Enjoying Kigali

Restaurants

Most of the restaurants below have a wine list featuring imported white and red wines. It's advisable to make reservations as "Dinner Out" seems to be a favourite pastime - not hard to understand why. The list is not based on any guide but on our own experiences at the various establishments. The average price of a main course has also been added for your convenience.

Panorama Restaurant, Hotel Des Mille Collines
Situated on the top floor of the hotel, one is treated to a lovely view over the city and distant hills. The a la carte menu offers a variety of dishes catering to all tastes and complimented by a set four course menu for those who can't make their mind up. The presentation is superb, definitely worth every penny spent and an ideal location for a special celebration or last night of a tour. The service is good, attentive and friendly. Main course US$15 - US$20.

Poolside Bar & Restaurant, Hotel Des Mille Collines
This is a very popular meeting place in Kigali for the business community, international organisations, tourists and people just coming for a swim before lunch/dinner. This has also just been the set for the French version of the film "A Sunday at the pool in Kigali", due to be released later this year. The restaurant features tables near the bar and under roof and a number of tables spread around two sides of the pool under umbrellas. The daily menu offers a range of meals from salads and snacks to large meals. A new addition is the extensive lunch buffet for only ±US$10. An average visit with drinks and a light meal will cost you in the region of US$10 - US$20, depending on what you're drinking.

Chez Robert
Apparently the best place in Kigali for local style food, it is located across the road from the Hotel Des Mille Collines. The restaurant offers an a la carte menu but if your search is for local style food, the buffet is the way to go with a huge variety of local dishes on offer. Ranging from vegetarian dishes to meat and fish, we found that all these traditional style dishes were very good. The first visit will probably prompt a second in order to try the rest of the dishes on the buffet. 3 Course buffet ±US$9.

Hotel Chez Lando
This restaurant has a view over the city toward the airport with simple furnishings but a cosy atmosphere. A fair variety of dishes should satisfy even the fickle and with large servings, the food is really tasty. Be prepared to wait a while for the food but it's worthwhile. One could also place the order and go and relax at the downstairs outdoor lounge bar - another popular meeting place in Kigali. Main courses ranging from US$6 - US$8.

New Cactus Restaurant
Arguably the best pizzas in town with a spectacular view to boot. If you strike it lucky like we did, or plan it that way, the full moon rising over the city lights is an amazing site. Have your camera and tripod ready for this if the unusual Kigali photo is what you're looking for. The service is very friendly and the wait is not overly long, even when the restaurant gets busy. One suggestion though, get in early or be sure to make a reservation as this restaurant is very popular with locals and visitors alike. The typical pizza will cost you US$6 - US$8.

Hotel InterContinental
Set in lovely gardens surrounding a swimming pool, a lunch or dinner at the pool bar and restaurant is a perfect hideaway from city life. Spoil yourself with some 5-star service and meals and some gorgeous wine. The real treat though will be the main restaurant above on the terrace looking out over the gardens. The staff are all very friendly and the service efficient. The prices of meals range from US$15, and complimented by very good but pricey wines - worth it though.

Karisimbi Restaurant, Hotel Gorillas
Once again, a restaurant with a view over the city heightened by the evening view of the city lights. We found the food good and the service was good regardless of some large groups dining there the same evening. The wine list features the wines that appear in most of the Kigali wine lists and are reasonably priced. Main courses range from US$7 - US$10.

Indian Khäzana
Only opened during April 2005, this restaurant specialising in North Indian cooking, is massively popular. The reason is not hard to see once you've had the opportunity to dine here. We agreed that this was definitely some of the best and most tasty Indian food we've encountered. You are also given a choice of the level of spice (none, medium or hot) and we tried the medium and the hot spicy. A pleasant surprise awaited us, even the hot spicy did not detract from the flavours. The meals immediately strike you as "clean" i.e. no excess of oils and greases and are presented very well. The wine list also features a refreshing array of wines. Staff are tastefully fitted out in Indian garb and the service is very good. A bit of advice, it's risky to try and arrive without a reservation although the management will go out of their way to accommodate you. The average main course is US$7 - US$10.

Daytime activities in Kigali

Kigali City Tour, ORTPN
This tour is a must for anyone visiting Kigali and will be the best US$20 you've spent on your visit to Rwanda. The tour includes inter alia the Genocide Memorial, various historical sites related to the genocide and the colonial era, a tour of various residential areas, market and shopping roads and as a grand finale, the Caplaki craft market (see section below on this market). This tour is not only about history but also about introducing you to Kigali and what it has to offer, so try and do this first thing when you arrive in the city. Bookings can be made at the ORTPN offices and the tours depart 9am and 2pm every day and lasts about 4 hours.

Caplaki Crafts Market
We consider this to be one of the best craft markets anywhere. The range and variety of art and crafts is amazing, including crafts from East and Central Africa. The main attraction though is the Rwandan products at fair to dear prices but obviously open to negotiation. Ensure that you have at least a couple of hours set out for this if you're visiting it independent of the Kigali City Tour. There are a huge number of little stalls with each displaying a variety of goods or just a particular type of product. Some of the stores have signs indicating that they accept credit cards; we still have to check this option. Cash in Rwandan Francs and US Dollars still remains the best option though.

Genocide Memorial
This memorial is not far from the city centre and all taxis will take you there if you're not visiting it on the Kigali City Tour. The guides all speak French and English and are very informative and sensitive to their subject matter and will answer any questions you may have. The layout of the exhibits is done to maximise the understanding of the circumstances and history leading up to the Genocide in April 1994. This has also been done with recorded interviews with victims and their families. Be warned that you will not leave emotionally untouched and you will look with new eyes at what Rwandans have achieved since and their positive attitudes.

General
Kigali offers a rewarding time to those who want to have a walk around looking for general shopping opportunities. For those of you who would like to be pampered with massages and treatments, we have tried out the massage at the Hotel Des Mille Collines which at only about US$10 for an hour leaves you relaxed and ready for another day of activities and an evening of good dining.

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