Kigali

20% Off Your Next Trip. Hurry Up For your new Tour! Book Your Tour

For More Inquiry

+256-700 444 751

Murakaza neza kuri Kigali

Kigali is the capital city of Rwanda and the Rwanda safari capital. Kigali is Rwanda’s biggest city with a population of 850,000, it’s also the commercial capital of the country.

Kigali was founded by the Germans in 1907 but only became Rwanda’s capital when the country became independent (from Belgium) in 1962.

Kigali was at the center of the horrendous genocide that took place in 1994 which took the lives of 800,000 people and displaced many more in the space of just 100 days.

Kigali is a relatively safe and sophisticated small city that has come a long way in a short time. Kigali is a pretty city which sprawls over several hills.

The city’s avenues are filled with flowering trees and it is surrounded by lush green mountains. Since 1994, Kigali has slowly been rebuilt and income from tourism (mostly coming to see the gorillas) as well as numerous aid workers has buoyed the capital’s economy.

The city is built in hilly country, sprawling across about four ridges and the valleys in between. The city center is located on one of these ridges, with the main government area on another.

The bigger houses and office buildings tend to be on the tops of the ridges, while the poorer people live in the valleys.

Kigali is an important center for trade in local produce, including coffee, cattle, cassiterite (tin ore), and tungsten. Manufacturing industries include textiles, chemicals, tin-processing, paints, and cigarettes.

Business in Rwanda is growing, and many new buildings are emerging across the city. Tourism and expatriate NGO workers provide important input into the economy also.

The city is home to an international airport, Kigali International Airport. It is the hub of the Rwanda transport network, with hourly express bus routes to all major towns in the country.

History of Kigali

After independence, the new Rwandan republic decided to turn Kigali into the capital. Between 1962 and 1984, the population grew rapidly and Kigali expanded.

Today Kigali City has come of age. It made phenomenal strides, and not only survived, but prevailed and grew into a modern metropolis.

It’s the heart of the emerging Rwandan economy and a pride of every citizen.

In 1906 Germany appointed Dr. Richard Kandt as the first imperial resident governor for Rwanda.

He chose Nyarugenge hill as the site of the capital because of its central location in the country. His residence, which also served as office, was situated near the present Gakinjiro market where the whole of Rwanda was administered from.

In 1907, administration of Rwanda, was declared independent. The following year, the administrative centre for Rwanda happened to be in Kigali.

By 1909, only around 20 shops had been built. On the present site of Nyarugenge market and were mainly owned by Indian traders.

A military camp was also put up at the site where the Kigali central prison is found today.

Kigali eventually developed into a significant commercial centre because of its central position.

It became a transit centre for commercial activities between Bukoba and Kigoma (in Tanganyika, now Tanzania) via Bujumbura and also between Kisangani in DRC and Kampala in Uganda.

This development attracted many Arab and Indian traders to move from Nyanza, where the King’s palace was, to Kigali. But after the Second World War, the Belgians maintained Kigali as the administrative centre for the whole country.

Attraction in Kigali

Top Attractions in Kigali are the African safari in Rwanda that you can do here and they include Kigali Convention Centre , Niyo Art Galley , Inema Art Center , Kimironko Market , Ntarama Church , Camp Kigali Memorial , Kigali Genocide Memorial and many more

Kigali Genocide Memorial

This sounds as a special site to every visitor on Rwanda Safari to visit which was set in the beauty of Kigali and this memorial is the resting place of more than 250,000 of the million dead people who perished away in the genocide.

And you visiting it, you will get to know more of its historical information of the nation, growth of the movement against the Tutsis and culminating with the genocide that happened in 1994.

The museum provides insight into the international response and other genocides in the world. It is truly gorgeous museum that honors the people of Rwanda.

Niyo Art Galley

This art galley displays beautiful ark work items which is breathtaking. You visiting Niyo will enjoy the stunning story behind Niyo.

Fact about Niyo, it was founded by a talented young artist who was personally affected by the genocide of Rwanda and came out with a building mind with an interesting vision to make the world a better place for the street children in Kigali.

Well, Niyo is a great social enterprise with amazing group of talented young artists donating the proceeds from their sales to offer back to the community. Along your visit, be prepared to walk away with a few pieces of artwork as away support back to the community.

Inema Art Center

This art center was put in place in 2012 by brothers and self-taught painters Emmanuel Nkuranga and Innocent Nkurunziza. The Inema Arts Centre’s mission is to spur creativity for personal, social and economic growth.

The art Centre offers space for over 10 artists in residence to watch their creative talent. They specialize in contemporary African art, Inema’s artists produce painting, sculpture and mixed media expressions among others.

More so, Inema is also home to the following; Nziza Artwork, featuring bespoke jewelry, African linens and leatherworks made by women at the onsite Nziza Workshop ‘’Art with a Mission’’.

They train children with limited resource art to offer them livelihood such as; Inema dance, our youth cultural dance troupe, Inema art center also provides a room for weekly traditional dance classes to the experts.

