Kigali city is known as the Rwanda’s capital which houses the natural beauty, amazing rolling hills and good favorable weather. Kigali city is the hub of Rwanda tours and it is so convenient to connect to any of the Rwanda tourism destination and Kigali city is one of the cleanest cities in Africa and its safety is paramount and also interesting place to stay from the endless international and local hotels with abundant cultural heritage, friendly people and great local cuisine and excellent intercontinental cuisine.
Below are some of the best most visited places in Kigali in 2024;
Kigali International Airport Park. Kigali International airport is the main airstrip in Rwanda that handles big flights and all main flights in and out of the country.
It is located in Kanombe sector in the south east of the capital city of Kigali and just a few kilometers away from the administrative and business central district where most hotels are located.
Kigali International Airport in Rwanda operated by Rwanda Airports Authority and Rwanda Civil aviation authority serves both domestic, regional and international flights for all destinations to and from Rwanda and it also serves as a transit airport for different destinations especially regional flights to Goma and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as Burundi.
The international Airport of Kigali is situated at an elevation of 1,491 meters above sea level making it one of the highly raised airports in the world, it is comprised of several facilities featuring three terminals and two helicopter pads, with a well paved 35,00meter runway that allows smooth landing and takeoff of all the different kinds of air crafts, the three terminals include the VIP terminal, the main passenger terminal that can handle up to 6 small sized air crafts and some jets and the cargo terminal.
There are other facilities at Kigali International airport in the airport buildings that are built and designed in a modern standard providing serenity and a feel of comfort include customs and immigration lounge, weather facilities, base operating rooms, passenger waiting lounges with VIP section, offices such as Rwanda air offices, Rwanda Civil aviation Authority offices, several check-in points/desks, sanitary service points, shops, Forex bureaus, restaurants and bars, enough parking space, health care center, storage facilities among others.
In addition to these facilities there are easily accessible services at Kigali International Airport such as free Wi-Fi, duty free shops, ATM/cash machines, mobile charging ports, and luggage wrapping points, lifts for vulnerable and disabled passengers and all these services and well-equipped facilities will make your experience at Kigali International airport a smooth and memorable one.
Kigali International Airport has been in records with increased and growth in passenger traffic and according to statistics by Rwanda Aviation Authority, the airport that is designed to handle 400,000 passengers per year, in 2016 both domestic and international passenger numbers raised up to 710,000 with about 400 weekly flights, however these records might have been affected by the current Covid19 pandemic.
Kigali Genocide Memorial. The memorial hall opened to the public in 2004 and has received many foreign tourists. The memorial itself is also a cemetery, where more than 250,000 victims are buried. The memorial is within walking distance to the Hotel des Mille Collins, the site of the movie Hotel Rwanda.
The Kigali Genocide Memorial Virtual Tour offers a convenient way to access the Memorial’s exhibitions from anywhere in the world. It provides a powerful and immersive experience, fostering a deeper understanding of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Development of sustainable livelihoods, trauma healing and peace education of the kind pioneered here at the Kigali Genocide Memorial have a key role to play in mitigating conflict especially as mass migration increases due to climate change.
The Kigali Genocide Memorial is open from 9:00am to 5:00pm and its open to visitors from Monday to Sunday.
On the last Saturday of each month, the Memorial is open from 1:00pm to 5:00pm due to Umuganda community work.
The Memorial is closed annually on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Normally it is also closed to the public on the morning of April 7th each year since it’s the starting day of Kwibuka.
The Memorial is in Gisozi, 10 minutes’ drive from the centre of town. The easiest way to get here is by car or taxi. Parking in the Memorial car park is free of charge.
If using public transport, the nearest bus stop is half a mile away at Kinamba on KN 8 Avenue. From the bus stop, take the fork onto KG 14 Avenue and proceed up the hill. You will see the Memorial on your left.
Inema Arts Centre. Inema Arts Center is more than just an art gallery. It is an inspiring venue for sharing different forms of artistic expression. Founded in 2012 by brothers and self-taught painters Emmanuel Nkuranga and Innocent Nkurunziza. Inema Arts Center spurs creativity for personal, social and economic growth.
Nkurunziza and Nkuranga started Inema in order to provide exposure to creative people and to create opportunities for Rwanda’s most under served communities while using creativity for a productive livelihood.
Inema Arts Center has become a beacon in Rwanda for cultivating creative expression. Inema Arts Center is a collective of Rwandan creative artists. At its core, Inema Arts Center provides space for 5 artists in residence to explore their creative talent. Inema Arts Center is a collective of Rwandan creative artists.
Inema Arts Center conducts various weekly activities such as Inema Yoga Classes which are conducted on Monday and Wednesday between 6:30pm – 7:30pm, Inema Happy Hour which is conducted only on Thursday between 6:30pm – 7:30pm, Inema Dancing Classes (Thursday and Sunday), Inema Painting Sessions (Saturday) and many more activities.
Lake Nyarutarama. For nature lovers, this is a little lake situated near the golf club. The lake is surrounded with bush and woodland and the bird lovers it offers a good birding opportunity in Kigali.
Nyarutarama Lake is a good spot to go if you have a couple of hours in the morning to go birding. It is located close to the conference center.
