Country 31/196: Rwanda
Destinations: Kigali
We were afraid that we won’t be able to see why Rwanda is called ‘the land of thousand hills’ if we only visit its capital, but we were wrong. Kigali is one of the most diverse, green, clean, and beautiful cities we have ever been to and it sure has a lot of hills. 😉
Other attractions in Rwanda include Volcanoes National Park, home to five volcanoes, and a large population of mountain gorillas, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Mount Karisimbi, and Mount Bisoke.
In Kigali, the Kigali Genocide Memorial, which commemorates the 1994 Rwandan genocide is considered one of the city’s main landmarks. Over 250,000 victims of the genocide against the Tutsi are buried there. In one hundred days an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 Rwandans were killed.
Dearest Rwanda, we wish you an abundance of love and peace! ♥
Things to see and things to do
Kigali’s other attractions include:
- Inema Arts Centre
- Kandt House Museum
- Rwanda Art Museum
- Niyo Art Gallery
- Belgian Peacekeepers Memorial or Camp Kigali Memorial
- St Famille Church
- Kimironko Market
- Kigali City Tower
Where to stay
In Kigali, there are lots of accommodation options for travelers on a big budget as well as the ones on a tight budget.
Are you planning a trip to Kigali? Here you can get a room with a 10% discount!
Budget
Even though some people say that Rwanda is not a cheap destination, there are lots of budget accommodation, food, and transportation options. Accommodation prices in Kigali are very affordable, ranging from 10 USD (8.5 EUR) to 200 USD (170 EUR). Food expenses depend on whether you want to eat in upscale restaurants or you prefer local diners and public transportation prices are reasonable as well. The only thing really pricey are the famous gorilla tracking tours. In fact, gorilla tracking tours are only available in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The ones in Rwanda tend to be the most expensive and the ones in Congo the least expensive.
Best time to visit
Weather-wise the best time to visit Rwanda is from June to mid-September or from December to January, during the two dry seasons. However, as the gorilla permits may be hard to get during the peak season, you should consider traveling to Rwanda during the rainy season when you can have the mountains and forests to yourself.
Environmental issues
On one hand, Rwanda is facing several environmental challenges, like deforestation caused by the uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel, overgrazing, which is causing soil exhaustion and erosion, and widespread animal poaching, threatening the country’s biodiversity. Threatened species include the chimpanzee, African elephant, black rhinoceros, and even the mountain gorilla, despite their recent population growth. The war in Rwanda, beginning in 1990, has also damaged the environment.
On the other hand, Rwanda has Umuganda. Umuganda is Rwanda’s community workday. It can be translated as “coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome”. This practice has long existed in Rwandan culture but has only recently become mandatory. On the last Saturday of every month, from 8 AM to 11 AM, all able-bodied citizens between the ages of 18 and 65 come together to make their country a better place. Projects range from road maintenance, repairing public buildings, cutting grass, to building schools and housing for people in need, planting trees, and performing public clean-ups. Thanks to Umuganda, Kigali became the cleanest city in Africa and Rwanda experienced an overall environmental improvement. Travelers are welcome to roll up their sleeves and join the efforts.
In addition, plastic bags have been banned in Rwanda for more than a decade, which is also a big step toward a better future. Way to go, Rwanda!
Romance and adventure
Rwanda is a wonderful country that has a lot to offer. Kigali is a beautiful city full of romantic sights, while gorilla tracking tours are the country’s number one activity for true adventurers.
196xLOVE
Found lots of LOVE in Rwanda. 😉 ♥
Honeymoon rating of the visited destinations: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♡♡♡
Despite their sad history, Kigali is a stunning, modern, and clean city. Besides, it is a great starting point to see wild mountain gorillas. 😉 A honeymoon in Rwanda sounds like a great idea! 🙂
* Note: This is NOT a general rating of the country, it is merely our personal opinion of the mentioned site(s) as honeymoon destinations, based on the level of tourism development, the number and quality of romantic and adventurous activities and sites it offers, and safety. We strongly believe that every country is beautiful in its own way, they may simply be more or less honeymoon oriented/friendly.
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