One was an avid golfer. The other played softball for Sarawak. Yet, Kuching duo Daryll Ambang Tanjong and Lois Gywn Peter found love beyond their relationship – a passion for climbing mountains.
The couple, who have been holding hands since they were both 16, now have each other’s backs while tackling some of the world’s toughest terrains. They could very well be the first Dayaks to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro – the highest mountain in Africa at 5,895m. And they are eager to share their knowledge with fellow hikers.
So what prompted the 29-year-olds to start wearing hiking boots?
“I suffered a bad injury after playing golf for a week in 2022,” said Daryll, a pilot with AirAsia X.
“It was a slipped disc. Every specialist I saw said they’d never seen anything like it before. At that time, I didn’t want to go for any invasive procedures. I read that staying active and exercising would help with healing.
“But I needed to motivate myself to exercise daily, and I think a week after the injury, I booked a climb up Mount Kinabalu. I actually wasn’t able to walk yet then.”
Instead of taking the popular and easier route, Daryll wanted to reach Low’s Peak via ferrata. Lois was sceptical at first, but he assured her it would be fine.
Having led an active lifestyle before his injury, Daryll said his obsession was to be completely healed.
“Four months later, when the date came, we did Mount Kinabalu. I don’t know what made me take the difficult route … I thought it was a nice motivation.”
Lois, a branch manager with a security company, initially thought of the climb as a “crazy idea”.
“Initially, I wondered if he would be able to do it. But after the two-month mark, I thought it might actually work,” said Lois, who played softball for her school, SMK Greenroad, Kuching, before eventually representing Sarawak in the Malaysia Schools Sports Council competition.
Since then, Daryll and Lois have hiked the Mulu Pinnacles (2023), Mount Rinjani in Indonesia (2023), Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal (2023), Everest Base Camp (2024), before reaching the peak of Kilimanjaro on Aug 19, 2025.
Such hiking expeditions, however, come with huge commitments and sacrifices. Lois said she is blessed with a flexible schedule that allows her to manage her team remotely.
“I plan my trips. Where there’s internet connectivity, I’ll work, and once I hit the mountains, those will be my off days. I recognise that I am blessed with a flexible working structure.”
Daryll, however, pointed out that they also needed time to train – and that meant missing out on events and gatherings.
“We have to be 100 per cent focused. We know what we want … and that is to conquer as many peaks as possible.”
Having just hiked Kilimanjaro, Daryll and Lois said the most valuable lesson they learnt was to always prepare for the worst.
“We spoke to a lot of people. Some said it was easy. But it wasn’t. There were some tough routes. Some said it wasn’t cold. But when we were there, it was very cold,” said Daryll.
“We were thankful we prepared for the worst. On our summit night, it was cold and windy. Even our eyebrows were frozen.”
Lois added: “We take whatever advice we get and prepare for the worst in most cases. It may seem easy in the first hour or so, but everything changes quickly when you’re up there.
“As long as you have what you need – that’s something we learnt.”
The couple left for Geneva on Sept 5 before heading to Chamonix, France, to attend a six-day mountaineering course. Upon completing the course, they plan to climb either Allalinhorn, Breithorn or Gran Paradiso in the Alps, all about 4,000m. They will fly back to Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Day (Sept 16).
“The both of us like to push ourselves to the limit. The initial goal was for Daryll to get better. Now, it’s like, we can do this, and we know we can do even better,” said Lois.
The mountaineering couple now aim for their ultimate goal – the Explorers Grand Slam. They will need to reach the North Pole, the South Pole, and climb all of the Seven Summits – Everest, Kilimanjaro, Denali, Aconcagua, Vinson Massif, Elbrus and Carstensz Pyramid.
“We’ve done Kilimanjaro, so that’s six more summits to go. But it won’t be in the near future. It takes a lot of money. We’re still young and don’t have a lot of funds, so this is a long-term goal,” said Lois.
Their upcoming adventures also include Island Peak and Mount Ama Dablam in Nepal.
Beyond their passion for climbing, Daryll and Lois insisted that hiking is one of the best ways to stay fit and active.
“In fact, you not only focus on your health but also get to enjoy really nice views and bragging rights,” Lois said in jest.
“Hiking is a great way to stay active and get into fitness. It works every part of your body.”
Daryll quickly chipped in: “It (hiking) really works everything physical … you need upper and lower strength. It also takes you to amazing places. Being in Nepal and Kilimanjaro … these are not your typical holiday destinations, but they’re full of adventure.
“The other amazing part about hiking is that you can’t really expect anything.”
While Daryll and Lois still have many mountains to climb to earn their badges, they are eager to lend the hiking community a helping hand.
“When we were in Kuching, there weren’t many mountaineers, or at least not that we knew of. It was difficult getting advice about gear and hikes,” said Daryll.
“We’re eager to share our experiences with those who are equally passionate about hiking and mountain climbing. Just drop us a message on Instagram (@jungleboy_ambang or @loispetrincess) and we’ll be happy to share.”
