If you’re visiting Rwanda for the first time, chances are you’ll pass through Kigali, the capital city of the country, which is an excellent base from which you can explore the rest of Rwanda.
Despite what you might have heard about this place, you’re bound to be surprised by what you’ll see when you actually set foot on the soils of Kigali in Rwanda.
Here are some of the things about Kigali that may interest you. Saddle up because some of them are going to surprise you.
A Kigalian may drink more coffee than an average western coffee lover
There is so much natural abundance of coffee in Kigali that it fetches the country a good source of income as an export commodity. As a matter of fact, coffee is one of the largest export commodities in Rwanda to date.
More and more coffee cafes keep springing up in different corners of Kigali, and tourists just can’t seem to have enough of it, just like the locals.
Kigali people are obsessed with cleanliness
Environmental activism should be one of the most effective campaigns in Kigali because…have you seen the streets!? They are so meticulously clean that you begin to wonder how it is possible. The cleanliness of Kigali is a very far cry from other East African countries bordering Rwanda.
The Rwandan government even went as far as banning plastic bags in order to curb landfills and encourage sustainable living.
You may kill the gorillas in Kigali if you get too close
So, Kigali is one of the places you can still see gorillas these days seeing as they are an endangered species. The conservationists are very particular about how often they grant humans access to these homo sapiens because they don’t want any harm to come to these gorillas.
As little as a flu germ from a human to one gorilla can spread to the whole gorilla group and kill them all; exactly what the conservationists are trying to avoid.
That notwithstanding, tourists still manage to gain permits for gorilla tracking. These permits are expensive, and you have to be checked properly, as per your health, before you’re allowed to go close to the gorillas.
Do not eat in public, please
“Whose business is it if I eat in public?” If that’s a question you’re likely to ask, you’re going to have to tone it down a hundred notches before going to Kigali because eating in the public is not allowed.
You probably learned not to eat in public when you were still a kid, but the hustles and bustles of adult life overshadowed this lesson (in addition to many other moral lessons).
Kigali (and Rwanda at large) is all about cleanliness. Anything that can come in the way of this, including eating in public, is frowned at.
Fish as long as you want
You see, Rwanda is not one of the most populated countries in Africa; it’s not even among the first 20 most populated African countries.
So, you can actually go fishing in any water body for as long as you want and no one will bat an eye (just like they use to do in America before the population of the place skyrocketed).
There are a number of fishing holes near Kigali for you to freely express your passion for fishing, or at least try it out for the first time.
Get a feel of the tradition and culture of Kigali
Aside from the gorillas, lakes, and mountains, you can also enjoy the tradition and culture of Rwanda in Kigali. Learn how to make great woodwork, local traditional cuisine, basket weaving, and street arts. You can also check out the traditional dance and music.
The meals too
List of foods you must take in Kigali; one, the coffee, two, the tea, three, the local delicacies. You’re going to really enjoy a wide range of delicacies, especially if you’re a real foodie. For a start, you may want to go with meals like
- Big fish
- Brochettes
- Sambaza
- Ubunyobwa
- Zingalo, etc
There are no official food tours yet, but they will likely come soon.
Catch some fun in the night clubs
Kigali has a very active nightlife, just in case you wish to catch some more fun before you finally hit your pillow and call it a night. The clubs in Kigali and always lit with great music, including the latest tunes from Africa. You might even learn one or more dance steps that are peculiar to the Rwandan modern lifestyle.
The Kigalians still respect the lives that were lost in the Rwandan genocide
One of the things you have to see in Kigali is the Rwandan Genocide memorial at Nyamata church. About 50,000 victims were buried in Nyamata after the civil war.
The church itself has not gone through so many changes since the time of the genocide. It still serves as a reminder of what happened in the past.
You’re sure to see bullet holes in the ceilings and walls of the church, the bones and bloodstained clothing of the victims, as well as other livid but sad reminders displayed in the church.
