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cultural tourism in rwanda

10 Less Known Cultural Sites to Visit in Rwanda

Are you planning to take a safari in Rwanda ? Would you like to learn more about the history and culture of the Rwandan people. Here are 10 important cultural sites in Rwanda that you can visit to learn about the countries’ past;

It’s among the prominent archaeological sites in Rwanda. It offers the remains of the famous archeology and oral traditions of the Rwandan culture.

Ryamurari site is located in Bufunda Village, Bufunda Cell, Mukama Sector in Nyagatare District. It is situated on top of the hill known as Mukama which stretches on about 50 acres.  This site consists of three large earthwork structures and a stone cut reservoir. Formerly, Ryamurari was the capital of Ndorwa Kingdom before it was annexed by Rwanda.

Utubindi twa Rubona

It is a cultural site which is situated 4 km from the main road of Kayonza Nyagatere in the Tubindi village, Rubona cell, Kizunguro province in Gatsibo district. The site lies within Rubona primary school and it’s made like a cluster of seven excavations which are shaped like clay pots without rims and necks. Even though their size is different, these pits are the same and it’s a clay pot shaped form thus the name Utubindi which is a Kinyarwanda name meaning small pots.

These pots were excavated by King Ruganzu 11 Ndoli on his way from Karagwe. When his men arrived there, they were thirsty and could not trace any water source around. And skillful Ruganzu used his magic spear and excavated the pits and started drinking water from them. The pits also have Ruganzu’s foot prints and bow trace.

Urutare Rwa Ngarama

It’s another cultural centre found in the Ngarama province in Gatsibo district. It’s about 20 km from the place called “Mu byapa bya Ngarama” along the main road to Kigali Nyagatare.  It is locally known as “Ibare rya Ngarama” meaning the stone in Urukiga language. The features here include; foot prints and an area when hit using a stone or metal resonates. The local people here believe that these features have been fixed there by Ruganzu and have remained as a sign of his incredible knowledge and greatness.

It is found near the mimuri market in Nyagatare district. The site is a cluster of five houses were by three of them are circular and the 2 are trapezoid forms. These were built with metal sheets by King Mutara 111 during early 1950s. The region of Umutara was a savannah wood land and a hunting place throughout the kingdom period. Rudahigwa liked hunting and this was also a tradition for the Rwandan monarchs to go around their kingdoms, for contemplating it, populace and meeting chiefs.

The house were constructed and used as hunting camp and meeting lace with the rest of the population as well as local chiefs. The site also reflects early Rudahigwa’s aspiration of development and modernity as seen through the materials that he used while constructing.

Ethnographic museum

It started in 1989 in Rwanda in Huye as the former national museum of Rwanda was turned into the ethnographic museum which was started in 1989 and is located in Huye. Before that, the national museum was the only museum in Rwanda and it has the finest ethnographic and archaeological collections in east Africa with over 10,000 artifacts.

National Arts Museum Rwesero

It’s located across the valley from the museum of Rwandan Ancient History as well as Nyanza Royal palace; this museum displays contemporary artwork which also shows the originality of Rwandan creativity, national, tradition as well history. The pieces also show the originality of Rwanda’s rich history as well as creativity. It was also built as a palace of king Mutara 111 and passed away even before occupying it.

The museum of Rwanda Ancient History

It was formally the residence of King Mutara Rudahingwa and sits at Rukari near the royal palace. The palace has been restored and it offers a back ground of Rwandan life as it was in the past days. At the neighboring hill of Mwima, king Mutara as well as his wife was buried. At the museum, there is a traditional house, and a thatched hut which is an imitation of the king ‘palace. The palace differed from the other home steads and his house had three separate poles on which the roof rests.

The Museum of Natural History

The museum is situated in Nyarugenge district with in the capital city of Rwanda. It’s known as the house of Kandt since it was a residence which was once occupied by German scientist, Dr Richard Kandt. It was turned into a museum of natural history since Richard was the first German imperial resident in Rwanda and this museum was homage to his work. The German government handed over the site and its art facts to Rwandan government on January 2013.

The Royal residence of King Mutara 111 Rudahigwa

It was built by Belgium in 1931, the colonial style home served as the royal palace of King Mutara until he died. Unfortunately, all the gifts as well as furniture that he received from the visiting dignitaries were stolen during the genocide of 1994. This home is still interesting with its peculiarities which include; three sitting rooms which was for receiving the visitors.

It’s based in Nyanza, which is 88km south of Kigali city, it offers a detailed look into Rwandan Traditional seat of their monarchy, and this is also an impressive museum which was restored in the 19th century and made entirely with its traditional materials. The long horned cows which are known as Inyambo were recently introduced because they an integral part of Rwandan culture. On the nearby hill of Mwima, you can as well visit the burial grounds of King Mutara 111 and his wife Queen Rosalie Gicanda.

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Cultural Sites

Known as a country of a thousand hills, Rwanda is one of the most fascinating countries to visit in Africa. Whereas gorilla trekking is the most popular tourist attraction in Rwanda, the country is not all about apes. Rwanda is an excellent destination for mountain hiking, game drives, biking, nature walks and cultural tours. The cultural practices of the indigenous people were passed on from one generation to another through cultural ceremonies, language, stories, dressing style and a kingdom that has now been abolished.

Before the genocide in 1994, there were people who attempted to find distinctions between the Hutus, Tutsi and minority Twa. It was said that the Tutsi’s were mostly pastoralists while the Hutus where cultivators. Other distinctions were invented to help the Belgium colonialist govern the people but the reality is that the Tutsi and Hutu are essentially the same people. That becomes clear when you attempt to compare their looks, ways of life and culture to other tribal groups in the neighboring countries

Modernization, the introduction of the western culture, intermarriages and immigration has changed the lifestyle of the people of Rwanda. Many Rwandan nationals fled the country during the 1960’s and 1990’s to settle in neighboring countries. They now live a mixed lifestyle even after returning to the country. In an attempt to preserve the culture of the Banyarwanda, the government and individuals have invested in cultural sites that will remain a constant reminder of the important cultural norms and values of the people.

The Cultural attractions in Rwanda include visiting genocide memorial sites, cultural villages and artisan center. While visiting the cultural sites, expect to have close encounters with the people as watch traditional dance performances, folk songs and listen to stories about the former kingdoms. Some interesting cultural practices among the Banyarwanda include evening stories, riddles, folk-stories and proverbs which is organized close to a fireplace by the elderly. A mother would remain alone in the house for 7 days after giving birth. The cultural lock-down would only end after the child was given a name.

Cultural tours in Rwanda

Kigali Genocide Memorial: This is arguably the most visited museum in Rwanda. It was built in memory of about 250,000 people who were killed during the Rwanda genocide. The Museum is divided into 3 major areas – One remembering the children killed another for the adults and one focusing on genocides which occurred in other parts of the world. Visiting this museum will help you understand the events leading to and after the genocide. The government hopes that the museum will act as a constant reminder of the cruelty shown during the genocide so that younger generations never allow it to happen again.

National History Museum (Kandt House Museum): Formally known as the Kandt House Museum, the National History Museum is one of the most important cultural and historical sites in Rwanda. It was initially named after Dr. Richard Kandt and was the first modern building in Rwanda. Kandt was the first governor of Rwanda during German colonial rule. The Museum is divided into three parts – The first exhibition area shows how life was before the country was colonized. The second part describes life during the colonial era while the third part depicts life after Rwanda got independence. Visit this Museum to check out rare photos of Rwanda and German World War 1 photos. The museum also showcases the wildlife, vegetation and geological features in the country.

Kigali Fashion Week: The capital Kigali is growing fast and the people have embraced a lot of what is going on in the other cities around the world but while retaining the Rwandan swag. Kigali hosts two popular fashion festivals each year. The Kigali fashion week is organized in July while the Rwanda Cultural Fashion Week takes place in September each year. These two festivals attract some of the best local and international fashion designers. If you are lucky to be in town during these two fashion weeks, do not fail to attend them. You will get a rare opportunity to see a mix of Rwandan and international fashion products.

Nyanza Genocide Memorial: Another of the many genocide memorial centers commemorating those who died during the 3 months of horror in 1994. About 10,000 are buried in a mass grave at the site. Nyanza was a major killing ground during the Rwanda genocide with the Queen of Rwanda the most famous victim. Known as Queen Rosalie Gicanda, she was killed along with her attendants but was buried at the royal palace in Nyanza. The Nyanza Genocide Memorial is where most of victims are buried and is a frequent host of the yearly genocide memorial celebrations.

