Top Cultural Adventures in Rwanda
Travelers flock to Rwanda each year to enjoy the country’s wildlife and of course the famed mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park. If you love wildlife and nature, don’t miss out Rwanda’s vast cultural options. There are enriching experiences to enjoy on your cultural tour filled with fun, food, culture and history.
Shop at the Craft Markets in Caplaki
Caplaki craft markets offer a unique shopping experience, where you watch talented Rwandan weavers, artists and craftsmen use their skills handed down through ages by their fore-fathers. Learn from them and discover their art works and handicrafts. You can spend 90 minutes time in Rwanda’s largest native craft market is found in Kigali province, Caplaki’s sprawling 38 plus stalls, neatly arranged huts beckons to both local Rwandans and tourists every day.
A visit the market is much more than buying any souvenir but rather a fantastic artistry and creativity of the local Rwandans.
You’ll find most iconic hand-made carved pieces of art from around the Great Lakes region including art work items from DRC, Uganda and Kenya, all at bargain prices. From traditional banana fiber products, fabric clothing such as African sun huts, heat resistant mats, accessory bags, baskets, and bangles, to pottery, carvings such as wooden bikes; woven bowls, to jewelry, but the most favorite is imigongo paintings. There are also books, wildlife and nature artistic scenes on display if you are traveling with children.
Live like a Rwandan at Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village
A tour to the hilly villages which are not part of the usual gorilla trek, offers an authentic experience of village life in a traditional refreshing hilly environment. Rwandans are known for their welcoming and hospitality. One way to take advantage of their friendliness character as well as learn a bit of Rwandan traditions is to stay at Iby’Iwacu cultural village, located outside volcanoes national park about 20 minutes drive from Musanze town, Northern Province. The accommodation comprises of 8 traditional huts, food is delicious and services are good for overnight stay.
Have a village walk through crop fields, learn about the original way of Rwandan lifestyle, visit the king’s house listen to old folktales and the dressing up like a king or queen is really amazing, the spiritual and traditional healer explains the medicinal herbs, cook up a local dish and dine with locals, visit BaTwa hunter gathers and see how they demonstrate their forest traditions and pottery making. The most exciting part of the experience is gathering around campfire as traditional dancers and musicians perform rare dancing styles using drums and traditional musical instruments. They also narrate their storytelling, riddles and myth.
Besides that, the village tour is dedicated to improving community conservation of gorillas and sharing of knowledge with locals and volunteers.
The local communities especially women and children around the gorillas in volcanoes national park have worked so smart to refrain from poaching and encroaching on habitats. Because people depend on agriculture and natural resources, tourism provides an alternative source of income through community based activities and tourism enterprises to minimize such threats to the survival of mountain gorillas.
Kigali City tour
This excursion is about exploring the past and present cultural and historical heritage of Kigali at the same time you’ll not miss to see the city’s top attractions and sightseeing opportunities.
Kigali is the largest and capital city of Rwanda established by a German explorer Kandt Richard in 1907 whose legacy was dedicated into a natural history museum. Much has changed of Kigali thanks to a strong political leadership, from being a small colonial town, through the destructive genocide and war to being a modern and cleanest city in Africa today.
Visit the museums and genocide memorials and treat yourself to a gruesome past of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi which left nearly a million people dead. Hotel Rwanda and Kigali genocide memorial in Gisozi are the most famous. The other memorials including Ntarama and Nyamata, rebero, Nyanza-kacukiro wall of memory as well as presidential palace museum are common stops for many tourists to pay respect to the victims.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you’ll eventually end up to Nyarutarama golf course and valley and lake for great outdoor activities such as bird watching, boat rides, cycling, playing golf, swimming, nature walks and hiking. Enjoy great views of Mount Kigali and other hills as you pass through te city center at Kiagali convention center, the Marriot boutiques are full of colorful things to buy.
You also find out more of Kigali’s best bar lounges with great music and entertainment best to be enjoyed at night when the lights shine over a thousand hills. The city also hosts several coffee shops for your afternoon cup of coffee, cafes and restaurants, milk bars to enjoy a delicious meal.