Mount Kigali: Viewing Kigali from high up

It is one of the highest hills in Kigali. To get there, there are two routes possible. One is via Nyabugogo which takes you all around the hill and the other one via Nyamirambo that takes you straight to the top of the hill.Having heard many stories about the great view around this endless hill, a visit quickly made its way to the to-do list. To fully enjoy the experience, I took a motorbike ride and used the Nyabugogo route. Along the way, people stared at us. I could tell that motorbikes hardly ever passed here. The road was so steep that for a moment I felt like I was about to fall off the motorbike. The further we moved the fewer people we saw. It wasn’t until we got to a place called Kumuvumu that we saw people again. At that particular spot, a great view of Kigali hits your eyes. There are people having lazy chats as others carry wood cut from the very many trees in the area. A good number were also seated in the small bars around having a drink.To my left was a view of Gisozi and most clearly, Kigali Independent University (ULK). Fred Biroli, is a resident of Mount Kigali and has lived on the hill for about 10 years. Fred who was dressed in a ragged shirt and brown trousers covered in pieces of wood says his home is very peaceful. “This hill got its name (Mount Kigali) from the fact that there are many hills joined together to form one big one. It’s very big and very high,” he said with evident pride of his home. “Many white people come to take pictures and it’s not surprising because even the residents never get tired of looking at the view.” After being told that there are horses on the hill, I jumped on a motorbike to go see them. It was quite a distance. We moved through turned shrubs and dusty paths; my black trouser was now brown. There was no place to stop and quench my thirst till we got to the horse riding school called Fazenda Sengha. There were four horses and riding a horse cost Rwf 30,000. There is a huge platform where people can sit and relax. There are donkeys too, and their sole purpose is to carry water for the horses. If you want to visit this hill, it is wise to carry your own drinks and food as there is no decent place to buy a meal. If you want a real tour, go by car. The dust is quite overwhelming and there are many places with great views. If you insist on using a moto, it costs Rwf 8000 for the entire tour.