Banda Cultural Village: This interesting cultural center is found inside Nyungwe National Park – close to the park offices in Uwinka and where the Canopy walk is arranged. If you are visiting Nyungwe National park for nature walks and Chimp tracking, don’t forget to stop at the village. As you enter the site, you will be welcomed by Intore dancers and then escorted by a resident Guide. There is a lot to see at the village but the most interesting is observing how local medicines and traditional baskets are made. You can be called to take part in grinding maize using local tools and then help in preparing a local meal. If you are lucky, you may arrive on the day when a traditional wedding ceremony is taking place and be among the witnesses.

Kitabi Cultural Center: This cultural center is also found in Nyungwe Forest National Park – right at the main entrance. The last King of Rwanda built his palace here instead of using the one in Nyanza. It is one of the most visit cultural attractions in Rwanda and a favorite stopover for tourists visiting Nyungwe for chimpanzee trekking. The Center consists of several traditional huts and the King’s palace with guards. Everyone is dressed in striking traditional robes, cheerful and ready to ensure that you enjoy your time while there. A Guide will take you to see the local women making traditional baskets, beads and other souvenir for sale.

Gorilla Guardians Village: Also known as the Ibyiwacu cultural village, this is arguably the most visited cultural site in Rwanda – thanks to its close proximity to the where tourists spot mountain gorillas. The Cultural site is found in Musanze district and was founded by a former warden of the Volcanoes National Park. The warden wanted to build a cultural center that would offer employment to former poachers while also showing tourists everything good about the culture of the people.

While at the Iby’iwacu Cultural Center, tourists can enjoy watching how the Batwa pygmies hunted, traditional Intore dancers, learn how to cook Kinyarwanda dinner or enjoy traditional beer. There is also an opportunity to dress like a King or Queen and live in a thatched palace.

Apart from learning how a typical Kinyarwanda homestead was arranged, the Village offers tourists a chance to learn about the role it has played in wildlife conservation and particularly ending poaching in the Volcanoes National Park. The Batwa performers once lived inside the volcanoes National Park. They would lay snares to catch antelopes, birds and other forest creatures. After experiencing all that is showcased inside the site, you can join others and go for a community walk in the nearby homesteads.

Cultural Festivals: There are several festivals that bring the people of Rwanda together and which are organized at different times of the year. “Umuganda” is organized every last Saturday of the month in Kigali to allow citizens clean up the streets. The event is compulsory for residents between 8am to 12am. No car moves in the streets and no office is opened while citizens are cleaning the city. You can join in as a tourist to help with collecting rubbish, sweeping the roads or removing unwanted weed.

Another interesting festival is “Kwita izina”. This ceremony is organized at the Volcanoes National Park every October to give a name to all newly born mountain gorillas. The event is attended by tourists, international celebrities, conservationists, the gorilla doctors, politicians and sometimes the president. Finally, there is the “Ukwibuka” which is organized every month of April. This event is commemorated not only in Rwanda but in almost every country in the world. It is the official day in which those who died during the 1994 Rwanda genocide are remembered. You don’t have to be in Rwanda to show solidarity with the people. All you need to do is visit the nearest Rwanda embassy for information on how to participate.

The Kings Palace in Nyanza: This impressive palace is found in Nyanza – about 88 kilometers away from Kigali. Before and during colonialism, Rwanda had one king as cultural head. The Kings often had to deal with the challenge of pleasing the Tutsi and Hutus. Later the Kingdom was abolished entirely with the last king exiled. A modern palace was constructed for King Mutara III by the Belgium government in 1931. Mutara was the last ruling king before Kingdoms were abolished. His successor never really had power and was exiled in the United States. The palace was then turned into a museum by the government.

During the genocide in 1994, most of the valuable place instruments were stolen. The government has revamped the palace and added new structures, traditional materials and the “Inyambo”. The Inyambo are long-horned cattle which can be seen in many parts of Rwanda. The kings owned thousands of these cattle and they were a source of pride for the Kingdom. One can check out the palace milk house whose female attendants were never allowed to marry. There is also the royal brewers hut and the burial ground for the royal family.

Presidential Palace Museum: This is the place to go to if you are interested in learning about the immediate event that sparked off the genocide of 1994. The Museum is found only 2 kilometers away from Kigali city center. It is the former state house and is where Rwanda’s former president Juvenal Habyarimana lived before his Falcon 50 plane was shot down on 6 th April 1994. The plane landed at the presidential compound and the debris can still be seen to this day. When information reached that the presidents had been shot, Hutu extremists launched a full-scale genocide which resulted in the deaths of over 800,000 Tutsi. The resident Guide will take you around the house and show you the former president’s secret rooms, a presidential nightclub and more.

Urutare Rwa Ngarama: This large rock is found in the district of Gatsibo. The rock has distinct features and is believed to have been created to King Ruganzu Ndoli. Ruganzu was an ancient king in Rwanda. According to the local legend, King Ruganzu placed magic features on the rock allowing it to vibrate when hit by a stone, metal or when a human foot touched it. The King was thought to wield mystical powers that he used to control his subjects.

Ntarama Genocide Memorial: This memorial site is found in southern Kigali. About 5,000 people are buried outside a church. The site has been revamped with beautiful scenery and gardens. Even then, the human skeletons and personal belongings of the genocide victims can still be seen in the interior. They were left inside deliberately to remind younger generations of a painful era in the country’s history.

Ryamurari: This impressive archeological site is found in Nyagatare district (on top of a hill). It served as the capital of the Ndorwa Kingdom before it became part of Rwanda. Archeologist have unearthed cow bones, cow dung and grinding stones which indicate that the people who lived there were both cattle keepers and practicing subsistence agriculture. Tourists and geologist visit the site to admire the ancient structures and amazing earth-works.

Nyamata Genocide Memorial: Nyamata is one of the most visited genocide memorial sites. About 10,000 people had entered the Nyamata Catholic church hoping that the killers would have mercy on them. Instead, grenades were thrown at them or to open the doors and after which everyone was shot/hacked to death. A guided tour around the site takes you inside the church to see bullet holes, bloodstained clothes and more. After touring inside the church, visitors are taken to an outside mass grave where the people were buried.

Inema Art center: This Center was established by two brothers in Kigali. It is one of the most visited artisan centers in Kigali. The Inema Center brings together some of the finest local artist as well as young pretenders who are still learning the trade. Visit this Center if you are interested in distinct Rwanda art that describes the countries culture, wildlife, natural resources and physical features. Expect to be entertained by resident Intore cultural performers or attend a fashion show if you visit on a good day.

Bugesera Reconciliation village: For many decades, there was tension between the Hutus and Tutsi. This tension grew into unimaginable proportions prior to April 1994. When President Juvenal Habyarimana’s plane was shot down in April 1994, it sparked one of the worst genocides in recent history. The government at the time used tribal sentiments to force the Hutus to take up arms against the minority Tutsi. The Hutu extremists started killing people they had known for years as friends, lovers and neighbors in the cruelest ways.

After the genocide and with a new government, there was still a lot of silent hatred as people remembered how their loved ones were killed by people they knew. The new government did everything possible encourage reconciliation and unity. One of the great efforts to heal wounds was the creation of the Bugesera Reconciliation Village. Those who had found it difficult to forgive one another due to the 1994 genocide could come to this place for reconciliation and leave as friends. People still holding grudges against others can come to the village and see examples of other successful reconciliations. As a tourist, you can also visit Bugesera Reconciliation village and learn the power of forgiveness even under the most difficult circumstances.

Ethnographic Museum: Located in the city of Huye (132 kilometers away from Kigali), this museum was a gift by the Belgium government to the people of Rwanda during a celebration to mark 25 years of independence in 1987. The Museum stores some of the best ethnographic collections in Africa. From its seven galleries, visitors can learn a lot about Rwanda’s history and culture. The Museum showcases, traditional tools, farming instruments, traditional beer and woodworks. There are also sections for local poetry, traditional dance instruments and hunting tools.

Utubindi twa Rubona: This is another impressive historical and archaeological site in Rwanda. It is found in Tubindi Village (Gatsibo district) – 4 kilometers away from the main road in Kayonza Nyagatere. The site is home to 7 unique clay pots which are believed to have been excavated by King Ruganzu 11 as he traveled with his men from Karagwe. The King used the clay pots to draw water for his thirsty men. Apart from viewing the clay pots, the site also has remains of the King.

National Liberation Park Museum: Locally known as “Umurindi w’Intwari”, this museum helps tell the story of the great struggles, determination and courage of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) as they attempted to stop the genocide and liberate the country in 1994. It is found 80 kilometers away from Kigali. Visiting this museum is also another excellent way of understanding the events leading to, during and after the 1994 genocide. There are many artifacts, texts, videos and documents like the Arusha Agreement. This Agreement shows the efforts put in place bring government and RPF forces to a cease fire even before the start of the genocide. The museum sits on a bunker which was the headquarters of the RPF leader Paul Kagame.

