Kigali City Guide

Welcome Kigali City!

The rapidly growing city of Kigali is the national capital as well as the country’s most important business centre and main port of entry; geographically located at the heart of Rwanda. Kigali was founded in 1907 under German colonial rule; however it attained the capital city status in 1962 after Rwanda gaining independence.
Kigali city maintains the green face with a satisfyingly organic shape created by the verdant shapes over which it sprawls. The low-rise city centre engulfs a busy market, with several souvenir stalls displaying a wide range of local crafts.
The city is naturally blessed with a moderate high altitude climate that belies its tropical location strategically located with an hour’s drive to the main tourist sites, thus the city provides a welcoming and comfortable introductory encounter of the attractions of the magical country.
Excursions in and around Kigali offer a first impression of what Rwanda looks like. The many hills seem to stretch forever, usually featuring a lush green colour due to the abundant rainfall from the two main rainy seasons. Of course, visits to some of the historical genocide sites are possible.
City Geography
Kigali is built in hilly country, sprawling across about four ridges and the valleys in between. Government administrative buildings tend to be on the tops of the ridges. The highest of these is Mt. Kigali, with an elevation of 1,850m (6,075 ft) above sea level. The city poorer residents are dominantly valleys.
Kigali Administratively
Administratively, Kigali city is divided into three administrative centres called sectors, namely Gasabo, Kicukiro, and Nyarugenge.  It contained parts of the former province of Kigali Rural. It is governed by a city council who institutes an executive committee to implement development plans for the city. The executive committee consists of a mayor and two deputies.
TRANSPORT IN THE CITY
Public transport in Kigali is engineered by taxi minibus called matatus, with a number of well designated transport routes, connecting the main hubs of the city centre such as Nyabugogo, Kacyiru and Kimironko.
Kigali also harbors an efficient International Airport and surface well maintained roads connecting to Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi.
Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre
After the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, several memorial sites have been established to honour those who lost their lives and serves as a place for people to grieve those they lost. Kigali Memorial Centre site is the burial site for over 250,000 victims of the Infamous 1994 Rwanda genocide. Since most victims couldn’t be identified and were even devoured by wild animals, many were buried in mass graves like this one in Kigali.
Other Tourist Attractions

• Nyamirambo Muslim quarter
• Amahoro National Stadium
• Vibrant Markets at Kaplaki and Kimironko
• The pottery project of the Batwa
• The parliament building of Rwanda

HOTELS IN KIGALI
The city has a range of hotels catering to all tastes and budgets, and a variety of restaurants whose menus reflect the country’s historical links with Belgium and the African cuisine. They include;

• Kigali Novotel
• Kigali Serena Hotel.
• Hotel Des Mille/ Hotel Rwanda