More fact about Inema, opens daily from 8am to 8pm, positioned in Kigali in the Suburb of Kacyiru on KG 563 Street.

Kimironko Market

This is quite thrilling market -home to beautiful souvenirs such as basket, aprons, necklaces, fabric and custom clothing and produces arts and crafts among others.

Nyamata Church

This church sits on the ground of a horrific attack during the Rwandan genocide and has been maintained as a memorial where visitor -visit for an attraction in area.

Ntarama Church

This is one of the churches where some of people who died in the genocide were commemorated from and after the place turned into a Genocide Memorial tour -city tour.

Well, in the month of April 1994 this was declared a genocide memorial. It remains massacre tribute to those who were slain, the bones and the bones of the dead still lies among the aisles and the altar.

Libraries Ikirezi Bookshop

This site acts as a great book shop in Kigali city which sells books of all kinds – some in English, Fresh and Kinyarwanda, quality school and office material, art materials, games and plays, gift items.

The shop ranges from books about Africa and Africa related matters, adult literature, children literature many others. In house Inzora Rooftop coffee shop is beautifully designed and offers spectacular view on Kigali’s wetlands.

Camp Kigali Memorial

Visit Kigali in new style as you explore different way to experience the beauty of this place.

Walking Tour in Kigali

One engaging in Kigali walking tour expect to discover a diverse of attraction around the city. You will visit art centers, discover history behind the city, walk around the community and market, enjoy a comprehensive snapshot of Kigali’s essence in just one journey.

Kigali Bike Tour

Kigali as a capital city is surrounded with various features such as rolling hills and lush valleys, a great place to do a bike tour.

Join this private excursion and get to explore around the city’s top attractions like Nyamirambo, the oldest village in the city as well as the Kigali Genocide Memorial. Your free to visit at local restaurant for lunch and a coffee tasting.

Kigali Convention Centre

Truly, this site is rewarding with great view of beautiful area around – experience Kigali nightlife, enjoy a delicious dinner or cocktails and building overlooks the city at Ubumwe Grand Hotel.

You will have a chance to have a memorable photograph of Kigali Convention Centre

You can visit Rwanda which is known for its breathtaking scenery and its mountain gorillas as the major lucrative tourist attraction in the country.

Rwanda is a small country in the heart of Africa, but beautiful and cleanest city in Africa. Get Started Now

Things to do in Kigali

Climb Mount Kigali

For those who love adventure, climbing Mount Kigali could be just the thing you need. It is not a mountain as such but the highest hill in Kigali reaching 6,000 feet.

The starting point is in Nyamirambo near the Sun City Hotel. Overall, hiking to the top of the mountain is easy because of its gentle slopes.

Take a Motorcycle Taxi

This is perhaps the most effective and cheap means of touring the city and its suburbs. The motorbikes are perfect for navigating through the traffic and provide flexibility to stop at places of interest.

The bikes can be rented by anyone but it is important to move with a trustworthy Guide if you are not sure how to use them.

Volunteering

If you have a strong believe in the spirit of volunteerism, then you need to know that Kigali will provide you with opportunities to get involved in important causes.

You can request to help patients in the hospitals, teach English in a school, teach a new sport and design a website for one of the numerous Non-governmental organizations looking for the services of committed and skilled international volunteers.

Visit a bowling alley

Mamba club was the first place to bring a boiling alley in Kigali. The club is found in Kimihurura and has helped raise the popularity of the sport among people in Rwanda.

Visit Art Centers, Crafts Shops and art galleries

A visit to African cities is incomplete without visiting one of the art/craft shops – Kigali is no exception. The people of Rwanda love art and if you are looking for evidence, then visit their homes and sitting rooms.

The Inema Art Center is the best art Centre in Kigali. This center was opened in the year 2012 by the two Innocent Nkurunziza and Emmnuel Nkuranga. The Centre now houses about 13 of the country’s best artists as well as international guest artists.

Go for Sauna and Massage

While in Kigali, you will have no shortage of places to go to that offer pedicure, facials or manicure. Massage and Sauna isn’t reserved for only the high end hotels but also specialized outlets scattered around the city centre.

Visit one of the large shopping Malls

Nakumatt is located within the Union Trade Centre and is arguably the largest super market in the town centre at the moment. You can find almost everything there.

Skydiving

This activity has become so popular in Kigali after being introduced only recently. Jumping from a small plane to the ground will raise your adrenaline to phenomenal levels. The activity can be done by anybody but needs great mental preparation.

Ride a Horse

Kigali offers the opportunity to go horseback riding through the beautiful countryside and around Mount Kigali with amazing views of the city.

Horseback riding is arranged at the Fazenda Sengha in Mount Kigali and at the Rugende Park. Anyone can take part in horseback riding.

Skating

This is one of the recently introduced outdoor activities in Kigali. The park used for skating is at the SOS School in Kacyiru.

The SOS School offers opportunities to learn the fundamentals of skating for beginners while also teaching new skills for the advanced skaters.