Campaign Against Genocide Museum : This Museum also helps educate people about the role of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) in ending the 1994 genocide. It is located close to the airport and the parliamentary building in Kigali. The Museum describes how the RPF planned to stop the genocide as soon as it became clear that Hutu extremists were intending to wipe out the Tutsi minority and that the UN troops were not going to defend the targeted people. Although the RPF did everything they could to stop the genocide, it was not enough to stop the killing of over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Visitors to the Campaign Against Genocide Museum can still see some of the guns used during the war between the RPF and government forces.

Environmental Museum: This is the first environmental museum which showcases renewable and non-renewable energy in the continent. The Museum is found on the shores of Lake Kivu, close to the border with the democratic Republic of Congo. The Museum helps collect all kinds of local plants with explanations of their use (as food or medicine). The museum organizes educational tours for those who are interested in learning about how protecting the environment contributes to a country’s overall development.

Murambi Genocide Memorial: This genocide memorial site is located in the southwestern part of the country. Because of its remote location, Murambi may not be the most visited. However, over 50,000 genocide victims are buried here which is a sign that it is second to none in reminding us of the horrors of April 1994. The Murambi Genocide Memorial site is found at a former technical school which became a killing ground for the interahamwe (Hutu extremists).

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The "Good Tourism" Blog

For diverse perspectives on sustainable tourism & responsible travel ... because travel & tourism is everyone's business., tapping potential, preserving value: rwanda’s cultural heritage tourism challenges.

Tapping potential, preserving value: Rwanda’s cultural heritage tourism challenge. Image by lynnx10 (CC0) via Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/photos/rwanda-africa-east-africa-tourism-1229760/

What chal­lenges face those who would tap Rwanda’s cul­tur­al her­it­age for tour­ism and devel­op­ment while pre­serving it for com­munity iden­tity now and in the future? 

Tour oper­at­or Greg Bak­un­zi shares his thoughts in a “Good Tour­ism” Insight.

[Thanks to “GT” Insight Part­ner the World Tour­ism Asso­ci­ation for Cul­ture and Her­it­age (WTACH) for invit­ing Greg. 

You too can write a “GT” Insight .]

Rwandan com­munit­ies have become increas­ingly eager to find ways to attract tour­ists and cap­ture the dol­lars they bring. 

As the tour­ism industry boomed (pre-COV­ID), my organ­isa­tion, the Red Rocks Inter­cul­tur­al Cen­ter, ini­ti­ated tour­ism pro­jects that we hope will help com­munit­ies tap the cul­tur­al her­it­age poten­tial of Rwanda while pre­serving its full value. 

Among our many areas of sus­tain­able devel­op­ment interest — envir­on­ment, agri­cul­ture, edu­ca­tion, skills devel­op­ment, and oth­ers — we help to empower com­munit­ies with the tools to put them on the map as lead­ers in cul­tur­al her­it­age tourism. 

Don’t miss oth­er “Good Tour­ism” posts tagged with “Des­tin­a­tions & Places in Africa” Also check out “GT” Travel Exper­i­ences in Africa

We were inspired to involve cul­tur­al tour­ism in our pro­grams since we know it cre­ates jobs and new busi­ness oppor­tun­it­ies and strengthens the loc­al eco­nomy. Import­antly, such pro­grams also help to pro­tect cul­tur­al her­it­age and to improve the qual­ity of life of res­id­ents and the exper­i­ences of visitors. 

Link­ing tour­ism with her­it­age and cul­ture bene­fits the loc­al eco­nomy. We believe that cul­tur­al her­it­age tour­ism is not just some­thing to pre­serve for future gen­er­a­tions, but is in fact an asset that can be lever­aged to bring real eco­nom­ic benefits.

While incor­por­at­ing cul­tur­al her­it­age into our pro­grams, some of the chal­lenges we face include:

Word Tourism Association for Culture & Heritage

  • Poor plan­ning mechanisms;
  • Inad­equate devel­op­ment controls;
  • Lack of defined lim­its to the trans­form­a­tion of his­tor­ic­al sites;
  • Little pop­u­lar participation;
  • Unpro­duct­ive pre­ser­va­tion policies;
  • Lack of fund­ing; and
  • The influ­ence of West­ern cul­tures and habits, includ­ing Chris­tian­ity, com­merce, civil­isa­tion, change, devel­op­ment, loot­ing, anti­quar­i­ans, among others.

To over­come the chal­lenges, we are gradu­ally mov­ing away from simply mak­ing an invent­ory of her­it­age resources to devel­op­ing an integ­rated and inter­linked approach to her­it­age management. 

We want cul­tur­al her­it­age to become part of the urb­an iden­tity now and in the future. We think it is wise to place the issues of her­it­age con­ser­va­tion with­in the over­all pro­cess of urb­an devel­op­ment, as well as to inter­link it with oth­er issues such as eco­nom­ic devel­op­ment (includ­ing tour­ism), revital­isa­tion, and loc­al governance. 

In respond­ing to pres­sures for the future, includ­ing people’s nat­ur­al desire for eco­nom­ic devel­op­ment and mod­ern­isa­tion, it is vital to not only pro­tect cul­tur­al tour­ism resources but also pro­mote com­munity devel­op­ment that accom­mod­ates culture. 

At Red Rocks we have cre­ated aware­ness-rais­ing and out­reach pro­grams to facil­it­ate access to cul­tur­al her­it­age and social cap­it­al dur­ing pop­u­lar holidays. 

rwanda festival

The estab­lish­ment of Umuga­nura (har­vest cel­eb­ra­tions), for example, has not only con­trib­uted to the rebirth of nation­al pride in sus­tain­able agri­cul­tur­al prac­tices but also now serves to show­case “homegrown” solu­tions for sus­tain­able socio-cul­tur­al devel­op­ment. These can be adop­ted and adap­ted for loc­al circumstances. 

These ini­ti­at­ives still need to be scaled up to bene­fit a much wider audi­ence, but they have already sig­ni­fic­antly con­trib­uted to region­al integ­ra­tion, sus­tain­able devel­op­ment, and even the pro­mo­tion of peace through, for example, the pro­duc­tion and dis­sem­in­a­tion of cul­tur­al and artist­ic performances.

With stake­hold­ers who value both the social and eco­nom­ic roles of cul­tur­al her­it­age, we are invest­ig­at­ing pos­sib­il­it­ies for more eth­ic­al, engaged mod­els of her­it­age man­age­ment that can also deliv­er on agen­das of development.

In col­lab­or­a­tion with our part­ner, the Rwanda Her­it­age Academy, we are seek­ing to bridge this gap through tech­no­crat­ic improve­ment; enhan­cing our com­munity lead­ers’ under­stand­ing of “own­er­ship”, and draw­ing on high­er state-level dis­courses around self-reli­ance and homegrown solutions.

Don’t miss oth­er “Good Tour­ism” posts tagged with “Cul­ture, cul­tur­al her­it­age, & his­tory tourism” Also check out “GT” Travel Exper­i­ences of culture

Tan­gible or built cul­tur­al her­it­age is import­ant too. 

The care for our his­tor­ic­al memori­al sites in Rwanda reveals the degree of civil­isa­tion and mor­al­ity in our country. 

Pre­serving and pro­tect­ing our cul­tur­al her­it­age sites across the coun­try is in the state’s best interests as well the interests of the com­munit­ies that live nearby. 

The memor­ies sur­round­ing these her­it­age sites are of para­mount sig­ni­fic­ance to a cul­tur­al memory that gives Rwandans a sense of belong­ing and helps to restore nor­mal­ity and progress. 

Mater­i­al cul­tur­al her­it­age is a sym­bol­ic neces­sity that gives mean­ing to our lives by con­nect­ing the past to the present and future.

We believe that the power to change things for the bet­ter comes from within. 

So it is up to us at Red Rocks, along­side our part­ners, to offer our pro­tec­tion to cul­tur­al her­it­age sites, objects, and prac­tices across our country. 

Fea­tured image  (top of post): Image by lynnx10 (CC0) via Pixabay .

About the author

Greg Bakunzi sq300

Greg Bak­un­zi worked as a tour organ­iser and guide in Rwanda for vari­ous inter­na­tion­al tour oper­at­ors for many years before start­ing  Ama­horo Tours in 2002. In 2013, Mr Bak­un­zi foun­ded the Red Rocks Rwanda eco tours com­pany and social enter­prise to “bring under-served com­munit­ies into the tour­ism sup­ply chain and sup­port com­munity devel­op­ment pro­jects that help people help them­selves”. Greg later foun­ded the not-for-profit Red Rocks Ini­ti­at­ive for Sus­tain­able Devel­op­ment as a home for all the non-com­mer­cial activ­it­ies that Red Rocks Rwanda star­ted, and to “integ­rate tour­ism, con­ser­va­tion and sus­tain­able com­munity development”.

