Why go
- Capital and largest city of Rwanda.
- Served by Kigali International Airport (KGL).
History
Kigali, officially the City of Kigali also known as Kigali City, is the capital, largest city, and a province-level administrative unit of Rwanda. It is located near the country's geographic centre, in a landscape of rolling hills marked by valleys and ridges connected by steep slopes. As Rwanda's primate city, Kigali is a relatively young urban centre. Founded in 1907 as a German administrative outpost, it served as a minor administrative centre until it became the national capital at independence in 1962, shifting the main administrative focus away from Huye.
Where to stay
KN 9, 46 Street, Kigali, Rwanda · blueveilvilla.com
KK 30 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda · thehideaway.rw
46 KG 674 St, Kigali, Rwanda · thegovernorsresidence.com
102 KG 177 St, Kigali, Rwanda · saphirhotel.rw
KK 30 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda · eagleviewrwanda.com
Kg 7 Ave, Boulevard De L'Umuganda, Kigali, Rwanda · all.accor.com
No 5, KN 29 St, Kigali, Rwanda · hemingways-collection.com
KN 3 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda · serenahotels.com
Behind Kigali Convention Center, 1, KG646St, Kigali, Rwanda · thehuthotelrwanda.com
7 KG 6 Avenue, Kigali, Rwanda · thenestkigali.com
32 KG 218 St, Kigali, Rwanda · urbanparksuites.com
2 KN 25 St, Kigali, Rwanda · 5swisshotel.com
KG 566 St, Kigali, Rwanda · amatanubuki.com
85 KG 9 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda · lavillarwanda.com
2 KN 6 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda · millecollines.rw
KN 67 St, Kigali, Rwanda · ubumwegrandehotel.com
KN 25 St, Kigali, Rwanda · galaxyhotel.rw
5 KG 680 St, Kigali, Rwanda · kimhotel.co.rw
24 KG 566 St, Kigali, Rwanda · select.rw
24Q7+6J, KN 3 Rd, Kigali, Rwanda · grandlegacy.rw
KN 6 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda · garnirwanda.com
23VX+V48, KG 624 St, Kigali, Rwanda · lemigohotel.com
KN1 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda · mhotelkigali.com
3423+CG4, Kigali, Rwanda · facebook.com
34 KN 41 St, Kigali, Rwanda · greathotelkiyovu.rw
KG 201 St, Kigali, Rwanda · chezlando.com
Kigali, Rwanda · noblezahotel.com
4 KG 621 St, Kigali, Rwanda · omxhotels.com
KN1 Avenue, Quartier de Kiyovu, Kigali, Rwanda · onomohotel.com
12 KG 303 St, Kigali, Rwanda · pilipilirwanda.rw
KG 274 St, Kigali, Rwanda · gorillashotels.com
33GV+P7C, KG 383 St, Kigali, Rwanda · greatseasonshotel.rw
KN 25 St, Kigali, Rwanda · hillviewhotelsrwanda.com
64 KG 552 St, Kigali, Rwanda · themanorkigali.com
KG 17 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda · hilton.com
KN 5 Rd, Kigali, Rwanda · beausejourhotel.rw
KN 3 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda · marriott.com
24R7+3F6, KN 5 Rd, Kigali, Rwanda · hotelgreenwichkigali.com
KN 3 Ave, Kigali, Rwanda · marriott.com
Avenue de Kiyovu & Res des Parcs Plot 5457, Kigali, Rwanda · radissonhotels.com
Convention Ctr Roundabout, Kigali, Rwanda · radissonhotels.com
590 KN 50 St, Kigali, Rwanda · mythos.rw
3376+F33, 1 KN 1 St, Kigali, Rwanda · saintefamillehotel.com
1 KG 270 St, Kigali, Rwanda
X3WM+RFX, Kigali, Rwanda
6 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Restaurants & places to go
Sandwich, Smoothie, Coffee, Tea, Brunch, Cafe · Cute cafe which is great for working. Ample space and glitchy wifi. It's found on the top floor of the Kigali… · shokolacafe.com
Restaurant · Vegan restaurant · 16 KN 5 Road · afiaorganics.business.site
Chicken, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Th 08:30-23:00, Fr-Su 10:00-23:00 Features: takeaway, delivery · kfc.co.rw
Pizza, Restaurant · Opening hours: We-Mo 17:00-21:30 Features: delivery · 8 KG 549 Street, Kigali · fireandstonepizzas.com
Indian, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 12:00-03:20,18:00-22:20 · 9 KN 31 Street, Kigali · khanakhazana.rw
Burger, Restaurant · Opening hours: 11:30~23:30
Arab, Lebanese, Oriental, Restaurant · Opening hours: Su-Fr 09:00-21:00 Features: vegan options · KN 126 Street
International, Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 06:00-00:00 · KG 8 Avenue
Regional, Chicken, Kebab, Barbecue, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-21:00 Features: takeaway, delivery · KG 669 Street, kigali
Coffee Shop, Sandwich, Burger, Cafe · Features: outdoor seating · 16 KN 47 Street, Kigali · basopatissier.com
German, Restaurant · German restaurant · KN 61 Street, Kigali · gbdelivering.com
Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 08:00-01:00 · Kigali · issacoffee.rw
Ethiopian, Restaurant · Features: vegetarian options · 10 KG 617 Street, Kigali
Steak House, Restaurant · Steak House restaurant
African, Fast Food · African fast food · KG 684 Street
Taiwanese, Restaurant · Taiwanese restaurant
