The ride to the summit of Rubona Hill was bumpy. My initial plan was to hike. However, when my host and a fellow guest chose to drive to the summit, I tagged along. This happened during the Tour of Rubavu.

We approached the elevation through a neighborhood known as Gasiza found in Nyamyumba Sector, Rubavu District. As we ascended through the busy Buharara settlement, I poked my nose into other people’s businesses and got a glimpse of their daily lives.

A giant telecom tower is erected on top of the hill, more than 2,000 meters above sea level. On one side of the hill, I saw the twin cities of Gisenyi and Goma. I also had a blurry view of Nyiragongo, the notorious volcano known for its history of spitting fire and causing mayhem.

I used a pair of binoculars to zoom in the views of downtown Rubavu and Goma. Goma, the headquarters of DR Congo’s North Kivu Province, is bigger and busier. Its Central Business District (CBD) is a hive of activities. Air transportation connecting Goma and the rest of the country is quite active. Scenes of aircrafts landing and taking off are common.

On the other side of the hill, I saw Akeza, k’Abakobwa, k’Abakingi and Iwawa islands. From my vantage point, Amashyuza Peninsula looked like an island too. That was a sight to behold.

Back to Rubona, I took a walk around the crest and saw lavish homes and a number of ongoing high-end housing projects. I visited one residential property and a proposed nightclub. The latter was still under construction. Hopefully, the club will be operational during my next visit.

Rubona hill is a hiker’s paradise. It poses a moderate challenge from a physical standpoint. In addition, it rewards its hikers with an unobstructed 360° view of the area. On top of all that, its magnetic power is attracting real estate developers.