Hi

My name is Darshna Hirani aged 37 yrs and mother of 4 kids. I always wanted to climb mt Kenya and kilimanjaro since school days but I guess I dint get chance. After marriage when my cousins planned to go my Kenya but couldn’t go coz I was expecting my second kid and 3 years later I lost chance to my kilimanjaro coz I was pregnant again with my 3rd kid. Years past and just forgot about it.

I like doing Crossfit and karura Forest as my fitness. In 2016 my friend introduced me to this group called summit seekers and in December my few friends planned my Kenya and that’s where I got excited climbed mt Kenya and successfully summited to lenna with no altitude sickness or anything and it was very easy for me. In January 2017 my friends insisted I join them to Everest base camp in march which I said wow I need time to prepare and bla bla which I dint agree den end Jan or beginning feb my husband really insisted I should join my friends for Everest and I agreed to joined them and submitted all the requirements needed within few weeks left.

Now couple of my friends from summit seekers really pushed me to think of doing Mt kilimanjaro in February which I agreed last minute and summited to uhuru.

Personal experience was not tough in physical but only challenging was when summiting at night in that dark and cold but managed to reached. And that was the proud moment for me.

The very best proud moment was wen I reached Everest base camp without any difficulties at all after wat people use to tell me seriously u going Everest and there’s lots of death zone even at base camp, this and that but my husband said I can do it and even my kids were mum don’t force yrself coz they use to watch deaths zone happens at Everest. It took 2 weeks and amazing experience and put of the world.

Now planning to do Ruwenzori in 2018 so let’s see.

 

I would encourage everyone as out there at mountains life is different and it’s nature. I have loved my music while hiking and remembering my family saying I CAN DO IT which made me do 3 big mountains in 3 months am proud of myself.

 

 

 

I love hiking and adventures.

 

Darshna

 

When Alia asked me to pen my story for Women Who Hike, I initially agreed but took a long time to actually write anything. Everytime I thought about it, I would wonder what to write and how it would be received by those reading it. Don’t get me wrong, its not that I do not want to share my story, it’s just that I’m not sure that you want to read it!!! I will however, let you decide for yourself.

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Hello, I am Rawan Abdulkarim Dakik, From Lebanon. I am 16 year old mountain climber! I grew up in a society that is open to exploring mountains in Tanzania. In school there is an outdoors pursuits program that allowed me to find this hobby that I I’m currently pursuing.

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