Golfing

The Kigali Golf Club in Nyarutarama allows non-members to play for a small fee while also providing golfing equipment and bags. The club has a well maintained and beautiful 18-hole course.

Play Tennis

The best tennis courts in Kigali are found at Cercle Sportif, Hotel Des Milles Collines, Nyarutarama Sports Club, Umubano hotel and the Amahoro stadium.

Many of the other courts are still made of clay and may stress your feet as you play for a long time.

Go Fishing

Lake Muhazi is the best place to go for fishing in Kigali. While on a road trip in Rwanda, it takes about one hour to reach the lake from Kigali.

The lake stretches about 32kms across and has several fishing holes where you can throw your line from a speedboat or a canoe.

The area surrounding the lake has amazing scenery which adds value to the activity. You might want to read about the packing list for a safari in Rwanda.

Go to the local markets

The best way to learn about the culture of a country is to visit the local markets. From the market, you can know their favorite food and how they interact. Kimironko Market is arguably the largest local market in Kigali.

It is built away from the city centre and has the best collection of fresh vegetable, fruits, species and flours. Apart from food stalls, the market has several electronics, clothes and other craft shops.

Visit a coffee cooperative

After tasting and appreciating the coffee from one of the outlets, why not go and visit one of the coffee cooperatives in the outskirts of the city.

Question Coffee is a Non-governmental organization and coffee cooperative that arranges day tours to their coffee plantation and farms to learn about the entire process of making coffee until it is packed in bags ready for sell.

Watching Movies or visiting the Night Clubs

The night life in Kigali is filled with activity. Century Cinema located right at the city centre is Kigali’s main movie theater.

They show the latest blockbusters (some before official release from the US) in 3-D and 5-D with great motion, special effects and surround sound. The Goethe-Institut and Korean Embassy show German and Korean movies (themed) respectively on certain days of the week.

The Kigali Public Library

If you love reading books and knowledge, then the new Kigali public library is one place you should visit.

The library offers a serene environment with a collection of electronic and physical books. Individuals are free to access the library computers, use the internet or watch documentaries on a large projector.

The Nyamirambo Women’s Centre

Nyamirambo Women’s Centre is found in suburb in Kigali. This centre and workshop was opened in 2007 by a group of local Rwandan women who were victims of gender violence in the past.

As a Non-governmental organization, the Nyamirambo Women’s Center helps fight gender-based violence while also organizing English language trainings and computer literacy classes for the victims.

The centre provides modern sewing machines that the women use to produce local clothes, bags and other accessories from local material.

The final product is of high quality and some of the best colorful Kitenge (a local fabric) can be bought at their boutique to support the centre.

The Gaddafi Mosque

The Gaddafi mosque is an impressive structure in Nyamirambo. It wasn’t built by the former Libyan leader but is referred to him by name in recognition of a road that he built passing close to the mosque.

The Islamic Cultural Center is the official name of the mosque but people in Rwanda don’t use that name. The mosque also has a community center, a school and clinic that serve the people of Nyamirambo.

Visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial

Whereas Kigali and Rwanda now represents many of the good things about a new and fast changing Africa, the people had to watch as one of the worst genocides in history occurred in 1994.

The Kigali Genocide Memorial is built to honor over 700,000 victims of the genocide but also to remind people about the atrocities committed so that it never occurs again.

As upsetting as it can be, visiting this memorial centre will give you an insight of what transpired while also helping you appreciate the current achievements of the.

Visit the main city museums

The Museum of Natural History is the best museum in Kigali and was built with the purpose of documenting the beauty of Rwanda.

The northern wing of the museum showcases Rwanda’s animal and bird life as well as the beautiful volcanoes. The Southern Wing on the other hand dwells on the countries mineral riches. You can learn how much all these have contributed to the wealth of the country.

The Belgium UN Troop Memorial

The memorial was opened in 2000 and was built to remember the 10 Belgium UN peacekeepers who were slaughtered as they protected the Prime Minister Madame Agathe Uwiligiyimana and her family.

The Prime minister was also assassinated along with her husband. The Belgium soldiers tried to fight back but they got short of ammunition after a long standoff.

The intention of killing the Belgium peacekeepers may have been to force the UN peacekeeping force out of Rwanda and allow the genocide to continue unabated. The Belgium’s were the only western UN peacekeeping forces still in Rwanda.

Visit Hotel des Mille Collines

Hotel des Mille Collines is one of the best hotels in Kigali. This is the hotel that was featured in the 2004 movie “Hotel Rwanda”.

Many people took refuge in the hotel during the genocide in 2004. The hotel managers saved over 1,000 people by hiding them in the hotel rooms.

Land of the Tswana

There are so many places that you can visit in Botswana but there are some other attractions that stand out more than others and are worth visiting during Botswana Safari. These make the list of the top Tourist Attractions In Botswana.

There are many tours that you can do in Botswana and the most common is the overland tour, where you can drive around to most parts of the country in an overland truck. Most common tours include a Botswana Wildlife Safari, Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park package, Desert tracking, Premium safaris and 5 to 10 day safaris.