National Geographic Traveller UK April 2020

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