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Places to Visit in Gitarama, Rwanda, Kigali, Africa

Places to Visit in Gitarama, Rwanda, Kigali, Africa

Gitarama is the second largest city of Rwanda, after the capital Kigali, from which Gitarama is situated around 50 km away. Gitarama is located in the central western part of the country, at an elevation of 1,812 meters and it belongs to the Muhanga District in Southern Province. Gitarama holds all types of facilities and attractions like the Catholic University of Rwanda, Gitarama Regional Stadium, Muhanga Farmers’ Market and Kabgayi Hospital. Gitarama is geographically positioned between 02°04′48″ S latitude and 29°45′00″ E longitude.

How to reach Gitarama?

Due to its nearly central position in the country, Gitarama can be reached from all parts of the country through roadway by bus services.

Gitarama is served by the Kigali International Airport, with scheduled flights from Douala, Dubai, Entebbe, Brussels, Amsterdam, Doha, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Mombasa, Addis Ababa and Nairobi. The airport is situated around 60 km away from the heart of the city of Gitarama.

At the airport, taxis are generally available and for inexpensive travel, visitors can use the service of minibuses. For local travel and sightseeing purposes, moto-taxis are widely used in Gitarama.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Gitarama:

Muhanga Farmers’ Market is the place where visitors can bag a wide selection of genuine local specialties like shoes, clothes, jewelry and handicraft products at affordable prices. Gitarama also holds numerous modern shops all around the city.

Cafe Restaurant Modern is one of the nice and popular restaurant options in Gitarama, offering all sorts of African menus.

Things to do in Gitarama:

Village tours
Walking
Shopping

What to see in Gitarama?

Ahazaza Centre:

Ahazaza Centre is a well known cultural centre in Gitarama, offering a wide range of activities for all age groups, including cinemas for kids. It is located at BP 35 Muhanga Province du Sud in Gitarama.

Azizi Life Experiences Rwanda:

Azizi Life Experiences Rwanda is a tour conducted by the local tour operator, in which visitors can feel the rural culture of Rwanda such as traditional construction, cooking and juice making. It would be a memorable experience for overseas tourists.

Gitarama Regional Stadium:

The Gitarama Regional Stadium is a multipurpose stadium in Gitarama. Other than sport activities, the stadium is also famous for eye-catching landscape.

Religious sites in Gitarama:

Gitarama is home to many pleasant and colorful religious sites that are frequented by both devotes and tourists. The major holy sites are the St. Andrew’s Church, the Muhanga Zion Temple, the St. Andrew’s Pastoral Center and the Kabgayi Minor Basilica.

Kigali:

Kigali is the capital city of Rwanda, situated around 50 km away from Gitarama. Kigali offers a mix of manmade and natural attractions for visitors like Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, Presidential Palace Museum, Inema Art Center, Akagera National Park, Mambas Club and Casino Kigali.

List of other places of interest in Gitarama and Kigali (around 50 km) includes:

Muhanga Farmers’ Market
Muhanga Zion Temple
Kabgayi Minor Basilica
Andrew’s Church
Muhanga Zion Temple
Kigali Memorial Centre
Nyamata Church
Ntarama Church
Ivuka Arts Centre
Mambas Club

When to visit Gitarama?

Throughout the year is best, especially during the months between June and September is ideal to visit Gitarama.

Where to stay in Gitarama?

