City Break: 24 Hours in Kigali

I spent 3 days (really 2.5) in Rwanda earlier this year. After sharing quite a bit on Rwanda on Instagram this summer and I’m excited to start sharing on the blog. With such a short timeframe, I had 24 hours in Kigali so I booked a guided tour of Kigali with Go Kigali tours. In my opinion, this is the best way to get to know this city especially if you don’t have the time to research and plan in advance. I had the best day in Kigali with Eric as my guide! Without further ado, if you’ve only got 24 hours in Kigali, here’s what to do:

visit mount kigali

A visit to mount Kigali should be a must for every visitor. I’d recommend a stop here either in the morning or around sunset. The car dropped us at a certain spot and we walked for about five minutes for these views! Rwanda isn’t called the land of a thousand hills for nothing, what a welcome!

P.S. Hiking is an option.

visit a milk bar

I’d read about milk bars on the single best blog with information on Kigali but I had no clue on how to get to one. Thankfully, a stop at one was already incorporated into the itinerary. A Milk bar is where people meet to catch up, like you would in a pub. Milk is considered a welcoming drink in Rwanda, but it is bad omen to drink it standing. So when in Kigali, drop in and try some fresh milk or the cold stuff (yoghurt pretty much).

have lunch with locals at tamu tamu

The Tamu Tamu lunch stop came at the perfect time. Eric ordered a variety of dishes from Matoke (plantains), to beans, to Isombe (mashed cassava), to rice, to chicken stew, to Rwandan Ugali (more like Nigerian fufu compared to Kenyan Ugali), and so much more. Ask for, and try some banana beer. I’d recommend a lunch stop here or somewhere in the heart of the city.

take your time at the kigali genocide memorial museum

This might be the most written about stop on any trip to Kigali that I’ve seen, and rightfully so. I intentionally visited this stop on my last day in Kigali. The memorial is the final resting place for the more than 250,000 victims of genocide against the Tutsi. It is a place for ‘remembrance and learning.’ Plan at least 1.5 hours for a visit, the memorial is open 8:00am – 5:00pm seven days a week, however on the last day of the month it is only open from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Entrance costs $15 for adults.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dee | Travel & Career (@wellwornheels)

visit a local market in kigali

Markets are a great way to get to the heart and soul of a city. There are a few different markets to visit in town. We visited one on my day tour and I got to practice the few Kinyarwandese words I’d just learnt. We chatted with vendors, checked out produce, locally made souvenirs, home goods, and lots of beans! Rwanda has the highest diversity of beans in Africa and I saw that at the market. My favorite part of the visit was stopping at a stall to try fruit from bananas, to passion fruit. I tried a Tamarillo for the first time.

Fun Fact: Rwandans are considered to be the highest consumers of beans in the world. The vendors were excited to have a black tourist visiting as we are few and far between! 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dee | Travel & Career (@wellwornheels)

try rwandan coffee

What better time for some of the best coffee in the world than during that afternoon lull between 2pm and 3pm? There are several cafés in town brewing locally produced coffee. My tour stopped at Question Café where I ( a non-coffee drinker) tried and enjoyed a latter. Question Café brews specialty coffee grown by female farmers. The coffee is made and roasted by locally trained baristas. With additional time, a visit to a farm can be arranged. Short on time? Buy coffee beans to go as your Rwandan souvenir! I did and I’m not even a coffee drinker!

go souvenir shopping at caplaki cooperative

There are a number of nice stores to get souvenirs in Kigali, one of which is within the Kigali Marriott another is at Heaven hotel, where I stayed. I found out about Caplaki from living in Kigali. Hop on a Moto and go shopping for THE BEST prices on souvenirs! At Caplaki, several vendors will vie for your attention: look around, haggle, and get a piece of Rwanda to take home!

have dinner with a view

Have dinner at Repub Lounge (Rwandan food in a fancier setting), but have drinks at Ubumwe grand hotel for spectacular city views. Looking for a place to have dinner but to also try out Kigali’s nightlife, check out Papyrus. Papyrus came recommended by locals but I could not fit it in.

other things to do in kigali

• Take a moto ride (motorcycle)
• Visit Inema Arts center to check out contemporary Rwandan art
• Take a water taxi ride
• Drive past the Kigali convention center (especially) at night, lovely sight!
• Drive past Hotel des Mille Collines (featured in the movie Hotel Rwanda, but now offers a great brunch and live music)

other resources to plan your 24 hours in kigali

1. Read Living In Kigali blog here, the best/most comprehensive blog on all things Kigali
2. Read my blog post here on why Rwanda is the most inspiring country I’ve visited
3. Visit the official tourism site here 
4. I booked my full day tour with Go Kigali and had Eric as my guide. I whole heartedly recommend him!

concluding on 24 hours in kigali

What a day!!! My day in Kigali was nothing short of remarkable. Rwanda is the most inspiring country I’ve visited and I cannot wait to share more about it over time. What a people, what a turnaround story! Have you been to Kigali? What would you add? If you haven’t been, what’s the top of your list?

PS. If you’ve found this helpful, share this post and please click here to subscribe to receive notifications of new posts, and to receive my monthly newsletter with insider tips and information!

Till next time,

Dee (Ms. Heels)