When Catherine Rose moved to Kenya from Seychelles in 2016, life as a housewife was easy at first, but along the way, she felt inclined to step outside her inert bubble, attach herself to a purpose, and do something that would change the monotony of ending each year the same way. It took her almost a decade to get there—to settle on something.
“In June 2024, I told myself that I wanted my year to end on an epic note. I got tired of the predictability of how my years end every time. I wanted to have a story to tell. I didn’t know what that would be, and how it would impact my life. All I knew was that it had to be very inspiring. I had considered pursuing a six-month intensive course in aviation at the Nairobi Aviation College. However, not long after that, I watched a documentary on Netflix, “Race to the Summit,” and that is all it took to trigger and to inspire me to start a series of climbs that would eventually take me to the roof of Africa and give me a purpose. I watched many more mountaineering documentaries after that, and then I said to myself that “nothing is impossible in life. I can do this,” says Catherine.
“My aloneness had left me depressive; I didn’t have friends, and I had zero social activities. The only outings I did were school meetings, hospital visits when my children were sick, eating out on weekends, or waiting for the school holidays to fly back home. I don’t believe anybody was created to truncate their lives and reduce them that much. I love being a mother—absolutely—but I can be something more than that. I can be an epic history maker as well,” she tells Lifestyle.
To make history, Catherine had to start somewhere. “First, I made a friend from my children’s school parents’ group—Joanna Lojore, who reached out to me, and we started hanging out. Joanna proposed that we do Mt. Longonot, which took us seven hours.”
This hike left her sick for five days but very satisfied and charged for higher peaks within and outside the country.
“It was something to do with crater dust and altitude sickness. On one hand, I was finally experiencing life outside the ordinary; on the other hand, I was getting beaten down by challenges.”
Catherine Rose at Uhuru Peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro on March 17, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
Something had stirred inside her. Little did she know that her first hike was a preparation for the highest peaks she could ever imagine.
“My very first Mount Kenya—Lenana Peak (altitude 4,985 meters)—expedition was in December 2024. A three-night, four-day expedition via the Sirimon route, exit Chogoria. Our first night was spent tenting at Old Moses Camp Site (3,300m), followed by the next night tenting at Shipton’s Camp Site (alt 4,200m), and the last night tenting at Lake Ellis. The route was to summit Lenana Peak from the North Face. We left Shipton’s Camp at 2.15am to reach the summit at 7am, a walking distance of 3km to the summit. On December 14, 2024, at 7.30am, I became the first Seychellois and woman to summit Mount Kenya’s Lenana Peak. I did this with the help of a local hiking group, Mamba Hikers. Maureen Kepeoch and Marsha Kariuki from the team were my good instructors, without whom this wouldn’t have been possible.”
Catherine Rose walking through the Lewis Glacier in Mt Kenya on February 14, 2025.
In February 2025, she was back to Mt. Kenya.
“I challenged myself to a traverse. That is, to summit Mount Kenya’s Point Lenana in under 48 hours. I made it in 32 hours (inclusive of sleep and meal breaks). The route this time was to summit Mount Kenya's Lenana Peak from the West Face. The route crafted was different this time, starting in Naro Moru to retire at Mackinders Camp (4300m) for one night and exiting through Sirimon the following day. This route allowed me to approach Mount Kenya Point Lenana from the West Face. I left Mackinders camp at 3am with the hope of reaching the summit by 7am. I reached the summit at 7.30am. The four-kilometre steep climb from Mackinders camp was tough, especially with the snow and ice. I fell and skid three times while descending Lenana Peak on my way to Shipton’s Camp. These hikes have shown me that perseverance is important. They have taught me to push through the discomfort, to take one step at a time, and to find the courage and strength to live life fully. I am no longer that reclusive stay-at-home mother with nothing much going on,” she says.
Two weeks after this, she was back to Mt. Kenya yet again to summit more peaks.
“Unfortunately, our February 13 hike was cancelled due to adverse weather just when I had reached the base of Nelion. I was angry at myself, angry at my coach, and angry at God. I had fully committed to my training for this climb. I never missed training at Lukenya Rocks. I felt my efforts had been in vain. My instructor (Gitonga Wandai) encouraged me to extend my stay in the park (Mt. Kenya) since leaving would mean a fresh quotation for another expedition all over again.”
This cancellation was a miracle in disguise. “Postponing my climb gave me the chance to: summit Lenana Peak (4985m) for the 3rd time, Thomson Peak (4,955m) walk across Lewis Glacier (not commonly done), Nelion Peak (5,188m), and Batian Peak (5,199m).” The next day— February 14, she made history again by summiting Batian—again as the first Seychellois and woman to achieve this in history. “To be honest, climbing both Nelion and Batian required a lot of energy and a very strong mental resilience. There are 20 rock climbing pitches in total. This is a very tactical climb.”
Catherine Rose at Mt Longido, Tanzania in March 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
Before this expedition, we spent six weeks in preparation with another hiking company—Hike Maniak. Gitonga Wandai—the company’s founder and my instructor for this expedition—prepared me very well for this hike. In a space of four days at the end of this expedition, I had scaled four peaks.”
Conquering Mt Kenya and making history while at it was epic. It gave her the impetus to push further. She started training her eyes on Africa’s highest mountain. On March 17, 2025, at 8.15am, she summited Mt Kilimanjaro. “With the mountains, you are always going for a higher peak, there is never settling until you achieve the highest feat you can ever get to.”
She takes great pride in her achievements and that she found her groove back. Catherine’s hardest climb is not physical. “To amass the mental strength to lift oneself from the abyss of self-pity has to be the highest peak you can climb. Physically, Batian has to be the hardest I've ever hiked. It took me six weeks of preparation.”
Purpose is not the only thing she has found in the mountains. “I see life as a precious gift, and I am so grateful to have had the chance to accomplish what I have accomplished so far and the wonderful people and connections that I have made. Not only am I contributing to history back home, but it’s a legacy that I would like to pass on to my children.”
Standing atop Africa’s highest peak has made her reflect on a few things, chief of them, the lessons.
“I didn’t know how therapeutic exploring different terrains and peaks could be. This is truly the best form of therapy. Before the terrains could teach me anything, they played a core part in shaping my character development, improving my personality, mental health, and physical stamina. Resilience is how badly you want to reach your end goal, whether you give up on a hike halfway to the summit because you are tired, because of bad weather, et al. I have never failed at reaching a summit in all of the hikes that I have done. I push myself over and over again, placing one foot forward just to accomplish my goal of the day. Like the saying goes, “once you reach the top of a summit, there’s another summit”. That’s endurance for me. I reached Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Roof of Africa, at 5,895m, just fine; soon, I will be on top of Mount Everest, perhaps I will make history once more.”