There are hotels limited in Gitarama, on this point, visitors can find more hotels in Kigali to make tour memorable by experiencing a wide range of modern facilities and services. In the below list, the first two hotels are in Gitarama and the rest of the options are in Kigali (around 50 km):

Splendid Hotel
Jangwe Lodge
Kigali Hotel
Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel
Auberge De Cavern
Hotel Chez Lando
Iris Guesthouse
Park View Courts Rwanda
Step Town Motel
Sphinx Belair
Kay Sun Hotel
Gloria Hotel
Hotel Laico Umubano
Hotel des Mille Collines
Kigali Serena Hotel

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Cyangugu, Ruzizi, Kigali, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Cyangugu, Ruzizi, Kigali, Africa

Cyangugu is a city belonging to the Western Province of Rwanda, located between 2°29′0″ S latitude and 28°53′48″ E longitude. It is the administrative centre of the Ruzizi District, situated around 230 km southwest of the national capital, Kigali. Cyangugu is situated on the southern shore of the Lake Kivu, on the Rwanda/ Democratic Republic of the Congo border, distinguished from DRC by the Ruzizi River. Due to its position on the lake shore and near the Nyungwe Forest, Cyangugu is a popular destination among both national and international tourists. Cyangugu also holds an airport with scheduled flights to Kigali.

How to get Cyangugu?

Cyangugu is served by Kamembe Airport, located around 6 km away from the heart of Cyangugu. RwandAir is the airline serving Kigali, offering 11 flights to Kigali per week. For airport travel, motorbike taxi is a special option.

Buses are not frequent between Cyangugu and Kigali, but it is possible to get Cyangugu from Kigali by getting down in Butare first and then taking bus or minibus to Cyangugu. Butare is situated around 120 km away from Cyangugu.

Taxi-moto or motorbike taxi is a primary option to get around Cyangugu.

Food and Shopping in Cyangugu:

There are several nice food corners and shops in Cyangugu, of which most are traditional options. Most shops don’t accept credit or debit cards, so it is advised to visitors to bring some local currency prior to reaching the city. For better options, visitors can head towards Butare (around 120 km).

What to do in Cyangugu?

Forest tour
Boating
Traditional shopping

What to see in Cyangugu?

Lake Kivu:

The Lake Kivu sprawls over an area of 2,700 sq. km, with a maximum length of 89 km and width of 48 km. This fresh water lake is home to around 28 fish species, including Haplochromis, Nile Tilapia, Barbus and Clarias. Cyangugu is located on the south bank of Lake Kivu.

Nyungwe Forest:

The Nyungwe Forest is around 970 km² rainforest in southwestern Rwanda, extending to Burundi. Founded in 2004, the forest features the diverse ecological characteristics like grassland, swamps, bogs and bamboo. The park is rich in vegetation and wildlife species, home to 1068 plant species, 275 bird species and 32 amphibian species. The forest is situated around 55 km east of Cyangugu.

Butare:

Butare is a colonial city, located around 120 km east of Cyangugu. Butare holds many prominent tourist attractions of the country such as the National Museum of Rwanda, the Gikongoro Genocide Memorial and the National University of Rwanda. Buses regularly ply between these two cities and Cyangugu can also be reached by rental cars.

List of other places of interest in Cyangugu, Butare (around 120 km) and Kigali (around 230 km) includes:

Cathedral in Butare
Huye Market
Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre in Kigali
Presidential Palace Museum
Parc National des Volcans
Akagera National Park
Inema Art Center
Nyamata Church
Ivuka Arts Centre
Librarie Ikirezi
Mambas Club

When to travel Cyangugu?

Cyangugu can be visited throughout the year, though, to enjoy outdoor activities, from June to September is best.

Accommodation options in Cyangugu:

There are no star rated hotels in Cyangugu but visitors can find many nice guest houses and vacation rentals in Cyangugu that provide healthy and memorable hospitality services with a blend of traditional and modern facilities and services. It is also suggested to reach the Butare city to find star rated hotels. The prominent hotels in Cyangugu, Butare (120 km) and Kigali (around 230 km) are as follows:

Hotel du Lac
Hotel des Chutes
Peace Guesthouse
Emeraude Kivu Resort
Golf Eden Rock Hotel
Orchids Safari Club
Hotel Chez Lando in Kigali
Iris Guesthouse
Okapi Hotel
Gloria Hotel
Sphinx Belair
Kay Sun Hotel
Park View Courts Rwanda
Step Town Motel