Thanks to “GT” Insight Part­ner the World Tour­ism Asso­ci­ation for Cul­ture and Her­it­age (WTACH) for invit­ing Greg to write a “GT” Insight .

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Nyungura ‘Leonard’ Bapfakwita expresses himself in real time at the 2023 Red Rocks Cultural Festival in Rwanda. Picture by David Gillbanks.

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11 Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Rwanda

Written by Joni Sweet Updated Jul 26, 2022 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

When it comes to things to do in Rwanda, nearly every tourist has one activity at the top of their itinerary: gorilla trekking . The mystique of getting up close to creatures who share 99 percent of our DNA captivates travelers from around the world, and there's no better place than Rwanda to do it. The country has made serious strides in conservation to protect the animals.

But the chance to see these gentle giants is just the beginning of what Rwanda has to offer. Left ravaged by the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the country has made an impressive amount of progress in recent decades, becoming a peaceful, welcoming place to visit with plenty of things to do.

Nature lovers can go on safari in Akagera National Park and get a bird's-eye view of Nyungwe Forest from a canopy walk . If you're interested in culture, check out the fascinating exhibits on traditional customs and beliefs at Rwanda's Ethnographic Museum. Don't miss the royal cows (and the singers who croon to them) at the King's Palace Museum.

Make the most of your experience with our list of the top tourist attractions in Rwanda.

1. Volcanoes National Park

2. kigali genocide memorial, 3. nyungwe forest national park, 4. king's palace museum, 5. akagera national park, 6. lake kivu, 7. ethnographic museum, 8. gorilla guardians village, 9. explore kigali, 10. gishwati mukura national park, 11. nyamata genocide memorial, map of attractions & things to do in rwanda.

A mountain gorilla at Volcanoes National Park

Without a doubt, the number one thing to do in Rwanda is gorilla trekking at Volcanoes National Park . Sharing a border with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this national park in Rwanda is home to a growing number of critically endangered mountain gorillas. Experts estimate that there are about 600 gorillas in the park–a significant increase from around 240-250 individuals in 1981.

To visit one of the 18 mountain gorilla families that have been habituated to humans, you'll need to obtain one of the limited number of daily trekking permits for $1,500. The easiest way to do it is through a reputable tour operator, who can also arrange transportation from Kigali to the park headquarters .

The trekking experience typically lasts between four and eight hours, most of which is spent hiking through mystical bamboo forests, wild meadows, and swampy areas. Guides from the national park service will eventually lead you to one of the habituated gorilla families. You'll spend an hour observing the creatures as they eat, care for their babies, and interact with one another.

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is largely considered a safe activity. The gorillas are mostly apathetic to their human visitors. Armed guides, who use a bunch of clicking sounds to communicate with the gorillas, keep guests safe from potential dangers, making the experience one that you'll never forget.

Porters are available at the base of the trails in Volcanoes National Park. It's worth hiring one for the day–they'll carry your bags and help you avoid slipping down the muddy paths.

Want to learn more about mountain gorillas? After your trekking adventure, head to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Karisoke Research Center in the nearby town of Musanze. It contains a small, yet robust museum all about mountain gorillas and the work of conservationist Dian Fossey, whose efforts to protect gorillas were made famous by the 1988 drama, Gorillas in the Mist .

Kigali Genocide Memorial

It's hard to imagine that just a couple of decades ago, Rwanda was in the midst of a horrific genocide that would leave more than 800,000 people dead in just 100 days. The country has come a long way from the devastating massacre, but the impact of this relatively recent history has left its mark on the lives of everyday people and generations to come.

Tourists can learn about this horrific event at the Kigali Genocide Memorial. The haunting museum dives into the timeline that led to the 1994 genocide, bringing the horrors to life through halls of photographs, artifacts, and information. The main exhibit hall wraps around poignant sculptures and features stained-glass windows that cast a hopeful glow on the space.

The museum continues with another permanent exhibit on the history of genocide around the world and intervention efforts from international communities, helping to put the Rwandan genocide into context.

The museum also includes an emotionally charged Children's Room dedicated to the youngest victims of the genocide. It keeps their memory alive through oversize portraits of the children, some of whom were just infants when they were killed, and personal details about the victims, like their nicknames and favorite books.

While heartbreaking, visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial is an important part of being a responsible tourist in Rwanda. Give yourself time to contemplate the experience and have a moment of silence for the 250,000 victims interred at this site at the memorial's Gardens of Reflection.

Address: KG 14 Ave., Kigali

Official site: https://www.kgm.rw/

Read More: Top-Rated Attractions & Places to Visit in Kigali

A resting chimpanzee at Nyungwe Forest National Park

One of the most important forest conservation areas in all of Africa, Nyungwe Forest National Park contains a spectacular array of biodiversity, including 1,068 plant species, 322 species of birds, and 75 types of mammals.

Most tourists come to this rainforest to track chimpanzees , which have been habituated to humans by park rangers. This animal encounter is a fraction of the cost of gorilla trekking, yet no less memorable.

Hanging out with primates isn't the only thing to do in Nyungwe. The park is also home to the only canopy walk in East Africa , roughly a 90-minute hike from the Uwinka Visitor Center. You'll walk across a 91-meter-long suspension bridge dangling more than 50 meters above the verdant rainforest, getting a dizzying view of the treetops and mountains in the distance.

Got a fear of heights? Skip the canopy tour and instead walk along one of the park's 15 hiking trails for an invigorating adventure that doesn't fight gravity.

Address: KN6, Rusizi

The fresh milk hut at the King's Palace Museum

If the country's impassioned conservation efforts don't convince you that Rwandans have a reverence for animals, a visit to the King's Palace Museum certainly will. The star attraction at the museum (one of Rwanda's eight national museums ) are the inyambo (sacred cows) and their staggeringly large horns. Throughout the day, traditional singers lull the cows into a mellow state by belting poems–a ritual that's unique to Rwanda.

The museum itself is just as interesting as the four-legged creatures out back. It showcases a replica of a king's palace from the 15th century with a thatched roof, royal hut, and fresh milk hut traditionally run by an unmarried woman.

Tourists can also explore the colonial-style home that was once the royal residence of King Mutara III Rudahigwa in the mid 20th century. The interior design is particularly striking, blending Rwandan patterns with European-style furniture (some of which was actually owned by the king).

Address: Nyanza Road, Nyanza District, Southern Province

Zebras at Akagera National Park

No trip to Africa is complete without a game drive. Tourists can scratch the itch to go on safari just two-and-a-half hours away from Kigali at Akagera National Park.

Managed by the African Parks organization, Akagera and its biodiversity have made an incredible recovery from near decimation after the Rwandan genocide. The 1,140-square-kilometer expanse (one of Central Africa's largest protected wetlands) now boasts all of the Big Five animals, along with an abundance of birds and antelope.

You'll need to have a lot of luck to spot a lion or rhino–conservationists are still working on boosting their populations, and for now, there aren't that many at Akagera. However, you'll have no trouble spotting zebras, hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, and giraffes on a self-drive safari.

The landscape itself is just as spectacular as the animals that live here. You'll see the environment make a glorious shift from savannah plains to wetlands and lakes.

Hire one of the helpful guides at the park visitor center. They have insider's knowledge of where to find the animals.

Official site: https://www.africanparks.org/the-parks/akagera

Palm-lined shores of Lake Kivu

After all your outdoor adventures, you'll be ready to kick up your feet–and there's no better place to visit for relaxation in Rwanda than at Lake Kivu. The 2,700-square-kilometer, emerald-green oasis, surrounded by misty mountains, is Rwanda's largest lake.

Soak it all up from Rubavu , a resort town on the northern tip of Lake Kivu. It has a lively waterfront, sandy beach, and stunning resorts (including the Lake Kivu Serena Hotel ). A few days in this peaceful town will leave you restored.

Get even closer to the landscape with Kingfisher Journeys. The tour operator can arrange a stunning sunset kayak trip with singing fisherman on Lake Kivu, as well as multi-day paddling adventures that will leave you in awe.

One of Africa's best collections of ethnological and archeological artifacts can be found in Rwanda's Ethnographic Museum, located about 130 kilometers south of Kigali in the district of Huye. Belgium gifted the museum to the city in 1989 in honor of the 25th anniversary of Rwandan's independence.

The Ethnographic Museum's seven galleries take tourists back in time to precolonial Rwanda. You'll see an impressive collection of woven baskets, traditional garments made from animal hides and woven grass, spears and bows, musical drums from hundreds of years ago, and old farming tools.

