Lexis Bill interacts with Mrs. Cecilia Renner at the Joy Safari Experience 2026
Hands raised to the heavens, eyes sparkling like starlight, smiles beaming on a face that has seen it all from Nkrumah to Mahama, and a thunderous applause rolling across the hills like distant drums.
It was not a Saturday evening scene at Brennan Hall, celebrating a GHS 5 million lotto draw win for a man with a 10-year losing streak.
Instead, it was something invaluable, a triumph of spirit, endurance and joy.
An 80-year-old grandmother had just completed a gruelling three-kilometre mountain hike at the exciting ‘Joy Safari Experience 2026’ organised by Joy FM.
With head held high and legs trembling but unyielding, Mrs. Cecilia Renner pressed on step by step through the steep terrain of the Safari mountains. Around her surged a protective ring of families and fellow adventurers, a living guard of honour escorting a heroine to victory.
For a woman who normally limits her exercise to a simple gutter-to-gutter stroll at Burma Camp–Labadi Villas, this was not merely a hike. It was a personal Everest.
“This is the first time that I have tried to climb such a mountain. It was very steep, and by God’s help, I was able to get to the top. I don’t even know how I completed it,” she remarked, still breathless with disbelief and pride.
Day Two of the Safari began at first light, when mist still clung to the hills and birds stitched music into the quiet morning air. Leading the expedition was fan favourite Joy FM presenter Lexis Bill, whose booming laughter and encouraging words transformed the demanding trek into a moving carnival of resilience.
Participants wound through lush forest trails, narrow ridges and rolling slopes, rewarded at every turn with sweeping views of valleys painted in green and gold.
Between jokes, motivational pep talks and bursts of laughter, Lexis Bill kept spirits soaring even as muscles burned.
Many hikers later described the journey as deeply therapeutic, a cleansing escape from the relentless noise, bustle and endless stress associated with life in Accra.
Mrs. Renner’s greatest strength, however, came from the people walking beside her.
“My children and the others in the team were happy for me. Sometimes they would tell me to sit and rest a bit when they realised I was tired, but I was determined to finish,” she recalled with shining eyes.
“The hiking poles helped a lot to support me.”
Each careful step was a dialogue between fatigue and faith, and faith won.
But the Joy Safari Experience is far more than a mountain trek.
It is a full immersion into Ghana’s wild beauty and luxury, a showcase of why the country is fast becoming a premier destination for adventure tourism on the back of ordinary activities that surprisingly ballooned the country’s appeal, the most recent being the visit by American streamer IShowSpeed.
Mrs. Renner revelled in activities she never imagined attempting at her age.
Guests explored serene waterways by boat, observed animals in near-natural habitats, captured postcard-perfect photographs and bonded with strangers who quickly became friends.
“It was a nice and exciting trip. The whole arrangement was very apt,” Mrs. Renner commented on the trip. “I had lots of fun. From the boat ride to sightseeing and feeding some animals, it has all improved my wellbeing.”
“Moving around to watch animals in their natural environment and the whole scenery experience really improved my wellbeing. You get immersed in the excitement and don’t even think about anything else.”
Back home, Mrs. Renner has become an unlikely ambassador for adventure tourism among senior citizens.
“I told my peers after I returned about the whole experience. They expressed interest and were eager to join the fun next year.”
She even has suggestions for organisers, as she requested Joy FM to extend the package to “three days, two nights, so we can enjoy more.”
“I encourage every old person to participate in such activities, as it exposes them to nature while making new friends and engaging with other families.”
Mother of five and grandmother of 10, she has proven that adventure has no expiration date.
In the end, Mrs. Cecilia Renner did more than climb a hill. She climbed into the hearts of everyone who witnessed her journey.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Source: www.myjoyonline.com