Tourist Places to Visit in Butare, Rwandan, Huye Kigali, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Butare, Rwandan, Huye Kigali, Africa

Butare, also called Huye, is a Rwandan city, situated in the Huye district in Southern Province. It is a colonial city located around 120 km southwest of Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. Butare is the site of many nationally important centres like the National University of Rwanda, Nyakibanda Seminary, North Gate University of Rwanda and Ruhande Arboretum. Butare also houses the Rwanda’s largest secondary school, Groupe Scolaire. The National Museum of Rwanda in Butare is one of the iconic tourist destinations of Rwanda, considered as the optimum museum in East Africa. The geographical coordinates of Butare are 2°36′ S 29°45′ E.

History of Butare:

During the Belgian rule in Rwanda, Butare was called Astrida, named after Queen Astrid of Belgium. Butare is situated in the vicinity of the first catholic mission of Rwanda that was founded on Save Hill in 1990.

How to reach Butare?

Butare holds an airport, but flights are not scheduled. So it would be better if international tourists reach Kigali International Airport first and then take an airport taxi or hire car or use minibus at the airport to Butare. Kigali Airport is situated around 130 km away from Butare and covers many global destinations, including Brussels, Amsterdam, Nairobi, Istanbul and Doha.

Volcano is one of the major minibus companies connecting Kigali to Butare, costing 2500 RFr per way.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Butare:

The culture of Butare is concentrated on the National Museum of Rwanda, which is an iconic museum, showcasing the culture and history of Rwanda, including of Butare. Huye Market is the option for both traditional and modern shopping.

Some nice tourist favor restaurants in Butare include:

Hotel Ibis Restaurant
Amafu Ya Huye
Inzozi Nziza

What to do in Butare?

Day tours
Visiting museum
Shopping

What to see in Butare?

Gikongoro Genocide Memorial:

Situated on the outskirts of Butare, the Gikongoro Genocide Memorial is dedicated to nationals massacred during the Rwandan Civil War. It takes around 15 minutes by taxi at a cost of $15 from the city centre to museum. Taking a guided tour is helpful to know what happened then.

National Museum of Rwanda:

The National Museum of Rwanda is a recognized cultural centre and tourist attraction in Butare. The museum exhibits the complete history as well as the idiosyncratic cultural features of Rwanda with a wide range of well preserved objects. It is a fascinating museum.

Huye Market:

The Huye Market is an excellent market, holding dozens of different modern and traditional shops with a wide selection of items ranging from handicraft products to jewelry. It is allowed to explore on all days of the week except Saturday.

National University of Rwanda:

The National University of Rwanda is one of the noted universities in Africa, established in the year 1963. The university is large, which can take a half day to explore through a guided tour.

Cathedral in Butare:

The Christian Cathedral in Huye engages both devotees and visitors from its excellent exterior and interior designs and holiness. There is also a striking statue in front of the cathedral.

Other places of interest in and around Butare include:

Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre in Kigali
Akagera National Park
Presidential Palace Museum
Parc National des Volcans
Nyungwe Forest

When to visit Butare?

The best and most popular time to visit Butare is from June to September and December to February.

Where to stay in Butare?

Butare is home to around 10 hotels, dominated by Hotel Ibis, which is a Belgian based hotel, offering world class facilities including spa and sauna and its restaurant is allowed even for non guests also. Other some standard hotels in Butare and Kigali include:

Hotel Credo
Motel du Mont Huye
Centre d’Acceuil Mater Boni Consilii
Shalom House Butare
Petit Prince Hotel
Barthos Hotel
ORTPN Resthouse
Dereva Hotel
Hotel Gorillas
Golf Hills Residence
Kigali Serena Hotel
Stipp Hotel
Virunga Guest House
Mount Kigali Hotel

Top Tourist Places to Visit in Rwanda, Kigali, Africa

Top Tourist Places to Visit in Rwanda, Kigali, Africa

Rwanda is an African country located in the central eastern part of the continent at 1°56′25″ S 29°52′26″ E. Kigali is the capital and largest city of Rwanda, home to around 1 million people. Rwanda shares its borders with Tanzania, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Rwanda characterizes diverse geographical features, with its eastern part covering a larger savanna while its western part is dominated by mountains and also numerous lakes are dotted across the country. Tourism is one of the vital revenue sources of Rwanda, concentrated on its national parks, especially on gorilla trekking.

