Hiking is great but hiking in Abuja is extra special. The lush rolling hills are the perfect venue for an adventure, and there's nothing like a light workout to kick off the day. My friends and I decided to climb the wonderland peaks - a pair of hills that nestles the Magicland Amusement Park in the Wuye axis of Abuja. It's a very accessible location and this makes it quite popular.
We started the hike early, before the sun got intense, although it didn't seem like it would be a very hot day. The sky was clear and I made sure I had all the essentials - a bottle of water, a hat and some comfortable shoes.
Some portions of the hill are used as farming land, so we made sure we followed the marked trails and footpaths, and avoided stepping on people's vegetables. It wasn’t a difficult hike, our entire climb took us about 25 minutes even with our two rest-stops along the way.
The trail felt very secure, the rocks were firmly lodged in the ground and made very convenient steps. With the proper shoes, you should have zero problems.
The top of the hill is a large plateau with different views and ambiences, each one more stunning than the previous. The rocky outcrop littered with shrubbery was already a pretty scene and the occasional butterfly was a very Disney touch.
The peaks are not far from each other, and my friends and I could picture ourselves zip-lining between them.
Quite a few other people had come hiking too. There was a group that looked like they did this frequently. They were doing more exercises at the peak, which seemed like another level of fitness. All the interactions were pleasant - endorphins and the scenery put everyone in good spirits and made it all very ethereal.
The views when you go hiking are outstanding. I knew the city was planned very well but seeing it from this vantage point was different. You could see the tidy road networks and the different city monuments scattered around. We were able to get a lot of phenomenal photographs, but still the pictures pale in comparison to being there.
Hiking is one of the best ways to spend time in the great outdoors. It is safe when the rules are observed and here is a good guide to use. Accidents do happen, especially when it rains, so make sure you keep that in mind. Adventuring is fun but caution is never a bad idea.