Places to visit in Kigali

Morning Julia,

I think a week of holidays will do the business and they will have time to enjoy and see the beauty of our town. I have some few places I would suggest in Kigali and If you have time and some extra cash, why not taking them outside Kigali?

1. Home of art: Ishyo Art Centre and Goethe Institut, Kacyiru

This is a platform for all artists, arts lovers, culture professionals, activists, critics, entrepreneurs and everyone else who is passionate or just curious about traditional and/or contemporary modes of artistic expression.

Ishyo also hosts different events related to fashion, plays, music and different other aspects of culture. It usually hosts experts from different countries to train and work with Rwanda artists, encouraging cultural diversity and improving skills. It is also home to the Goethe Institut - well known for its movie night every Tuesday evening. You will find a lot more than movies as it also organises brainstorm debates every last Thursday of the month.

2. Ivuka Art Center

Ivuka is the place to be once in Kigali! This tiny gallery hosts amazing local artists and features painting sculpture and some jewelry. Walking into the space you feel the hope and joi de vivre of Rwanda. Arts hangs on the walls and is stacked all around providing plenty of viewpoints and color for the eye and mins to digest. After the hotel Umubano you take your first right, then your second left, walk about 200 meters and you'll be amazed by the beauty of this little orange house that contains a variety of unique pieces of art work, at a price that will never let you leave empty handed.

3. Mamba Club, Rwanda's only bowling alley

There is no way you can classify Kigali City treasures and not mention Mamba Club. It's located in Kimihurura in front of Top Security headquarters. It is a bar and restaurant and even has several health fitness facilities ranging from a swimming pool, a hot yoga facility and it is Rwanda's only bowling alley. 

Besides the bowling alley and comfortable lounge, there is an area with sand to play beach volleyball. In other words you don't need to go to Gisenyi to enjoy beach volleyball.

Bowling is an American game that is enjoyed by both children and adults. It's relaxing and fun especially if there are two teams competing.

It is a wonderful place for people of all age groups. For example during birthday parties for children, bouncing castles are set up for the children to have fun.

4. The oldest buliding: Kandt House

The museum is dedicated to Dr. Richard Kandt, a German doctor and explorer who embarked on the exploration of Rwanda in 1897, searching for the source of the Nile River.

The Nature History Museum aims at examining the richness of Rwandan nature. This museum showcases many specimen and replicas of natural wonders of the country.

As the only national museum in Kigali, do not dare attempt to leave Kigali without visiting it at least once.

5. Presidential Palace Museum

(In Kanombe, 4km east past the airport - under the flightpath). The abode of the formal President Habyarimana, who died in that infamous plane crash of 1994. Guided tours are mandatory, where you can get a glimpse of a 70's to 90's presidential life. There is also a display on Rwandan clothing that is quite interesting. Photography is restricted. Rwf 6,000 (Rwf 5,000 for resident foreigners). To get there a moto should cost about Rwf 1,000, and tell him to go to Kanombe - you'll probably end up outside the military hospital at the end of the tarred road, the museum is another 300 meters along the dirt road

6. Parliament building
7. Akagera national park
8. Volcanoes (Residency of Mountain's gorilla)
9. Nyungwe Forest

Enjoy holidays

Hi yessam07,

Thank you for the sharing of information

Maximilien
Expat-blog Team

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