History of Rwanda:

Rwanda has been settled since the stone stage and its real history begins with the domination over the country by the Kingdom of Rwanda in the mid-eighteenth century. After hundred years later, in 1884, Rwanda came under the German rule and later under the Belgium reign during World War I in the year 1916. From the effectual revolt of the Hutu people, Belgium lost control over Rwanda, which resulted into the independence of Rwanda, on 1 July 1962.

Getting Rwanda:

The Kigali International Airport is the gateway to Rwanda, situated around 10 km away from the centre of the capital, Kigali. The airport operates flights from/to Brussels, Amsterdam, Doha, Istanbul, Douala, Dubai, Entebbe, Johannesburg, Mombasa, Nairobi, Addis Ababa and many other European, African and Asian cities.

The bus transportation of Rwanda extends to the cities in bordering countries like Uganda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi. Bicycle taxis, motorcycle taxis and white minibuses are the options to get around Rwandan cities.

Culture, Shopping and Food in Rwanda:

Rwandans are predominately Christians, who highly speak Kinyarwanda as their primary language. Rwandan Franc is the currency used in Rwanda and the purchasable items in Rwanda are honey, coffee and tea powders.

Brochettes or goat kebab is a typical dish in Rwanda and grilled fish and chicken are also famous all over Rwanda.

What to do in Rwanda?

Gorilla tour
Hiking
Ten pin bowling

Must see in Rwanda:

The National Museum of Butare:

The National Museum of Butare is the national museum of Rwanda, situated in the city Huye. It is a wide and exciting cultural centre, equally focused on the history and culture of Rwanda, covering from Tutsi monarchy to modern Rwanda. It is open from 9AM -5PM, while entrance fee is 6000 RFr.

Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre:

The Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre is a heart touching place, where around 250,000 people were buried who were killed in Rwandan Genocide during the Rwandan Civil War. Entry is free, but audio guide costs $10.

Parc National des Volcans:

The Parc National des Volcans is a distinct and excellent national park, highlighted by mountain gorillas. These gorillas can be hired for trek either from a tour operator or at the tourism office. Each gorilla costs $750. It will be a unique and memorable experience for foreign tourists.

Akagera National Park:

The Akagera National Park is a large national park, covering an area of 1,200 km², located in the eastern part of Rwanda. Established in 1934, the park houses a wide range of flora and fauna species from the three different eco-regions, mountain, swamp and savannah.

Presidential Palace Museum:

The Presidential Palace Museum is housed in the residence of the former President Habyarimana, in Kigali. Apart from showcasing the president’s life, the museum also exhibits typical traditional Rwandan clothing in a wide extent. Admission fee is Rwf 6,000.

List of other places to see in Rwanda include:

Huye Market
National University of Rwanda
Nyungwe Forest
Lake Kivu
Butare

When to visit Rwanda?

The climate of Rwanda ranges from temperate to subtropical, with two dry seasons (from June to September and December to February) and two rainy seasons (from February to June and September to December). The best time to visit Rwanda is from December to January and June to September.

Where can stay in Rwanda?

Rwanda owns an upgraded hospitality industry, centered in the capital Kigali. Budget hotels in Kigali charge around $10, while splurge hotels won’t come under $30. Advance booking is preferred. Here are some specialized hotels in Kigali in Rwanda:

Budget: