Mount Jali. Fourth edition. And from the moment I saw the flyer, I knew this one was going to be different. Organised by Fitnesspoint, the Mount Jali Adventures series has been building a reputation in Kigali for putting people through their paces in the best possible way. A guided 5km trail, mindfulness breaks, games, snacks, photography, and an award for the fittest on the day. The meeting point was Nyabugogo Karuruma at 7:00 AM, which meant early alarms and no excuses.
The morning greeted us with mist. A thick, moody fog sitting over the hills, the kind that makes everything look cinematic and slightly ominous at the same time. We crossed a suspension bridge early in the route, wooden planks underfoot, rope netting on either side, the surrounding greenery disappearing into the grey haze. It set the tone immediately. This was not going to be a casual walk.
Then the climbing began. For over two hours, the group pushed upward through dense vegetation, the trail steep and relentless. There was no flat section to ease you in. It went straight up, winding through thick bush, loose red earth underfoot, the mist thickening as we gained elevation. Short breaks were taken along the way, moments to catch breath, exchange looks with fellow hikers, laugh at how steep it actually was, and then keep going anyway. The group energy was everything. Nobody dropped off. Everyone kept moving.
The trail had its personality. In one section, the forest opened into tall eucalyptus trees with mist curling between the trunks, the ground carpeted in dry leaves, light barely filtering through. It felt otherworldly, the kind of setting that makes you forget you are in a city entirely.
Reaching the summit was one of those quiet, earned moments. Kigali stretched out below, half swallowed by mist, rooftops and hillsides fading into white. Sitting on a rock up there, looking out at the city from that height, you feel something shift. All the noise and busyness of daily life suddenly looks very small. It is a good kind of small. The kind that reminds you to breathe and take up space.
And then, toward the end of the hike, I found a tree branch that was simply too good to walk past. Gym rings had been doing their thing in my training, and those ring muscles do not care whether the bar is made of steel or eucalyptus. I grabbed the branch, pulled up, and threw in a flip for good measure. In the middle of the forest. On a misty mountain. Because why not.
Mount Jali Adventures delivered exactly what it promised, a challenging trail, great company, and the kind of experience that stays with you long after your legs stop aching. If Fitnesspoint keeps putting these events together, I will keep showing up.
See you at the fifth edition.