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Table Mountain offers a 4-minute cable-way option to the top To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . Until mid-2023, I had only been to Table Mountain in Kenya. More info on my Table Mountain Kenyan version experience is here . In July 2023, I got to experience first-hand Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa - such a magnificent sight that surrounds the city.  Table Mountain's magnificent view as seen from Waterfront area of Cape Town Unlike the Kenyan Table Mountain version, it's accessible to not only hikers but also people from all walks of life, given the cable-way 4-minute option to get to the top. There is also a wheel-chair accessible path at the top as well as restrooms and a restaurant, quite a touristic experience! While I am more accustomed to basic and old-school hiking, I found it a refreshingly elegant and time-saving way to see the must-see signature mark of the town. You see, hiking on foot to and fro tak...

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...

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...

This post has been read  To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here . A challenge to consider - could you show yourself and others some good waiting while you're in your in-between life seasons?  One phrase that stood out from hiking Mt.Kipipiri, a unique Aberdares ranges trail in several ways, is 'enjoy the wait'. Let's talk about why .  For starters, Mt. Kipipiri is quite a simple and a great maiden hike if you're keen to embark on the Aberdares ranges.   Mt. Kipipiri distance and likely time at a moderate pace You are likely to notice that Mt. Kipipiri is isolated from the other members that make up the Aberdares ranges. From Mt. Kipipiri peak, one can see some of the other members of the Aberdares ranges from afar Another unique feature of Mt. Kipipiri is that the walk is quite  long  before reaching the summit. This long stretch is compensated by  t he beautiful landscapes along the  jo...

This post has been read  To receive auto-notifications on new posts, click  here . Contact SoulBoosters  here .   Buxton tunnel is Kenya's oldest and longest railway tunnel. It is located in Limuru town, which is about 30km from Nairobi Central Business District. While too short to narrate a detailed itinerary, this miniature but transformational trail  mimics the literal tunnels we sometimes need to navigate through in life. Thus, one can draw  out  some valuable life lessons from this gentle walk - here are the ones that resonated with me:  1. Trouble is temporary - it doesn't last long. Did you know the Buxton tunnel is only less than 2km long! Switch from a 'forever' to a 'soon' mentality - you will make it to the other end sooner rather than later. This too shall pass. 2. And if you know the down moments are temporary, you will enjoy the ride. Stay in peace and relax. 3. There really is light at the end of the tunnel -keep hope alive. Friends...

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...

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 .   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 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...