He's saying now that it wasn't a "hiking" trip per se, but rather he was attempting bring aid to villagers who are surrounded and cut off from civilization by the very tribes he and his wife were captured by.  I'm forced to wonder what kind of aid he was attempting to bring, as no other aid workers could get in there.  How much food, water and medicine could one man and a pregnant wife carry while walking?  

Lots of gaps in the info that's coming out.