Kirabo Turinawe
The DJ turns down the Afrobeats music- the time check is only 12.30am! This was my rude introduction to a city where rules actually work, for better or worse.I later learned that there is a curfew for restaurants and bars, therefore the party wouldn’t go on until morning like it was back home.
With sprawling hills and magnificent views, Kigali more than made up for the early nights. The clean, walkable streets had my fitness parameters all trending upwards after only just a week.
In spite of the generally reserved populace and the more widely spoken Kinyarwanda, there’s a lot to enjoy in the land of a thousand hills.
The restaurant scene is variable: from the all-you-can-eat meat platters at Sundowner, nyama choma at Pili pili; to the halal tea and pilau in Nyamirambo, local food at Freedom restaurant and then to more upscale venues like Kigali Serena hotel, Ubumwe Grand hotel, 14th Avenue wine bar &restaurant and Kivu Noir.
For thrill seekers, Fazenda Sengha offers up a number of activities like zip lining, horse riding, quad biking, archery and paint-balling. The Nyungwe forest national park is one not to miss with its botanical gardens, hiking, cycling, and birding.
Transport options included the ever-reliable motos (motorcycle rides) with a required passenger helmet, Yego or Move for ride hailing and the bus.
The vibrant community at Christian Life Assembly was exceptionally hospitable with their Sunday services, home-cell groups and youth activities that included a get-away to Lake Kivu while I was there.
I also got to watch an entertaining football match at the Amahoro national stadium, with the BK arena close by.
Kigali is definitely a city I would visit again, probably with a lot more francs in my pocket the next time!
This post was created with our nice and easy submission form. Create your post!
Written by
Did this story move you? Every gift goes directly to Kirabo Turinawe — writers on Muwado earn from reader appreciation, not algorithms. Even $1 makes a difference.
Muwado weekly chart
Get Africa’s top 10 stories every Thursday
No account needed — just your email.
Want to follow Kirabo Turinawe and get notified every time they publish?
Create a free Muwado account →