Tourists can step inside an authentic royal home and learn how it was constructed. The museum also hosts live handicraft demonstrations.

Address: RN1, Butare

Basket weaving in Rwanda

Volcanoes National Park isn't just a place to see gorillas–it's also a prime spot to immerse yourself in Rwandan culture at Gorilla Guardians Village. Run by reformed poachers, the non-profit cultural village gives tourists the chance to try their hand at Rwanda's most famous crafts and activities.

You'll learn how to carry a basket on your head (like the Rwandan women do), weave your own baskets, shoot an arrow, and grind grains with a heavy stone. The enthusiastic guides make the entire experience feel like a big party.

It's worth sticking around for the intore dance recitals at Gorilla Guardians Village. The traditional dancers, decked out with long straw wigs and skirts, put on an exciting show to the beat of rhythmic drumming. You'll be up and dancing with them before you know it.

Address: Kinigi, Musanze

Official site: http://cbtrwanda.org/

Kigali

Many travelers spend only a night in Kigali before gorilla trekking, missing out on the vibrant culture, cuisine, and sightseeing in Rwanda's capital city . Plan to spend at least a few days here at the beginning or end of your trip.

Stock up on bespoke clothes from swirling patterned textiles and experience the energetic atmosphere at Kimironko Market , Kigali's largest marketplace. The warehouse space is like a maze, with surprises around every corner.

Then, check out Kigali's creative scene at Inema Arts Center, a gallery that showcases the works of up to 10 local artists in residence. Make your way to the Rwanda Art Museum at the former Presidential Palace . It displays some of the finest contemporary pieces from Rwanda and nearby regions. You can also see debris from the presidential aircraft that crashed in 1994.

When you're ready to refuel, savor an authentic Rwandan cup of joe at Question Coffee Cafe. Check out the cafe's specials menu to see what experimental caffeinated concoctions the baristas have recently come up with. They're known to infuse some coffee beverages with unexpected local ingredients, like tree tomato.

Finally, wind down with a succulent meal at one of Kigali's great restaurants. Le Panorama Restaurant at Hôtel des Mille Collines offers dazzling views of the city, along with a diverse menu of local and international favorites.

For an even more romantic setting, head to Fusion Restaurant's al fresco dining room at The Retreat hotel. It overlooks a twinkling pool and serves up homemade pastas, flavorful starters, and fresh seafood.

Gishwati Mukura National Park

In late 2020, Rwanda debuted its fourth national park, Gishwati Mukura, giving tourists yet another natural attraction to visit. The 34-square-kilometer national park aims to preserve one of the few remaining Central African montane rainforests .

Tourists can visit Gishwati, the larger of the two forests in the park. It's home to a variety of primates, including golden monkeys, blue monkeys, L'Hoest's, and around 20 eastern chimpanzees. Guided chimp and monkey tracking tours give you the best chance at seeing the feisty creatures. You can also join a guided nature hike on three marked trails in the forest. Pack a pair of binoculars to take a closer look at members of the more than 230 bird species found within the forest.

The Nyamata Genocide Memorial

The Nyamata Genocide Memorial is worth a visit if you want a deeper understanding of the Rwandan genocide. It is the final resting place for more than 40,000 victims, around 10,000 of whom locked themselves in the sanctuary of the site's church, but were killed when Hutu militias forced open the doors.

The victims' clothing and ID cards can now be seen displayed on the church pews. You can also see the grave of Tonia Locatelli, an Italian missionary who tried to get media attention on the systematic killing of the Tutsis, just outside the exit of the church.

While not for the faint of heart, touring the memorial can be a deeply moving experience that serves as a reminder of the importance of preventing future genocides.

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THE 10 BEST Rwanda Cultural Tours

Cultural tours in rwanda.

  • Sightseeing Tours
  • Private Tours
  • Cultural Tours
  • Up to 1 hour
  • 1 to 4 hours
  • 4 hours to 1 day
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  • The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

cultural tourism in rwanda

1. Private Full-day Kigali City Tour with Pickup and Lunch

cultural tourism in rwanda

2. Walking Tour in Kigali , Customize Your Foot Walk!

cultural tourism in rwanda

3. Private Half-Day Guided Kigali City Tour with Coffee Break Included

cultural tourism in rwanda

4. Private Memorial Day Tour Ntarama and Nyamata

cultural tourism in rwanda

5. Private Kigali City Walking Tour

cultural tourism in rwanda

6. Scenic walk around volcanoes

cultural tourism in rwanda

7. Local hills hiking

cultural tourism in rwanda

8. A Day in the Life of a Local Artisan

cultural tourism in rwanda

9. 1 day Cultural Adventure Tour in Lake Kivu

cultural tourism in rwanda

10. 1 day Kigali city tour

cultural tourism in rwanda

11. Authentic Village Tour

cultural tourism in rwanda

12. Rwandan Coffee Experience

cultural tourism in rwanda

13. 3 Days Rubavu Destination Safaris

cultural tourism in rwanda

14. Cultural and Local Community Tour(Coffee,Village walk,Local food)

cultural tourism in rwanda

15. Akilah Experience

cultural tourism in rwanda

16. Experience Traditional Construction

cultural tourism in rwanda

17. Full Day Kigali City Tour

cultural tourism in rwanda

18. 3 Days Congo Nile trail Hike

cultural tourism in rwanda

19. 4 Day Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

cultural tourism in rwanda

20. 7 Days Private Tour of Rwanda

cultural tourism in rwanda

21. Cultural Entertainment Tour

cultural tourism in rwanda

22. Banana beer brewery

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23. 5 Days Rwanda Tour

cultural tourism in rwanda

24. Banana Juice Making at a Local Community

cultural tourism in rwanda

25. Rwandan Adventure Safari 6 Nights / 7 Nights

cultural tourism in rwanda

26. 1 Full Day Culture & Heritage Experience (Nyanza & Butare)

cultural tourism in rwanda

27. Kigali City Tour and Sightseeing

cultural tourism in rwanda

28. Nyungwe Chimpanzee Trekking Adventure

cultural tourism in rwanda

29. Full-Day Private Kigali Tour with Lunch

cultural tourism in rwanda

30. Kigali City Tour Full day

What travelers are saying.

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Rwanda: Cultural Tours Information

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20 Unmissable Attractions in Rwanda

Lake Burera

Welcome to Rwanda ! Home to vibrant city life, mountain gorillas , and breathtaking vistas, there are many places to explore and activities to do. Here are 20 unmissable attractions for your trip to the land of a thousand hills.

Volcanoes national park.

Located in northwest Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is home to the Virunga Mountain range, mountain gorillas, beautiful volcanoes, golden monkeys, and excellent views.

Volcanoes National Park

Karisoke Research Center

Gorillas in Volcanoes National Park

Rwanda’s largest lake, located in the west of the country, is stunning. Gisenyi and Kibuye, two of the largest towns on the lake, have plentiful guesthouses, restaurants, and activities.

people cheering on a mountain

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Kibuye on Lake Kivu

Nyungwe National Park

Nyungwe National Park is one of the most remote locations in Rwanda. A fairly untouched rainforest, the park holds chimpanzees, hundreds of bird species, colobus monkeys, and many hiking trails. Endless tea fields are located right outside the park gates.

Canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park

Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo, known as the Twin Lakes, sit just a few kilometers outside the town of Musanze. Known for their volcanic views and ideal for weekend trips, the twin lakes are undoubtedly one of Rwanda’s most beautiful attractions.

Lake Burera

Akagera National Park

Home to Africa’s Big Five (the lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros), Akagera National Park’s sweeping views, plentiful wildlife, and easy access render this spot one of the best parks in the area.

Zebras in Akagera National Park

Sorwathe Tea Plantation

Halfway between Kigali and Musanze, the Sorwathe Tea Plantation offers lunch, tea tastings, fantastic views, and a tea production tour.

Sorwathe tea fields

Lake Muhazi

Lake Muhazi, located less than 50 kilometres (31 miles) from Kigali, is one of the city’s best options for a day trip. Small restaurants and cafés line the calm shores, and sunsets over Muhazi are unforgettable.

Views of the lake

1. Ethnographic Museum

National Museum of Rwanda

2. City views at the Ubumwe Grande Hotel

View from the Ubumwe Grande Hotel

One of Kigali’s best views can be found at the top of the Ubumwe Grande Hotel . Open all day, visitors and residents alike flock to the hotel’s bar for a spectacular snapshot of Kigali from above.

