Kigali - city of hope

Why visit Kigali?

Rwanda's capital city of Kigali is the primary arrival hub for most tourists. The sprawling city extends across several hills and valleys, with good tarred roads providing convenient access to all national parks across this tiny country.

With Rwanda recently voted the world’s 9th safest country and Africa’s safest country by the World Economic Forum, Kigali can be described as the beating heart of the country. Kigali is a well-run, safe, vibrant city with a modern skyline and a growing local economy. Old informal settlements are rapidly transforming into attractive suburbs and shopping areas for locals and tourists alike.

Most tourists visit Rwanda to access the national parks and so have, at the most, half a day of free time to experience this vibrant city. With that in mind, we have created our list of favourite things to do in Kigali:

Things to do in Kigali

• Kigali Genocide Memorial - the final resting place for 250,000 victims of the genocide against the Tutsi people in Rwanda - and a place of remembrance and learning. Take tissues - this is a profound and powerful experience of promoting reconciliation and building peace through education. We advise that you visit the Memorial at the beginning of your stay in Rwanda so that it is not your last memory of this amazing country.

• Niyo Arts Centre - featuring the works of 17 artists in residence from the Great Lakes region. A portion of sales proceeds go to support children in the streets, single mothers, genocide survivors and individuals impacted by poverty.

• Kigali Pottery Collections - pottery showroom and interactive classes.

• Caplaki Craft Village - a market for a large selection of arts and handcrafted items - from independent artists and small businesses. From carved woodwork and intricately woven baskets to colourful beaded jewellery and tribal masks.

• Kweza Brewery - Rwanda's first craft brewery. Their process uses native ingredients and sustainable processes - all while supporting women's empowerment.

• Nyandungu Urban Wetland Ecotourism Park - from a degraded wetland to an educational and recreational eco-park in the heart of Rwanda’s capital city. The 121-hectare park features a medicinal garden, a Pope’s Garden, five catchment ponds, three recreation ponds, an information centre, a restaurant and 10km of walkways and bike lanes.

• Question Coffee - excellent coffee made by women farmers and producers + pastries and free wifi.

• Nyamirambo Women's Centre - employs over 50 women NWC from the community to create a large variety of women’s accessories, children’s clothing, and home decor products. Visitors can buy these items and attend basket weaving and art classes and learn about traditional cooking.