthusiastic hiker. When I am looking for an extra push to keep it going, I lean in on her for some of her inspirational spirit to rub off on me, and SoulBoosters would love to introduce and share the same with you. Let's get started! Who is ML? I allow people to have their own version of who they meet in me, but I am sure I am an awesome person 😊. Professionally, I am a research scientist majorly working on plant breeding and biotechnology. I guess this is the background that has fueled my interest in exploring nature in the lab and be...

To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . Happy New Year dear reader!   Thanks for visiting SoulBoosters and welcome on board!  This is a second part series that builds on from the first reflection  post  on Mount Kenya - this read drives you through the logistical route this time round -  enjoy the ride!  This post aims to add more insights to both new and seasoned hikers by taking you through the what, how, who and cost considerations - what do you look out for if you're a newbie? What can you do differently or additionally if you're a seasoned individual hiker and/or a hike group leader?  With Mount Kenya as a goal (and return) destination for many, and probably it is in your bucket list this year too, this article takes a deep dive into this mountain as a case example and sheds more light on the logistical details you'd be wise to loop in - I start by sharing details on the overall and daily ro...

This post has been read  To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here .   All photos courtesy of Whitney Mosingi I first got to learn about Solive Travel in 2021 from a fellow hiker while on a trail - I admired how they knew about so many hiking groups and their unique attributes. They encouraged me to diversify my hiking experience too - and connected me to Solive Travel. This lovely group has highly expanded my hiking world and provided lots of new experiences - such a treat! And on a more personal note, seeing a lady hike leader trailblazing with such grace and energy has been a unique and inspiring experience.  Are you looking for a self-expansion experience as well? Let's get started by getting to know both the personal and business side of Solive Travel's founder, Whitney Mosingi. Tell me more about yourself – who is Whitney? And how would you describe your personality? Well, I feel like I am in job interview and t...

This post has been read  To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . Which is the third highest mountain in Kenya? Until late last year, I didn’t know this is Mount Satima😅, when I finally got to spend time there. Mount Satima is officially referred to as Ol Donyo Lesatima, though more commonly as the dragon’s teeth mountain, due to the unique rocks on this trail....I hear there are other closely similar dragon teeth mountains across the globe - if you may know more about these, do let us know.  The trail is spotted with these rocks and some more can be seen from a distance Mount Satima is still my favourite of the Aberdares trails due to these unique rocks - and most adventurer seekers share this love for the mountain. Most would also describe it as a gentle hike. For Kenyans, this would be your Karura forest version of the Aberdares ranges. The caveat is the altitude management angle, which is why it is recommen...

This post has been read  To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . Is making it for early morning hikes standing in the way of  keeping up with  a  regular hiking schedule... and  ... experiencing unique moments? A friend was recently keen to get to start hiking more  regularly, but their  practical  challenge was how to make it to Nairobi Central  Business District (CBD)  by 5am or even 6am, given that they live along Mombasa  Road (while only about  20km from Nairobi CBD, this area is known for its  notorious traffic, which is  worsened given there’s currently also ongoing road  construction, making  travelling on that route a pain for most). I told my  distressed friend ''No worries -  I understand you - I have another friend, Njambi  Wainaina, living along Mombasa  Road too - she impresses us with making it for  the 4.30...

This post has been read  To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here .   “Each fresh peak ascended teaches something”  – Sir Martin Conway Table Mountain is the shortest but steepest of the Aberdares ranges. While the shortest in distance, don't underestimate the time it takes (it's the steepest)! Here are six lessons I learned from my  adventure at Table Mountain   …hopefully, some or all of these add fuel to your everyday life walk:   1. Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you are climbing it (quote by Andy Rooney) That's how the starting point looks like 2. Hiking is a bit like life. You can’t climb up a mountain with downhill thoughts Keep looking up😄 3. If you are on the right path, it will always be uphill - learn to enjoy, bloom and thrive at your current life station Learn to enjoy and embrace every moment 4. When everything feel...

This post has been read  To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . When someone mentions Coastal Kenya, what comes to mind is the blue waters of  the great and vast Indian Ocean, the sandy beaches, the sweet aromatic Swahili food, the two great national parks of East and West Tsavo, and many other ‘soft life’ tourist attractions. The question some ask is- how about good hiking and camping spots around for the hike lovers?   At a distance of about 120kms from the highest point of the coastal region – Vuria hill in Taita-Taveta County, lies a hidden and shy gem sandwiched in between Tsavo East and West. This under-rated beauty is Mount Kasigau, which is part of the Eastern Arc Mountains of Taita Hills which are located near the Tanzanian border.  Away from the city, the mountain provides an unmatched serenity and solitude – our new home far away from home for the next two days.   On our first day, w...

This post has been read To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . I first got to hear about Lets Drift hiking group in 2019 while on holiday where I shared the hotel with a bubbly and well-travelled adventurer - now my friend. One thing that stood out for me from narrating their many travel adventures was how they spent most of their weekends hiking. I had to ask - how do you afford to go for hiking every other weekend? You see, for me, I considered hiking to be an expensive hobby  - one that you do a few times in a year - not every other weekend - and also a cumbersome affair given all the planning involved.  My friend described Lets Drift a bit, and I left it at that … that was October … in December, when I went for my annual health check, I sadly found out that I had Vitamin D deficiency (thanks to COVID-19 related indoor lifestyle) and my weight had skyrocketed. The solution? Walk outdoors for at least 10 km twice a w...