Ubumwe Grande Hotel, 1306 KN 67, Kigali, Rwanda, +250 783 744 755

cultural tourism in rwanda

View from the Ubumwe Grande Hotel | © Courtesy of Joli Tropisme

3. Inema Arts Center

Art Gallery

4. Kigali Genocide Memorial

Photographs at the Kigali Genocide Memorial

5. Kimironko Market

Kimironko market

6. Repub Lounge

Restaurant, African, Vegetarian

Repub Lounge

Sample traditional Rwandan food in an upmarket setting with fantastic views. Located in the Kimihurura neighbourhood, Repub Lounge is known as one of Kigali’s best restaurants.

7. Kigali Convention Centre

Kigali Convention Center

One of Kigali’s most iconic buildings, and an architectural feat, the Convention Centre was completed in 2016. Check it out at night when it displays the colours of Rwanda’s flag.

Kigali Convention Centre, KN 5, Kigali, Rwanda , +250 786 738 663

cultural tourism in rwanda

Kigali Convention Center | © GovernmentZA / Flickr

8. Inzora Rooftop Cafe

Cafe, Vegetarian, Coffee

Drinks on the Inzora rooftop

9. Presidential Palace Museum

Museum, Art Gallery

10. Hôtel des Mille Collines

Pool at Hotel des Mille Collines

Hôtel des Mille Collines, featured in the movie Hotel Rwanda , is still in its original location in the Kiyovu neighbourhood. Nowadays people visit to hang by the pool, watch live music, and enjoy brunch.

11. Kigali Heights

Shopping Mall

12. Baso Patissier

Cafe, Patisserie, Dessert, Vegetarian

Baso Patissier

Kigali’s newest bakery, Baso Patissier , has the best eclairs in town. Though their vanilla eclair reigns supreme, don’t hesitate to check out their other dessert offerings.

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cultural tourism in rwanda

A Guide to Visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Rwanda

cultural tourism in rwanda

Guides & Tips

Explore nyamirambo, one of kigali's vibrant neighbourhoods.

cultural tourism in rwanda

See & Do

A night with rwanda’s musical fishermen on lake kivu.

cultural tourism in rwanda

A Promising Future for Endangered Gorillas as Their Population Exceeds 1,000

cultural tourism in rwanda

Meet Abraham Konga, Designing Sustainable Jewelry in Rwanda

cultural tourism in rwanda

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Rwanda Takes Major Steps to Turn Its Capital into "Africa's Singapore"

cultural tourism in rwanda

Places to Stay

Where to stay in rwanda's musanze region.

cultural tourism in rwanda

Explore Rwanda's Tranquil Town Visitors Are Flocking To

10 top outdoor activities in rwanda.

cultural tourism in rwanda

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cultural tourism in rwanda

These Rwandan Women are Baking Their Way to Empowerment

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Volcanoes National Park Rwanda

volcanoes national park

Art and Culture in Rwanda: Museums and Cultural Sites

Rwanda is popularly referred to as the Land of A Thousand Hills. This is basically due to its mountainous landscape comprised of inter-locking and rolling hills that make up the largest part of the country. The country is located within the Albertine rift valley and also share a significant part of the Greater Virunga Landscape. This area is rich in biodiversity protecting a variety of rare species including the endangered mountain gorillas , golden monkeys and several bird species including Rift valley endemics. Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, the country’s home to mountain gorillas is Rwanda’s major tourist highlight. Tourism is Rwanda’s leading foreign exchange earner and the highest contributor to the country GDP.

cultural tourism in rwanda

Rwanda is a small state with an area of about 26,338 km 2 and a population of about 12 million people with relatively limited natural resources. However, gorilla tourism accounts for the biggest economic growth and development of the country. According to Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the country received about USD $ 438 million in tourism revenue in 2019 thus contributing about 15.1% of the country’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of USD $ 9.14 billion.

In order to diversity her tourism sector and create more tourist experiences in addition to gorilla tours and other wildlife safaris, Rwanda has utilised its tourism revenues to develop the art and culture industry. Although the country has only three ethnic tribes namely; Tutsi, Hutu and Batwa, the culture and heritage of Rwanda is rich and diverse. For instance, Kinyarwanda traditional dance (“ Maraba” performed by the Intore) is one of the most captivating African dances which is increasingly becoming iconic in the world of travellers.

The Tutsi were primarily keepers of the long horn Watusi cows, the Hutu are cultivators while Batwa pygmies are descendants of the ancient forest dwelling and hunter gatherers of East and Central Africa.

cultural tourism in rwanda

Rwanda’s cultural heritage and historical sites are increasingly becoming one of the established tourist destinations attracting a big percentage of the country’s visitors.

Rwanda was ranked among the top 10 fastest growing economies in the world in 2020 according to Borgen Project, a non-profit organisation, thanks to the significant contribution from the country’s tourism sector.

Here are some of Rwanda’s major cultural heritage sites that are worth visiting for a deeper understanding of the country’s amazing culture and history.

N ational Museums in Rwanda

There are about 8 national museums of Rwanda located in different provinces of the country. But, the list of museums in Rwanda is over 13 with art galleries and centers mostly found in Kigali city. They are some of the most captivating cultural attractions to visit in Rwanda.

King’s Palace Museum and Gallery

cultural tourism in rwanda

This museum is located in Nyanza district southern province along the road to Nyungwe forest national park some 88 km from Kigali city. King’s Palace Museum exhibits the greatest works of art you muse see. The art gives a detailed look into the history of Rwanda from 15 th century during the time when much of Africa was under kingdoms. One of the most famous kings who ruled Rwanda before declaration of Rwanda is called King (mwami) Mutara three Rudahigwa. He lived in a beautiful traditional place which has been restored through establishment of the King’s palace in 2008 to preserve Rwandan art and cultural heritage.

King Mutara most prestigious possession next to his wife was the Long horn Watusi cows locally known as Inyambo. The long horn cows were brought back to the new palace and can be visited for photo-shoots and folklore of Queen Nybingi and her influence on the Jamaican Rastafarian rhythm in addition to the museum exhibits and Maraba Rwandan traditional dance performance. The place also features restaurant that serves Rwandan traditional food as well as continental dishes.

Visitors will enjoy a tour of the king’s palace, Rwesero art gallery and take part in traditional dances and also visit the long horn cattle. The museum is open daily from 8:00 pm to 17:00 pm and closed on 7 th April on genocide. The museum also closes from 11 am during the national environmental cleaning day Umuganda every last Saturday of the month.

Museum of Environment

cultural tourism in rwanda

The museum opened in the Rwanda safari peak season of 2015. The Rwandan Museum of Environment is situated near Lake Kivu in western province. The museum is more of a center for educational center for environmental conservation. The museum displays the use of clean and sustainable energy (both renewable energy sources like solar and hydro power which is no-renewable. The museum exhibits include herb garden on the roof of the building.

Visiting the museum will give insight into a general environmental situation of Rwanda. Understand why Kigali Rwanda is among the list of top green and sustainable cities in Africa according to World Economic Forum (WEF). This comes through Rwanda environmental campaigns like Umuganda which an adaptation of the clean up the world campaign. Umuganda is a national holiday in Rwanda. It occurs every last Saturday of the month where all citizens lead by the president spend the entire day cleaning their respective villages and planting trees. In addition to generation of solar energy about 12.230 MW generated from five solar energy plants such as Jali, Ndera, Nasho, Rwamagana etc while the hydropower capacity is about 235.6 MW.

Kandt Museum House

cultural tourism in rwanda

Formerly known as the natural history museum, the museum was renamed in 2017 to honor Richard Kandt who was the Germany colonial governor of Rwanda. Kandt House is located downtown Kigali city and easier to access on city tour. The museum has three galleries, with one displaying socio-economical life, another history of Kigali before, during and after colonialism and the third section includes a temporal exhibits of natural history such as snakes and crocodiles. The view of Kigali and its surroundings is also most stunning when standing at the museum.

Rwanda Art Museum

cultural tourism in rwanda

This museum enhances the impact Rwanda traditional art has had on the modern architectural landscape in Kigali city. The iconic Kigali Convention Center (KCC) was built out of a design of a traditional hand woven basket called Agaseke, a symbol of family and mother in Rwanda.

The museum has a permanent art exhibition with paintings, pictures displaying the best of art in the 21 st century. Exhibits include those drawn by locals and international artists. In addition, the museum also hosts temporary and a moving art studio show where visitors are offered an opportunity to try their art drawing skills and get a chance to be featured.

Besides being a place to learn about arts, the museum a historical site. The events that started the 1994 Rwandan genocide against Tutsi started here on 6 th April, 1994 with the shooting down of a plane that killed President Joseph Habyarimana who was of Hutu tribe. The Rwanda art museum is located in a former presidential palace in Kanombe 4 kilometers from the Kanombe airport.

