Hiking, Hustle, and Heart: A Day with Naija Adventurers"

How well do you connect with others?

Meeting new people and learning from them is always a pleasure for me. I consider myself a lifelong learner.

Today was a wonderful day; the sunshine was as bright as ever! It always feels like the sun aligns perfectly with me whenever it’s time to hike. I missed my hiking buddy today. Indeed, kindness comes naturally to some people.

Determined not to miss out, I graciously stepped out to join the Naija Adventures crew and the other hikers.

Morning Reflections & Fruit Salad Dreams

I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to say my prayers and reflect on life, thinking about how being grateful helps one see things positively while also thinking about making a fruit salad. By the way, I love pineapple! And nuts. My absolute favorite, though? Watermelon. Fruits are the ultimate go-to medicine, if you ask me.

Since my hiking buddy wasn’t coming, I had to step out on my own. (Almighty, I need a car 🚗 😅 o!)

The plan was to meet at 7:00 a.m. and leave at 7:40 a.m. I got to City Park at 7:11 a.m., where I met Adventure lord, Legend (yes, that’s his name), Mr. Josie, Monic (our friendly pepper goat meat seller), and a new face, Kantal (I hope I got her name right!). Mr. Sadiq came hiking today, too; he has been off for a while now, a seasonal hiker, ever friendly, and he loves to give an assisting hand with a pure heart.

The Journey to Katampe Extension

There were several parked cars, and we assumed they were part of our group, only to realize they weren’t. Eventually, we left City Park at 8:00 a.m., delayed while waiting for others, including an artist who was hiking with us.

Enter the Paradice, a Korean artist visiting Nigeria for the first time. A humble fellow who appreciates Nigerian culture, he had already tried Amala at Iya Oya in Wuye and was inspired to create more music.

Some hikers didn’t have cars, and since the available ones were full, Naija Adventurers quickly arranged a bus to convey them, thanks to Mr. Usman, a seasoned hiker and all-around great guy who’s always helping others on the trail. Mr. Josie and I joined his car, leading the way to Katampe Extension.

A Brief About Katampe Extension

Katampe Extension is mainly a residential district and has been officially designated as an Abuja Diplomatic Zone. Fancy, right?

When we arrived, just before Becca’s apartment, everyone got down, tied their shoelaces, got checked for their tickets and Swan water, and prepared to start the hike.

The Hike Begins

Controlling people? E no easy o! Chai!

I found myself asking people not to climb yet because our trail guides, Peruzzi and the others, hadn’t taken their positions in front. But guess what? Some people had already started climbing!

Peruzzi had to shout, "Please stop!" before moving to the front, and the rest followed. This was necessary to keep everyone on track.

I exchanged pleasantries with Asa and Austin, and we started climbing together. Barely five minutes in, some people were already panting that’s the mountain’s way of saying, "Welcome to my terrain!"

Especially if you’ve been indulging in junk food with no exercise.

Soon, we reached a tricky point where we had to jump down. Being the fit one that I am (ahem!), I helped others navigate the jump and directed some toward an easier route. I then met my friend 🧡, who I had thought hadn’t shown up since they didn't return my call or reply to my chat earlier; what a friend, you say.

As we moved further, some found shortcuts to make their journey easier, while others jogged. Mr. Eddie and Blazzier were at the front gisting.

The First Resting Point & A Strange Comment

After 45 minutes, we reached a ruga settlement, where we stopped to catch our breath and have a water break; some city children who hadn't seen a ruga settlement before 🤣 got their phones out for some pictures.

While resting, someone looked at me and asked, “How are you even at the front as a lady?”

I was confused. Like, excuse me? Is there a rule somewhere that women must be at the back while hiking? Because I haven’t seen that manual.

Anyway, moving on…

Push-up Challenges, Recognition & Encouragement

Some energetic guys decided to challenge themselves with push-ups.

Meanwhile, an older lady who had been watching from afar approached me and asked, “Are you Beeba?” I said yes, and she immediately prayed for me, acknowledging my blog and encouraging me to keep it up. I felt so humbled and deeply appreciated her kind words. It's funny how I have always admired her adventurous spirit; she hikes almost every weekend with us.

I also met Mr. Henry and his daughter. I was delighted to see them again. I encouraged his daughter to go at her own pace, appreciating the beautiful father-daughter bonding they had.

Cashew Plantation & Trail Navigation

Another 20 minutes into the hike, we arrived at a cashew plantation.

Peruzzi quickly gathered the group, reminding everyone to stick together so no one would get lost. A very large plantation like this could be tricky.

To keep the trail visible to those behind, someone dropped shredded pieces of paper along the way.

People were plucking fresh cashews, enjoying the rare privilege of picking their fruit instead of buying artificially ripened ones.

Reaching the Summit

Then came the final ascending climb.

People held hands to assist each other; some even pushed others up because exhaustion had set in. Some held on to the cashews they had plucked, while others sat down to rest before ascending.

