Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda sits roughly in the center of the country and sprawls across numerous hills, ridges and valleys; very fitting for a country dubbed the land of a thousand hills.
Many travellers going on a gorilla trek fly into Kigali, skip it and head straight to the Volcanoes National Park, which is a real shame as it is worth exploring for a day or two. If you are flying a great distance to get to Rwanda like we were, it’s a great place to rest and get acclimated to the time zone prior to heading to the park for your gorilla trek.
Kigali has become known as one of the quietest, safest, cleanest and most organized cities in Africa. It is the centre of arts, transportation and culture in Rwanda and over the last several decades has continued to develop itself into a vibrant destination for tourism.
One of the first things we noticed is that Kigali, as well as the rural areas is spotlessly clean. Residents of Rwanda take great pride in their country, and it shows. In an effort to rebuild the country after the 1994 Genocide, Rwanda instituted “Umuganda”, which translates to “getting together with a similar goal to attain an objective”. This community work takes place on the last Saturday of every month, but regardless of the day, you’ll see residents sweeping up their streets.
The country has also established many laws as well as practical measures to protect the environment. By placing waste bins all around the city, it encourages both citizens and tourists to avoid littering. They have also banned plastic bags encouraging citizens to use bags made of paper, cotton, papyrus and other biodegradable materials.
The Rwandan Genocide
The 1994 Rwandan genocide was carried out against the Tutsi by members of the Hutu ethnic majority, with as many as 800,000 to 1 million people being murdered over a 100-day period.
If you only have time for one thing in Kigali, we would highly recommend visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial. It’s devastating and heartbreaking, but at the same time, it’s also important to learn more about the worst human tragedy to affect the country and one of the most horrific historical times for Africa. Visiting the memorial will be an emotional, solemn and educational experience so give yourself enough time to visit both the memorial museum as well as the outdoor grounds.
If you’ve ever seen a movie about Rwanda, it was probably Hotel Rwanda, the movie about hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina who hid over 1,000 Tutsi during the 1994 genocide. The movie is based on a true story that played out at Hotel Des Milles Collines in Kigali.
Another way to experience life in Kigali is to head to a local market. Kimironko Market is in a sprawling warehouse located in the Kimironko neighbourhood and is the busiest market in town. Locals from all over come to buy fruits, vegetables, spices, fresh meat and dried fish. Household goods and fabrics are plentiful, and you can have clothes made to order on treadle sewing machines.
Another activity that looked like fun, but we didn’t get a chance to do, was to cruise around Kigali on the back of a motorbike taxi. There are thousands of them all around Kigali and they’re super inexpensive. You’ll usually find a few of them standing at a street corner waiting for customers, and you can recognize them because the drivers usually wear a red vest. Wearing a helmet is mandatory and motorbike taxis should always have a spare one for their passengers.
The capital has a vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene along with a growing coffee culture so just take the time to explore and experience as much as you can.
There are many hotel options at all price points. We stayed at The Retreat which is a luxury boutique hotel created by the American owners of Heaven. The service and their attention to detail was amazing. If it is within your budget, we would highly recommend staying at The Retreat.
Also check out our post Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
You may also be interested in our post Searching for Golden Monkeys in Rwanda.