Campaign Against Genocide Museum

cultural tourism in rwanda

Every year on 6 th April, 1994 Rwanda commemorates the Rwandan genocide against Tutsi. The civil that lasted 100 days led to loss of about 800000 people and also leaving the economy is shatters. Rwandans started a campaign “Never Again” to educate the youth, bring reconciliation and justice between Hutu and Tutsi.

The morning period known as “Kwibuka” which means to remember, unite and renew lasts for 100 days with citizens lighting the flames at various burial grounds. Many visitors visit Rwanda specifically for the genocide tour in Kigali city. The largest Rwandan genocide memorial center is Kigali Genocide Memorial located in Kigali city where 250000 victims are laid to rest. Other Rwandan genocide memorial centers to visit on Kigali city tour include Nyamata church, Murambi genocide memorial, Biserero Memorial, Nyarubuye memorial and Ntarama genocide memorial.

Art galleries to visit on Kigali City Tour

Best art galleries and centers to experience Rwanda art and culture or take with you a souvenir are found in Kigali City and its neighborhood known as Kacyiru. Art centers in Kigali display the Rwandan art scene that includes various street art murals featuring local and international artists, paintings, sculptures, photography, traditional crafts, wood carvings, drum performances etc.

Because of this, Kigali city has become of the best places to see street art in the world.

Inema Art Center

cultural tourism in rwanda

This is an outdoor art gallery with a garden located in Kacyiru, a neighborhood in Kigali city. Inema Art center is the most captivating art scene in Kigali. It’s the place where many visitors go to buy arts and crafts. The center also hosts weekly events such as live music performance on thankful Thursdays evenings, art and Yoga class every Wednesday. The outdoor gardens feature coffee shops and restaurant to eat, drink and enjoy your time.

The Streets of Kigali

cultural tourism in rwanda

Those who want to see street art than the art galleries, there’s the Kigali city mural walking tour that takes you to colorful street art scenes. This street art walking tour is offered by Go Further a social enterprise that aims to transform Rwanda through art and culture. Places in Kigali city to explore for street art include Kimisagara and Kacyuri. The iconic artistic murals include Okapi mural done by a Belgian artists Roa. Other local artists have put up murals such as gorilla and Sunbird which are found in Nyarugenge in Kigali.

Kigali Center for Photography

This is the only art gallery in Kigali dedicated to photography. The Kigali center for photography features ever changing scenes of photographs taken by locals across the country. Visiting photographers are given space to display their photography skill. The center goes on to teach young Rwandans photography skills through their learning for Change Program.

Azizi Life Studio

cultural tourism in rwanda

This art studio in Kigali is entirely dedicated to traditional Rwandan art. Azizi Life Studio is a place to and shop souvenirs such as Agaseke baskets, wooden carvings, jewelry, pottery and small items such as key holders, hand bags, clothing etc.

The Aziz studio features Rwanda’s most famous painting called Imigongo, a traditional form of art made using cow dung. The Imigongo paintings are made by women and teaches you history of the country from its pre-colonial to modern times.

C ultural Villages in Rwanda

Visiting museums gives you great a common look into culture and art of Rwanda but may not give you to the fullest a village lifestyle and the multi-cultural experience. You need to go an extra mile and look at Iby’Iwacu cultural village in Musanze district Northern Province and a walking tour in Nyamirambo, Kigali Province.

Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village

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Gorilla garden village formerly known as Iby’iwacu cultural village is located in Musanze district. This is a community based organization situated a few kilometers from Volcanoes National Park, one of the best destination for gorilla tours in Africa. It was established in 2005 to help conserve mountain gorillas through improving the livelihoods of people who live and depend on the natural forests. Iby’iwacu village is visited in the afternoon after gorilla trekking. The cultural tour introduces you to the traditional Rwandan culture and village lifestyle. Visitors participate in demonstrations like dressing as traditional king/ queen, taking part in traditional Maraba dance, grinding millet or sorghum, bow and arrow shooting, gardening etc.

Most importantly, proceeds go direct to support families. Projects that change lives of people like reformed poachers include agriculture support like goat rearing, improving health, clean water and education facilities, art and craft making like basket weaving.

Nyamirambo Womens Center

cultural tourism in rwanda

This is a women’s social enterprise offering cultural experience to support women in tourism development in Rwanda. The center offers a souvenir shop, outdoor cooking class that introduces you to the traditional Rwandan dishes and lifestyles.

Nyamirambo is multicultural village with people of different religions such as Muslims, Anglican and catholic. The most fascinating site is the Nyamirambo mosque and Nyamirambo food market. There’s also an eco-lodge nearby offering accommodation for visitors who want to sleep and have more time to go on the Nyamirambo walking tour. This tour takes you through the village markets, street art scenes and local food shops.

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Home » Culture and Heritage in Rwanda

Culture and Heritage in Rwanda

Culture and Heritage in Rwanda:  Rwanda is one of the tour destinations that have a rich culture to sell. The cultural tourism in Rwanda is a strong one and has been fully facilitated by the local people of Rwanda offering the experience. Rwanda’s cultural and heritage sector is majorly divided into 3 categories that are the fashion and style category, the Museums and the Art Galleries category and the festivals and events category.

Culture and Heritage in Rwanda

All these categories have a great element of Rwanda’s culture and heritage in a sense of what they offer the visitors interested in this. Rwandans over the years have adapted with the western culture and amalgamated their sense of fashion and style. Designers from Rwanda have gotten accustomed to making clothes that are fused with both the western and Rwandan style. This has been well executed by the fashion designers of Rwanda who keep busy with the trends on a daily basis. Their designs have been known to clearly depict the rich sense of style with beadwork and patterns of the Rwandan heritage. Rwanda shares these designs and styles with the world on fashion shows of the Kigali Fashion week and the Rwanda Cultural Fashion week held annually for a whole week showcasing different Rwandan designers on many international platforms.

Rwanda also teamed up with Arsenal a renowned football team with a slogan of “ Visit Rwanda ” printed on their shirts and had a few of the team players to create a few designs using the accessories from leading fashion designers of Rwanda. When on your Rwanda safari , you can also make your own customized outfit at any of the designers’ showrooms. A few of the names in the fashion industry you can look out for are Haute Baso, Rwanda clothing, Moshions, Inzuki designs, House of Tayo, K’tsobe, Uzi collections to mention but a few. 

A number of Festivals and events have been held to promote the culture of Rwanda like the famous Kwita Izina baby gorilla naming ceremony held in Volcanoes national park with an aim of promoting conservation in the region. Attenders of this function engage in a weeklong series of activities in line with the mountain gorillas, meeting the rangers and a number of stakeholders of the tourism in the region. 

cultural tourism in rwanda

There is also the Kigali Up festival where music from all over the world is brought to the Kigali stage since it first started in 2011 and has so far become the biggest music festival in the country and the Rwanda Film festival where the movies from all over the world with Africa inclusive are showcased every July annually for 10 years now. This festival is held in Kigali but a mobile cinema to move to other towns and villages is set up. 

Rwanda’s culture and heritage is also dominated by the cultural villages in different spots of the country for example the Kigali Cultural village that is a set up space to show the local producers’ products both artifacts and food stuffs and also trade them to people visiting the cultural village. This Rwanda Cultural village also holds a number of workshops, events and festivals besides the daily showcase thus Culture and Heritage in Rwanda. 

The museums and the Art galleries are part of the cultural and heritage establishments of Rwanda and this small country has a big number of these. Rwanda has 6 museums that make up the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda. These museums all have different history lines to share. These museums of Rwanda are home to some of the oldest and most treasured artifacts from the years earlier.

The most visited museums are the Kigali Genocide memorial where 250,000 victims of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide are buried and the Butare museum that is found in Butare town enroute from Kigali and Nyungwe forest national. The other museums are Ethnographic museum which was previously known as the National museum, the King’s Palace that can be visited enroute between Kigali and Nyungwe forest national park, the Rwanda Art Museum that has a show case of both Rwandan and modern art pieces, the Kand’t House Museum which focuses on showing the old Rwanda under colonial rule and the new Rwanda and finally the Museum of the Environment that is based near the lake Kivu and the major focus is on conservation and protection of the environment and its natural resources. 

While on your Rwanda safari , be sure to integrate some Rwanda cultural center visits for a greater insight in the way of the native Rwandans, their beliefs and norms. Visit the Iby’iwachu cultural center while in Volcanoes national park Rwanda and join the dancers on the Intore dance, the traditional dance of the Rwandan people, dress up in Omushanana which is the cultural wear for Rwandans. You will also see a number of photos of the ancient Rwandan people with their cultural hair style known as the Amasunzu that was worn by both the men and women. Notice the artisanal crafts all over the place that you can purchase from the Kimironko market as a souvenoir. 

