Kigali is the capital city of Rwanda and by far the most developed in terms of infrastructure. It is the largest city with a population of just over a million people. The city is located in the centre of the country and is also the business and administrative centre of Rwanda. After Rwanda gained independence in 1962, Kigali became the capital city and has continued to be the centre for major economic, cultural, transport and administrative activities for the whole country. The residence and offices of the President of Rwanda are located in the city, as well as the government ministries.

During the genocide in 1994, much of Kigali was destroyed due to the violence that escalated during that time. Many buildings, schools and several other structures were destroyed and the mission of the current president of Rwanda has been to rebuild Rwanda. Many new buildings have sprung up in the city and the most notable ones are the BCDI Tower, Centenary House and Kigali City Tower including several hotels and so on and so forth.

Occupying several hills and valleys of the west central region of Rwanda, Kigali is a well organized city with stretches of mostly paved roads. The city has been rebuilt according to plan into a modern city with several connecting roads. For a visitor to Kigali, the city is one of few with very limited traffic and one can actually go around the entire city in a few minutes.

Since this is the centre for most of Rwanda’s economic activities, the city is very well secured by the police and indeed has one of the world’s least crime rates recorded. It is therefore safe for anyone to visit Kigali.

Tourism activities in Kigali

Kigali Genocide Memorial Center

This is the site where many victims of the 1994 Rwandan genocide were buried and in some way serves as a reminder to all people of Rwanda of the 100 dark days between April and July 1994. There had always been class divides between the Tutsi and Hutu and this had brewed tension between the two groups. However, in early 1994 this tension escalated and on April 6,1994 it reached its peak after the plane carrying the then Hutu president of Rwanda, juvenal Habyarimana was gunned down by unknown persons. This served as the catalyst for the genocide and in the 100 days that followed after, between 500,000 and 1,000,000 lost their lives in the violence that ensued. This memorial was therefore setup to remind people of the many atrocities during this time and has several exhibitions available to visitors to the centre.

Shopping

Kigali offers several options for shoppers looking for local arts and crafts especially those who want to take home a souvenir after a trip to Rwanda. Located in Kigali’s city center, the ‘Cooperative des Artisans Rwandais’ sells local crafts for a fixed price, such as carvings and paintings. Also in the city’s center, ‘Dancing Pots’ sells terracotta pieces, whose proceeds are part of a fair-trade project to aid Batwa pygmies. Book lovers looking for French titles should head to the Librairie Caritas and the Librairie Ikirezi in the city’s center. There are several other places where art pieces can be bought in Kigali and you need to take a stroll around town to take your best pick.

Dining

Kigali is home to many international restaurants and dining here is an absolute international experience. There is a wide variety of food choices for visitors ranging from local, Indian, Ethiopian, Belgian, Chinese, French and Italian. These restaurants are found in the heart of the city and are therefore very accessible and in addition have up to par service delivery. Kigali’s most famous Ethiopian restaurant is Lalibela Restaurant, which is on the grounds of the One Love Club, a hotel and camping area dedicated to peace and harmony. Fans of Indian Khazana in Kampala, Uganda, will enjoy dining at its sister restaurant in Kigali’s city center. If you are looking for an upscale dining experience with a sophisticated meal, head to the French and Belgian Chez Robert.

Nightlife

Kigali has a variety of clubs and bars contributing to an active nightlife scene. The trendiest and most popular places to be seen are New Cadillac, Planet and Republika Lounge. New Cadillac and Planet are clubs that play a mixture of local and Western pop artists. Republika is a lush and elegant venue with large terraces. For a distinct experience, head to the Car Wash, where you can have a cocktail at the garden bar with some locals who are relaxing while their car is getting washed. Rwanda is popular for being home to some of Africa’s most beautiful ladies and you will surely have a nice time at the bar.

Accommodation

There are several highly rated hotels in Kigali with excellent service and beautiful views of Kigali. The Kigali Serena hotel is considered the best but there are many equally good choices like Hotel des Mille Collines, Manor Hotel, Top Tower Hotel Kigali, Umobano Hotel and Stipp hotel. These hotels are reasonably priced and will very likely be to your liking.