Find places in Rwanda

Must-Haves

• Kigali Genocide Memorial (Gisozi)
  The essential first stop for understanding Rwanda, with gardens of remembrance and a moving exhibition.
• Inema Arts Center (Kacyiru)
  A lively contemporary art centre with studios, rotating exhibitions and dance shows.
• Campaign Against Genocide Museum (Parliament, Kimihurura)
  The bullet-scarred parliament building that tells how the genocide was stopped.

Off the Beaten Path

• Niyo Art Gallery (Kacyiru)
  A gallery and community art space showing young Rwandan painters.
• Kandt House Museum (Nyarugenge)
  The former home of Kigali's colonial founder, now a small natural history museum.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Kimironko Market (Kimironko)
  The city's liveliest market for fresh produce, kitenge fabric, baskets and tailors who sew in a day.
• Nyabugogo Market (Nyabugogo)
  A huge, busy trading area by the main bus park for everything from fabric to household goods.

Must-Haves

• Caplaki Crafts Village (Kiyovu)
  A cluster of craft stalls for baskets, carvings, jewellery and imigongo art, made for browsing.

Off the Beaten Path

• Azizi Life (Kigali)
  Fair trade baskets and crafts from rural artisan cooperatives.

Fun for Everyone

• Kigali Heights (Kimihurura)
  A modern mall with cafés, a supermarket and shops across from the convention centre.

Must-Haves

• Question Coffee (Gishushu)
  A roastery café that trains women coffee farmers and runs cupping sessions on Rwandan beans.

Fun for Everyone

• Bourbon Coffee (Kigali Heights)
  A homegrown coffee chain with reliable Rwandan brews and plenty of seats for planning your day.

Great for Date Night

• Heaven Restaurant (Kiyovu)
  A long-loved terrace restaurant with city views and a menu built on Rwandan produce.
• Repub Lounge (Kiyovu)
  A leafy hillside lounge for creative African dishes and cocktails under the lanterns.

Must-Haves

• Khana Khazana (Kiyovu)
  The city's classic Indian restaurant, a favourite of residents for decades.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Meze Fresh (Kacyiru)
  A busy, casual spot for burritos and bowls that is popular with students and young professionals.

Fun for Everyone

• Pili Pili (Kibagabaga)
  A hilltop restaurant with a pool, wood-fired pizza and wide views over the city at sunset.

Must-Haves

• Nyamirambo Women's Center walking tour (Nyamirambo)
  A walking tour of the city's most colourful neighbourhood, led by a women's cooperative.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kigali Golf Resort (Nyarutarama)
  A scenic hillside golf course open to visitors.

Fun for Everyone

• Kigali Convention Centre lights (Kimihurura)
  The dome lights up in shifting colours each evening, a favourite photo stop.

Great for Date Night

• Pili Pili sunset terrace (Kibagabaga)
  Cocktails by the pool as the lights come on across the hills.

Fun for Everyone

• Nyandungu Eco Park (Nyandungu)
  Restored wetlands with paths, bird hides and a medicinal garden, perfect for a gentle walk.

Off the Beaten Path

• Mount Kigali (Nyamirambo)
  A hike or quad ride up the city's highest hill for sweeping views.

Must-Haves

• Kwibuka commemoration (Citywide)
  From 7 April, the national commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi, a solemn time to join respectfully.
• Basketball Africa League games (BK Arena)
  Watch top African club basketball in the modern BK Arena when the league is in town.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kigali International Peace Marathon (Kigali)
  A road race through the city's hills that welcomes runners of every level.

Fun for Everyone

• Umuganura harvest festival (Citywide)
  The national harvest day in August, with traditional dance, food and celebration.

Must-Haves

• Hôtel des Mille Collines (Kiyovu)
  The famous hotel from the film Hotel Rwanda, with a pool terrace that is still a city meeting point.
• Kigali Serena Hotel (Kiyovu)
  A classic city hotel with large gardens and a central location.

Great for Date Night

• The Retreat by Heaven (Kiyovu)
  A small boutique hotel with a saltwater pool and a fine dining restaurant.

Fun for Everyone

• Radisson Blu Hotel and Convention Centre (Kimihurura)
  A big modern hotel beside the domed convention centre.

Must-Haves

• Mountain gorilla trekking (Volcanoes National Park)
  The headline experience of Rwanda: an hour with a habituated gorilla family on the volcano slopes.
• Golden monkey trekking (Volcanoes National Park)
  A lighter trek to playful golden monkeys in the bamboo forest.

Off the Beaten Path

• Dian Fossey's grave hike (Volcanoes National Park)
  A steep forest walk to the Karisoke research site and the grave of the famous primatologist.
• Mount Bisoke crater lake hike (Volcanoes National Park)
  A day climb to a crater lake on the border with Congo.
• Musanze Caves (Musanze town)
  Volcanic lava tubes with bats and dramatic light shafts.

Must-Haves

• Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund (Kinigi)
  A striking new research and visitor centre about gorilla conservation.

Fun for Everyone

• Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village (Kinigi)
  Former poachers and their families share dance, songs and traditional crafts.

Must-Haves

• Bisate Lodge (Kinigi)
  Forest villas on an eroded volcanic cone with views of Bisoke and Karisimbi.

Great for Date Night

• Virunga Lodge (Ruhondo ridge)
  A ridge-top lodge overlooking the twin lakes and the volcanoes.

