Since I started hiking and travelling around Kenya, I’ve met some interesting people and made some good friends. However, hiking trails do present to us peculiar people with peculiar and sometimes annoying traits.

 

Here are 10 Hikers You’re Most Likely to Meet on Your Hiking Trail:

1. The hiker with a Bluetooth Speaker

Who could have opted to carry a pair of earphones as we all don’t have the same music taste?

 

If you’re hiking the Aberdare Ranges and fighting for oxygen with the altitude, you don’t want someone speaking to you unnecessarily, much less blasting music. It’s my prayer before each hike that there should not be anyone with such taste on the hiking trail.

 

2. The Fast Hiker

Don’t try to keep up with this one if you don’t want to lose hope.

 

While hiking Table Mountain, there were some fast hikers in our group! Talk of the pressure to keep up. Fast hikers are annoying because they are the first to take a break and have the advantage of time to rest. However, when the slow hikers get to them, they start hiking!  Can we all take a break first?

 

Pace yourself and don’t try to keep up with them.

 

3. The Instagram Fashionista

Well, hikers that are not much into documenting their travels are tired of the Instagram hikers. The Instagram hiker is most likely to get behind taking pictures.

 

 

In their defence, I never repeat hikes, unless I was gearing up for Mt Kenya. In the event that I’m not coming back to this trail, I might as well take some fire pictures, right?

 

4. The Over packer

I am an over-packer.

 

Instagram hikers are likely to be over packers. After hiking Rurimueria hills and getting drenched from a hail storm, I always carry a change of clothes. Hiking clothes such as gaiters, a change of clothes, water and snacks make up the bulk of my luggage.

 

 

I’ve met other hikers, primarily westerners who are over packers and carry lots of luggage. Over packers have gone through every possible scenario in their heads and taken an item or two for it.

 

One can never be too prepared.

 

5. The Bored Hiker 

You can find them chewing their grass and dragging behind the trail.

 

They most likely make friends with the second guard who acts as the sweeper. I’ve never been a bored hiker apart from one time while hiking Sleeping Warrior and Ugali Hills. It’s a steep ascent in a semi-arid area. 

 

I didn’t hike the Ugali hills and requested the bus to meet me at the foot of Sleeping Warrior. I’ve learned that I’d rather hike in forested than arid areas. Yes to chasing lakes and waterfalls.

 

6. The Nature Lover

Nature lovers will be taken by the flowers and the vegetation. 

 

It’s a good thing the hiking guides know all about the vegetation because Nature lovers will ask questions on flora and fauna, all while donning a flower or two.

 

7. The Paranoid Hiker

They’ve probably watched too much of Nat Geo world and expect a buffalo or two to show up.

 

In their defence, some trails are known to have an Elephant or two. However, wild animals try to stay clear of human beings. While hiking Ragia Forest, we came across Elephant Poop on our trail.

 

Always have 2 Kenya Wildlife Service guides accompany you.

 

 

8. The Clumsy Hiker

The clumsy hiker is always tripping on bogs, stepping on their laces and needing to tie their laces every 30 minutes.

 

The more difficult the trails are, the clumsier they get.

 

 

9. The Straw Chewer

Never mind that the straws might have pooped or peed on by wild animals, they’ll always have straws in their mouth.

 

 

10. The Off-Trail Hiker

Never on the trails, always on the road less travelled.

 

Sometimes they just want to ease the human traffic on the main trail. Other times they’re quicker and don’t want to get stuck with the slow and bored hikers. No one really knows the reasons behind off-trail hiking.

 

Which hiking persona fits you the most? I fit in with the over-packer and the Instagram fashionista. Follow me on Instagram.