The area is quite degraded with some trees, grasslands and marshes. There are paths to walk around. It is a birding heaven with species such as Long-crested Eagle, Yellow – throated Longclaw, cisticolas, marsh/swamp warblers, egrets, herons, doves, weavers and bishops and many others
Kigali city tower. Kigali City Tower is on Avenue du Commerce known as KN 76 Street in Nyarugenge District which is the central business district of Kigali. The building is on the site of the former central bus station which was closed in 2005.
The building consists of three components: the tower which rises to 20 stories, the 4-story commercial center and a car parking block which is also 4 stories tall. As of 2013 the tower is the tallest building in Kigali and Rwanda. The total retail floor space is around 10,000 square meters (110,000 sq ft) while office space is 7,000 square meters (75,000 sq ft).
The tower block is occupied mostly by office space with only the ground, lower ground and top floors being retail. Each floor of the tower has 336 square meters (3,620 sq ft) of office space available.
Retail space within the tower consists of a bar on the lower ground floor, a branch of Bank of Kigali on the ground floor and a restaurant with roof top bar and nightclub on the top floor.
Kigali convention center. It is a modern and impressive building that hosts a variety of conferences and events throughout the year. It is also a home to several restaurants and a luxury hotel making it a great place for visitors for want to stay in the heart of the city on their tour in Kigali. It has an intriguing design of the Rwandan traditional agaseke basket and has different color themes every night. It is such a spectacle at night and a must see on your tour in Kigali city.
Kimironko Market. This is the biggest and busiest market in Kigali where almost everything is sold from foodstuffs, fabrics to clothing. This is an economic landmark which you should not miss out on your Kigali city tour.
This bustling hub offers a colorful array of goods from fresh produce and spices to traditional fabrics and crafts. Visitors are allowed to stroll through the market’s lively lanes, interacting with friendly vendors and immersing into the vibrant atmosphere. At the market you discover the rich tapestry of Rwandan culture as you browse through beautiful baskets, intricate woven textiles and handmade jewelry. This is the perfect place to find authentic souvenirs and gifts to cherish from your time in Kigali.
Amahoro National Stadium. Amahoro National Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Gasabo district of Kigali, Rwanda. With a capacity of 45508, it is the largest stadium in Rwanda and hosts football matches, concerts and public events. Amahoro stadium is given that name because it’s the home of the Rwandans National Team Amavubi. The Amahoro stadium was constructed between 1984 and 1989 as a symbol of national pride.
Nyamirambo Women’s Centre. The Nyamirambo Women’s Centre (NWC) was established with the aim to support local, disadvantaged women to continue their education and training, and to gain better opportunities for employment.
The Nyamirambo Women’s Center is a cooperative by local women which offers skills to other women in the area as a way of uplifting them economically and socially. The center teaches basket weaving, handcraft making, cooking, computer literacy, sewing among others. You can visit the center to see a variety of handcrafts made by the women or you can book to join a class of some activities such as cooking local dishes and weaving.
The Nyamirambo Women’s Center also organizes a Nyamirambo walking tour. Nyamirambo is one of the most vibrant suburbs of Kigali. This is a great tour to discover the way of life of the local Rwandans living in the suburbs. You will check out the local markets, the local businesses, chat with the local people along the way. At the end of the walking tour, you can be hosted for a lunch at one of the local residents of Nyamirambo and this is if you started the tour in the morning. The walking tour is normally done as a half day experience starting in the morning and it takes about 3 hours.
This center offers accommodation of 2 double bed rooms with good amenities such as shower and wireless internet connection.
Kigali City Market. The City Market is at KN 2 Street. It is a shopping centre, housed in a large building, containing numerous individual shops, all well organized, and on several floors. Amongst other things, it contains grocery stores, supermarkets and chemists.
Nyamata Church Genocide Memorial. Nyamata church genocide memorial center is a former church located 30 km south of Kigali in Bugesera. The center commemorates the 25,000 Rwanda genocide victims buried here. This is one of the darker sites in Rwanda after Murambi genocide memorial.
It is unfortunate that many Tutsi people gathered here considering it a safe sanctuary because previously churches were seen as safe places. Little did they know that this building was a pure death trap as opposed to life. The Tutsi’s had locked themselves up in the church seeking safety but were shocked when Hutu militias forced open the doors open with hand grenades and reigned on them with machetes.
You will find clothes and national ID cards of the dead victims on the church pews with blood spread all over the place. The alter cloth is still stained with blood from the massacre of the several victims. Outside the church are mass graves for your visits.
Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village. Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village is Rwanda’s large scale tented event facility. Conveniently located in Kigali’s city center, the village comprises 12 meeting halls suitable for a wide range of events. The total site capacity is 10,000 with individual meeting room capacity ranging from 10 to 3,200 persons.
Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village offers flexible meeting space that can be tailored for any event or function requirement, from conventions to and weddings, workshops, and exhibitions.
Century Cinema. This is a modern movie theater located in the Infinix Building also called ‘City Tower’), the highest building in Kigali. Century Cinema offers three screens and is designed to offer the best of what is new in film now. The cinemas range in size from 70 to 233 seats which means it’ll be possible to see the biggest new films as well as small ones.
Century Cinemas was the first cinema hall to open its doors in 2013 and the only one in the city with a 5D screen suitable for action movies, digital sound and special effects. Ticket prices vary from 3,000 to 5,000 Rwandan francs, while Tuesday is the night when students can get a discount.
