Discover Rwanda – Week 1: Kigali
During my first week in Rwanda, I wanted to learn about the history, and culture, and enjoy some good cuisine. I did not know much about Rwanda before I journeyed over, but I knew about the genocide. I did not expect the country to be so peaceful and clean.
Table of Contents
Destinations:
1. Rwanda Genocide Memorial
The Rwanda Genocide Memorial is a museum that provides insight into the genocide and the aftermath of it. Watching the videos and listening to the audio guide made my stomach turn. This took place not too long ago and I learned during my time here, that everyone here has their own story. It’s haunting in every possible and I still cannot fathom how anyone could move on after. My family went through similar experiences so being in the memorial hit close to home. Towards the end of the exhibit, they had a section dedicated to other genocides that had occurred in the past. I highly recommend visiting. The audio guide is $20. There are also photos and descriptions on those poster boards. A personal guide can also be hired. The guides have all survived the genocide.
Cost: $20 | Time Spent: 1.5 hr
2. Umusambi Village
Umusambi village is a crane sanctuary with over 50 endangered grey-crowned cranes. From downtown Kigali, it was a 40-minute drive. It is 15,000 RwF to enter and I spent about an hour walking around their paved walkway.
Cost: 15,000 RwF | Time Spent: 1.5
Where to Eat:
Lunch: Kimchi
→ KN 61 St, Kigali, Rwanda
I did not know what to expect when I saw a bunch of Korean options on the menu in random restaurants throughout the city. I decided to venture into a restaurant called Kimchi that serves Korean bapsang chicken. I ordered their fried chicken for $13 and the kimchi fried rice. Just like any great Korean restaurant, the meals come with banchan (side dishes). With my meal, kimchi, lettuce salad, and beans accompanied my dishes. The fried chicken was pretty incredible and tasted like home. The fried rice was a bit mushy for my liking and had a mean kick. The kimchi here is pretty spicy which is probably why the fried rice was spicy. Overall, I recommend eating here.
Lunch: Umusambi Village Cafe
→ 2685+JVV, Kigali, Rwanda
After visiting the Umusambi Village, I walked over to the cafe to enjoy the view and a quick bite. I ordered the weekend BBQ for 8500 RwF. I could smell the grilled meats and I knew that I had to get it. It came with skewers of your choice and the amount. I ordered 2 beef skewers. My meal came with a side salad and french fries.
Dinner: Heavens Restaurant
→ KN 29 St,No7, Kigali, Rwanda
Heavens is a wonderful little escape within the city. Heavens is a restaurant and boutique hotel that offers fitness classes, spa retreats, and artistic shops. The restaurant here has a jungle feel with trees and plants surrounding the area. The prices are on the luxury end but I cannot say that the food is worth every dime. You are paying more for the ambiance and the drinks. Here, I ordered the Thai beef noodle salad (15,500) which tasted nothing like what I am used to coming from a part Thai person. It was still delicious but unexpected. The drinks here on the other hand are delicious. There are a lot of cocktail options to fit any type of mood and tastebuds. I ordered the Mount Kigali drink for 16,500 or $13.50 to give you an idea of pricing.
Dinner: 1000 Hills Distillery
→ KK 30 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda
1000 Hills Distillery is such a wonderful place to get away from the bustling city. It is about a 30-minute drive from downtown or it could take 50 minutes if the driver does not know the back roads. The restaurant is now called The Rock and I am not sure if it is a distillery. The restaurant overlooks the city and when you come at night, all you see are the lights in the distance. The food is pretty decent and the drinks are delicious. I would not recommend getting anything on the hot rocks though. The food on the hot rock smells delicious but the food comes out raw. The rock is said to be 400 degrees and the raw meat is plopped on top of the rock to be cooked in front of you. To cook the meat, you are given a fork and knife to cut the meat into pieces in order to cook thoroughly. At night, it is hard to see which makes it difficult to determine if the meat is cooked all the way. I would stay away from that. I ordered one beef and one chicken taco. They are delicious and $3000 each. I also ordered the beef samosas for 1,500 each. For drinks, I ordered the lemon drop for 9,000. I do not recommend that at all. The lemon and lime drinks in Rwanda are made with fresh squeezed lemon/lime making it extremely sour.
