Kigali

Kigali

Kigali is a clean and vibrant city at Rwanda’s geographic and economic center which has made incredible progress over the last decade.  Rwanda’s largest city has not just survived, but thrived and grown into a modern metropolis.  Among the safest and friendliest of African capitals, Kigali is blessed with a moderately high altitude (and therefore comfortable climate) and is conveniently located within three hours’ drive of several of the main tourist sites.  Kigali offers visitors both a comfortable and welcoming introduction to this land of a thousand hills and an ideal springboard from which to explore the country.

Although clients tend not to spend more than a couple nights in Kigali, that gives enough time to dine at Bourbon Coffee or Heaven (a delicious restaurant and community project, read more here) and visit the insightful and moving Kigali Genocide Memorial Center. For those with more time, we also recommend visiting to the genocide memorials at Nyamata and Ntarama which are an hour outside the city or spend a day visiting a local organization, such as Azizi Life, who’s hands on activities with locals are insightful and rewarding.

In Kigali, we use the Kigali Serena, the Kigali Marriott and The Retreat by Heaven hotels most often.  The two larger options are comfortable and centrally located city hotels with all the amenities you would expect.  The Retreat by Heaven is a smaller scale, has excellent onsite dining and shopping, a good location and the warm service you’d expect from an intimate scale hotel.

Our favorite accommodation in Kigali

Recommended itineraries featuring Kigali

Other areas to explore