Rwanda is remarkable and there are many reasons to visit! I had the opportunity to go to Rwanda for work a few years ago. I knew very little about the country other than a faint recollection of a genocide that occurred in the past. So I was surprised to discover just how delightful Rwanda is. Read on for 11 reasons why you should visit Rwanda, too!
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Take a Tour of Nyamirambo Women’s Center
One of the best ways to begin learning about the people, culture and history of Rwanda is by visiting the Nyamirambo Women’s Center. It is located just outside the Kigali city center in one of the oldest neighborhoods. It features cobblestone roads, street art, local businesses, and great views. Rwanda is known as the land of a thousand hills. This neighborhood is perched up on one of these hills.
The Women’s Center offers a tour that provides insight into the daily life of the residents of the Nyamirambo neighborhood. On the tour you will learn a few words in the local language, Kinyarwanda. You will also get to taste chapati bread washed down with milk from a local milk bar (see below). The walking tour takes you through a library designed to keep kids busy and safe while their mothers work. You also visit a beauty salon and the community water tap. Walking through the streets of the neighborhood, you see people selling produce, making charcoal bricks, and processing cassava leaves.
The tour culminates in lunch in a local home where you are given a taste of the local cuisine. Expect to have stews of plantains, veggies, cassava leaves and peanut flour, along with rice, stewed cabbage, sweet potatoes, and tilapia. After all, tasting the native foods is one of the best reasons to visit Rwanda!
Your final stop on the tour is the Nyamirambo Women’s Center shop. The center employs about 50 women as seamstresses. They also work with women from other cooperatives to create a product line of housewares and children’s wear. They have a lot of very nice things in the shop. You can purchase souvenirs and support the local community!
Visit a Milk Bar
Yet another of the remarkable reasons to visit Rwanda is to experience their favorite beverage. In most countries, coffee shops or bars are all the rage. In Rwanda, the favorite beverage is milk. People will buy a glass of milk and drink it in the shop just like it was a bar! The milk is delicious – very rich, creamy and sweet.
Go Gorilla Trekking
One of the main reasons that many visit Rwanda is to trek mountain gorillas. There are less than 1,000 mountain gorillas left, and East Africa is the only place you can see them in the wild. You can see mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda, or the Democratic Republic of Congo. You can schedule gorilla trekking tours out of Kigali for any of these countries.
Rwanda offers the gold standard in gorilla trekking, but it’s also the most expensive. If you can afford the high price tag of $1,500 for a permit, Rwanda will be the absolute best experience you can have. The gorillas are in Volcanoes National Park which is not far from the capital city of Kigali. You will save yourself a lot of travel and hassle by simply staying in Rwanda for your gorilla trek.
But if you prefer a less expensive option, you can read all about my experience trekking mountain gorillas in Uganda, as well as some general tips on planning your trek.
Visit the Genocide Memorial & Museum
If you are like me, you have a vague recollection of the horrors of the Rwandan genocide in the 1990s. The Genocide Memorial & Museum is among the powerful reasons to visit Rwanda. It will give you a much better understanding of what happened and how Rwanda has recovered from it. The focus of the museum is on survivors’ stories, but also on the importance of forgiveness.
Brief History Lesson
Prior to the genocide, Rwandans were classified into three different socioeconomic classes. Tutsis made up 14% of the population and were the rich and culturally elite class. Hutus made up 85% of the population but were poorer and less likely to be in leadership positions prior to Rwandan independence. The Twa people made up 1% of the population and were the smallest and poorest group
When Rwandan independence occurred, the power struggle between Hutus and Tutsis started in earnest. In the end militant Hutus slaughtered an estimated 1,000,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Many people were killed by people close to them – their neighbors, friends, priests, and so on. The genocide lasted about three months in 1994.
Museum Experience
The Genocide Museum tour starts with a video featuring the stories of people who lived through the genocide. A tour guide will provide his or her personal story as well. Through the thoughtful exhibits you will learn all about the 1994 genocide, how children experienced the genocide, and the impact of genocide around the world. You can culminate your visit by paying your respects and laying flowers at the memorial outside.
Have a Meal or Drink at Hotel des Mille Collines
One movie all visitors to Rwanda should watch prior to their trip is Hotel Rwanda. This 2004 film tells the true story of a Hutu hotel manager, Paul Rusesabagina, who shelters over 700 Tutsis during the three month genocide. The actual hotel featured in the movie is Hotel des Mille Collines, and it’s pool (shown above) was the source of drinking water for weeks. I definitely recommend visiting the hotel, perhaps for a meal or a drink at one of the restaurants and bars.
Shop at Kimironko Market
Shopping at Kimironko Market is a must-do for any tourist. It has the standard crafts and touristy souvenirs, but it is also a place where locals go. They buy housewares, clothes, shoes, and food there. There are seamstresses who custom make clothing, so you can get a shirt or dress in some of the fabulous patterns and prints you see on native Rwandans.
Try an Experiential Activity
Learning native crafts or more about local foods are also great reasons to visit Rwanda. One option is coffee tasting at Question Coffee. In this experiential activity, you learn all about the different preparation of the beans, various smells and flavors, etc. You get see coffee plants growing and learn how coffee beans are grown and processed. Finally, you evaluate the various brews on smell and taste. It’s a must for any coffee lover. You get to take home a bag of beans from your favorite brew!
Less appetizing but more creative, you can learn an art form called Imigongo. Imigongo is the process of creating molded shapes using cow dung. The dung is mixed with ash and then pressed onto wooden boards in various designs. Don’t worry – it doesn’t stink! An Imigongo class will tell you the history of this art form. Then you can select your design and paint it yourself.
Another option is to take a Rwandan dancing and drumming class. There’s nothing quite like learning native songs and dances to really understand a culture.
Enjoy a Pastry from the Women’s Bakery
Rwanda is full of reasons for hope, and a visit to the Women’s Bakery will inspire you. The bakery was founded by an American who served in the Peace Corp in Rwanda and returned after her service to continue helping the Rwandan people. It provides training, employment and empowerment for impoverished women. Make sure to show your support by buying a treat. It’s a win/win!
View Animals at Akagera National Park
A few hours outside of Kigali lies Akagera National Park. While Rwanda is not particularly well known for safaris, you can definitely go on one in this park! If you are basing your visit out of Kigali, then you can book a day trip to the park. Prepare for a very long day, but it will be worth it! If you want to linger a bit (highly recommended), book this two-day tour and spend the night at Mantis Akagera Game Lodge.
No matter which option you choose, you are in for a treat. You will see water buffalo, baboons, impalas, elephants, zebra, giraffe, hippos, warthogs, and turkeys. There’s a chance you will see big game such and lions and leopards, depending on the timing of your safari drive. The scenery is gorgeous as well.
Inspire Hope for the Future
Of all of these remarkable reasons to visit Rwanda, I think the most important one is that it inspires hope for the future. Somehow the country was able to build bridges between the ethnic groups and come to a peace and unity that is frankly amazing. The world seems like it is falling apart now, but Rwanda inspires me to hope that we can get past our differences and work together for the good of the whole. Despite the fact that the U.S. is very divided politically, seeing a place as torn apart as Rwanda was only 30 years ago now functional and thriving should give us hope.
Do you want to visit Rwanda?
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