Fun for Everyone

• Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (Kinigi)
  Stone cottages close to the park headquarters.

Low Cost and Authentic

• La Palme Hotel (Musanze town)
  A good value town hotel with a garden restaurant.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Musanze Market (Musanze town)
  A big local market full of potatoes, beans and colourful fabric.

Off the Beaten Path

• Buhanga Eco Park (Nyakinama)
  A sacred forest of ancient trees linked to royal rituals.

Fun for Everyone

• Red Rocks Cultural Centre (Nyakinama)
  A creative hub offering cooking, banana beer and craft experiences.

Must-Haves

• Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony (Kinigi)
  The annual celebration where baby gorillas are named, with music and dance.

Must-Haves

• Lake Kivu public beach (Lakeside promenade)
  A sandy town beach with swimming and evening strolls under the palms.

Off the Beaten Path

• Gisenyi hot springs (Rubona)
  Natural hot springs on the lakeshore that locals use for bathing.

Must-Haves

• Lake Kivu Serena Hotel (Lakeside)
  A classic lakeside hotel with a private beach and gardens.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Paradis Malahide (Rubavu)
  Rustic cottages on the lake shore with a beach bar.

Off the Beaten Path

• Rubona peninsula (Rubona)
  Fishing boats, hot springs and a slower pace just south of town.

Must-Haves

• Congo Nile Trail (From Rubavu)
  A trail along the lake through coffee and banana hills, by bike or on foot.

Fun for Everyone

• Kivu night fishermen (Rubona)
  Watch the fishermen row out at dusk singing to keep time.

Fun for Everyone

• Bikini Tam Tam (Lakeside)
  A beach bar and grill for fish, brochettes and sunset drinks.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Gisenyi Market (Town centre)
  A busy local market where traders from both sides of the border shop.

Great for Date Night

• Lake Kivu sunset terrace at Serena (Lakeside)
  A drink on the lawn as the sun sets over the Congo mountains.

Must-Haves

• Chimpanzee trekking (Cyamudongo and Uwinka)
  An early start to track wild chimps through dense montane forest.
• Nyungwe Canopy Walk (Uwinka)
  A suspension bridge high above the forest canopy, unique in East Africa.

Off the Beaten Path

• Isumo Waterfall Trail (Gisakura)
  A trail through tree ferns to a beautiful waterfall.
• Bigugu Trail (Uwinka)
  A tough hike to the park's highest summit and wild orchids.

Fun for Everyone

• Colobus monkey walk (Gisakura)
  See big troops of black and white colobus monkeys near the tea estate.

Must-Haves

• One&Only Nyungwe House (Gisakura)
  A luxurious forest lodge set inside a working tea plantation.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Gisakura Guest House (Gisakura)
  A simple, friendly guesthouse right on the park edge.

Fun for Everyone

• Nyungwe Top View Hotel (Gisakura)
  Hilltop cottages with views over the tea plantations and forest.

Off the Beaten Path

• Gisakura Tea Estate (Gisakura)
  Walk through glossy green tea fields at the forest edge.
• Lake Kivu at Rusizi and Kamembe (Rusizi)
  The quiet south end of the lake near the Congo border.

Must-Haves

• Akagera game drives (Akagera)
  The Big Five on Rwanda's only savannah, restored by African Parks.
• Lake Ihema boat safari (Akagera)
  Hippos, crocodiles and fish eagles at close range from the water.

Off the Beaten Path

• Behind the scenes tour (Akagera)
  Learn how the park's rangers and conservation team work.
• Akagera sport fishing on Lake Shakani (Akagera)
  A peaceful morning fishing on a quiet lake.

Great for Date Night

• Night game drive (Akagera)
  Spot leopards, hyenas and bush babies after dark.

Great for Date Night

• Magashi Camp (Lake Rwanyakazinga)
  A luxury tented camp on a private lakeshore in the north of the park.

Must-Haves

• Ruzizi Tented Lodge (Lake Ihema)
  Tented rooms on the shore of Lake Ihema.

Fun for Everyone

• Akagera Game Lodge (Akagera)
  A family-friendly lodge with a pool and a savannah view.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Karenge Bush Camp (Akagera)
  A seasonal bush camp for a simpler safari experience.

Must-Haves

• Ethnographic Museum (Huye)
  Rwanda's best museum for royal history, traditional crafts and daily life.
• King's Palace Museum (Nyanza)
  A reconstruction of the royal palace with the famous long-horned Inyambo cattle.

Off the Beaten Path

• Murambi Genocide Memorial (Nyamagabe)
  A deeply moving memorial in a former school on a hilltop.
• National Art Gallery Rwesero (Nyanza)
  Rwandan art in a former royal palace on a hilltop.

Fun for Everyone

• Ingoma Nshya women drummers (Huye)
  Rwanda's first women drumming group, offering drumming workshops.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Huye Mountain Coffee (Huye)
  Tours of a coffee washing station with tastings.

Fun for Everyone

• Arboretum of Ruhande (Huye)
  A peaceful forest arboretum beside the university campus.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Huye Market (Huye)
  A busy regional market with fresh produce and crafts.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Inzozi Nziza ice cream (Huye)
  Rwanda's first ice cream parlour, run by a women's drumming cooperative.

Off the Beaten Path

• Butare Cathedral (Huye)
  A big red-brick cathedral built in the 1930s.