National Geographic Traveller UK April 2020

(Dana P.) #1
MOUNTKIGALI
INTERNATIONALKIGALI
AIRPORT

KACYIRU

GISOZI

KIMIHURURA

NYAMIRAMBO

NyamiramboWomen’s Center
(NWC)

KIYOVU

HeavenHotel

Kigali GenocideMemorial

DesignsInzuki Azizi Life Studio
Convention Centre

Inema Arts Centre
SerenaHotel Question Co eeRoastery

RWANDA

1 Mile

2PM
TIME FOR COFFEE
Rwanda grows world-class cofee, but since
locals tend to prefer tea (or milk), Kigali’s
cofee culture is still in its infancy. Question
Cofee roastery and cafe, halfway between
the airport and the centre, is one of the best
places to try the local brew. Its mission is to
transform the lives of low-income women
cofee farmers in rural Rwanda through
training and access to a healthy, sustainable
national and international market.
questioncofee.com


3PM
KIGALI GENOCIDE MEMORIAL
This poignant memorial, museum, archive
and study centre is the inal resting place
for more than 250,000 victims of the 1994
Genocide against the Tutsi people. As
well as Tutsis, moderate Hutus and Twa
were tortured and killed; hundreds are
named on a wall near an expanse of mass
graves. Inside, an exhibition documents
the circumstances that led to the atrocities,
from colonial divide-and-rule policies to
contagious hate speech, and the subsequent
healing process. Open daily 8am–5pm (last
entrance 4pm), free. kgm.rw


5.30PM
SUNDOWNERS AND ART
As evening approaches, head to one of the
city’s many cafe-bars with a view, preferably
on a west-facing rootop or hillside. Inzora is
great for cofee and brownies, Pili Pili has a
pool and a fun atmosphere while 1000 Hills
Distillery creates reined cocktails from
spirits concocted on the premises. If it’s
Thursday, the choice is easy: head to Inema
for contemporary art and music from local
bands or DJs. inzoracafe.com 1000hills.com
inemaartcenter.com

7.30PM
DINNER
While Kigali isn’t exactly a party city, its
dining scene is on the rise. You could relax
to live jazz over local-style brochettes and
misuzu (fried sweet plantain) at Repub
Lounge, try the city’s best pan-Asian cuisine
at Soy, or sample the mushroom risotto with
white trule oil at Poivre Noir, a Belgian-
Rwandan bistro run by a brilliant young
self-taught chef. Alternatively, treat
yourself to an elegant evening at Fusion,
Heaven’s intimate, upscale sister restaurant.
republounge.com soyasiantable.com
poivrenoirkigali.com heavenrwanda.com

Getting there & around
RwandAir lies from Gatwick to
Kigali three times a week via
Brussels. Turkish Airlines offers a
service via Istanbul, and Ethiopian
Airlines lies via Addis Ababa.
rwandair.com turkishairlines.com
ethiopianairlines.com
Average light time: 10h20m.
Private transfers to the city centre
cost from £10. Taxis (car, motorbike
and bicycle) and smartcard-
operated buses cover the entire city.
Go Further Tours and Heaven
Tours offer in-depth tours and
creative experiences.
gofurther.tours heavenrwanda.com

When to go
Close to the Equator, the
temperature in Kigali is fairly steady,
averaging in the high 20Cs. April is
the rainiest month, while June to
August is driest.

Places mentioned
Heaven. heavenrwanda.com
Kigali Genocide Memorial. kgm.rw
Nyamirambo Women’s Center.
nwc-umutima.org
Kigalifaam.
kigalifarmersandartisansmarket.com
Inzuki Designs. inzuki.com
Azizi Life Studio. azizilife.com
Kurema, Kureba, Kwiga.
kuremarwanda.com
Inema. inemaartcenter.com

More info
Bradt Rwanda by Philip Briggs
(Bradt Travel Guides, RRP: £17.99)
visitrwanda.com

How to do it
ANOTHER AFRICA arranges bespoke
itineraries to Kigali and throughout
Rwanda from £600 per person
sharing, including two nights on a
B&B basis at Heaven The Retreat,
and two half-day city experiences.
Excludes international lights.
anotherafrica.com

ESSENTIALS


Young boy dancing at
Inema Arts Centre


ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER

146 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel


KIGALI
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