At the top, I just stood, watching the beautiful view of a serene landscape with evergreen surroundings, the mountain shaped like a wide table.

The summit was a vibe. Everyone found a spot to sit or lay down.

People had exhausted their water supplies, but thankfully, there were juice, smoothies, pepper goat meat, small chops, and other snacks.

Then, aerobics time! A fitness trainer (celebrity trainer, that's what he's called) led the crowd, and even the Paradice joined in. We met with Mr. Solomon, our luxurious photographer of the year, ever-smiling 😃, and Cantel, who was holding his camera. She took our pictures 📸.

Here's Mr. Solomon and Alice.

I climbed a mini rock to cool off and take pictures (shoutout to a seasonal hiker who helped me up there!). While on the rock, my friend mentioned they needed water, energy drinks, and juice, and I volunteered to get it.

Later, I got a watermelon juice treat from Mr. Usman; may Almighty bless his kind soul. We took pictures with Usman and Princess (so she is called). Usman, ever jovial, nudged us to walk around and see what everyone was up to, and then I met ASA and Austin again, who gave me cashew, which I shared with my friend, who had mentioned they would like to have some earlier. ASA wants to buy cashew nuts from one of the Ruga women and asked me to communicate with the lady in Hausa for an easy transaction, which I was happy to do. At this point, I lost the people I was walking with and then saw them in front, chit-chatting with some folks. I walked up to them.

Picnic on the Mountain?

We later met a group sitting in a circle with a full-blown feast! They had jollof rice, yam balls, sandwiches, salad, and more. Two beautiful ladies from Borno. I jokingly asked if they had been planning a picnic on the mountain. They had woken up at 4:30 a.m. to cook everything. I laughed and said, "Kizz Daniel, need to meet you. Wife material 1000 yards!" Guess what? It was their first time hiking. One of them mentioned losing her cap; we say to her in Naija Adventure that nothing goes missing! Mr. Usman later found it for her.

The Descent & Final Challenges

After an hour of fun, it was time to head back.

On the way down, someone had killed a snake. Some ladies screamed and ran, so I told the person to keep it aside to avoid scaring others.

The route was sandy and tricky, requiring good hiking shoes and proper technique.

I joined Mr. Emmirine to support those who were struggling. Not surprisingly, he mentioned to them not to slide, and I chimed in and leaned back to get a balance; some people still fell (oops! 😅). Peruzzi and the others were at the front doing their best too. I'm sure everyone had a good laugh at themselves and others at this scene.

One first-time hiker held my hand tightly, terrified of slipping. I assured her she was safe, and we descended together in one piece. Another, who also held my hand, kept a tight grip while we walked to where our cars were parked. We chit-chatted about the hike; it was their first time too, and their comment was that the hike was okay and that they would come hiking again. Impressed, right? I got a ginger shot from Zeebee again, thanks to a fellow hiker; this community is blessed.

At the base, we waited for the rest. One wise woman had brought drinks to sell, and she sold out.

While we were waiting, I met Alice and Esther, beautiful ladies who were having banter with Moh, Blazzier, and Eddie while seated at the back of Eddie's car.

Then came a muscle cramp situation a very big guy whose legs shut down. Peruzzi, Adventure lord, and Legend had to help him massage the legs for relief. Our crew leaders stayed behind, ensuring everyone made it down safely. Shoutout to you guys, more strength to you all.

Unexpected Car Troubles & Ram Suya Reward

Just when we thought we were done, someone’s car had an electrical issue. He called his mechanic to come from Apo to fix the issue, and we had to stay with him.

We had 341 Abuja people hiked with us, and this is just pitch of our community members. That's because it a safe community. 

While waiting for the mechanic, Adventure lord had to drop off Legend at a junction to get a ride home. The owner of the car thought we should have something to eat since we were waiting along with him. He then bought us ram suya and meat pies, a much-needed treat after a long day!

Gratitude & Lessons from the Hike

I am grateful for:

The strength to be there for myself and others.

The Almighty’s mercy for my eyes to see the sun and the breathtaking mountain.

The kind souls I met.

The ability to be grateful.

Naija Adventurers!

Lessons Learned

1. Take care of your health—eat well and exercise.

2. Be responsible for yourself and others.

3. Mindfulness is key.

4. Don’t be too dependent on others.

5. Leadership requires patience & sacrifice.

6. Good hiking shoes are non-negotiable.

7. Listen to the crew; they know best.

Back home, I prayed, washed my hiking gear, took a warm bath, and checked on my hiking buddy and sick neighbors.

Have you ever been on a hike that tested your strength (or patience 😅)? Or do you prefer to admire nature from a comfy chair with a cold drink? Either way, let’s chat in the comments! And if you haven’t hiked yet, what’s stopping you? Let’s plan your first adventure together!

How was your hiking experience? Share in the comments!

Happy weekend, guys! 🎉

Photos credit: @dabelle_2018