I did it! I finally did it! After 6+ years of staring across the valley at Mount Kigali from the couch on my back porch, I finally got off of my butt and Hike Up Mount Kigali. I had been on top of Mount Kigali several times, but each time I either rode in a car or cheated by taking a moto up. I hadn’t reached the summit on foot yet. Lame, I know, but I finally redeemed my sad self this past Sunday, and it was a really nice way to spend a few hours.
So after six years of Mount Kigali avoidance, I finally decided that the weather was perfect for a hike up the hill with a friend. Though the hike isn’t exactly strenuous, it wouldn’t have been quite as pleasant in the scorching dry season sun or the torrential rain of the early rainy season. We got a perfectly mild day with friendly cloud cover and decided to go for it.
Mount Kigali isn’t a ‘mount’, exactly.
It’s more of a hill, and most of it is populated with houses. So, it’s not exactly remote wilderness. But somehow it’s still a nice little walk. The houses on the way up are small and charming and the narrow roads as you start the hike are kind of cool, too. If you’re hoping for a physically challenging day of mountain climbing then Mount Kigali will probably be a disappointment, but if you’re looking for an interesting stroll up a large hill leading to beautiful views of the city, then this is a great way to spend a few hours.
Mount Kigali is located on the southwestern edge of the city with the walk starting in the Nyamirambo area of town. Mount Kigali stretches north to cover other Kigali neighborhoods, and you can approach it from different locations. However, most people enter through Nyamirambo. Nyamirambo is a deceptively large area, so be warned. If you don’t want to spend an hour walking through the neighborhood to reach the bottom of the hill where the walk starts, you’ll want to take a moto or taxi.
Taking a moto or taxi will get you straight to the bottom of Mount Kigali. Sun City Hotel is a good landmark that many moto or taxi drivers will know. Or if you’d prefer to start your walk a bit more towards the bottom of the hill, the Kigali Stadium (probably known more commonly as ‘Stade Nyamirambo’) is another good landmark to ask for.
Or if you’d rather make a day of it, a stroll through Nyamirambo either before or after the hike is a great way to make it into a full day outing. When we were up there on Sunday, we saw quite a few parked cars. Eventually, we found a group of people sitting in a circle, looking like they were praying. People tell me that many come to Mount Kigali for spiritual activities.
The area is lively and there are lots of small shops and local bars the while way along and you could start the walk with a cheap and yummy lunch at Chap Chap. Or you could hike first and then wander around Nyamirambo afterward, rewarding yourself with a neighbourhood pub crawl or ice cream at Kubrom’s Place. Nyamirambo is my favourite part of Kigali and if you don’t find yourself there very often, I’d recommend exploring around a bit as an add-on.
You can take a few different routes to reach the top of Mount Kigali. As long as you keep going up, you won’t get lost. If you want to be sure of your approach, follow the signs for Fezenda Senga and you’ll get there eventually. We attempted to be a bit more adventurous but ended up pretty much in the same place as the signs direct you to go. We started our hike by turning right on the road right before Galaxy Bar. A few rights and lefts later and we were well on our way in an up direction. There will be plenty of people around at this early stage to point you in the right direction if you’re not sure of where you’re going. The walk to the top from Galaxy Bar can be done in under an hour.
Once you’re up on the hill, you can wander in lots of different directions. We only explored a few paths before we started feeling like we might get hopelessly lost. We also worried about ending up on the complete other side. As you approach the top, you should see a local bar called Mera Neza on a road that goes to the left. To the right, you’ll see a sign for the horse riding place called Fazenda Senga. If you walk towards the horse place, you’ll see great views of the city. And horses! If you go past the bar, you enter a really beautiful wooded area. You can then search for spots that offer views of the areas beyond the edge of the city.
If you’re trying to navigate using Google Maps, beware! The area has a lot of small roads and paths that don’t appear on the very basic map. Be aware that a military base sits somewhere up there. The personnel don’t appreciate it when hikers wander onto their property. I didn’t find it myself, but be aware that if you encounter a yelling military dude, do as they say. Nobody I know has ever had a problem when stumbling onto the base. They only faced being told to turn around. But knowing it’s up there should help you prepare better if you do happen to find it accidentally.
The bar I mentioned, Mera Neza, serves rabbit and has earned a reputation for it. It’s also a convenient place to stop for a reward beer and a slightly terrifying bathroom break. If Your plan is to explore a bit while hiking up Mount Kigali before returning to the bar for a bite to eat. I’d recommend you put your order in as you walk past. This is especially important if you’re a large group of people. Local places in Rwanda can sometimes take a painfully long time to serve food. You’ll be happy that you placed your order early.
When we were up there on Sunday, we saw quite a few parked cars. Eventually, we found a group of people sitting in a circle, looking like they were praying. People tell me that many come to Mount Kigali for spiritual activities. We decided to give them some space and turned around so I’m not sure what lies beyond the trees. My curiosity about what else I can find on Mount Kigali motivates me to plan another trip here. I’m excited to explore more next time. Hopefully it won’t take another six years!
I had a really great day hiking up this hill. I just wish I hadn’t waited so long to actually do it!
[WPMAP;277]
There is another path that starts at Giticyinoni, it’s on the road Kigali-Muhanga near its intersection with the road from Musanze. You take the road heading to a new neighborhood calles NORVEGE. This path goes through the west side of Mont kigali towards fazenda horses… bit longer but more exotic
Hello, mt Kigali isn’t really a mountain of a hill but the view is breathtaking i’m a tour guide and everytime i take my clients there, they are really happy cz not only the view of Kigali that u can see from the top you can as well see monkeys and it’s a very good walk if you don’t want to get very tired but at the same time if you want to avoid lazyness so i would advice everyone to go however it would be nice to carry water and some snacks, good luck to everyone!