Fish And Chips, Fast Food · Features: vegetarian options
Chinese, Restaurant · Features: outdoor seating
Turkish, Restaurant · Features: outdoor seating
Asian, Restaurant · Asian restaurant
Indonesian, Restaurant · Indonesian restaurant
Italian, Ice Cream, Restaurant · Italian/Ice Cream restaurant
Italian Pizza, Restaurant · Italian Pizza restaurant
Japanese, Asian, Restaurant · Japanese/Asian restaurant · KG 350 Street, Kigali
Ivorian, Restaurant · Ivorian restaurant
Mexican, Fast Food · Mexican fast food
Korean Food, Restaurant · Korean Food restaurant
Rwandan, Restaurant · Rwandan restaurant
Irish, Restaurant · Irish restaurant
French, Restaurant · French restaurant · 10 KN 43 St
Thai, Restaurant · Thai restaurant · Avenue KG 19
Greek, Restaurant · Greek restaurant
Fast Food · fast food
conventions, convention centers, convention centres · intare.rw
Biergarten · biergarten
Ice Cream · ice cream
Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 07:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating · 5 KN 29 Street, Kigali · heavenrwanda.com
Chicken, Burger, Steak House, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 08:00-22:00 · ftyrrdb5d.com
Pizza, Coffee Shop, Chinese, Italian, Asian, Ice Cream, Greek, Barbecue, Cafe · Opening hours: 24/7 Features: outdoor seating · 123 · lambobambo.org
Indian, Restaurant · Features: vegetarian options · kurrykingdom.rw
Burger, Sandwich, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 10:00-22:00 Features: vegetarian options · 567 KG 567 Street, Kigali, 000
International, Cafe · Features: outdoor seating
Regional, Fast Food · Features: step-free access · 3 KK 513 Street
Coffee Shop, Cafe · Coffee Shop cafe · pedroscoffee.com
Cafe · cafe · kivunoir.rw
178 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
Kigali International Airport (KGL) 3.3 km to the centre
Kigali, 01, RW — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 15 airlines (Rwandair Express, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Air Canada, Air France…) · direct flights to 16 destinations incl. Entebbe, Bujumbura, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Johannesburg… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 15 airlines, 16 direct destinations
- Rwandair Express WB (737-800, CRJ, 737-700, Dash 8-400, A330-200, 737-900) · 15 routes: Brazzaville, Brussels*, Bujumbura, Dar Es Salaam, Dubai, Entebbe, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Juba, Kamembe, Kilimanjaro, Lagos, Libreville, Mombasa, Nairobi
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (Embraer 170, 330, EMJ) · 3 routes: Bujumbura*, Entebbe, Nairobi*
- Air Canada AC (A330-200) · 2 routes: Entebbe*, Nairobi*
- Air France AF (330, A330-200, Embraer 170) · 2 routes: Bujumbura*, Entebbe*
- Brussels Airlines SN (A330-200) · 2 routes: Entebbe, Nairobi
- Egyptair MS (737-800) · 2 routes: Addis Ababa*, Bujumbura*
- Ethiopian Airlines ET (737-800, 737-700) · 2 routes: Addis Ababa, Bujumbura
- Kenya Airways KQ (Embraer 170, Embraer 190) · 2 routes: Bujumbura, Nairobi
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (A330-200) · 2 routes: Entebbe*, Nairobi*
- Northern Dene Airways U7 (CRJ) · 2 routes: Bujumbura, Entebbe
- United Airlines UA (A330-200) · 2 routes: Entebbe*, Nairobi*
- Delta Air Lines DL (330, A330-200) · 1 route: Entebbe*
- Qatar Airways QR (A320) · 1 route: Entebbe
- South African Airways SA (737-700) · 1 route: Johannesburg
- Turkish Airlines TK (737-900) · 1 route: Entebbe
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Nemba Airport 44 km to the centre
Nemba, 02, RW
Gabiro Airport 54 km to the centre
Gabiro, 02, RW
Kabale Airport 83 km to the centre
W, UG
Ngara Airport 93 km to the centre
Ngara, 05, TZ
Gako Airport 32 km to the centre
Gako, 02, RW
Getting there by ferry
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 17 km from the centre
Ferry terminal
Ferry terminal · 17 km from the centre
Where things are
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping
base map © OSM
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
Tourist season
October – March
The warmer, longer-day half of the southern-hemisphere year.
Shoulder season
April – May, September
Milder and quieter, with better value.
Worth avoiding
June – August
The southern winter — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Kigali International Airport (KGL); 6 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: KGL has direct flights to 16 destinations on 15 airlines (incl. Entebbe, Bujumbura, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Johannesburg…). By water: 2 ferry terminals within 20 km.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Kigali. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.
Tours & experiences
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Sightseeing