After flying high (literally!) at Fazenda Sengha with ziplining, I visited a much more reflective side of Kigali, the Kigali Genocide Memorial. I had read and heard so much about it, I even watched the movie, Hotel Rwanda, as a teenager, but being at the memorial in person was on a whole different level.
*If you prefer videos and want to skip reading. I have a vlog about my entire visit on my Youtube channel. Click the embedded video to watch now.
Practical Tips Before You Visit The Kigali Genocide Memorial
- Entry to the Kigali Genocide Memorial is free, but donations are encouraged.
- Opening hours are usually 9 am-5 pm (last entry is at 4 pm), but on the last Saturday of each month (Umuganda day), it opens from 1 pm-5 pm.
- Dress modestly and respectfully; it’s not a regular tourist attraction.
- There’s a café and a gift shop on site. Both proceeds support the work of the Memorial, so feel free to grab a bite to support.
- You can tour the memorial by yourself; however, there are paid staff-guided tours of the exhibitions and gardens, with many of the guides being survivors of the Genocide. Audio guides are also available at a fee.
- Photos and videos aren’t allowed inside the exhibitions, only outside the building.
Getting There
The Kigali Genocide Memorial is in Gisozi, not far from the city centre. I grabbed a taxi-moto from my apartment, which was also in Gisozi. It was about a 10-minute ride or so and quite straightforward. I arrived a few minutes past 4 pm, which is the last entry time, and luckily, the kind guard I met let me through as I pleaded that I was leaving the next day.
First Impressions Of The Kigali Genocide Memorial + Kwibuka31
Walking through the gate, everything immediately felt calm and intentional. The gardens, the silence, and the way the site is laid out encourage reflection. This isn’t just a museum; it’s the final resting place of over 250,000 genocide victims.
Since my visit happened during Kwibuka31, the annual genocide commemoration period, the atmosphere was especially solemn. Kwibuka means “remember” in Kinyarwanda, and it’s a national period of remembrance that starts every April 7.
Inside The Kigali Genocide Memorial
The Kigali Genocide Memorial has three main exhibitions:
- The history of Rwanda leading up to the 1994 genocide and what followed after.
- A heartbreaking section dedicated to children who were victims.
- A global exhibit showing other genocides around the world.
*Photos and videos are not allowed inside the exhibitions and reflection rooms.
Outside, I wandered through the Memorial Gardens and took some photos before leaving.
After The Visit: Nigerian Restaurant In Kigali
After my visit, I needed to eat, but the memorial’s cafe was already closed. One of the staff members was kind enough to recommend a place for me to try called Pili-Pili, a place intended for good food and vibes. On getting there, I was asked to pay an entry fee, which was quite confusing to me. Eventually, after much back and forth and a call to the staff that directed me, I realised they were charging an entry fee because someone was hosting an event there. The entire exchange threw me off, so I left and opted to find a Nigerian restaurant I had seen online a couple of times.
I never look for Nigerian restaurants when I travel to a different country because I like to explore different cuisines.
It was already dark when I got to the restaurant because sunset in Kigali is at 18.00 pm. As this was a place I hadn’t been before, I was focused on finding the spot with the Taxi-moto I came with, I didn’t even remember to create content showing the area. The restaurant is on a food street, which I had no prior knowledge of, so I had to use my map and kept reading all the signage I passed on the street till I got there. The only food street I knew/heard of was the popular Biryogo Car Free food street, so I wasn’t expecting another.
The restaurant isn’t a big one, but they tried with the ambience. There were indoor and outdoor sitting areas, and I noticed they also had lots of customers from other African countries.
Once I sat down, a menu was brought to me, and I quickly went through it, asking for clarifications as I proceeded to order. The prices were similar to a typical mid-range restaurant in Lagos, Nigeria, but for people coming from a different city, the prices would be above average.
I ordered Jollof rice with Chicken, plantain and bottled water because at that point, I was hungry and tired, all I needed was food that I was familiar with.
The total 22,500 RWF was 15.6 USD, approximately 25,000 NGN then. (1USD was 1443RWF, 1USD was 1610 NGN).
After eating, I returned to the apartment and rested for about an hour or so. I went to a nearby fitness center where my host and I had passed during one of our strolls. They had fun dance fitness classes where you can pay per session, week or month. It was a fun dance exercise class for about 2000RWF per session/hour, cheaper when paying per week or month. Phones are submitted at the entrance, but I managed to make a few videos, which you can watch in the embedded YouTube video above.
See you in my next post!
