Above the Clouds on Mount Kenya

We spent the last few days high on the slopes of Mount Kenya with Harry, a friend from university, and his family.

We drove there in convoy, slowly leaving the open farmland behind before entering dense forest that felt almost tropical. Giant trees surrounded us, each seeming to tell its own story. They were so magical and beautiful that I could easily have spent a few more hours simply wandering through that forest in awe.

Sooner than I expected, however, we reached the edge of the forest and the landscape changed once again into open highlands. In the distance we could already see Rutundu Hill, our final destination, and eventually we arrived at Rutundu Lodge at 3,100 metres above sea level, where we would spend the long weekend.

Everything felt different at this altitude. The birds, the caterpillars, and especially the flowers caught our attention immediately.

Julius quickly declared it his mission to take as many pictures as possible. Every few minutes we had to stop the car so he could jump out, take a photo, and then we could continue driving. We were all completely fascinated by the colours and shapes growing here. At home in Switzerland, flowers are usually not as bright or as large as what we found on Mount Kenya.

The first night at the lodge felt like a little adventure of its own. Temperatures dropped to around five degrees and, after the warmth of the Kenyan coast and savannah, it suddenly felt freezing.

Wrapped in layers of blankets, Polyxena laughed and said:

“I feel like an Eskimo who is constantly freezing and has so many blankets that I can’t even move anymore!”

We all loved it.

There was plenty of hot water for long baths before climbing into cosy beds that had even been preheated with warm wheat bags.

 The following days were spent mostly at Lake Rutundu. The girls became completely absorbed in fishing, spending hours standing patiently on the jetty or balancing carefully in the little boat. Julius gave it a try too, although he remained far more interested in flowers and insects than fish.

Yesterday we hiked to Lake Alice, which lies at around 3,500 metres above sea level and is considered the largest lake on Mount Kenya.

The hike itself was breathtaking. As we climbed higher, the clouds slowly dropped beneath us, revealing wide views across the mountainside. We could now see the peaks of Mount Kenya much more closely than before, and we were fascinated by everything around us, especially the vegetation at this altitude, which felt both rugged and strangely delicate at the same time.

When we finally reached the lake, Assunta stood quietly for a moment before saying:

“It’s so beautiful… and time is going by so quickly.”

Polyxena looked across the clear water and added:

“It almost looks like a lake at home in the Swiss Alps. Just with these funny tropical trees around it.”

And she was completely right.

The lake had the same crystal clear stillness we know from Switzerland, yet everything surrounding it felt entirely different. We realised that we had never hiked this high as a family before, and the children managed it incredibly well.

Of course, they also tried fishing again at Lake Alice. Julius only half heartedly, while Assunta and Polyxena were fully committed, although they eventually concluded that the wind made it almost impossible to catch anything.

Later that evening, however, as the girls joined Harry’s family for one final round of fishing at Lake Rutundu, they caught two trout. One was released back into the lake, while the other was prepared for dinner and tasted absolutely delicious.

Suddenly, fishing became far more exciting.

It was a wonderful final evening at Rutundu Lodge. Assunta summed it up perfectly, saying: “Today was a perfect day, with the hike to Lake Alice, and then catching my first fish ever.” She was glowing with pride.

I enjoyed sitting by the fireplace after the children had gone to bed, talking late into the night. It felt so special to reconnect and to get to know Harry’s family better.

More than anything, we feel deeply grateful to have experienced yet another completely different side of Kenya, together with such dear friends.

Tomorrow, Wenzel and Leo Ferdinand will join us in Nanyuki, and with only a little more than a week left before returning to Europe, we are slowly beginning to realise that this journey is coming to an end.

Polyxena summed it up perfectly when she said:

“I am so excited to see Papi and Leo Ferdinand again! I really don’t want to leave, but I also want to go home.”

When I asked her why, she answered immediately:

“Because it’s so beautiful here… and Charles is so nice and always makes pancakes… but I really want to see Fido again. And most of all, I want to sleep in my own bed.”

I think that captures it perfectly.

We have fallen in love with this country, with its landscapes, its wildlife, and the warmth of the people we have met along the way.

And yet, as my husband always says:

“Home is home.”