It started at the bus park. A misty February morning, the kind where the clouds sit low and heavy over the hills and you already know the day is going to be something different. The crew assembled, layered up, water bottles in hand, a mix of nervous energy and early morning determination. Nobody said it out loud, but you could feel it: this one was going to be serious.
The trail we took was the Kanyinya Hill Hike, one of Kigali’s more demanding routes. Two trail options greet you at the entrance sign, the Nyamweru Trail at just under 3km and the Rutagara Trail at just under 2km. We were not there for the easy option.
The climb started and did not let up. The hills were steep, genuinely steep, the kind where your calves start protesting before you have even warmed up properly. The trail wound upward through dense green vegetation, the red earth soft underfoot from recent rain. Above, the sky was all drama: thick grey clouds rolling in, light pushing through in streaks, the whole hillside wearing that moody, cinematic look that only overcast days can pull off.
Up on the ridge, the views opened up in a way that made the burning legs completely worth it. Kigali spread out far below, the valley cutting through the city, a river snaking through the flat land between the hills. From up there, the city looks almost peaceful. You forget you were just grinding your way up slippery red earth a few minutes ago.
Then came the river. Tucked between two hills, a fast-moving stream cutting through boulders and rock, the water running a deep earthy orange from the red soil upstream. Getting across required focus, picking your footing carefully on wet rock, arms out for balance. It was one of those moments where the hike stops being a workout and starts being an actual adventure. No rope, no bridge, just you, the rocks, and a river that does not care about your white sneakers.
The descent on the other side brought its own challenges, steep drops, loose ground, and legs that had already been put through plenty. But the group kept moving, kept encouraging each other, that kind of collective energy that makes hard things feel possible.
And then, almost without warning, the trail spat us out onto a main road leading back into the city. Tarmac under foot after all that earth and rock felt surreal. Standing on the road barrier, arms out, grey sky above and the open road stretching behind, it was the kind of finish that makes you want to do it all over again, maybe after a rest day or two.
This was probably the hardest hike I have done in Kigali so far. Steep, long, a river in the middle, and enough elevation to properly humble you. But that is exactly what made it one of the best ones too.
Kigali keeps surprising me.