Today, I had one mission: poke my nose back into the businesses of the good people of Kimihurura. It had been a while. You know how it is — you blink, and suddenly a whole suburb has reinvented itself. So, I hopped on my bike for a quick spin, just to see what had changed since my last visit.
My first stop was Waka Fitness — the birthplace of a massive Kigali dwellers' fitness movement. Before COVID crashed the party, I used to work out here. But life happened. These days, I exercise wherever my adventures take me — running on random roads, doing push-ups in unfamiliar hotel rooms, and cycling across the Land of a Thousand Hills. Let’s not forget the hiking, kayaking, and all the unplanned cardio I’ve collected in the name of travel. A gym membership? Great idea… just not for me right now.
After a nostalgic stroll through Waka, I headed to Mamba Club — except what I found was not the Mamba I knew. The last time I was here, I bowled a couple of questionable strikes and celebrated with a drink. Today?
No bowling alley.
No bar.
No volleyball court.
No swimming pool.
Even the hostel has packed its bags and left.
In their place stands a beautifully designed café and a collection of shiny padel courts. Yes — Mamba is officially a padel club now. And from the scaffolding scattered around, there’s clearly more on the way. I am pretty sure something better is in the pipeline.
Between Mamba and my next destination, I passed by Ecoair Apartment Hotel, a place that holds a special chapter in my story. Ecoair sponsored my tour of Accra — the journey that birthed Six Hours in Accra, which you can download for free from this platform's digital library. In addition, Ecoair was involved in the early stages of our Turning Pages program. A reliable partner, through and through.
The transformation of Kimihurura hasn’t left Ecoair untouched. A brand-new restaurant has popped up on the premises — yet another addition to a suburb known for its fine-dining prowess. And right next door, the newly constructed Omica Residence towers impressively over the neighborhood, adding a fresh modern silhouette to this ever-evolving area.
From there, I made my way to The Governor’s Residence, that discreet high-end hideaway where only the lucky few get to experience its magic. I had featured this place before, so I slipped in for coffee and a quick catch-up with the manager. While there, I also had the chance to interact with a couple of professionals in the tourism industry and brainstorm some ideas — great connections that added even more value to the visit.
My final stop — and where I’m writing this from — is Glimpse Hotel & Restaurant, one of the newer kids on Kimihurura’s block. It’s my first time here, and let me tell you, this place has charm. The kind of charm that guarantees I’ll be returning to this suburb sooner rather than later.
Kimihurura… you’re changing, growing, reinventing — but still holding onto that easy, familiar vibe that keeps people like me coming back.