Rwandan people every last Saturday of the month hold a function all over the country called the Umuganda where all Rwandans come together and work towards bettering their country, sweep the streets, clean up as one on charity basis. All shops are closed, public transport is halted, personal errands are put on hold for this ceremony and this has proved to be a good idea after Rwanda has been recognized as the cleanest country in Africa. 

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Home » Travel Blog » Cultural Tourism in Rwanda

Cultural Tourism in Rwanda

Rwanda’s culture is undoubtedly the most interesting on the African continent. Unlike most of African states, Rwanda is a unified state dating back to the pre-colonial times. It is occupied by Banyarwanda a group of people who share the same values and language. There are three groups of people though sharing the same language and culture, the Hutu, Tutsi and the Twa. Rwanda’s music, dance and craft are a back bone to their cultural heritage identifying their unique nature from the rest of Africa.

Traditional dance

This is Rwanda’s remarkable cultural performance in a long period performed wearing grass wigs and clutching spears. Intore is a local word meaning “Chosen Ones” who used to perform for the royal courts. The dancers are seen jumping high as they roll their hands that look boneless. The Ingoma (Drums) are played to provide the African rhythm that the dancers follow as another group claps and sing for the dancers. This beautiful dance can be seen in most cultural villages and lodges in Rwanda by many cultural groups and the locals.

Art and Crafts

Baskets are weaved by the locals and are used to store food and medicines by the locals. The dry containers weaved are also used as gifts during the traditional ceremonies especially wedding to the couples. Pottery is also Rwanda’s old culture and the Batwa pottery skills are still used to design in many towns in Rwanda. The pots made are also used for cooking and storing food in some areas of this country.

Umuganda is a local word meaning “Giving a hand”, the people come together to work together for the good of the entire community. It is no wonder Rwanda is one of the cleanest country across Africa. This exercise happens every las Saturday of the month where all the shops and businesses are closed, buses are stopped on all the roads. Some of the activities done this day include litter pickup in all your neighborhood, tree planting and sometimes building houses for the needy people in your community.

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Rwanda Cultural Attractions

Cultural attractions found in rwanda.

The institute of national museum is working extremely hard to search and research on the many cultural sites as a way of protecting, identifying and promoting them for cultural tourism. Below are some of the sites which are located in the eastern province.

Utubindi twa Rubona

This is a cultural site which is located 4 km from the main road of Kayonza Nyagatere in the Tubindi village, Rubona cell, Kizunguro sector in Gatsibo district. The site lies within Rubona primary school and it’s made like a cluster of seven excavations which are shaped like clay pots without rims and necks. Even though their size is different, these pits are the same and it’s a clay pot shaped form thus the name Utubindi which is a Kinyarwanda name meaning small pots. Incase this name is translated, it will be the small pots of Rubona.

These pots were excavated by King Ruganzu 11 Ndoli on his way from Karagwe. When his men arrived there, they were thisty and could not trace any water source around. And skillful Ruganzu used his magic spear and excavated the pits and started drinking water from them. The pits also have Ruganzu’s foot prints and bow trace.

rwanda dancers

Urutare Rwa Ngarama

This is also a cultural site which is located in the Ngarama sectorin Gatsibo district. It’s about 20 km from the place called “Mu byapa bya Ngarama” along the main road to Kigali Nyagatare. The local people in this area call it “ Ibare rya Ngarama” being the stone in Urukiga language. This is also an impressive rock which covers a surface area of about 3 hectares on which the features are attributed to a historical figure, King Ruganzu Ndoli. The features here include; foot prints and an area when hit using a stone or metal resonates. The local people here believe that these featires have been fixed there by Ruganzu and have remained as a sign of his incredible knowledge and greatness.

The other people attribute the features to a mythical hero Ngarama who is believed to have killed Saruhara hatched from Nkomokomo.. Saruhara was so powerful and had long ravaged the region before he got killed by Ngarama.

Ryamurari is the name of the site and is located in Bufunda village in Nyagatare district. It’s about 50 hectares and is on top of the hill of Mukama. It consists of three large earth work structures and a stone cut reservoir. Rwamurari was the capital of Ndorwa kingdom before it was added to Rwanda.

The site was investigated in 1970s and was occupied in the middle of 17 th century and again re occupied around 1900 AD. The remains found here include; cattle bones and dung suggesting that the inhabitants were cattle keepers. There was a number of grinding stones which showed that along animal husbandry, the inhabitants practiced agriculture.

This site is one of the main archaeological sites in great lakes region and remains a common feature in both Rwanda’s oral traditions and also archaeology. It also has another name called Mu Bitabo bya Gahaya which is in Kinyarwanda and it means a clay curved shape that was constructed before the entrance of a traditional hut. The name also means a place which was inhabited by a great person called Gahaya. The oral tradition associate the earth work structures on top with a swampy depression with salty water located on its foot. It’s also believed that the depression was a trough for the cattle of the king who had constructed the earth works.

Mimuri site is also located near the mimuri market in Nyagatare district. The site is a cluster of five houses were by three of them are circular and the 2 are trapezoid forms. These were built with metal sheets by King Mutara 111during early 1950s. The region of Umutara was a savannah wood land and a hunting place throughout the kingdom period. Rudahigwa liked hunting and this was also a tradition for the Rwandan monarchs to go around their kingdoms, for contemplating it, populace and meeting chiefs.

The house were constructed and used as hunting camp and meeting lace with the rest of the population as well as local chiefs. The site also reflects early Rudahigwa’s aspiration of development and modernity as seen through the materials that he used while constructing. More the architectural designs which include the chimneys for warming up the people during the trading gatherings in the evening.

The richness of Rwanda’s heritage and history is very important and creates an identity of any nation in the world. Rwanda as a country has got rich history that dates back to the colonial and post-colonial as well as kingdoms. This has been explored to be able to attract local and foreign tourism in the country. The country has many museums which continue to explain its past and below are some of them.

Ethnographic museum (Former national museum of Rwanda)

The former national museum of Rwanda was turned into the ethnographic museum which was started in 1989 and is located in Huye. Before that, the national museum was the only museum in Rwanda and it has the finest ethnographic and archaeological collections in east Africa with over 10,000 artefacts. These show monochrome photographs which show the insights of pre-colonial life styles and the subsequent development of Rwanda into a modern state. This museum also tells the social and cultural aspects of Rwanda were you can find the famous aspects of culture of this country.

National Arts Museum Rwesero

It’s located across the valley from the museum of Rwandan Ancient History as well as Nyanza Royal palace, this museum displays contemporary artwork which also shows the originality of Rwandan creativity, national, tradition as well history. The pieces also show the originality of Rwanda’s rich history as well as creativity.it was also built as a palace of king Mutara 111and passed away even before occupying it.

The museum of Rwanda Ancient History

This museum was once the residence of King Mutara Rudahingwa and sits at Rukari near the royal palace. The palace has been restored and it offers a back ground of Rwandan life as it was in the past days. At the neighbouring hill of Mwima, king Mutara as well as his wife were buried. At the museum, there is a traditional house, and a thatched hut which is an imitation of the king ‘palace. The palace differed from the other home steads and his house had three separate poles on which the roof rests.

Later, when the Belgian colonial masters came to Rwanda, they changed all these traditional life styles of the kings and constructed the king a new house which is now the museum that displays Rwanda’s history from the 15 th century. Both the museum of Rwanda history and Rwesero Arts museum are located 2km outside Nyanza town in the southern province. The other important aspects of Rwanda’s culture is the cow and milk that symbolise the culture of Rwanda people.

The Museum of Natural History

The museum is located in Nyarugenge district with in the capital city of Rwanda. It’s known as the house of Kandt since it was a residence which was once occupied by German scientist, Dr Richard Kandt. It was turned into a museum of natural history since Richard was the first German imperial resident in Rwanda and this museum was homage to his work. The German government handed over the site and its art facts to Rwandan government on January 2013.

Rwanda is yet to launch other museums and some of these will include; the presidential palace in Kanombe in Kigali, and the environmental museum in Karogi as well as the liberation.

All the above described places and museums have an outstanding value and are unique cultural heritage sites to Rwanda. Visiting them is a good opportunity of reaching some of the unique corners of Rwanda with its beauty, mythology, history, culture as well as gaining new insights about the culture of Rwanda.

The Royal residence of King Mutara 111 Rudahigwa

The residence was built by Belgium in 1931, the colonial style home served as the royal palace of King Mutara until he died. Unfortunately, all the gifts as well as furniture that he received from the visiting dignitaries were stolen during the genocide of 1994. This home is still interesting with its peculiarities which include; three sitting rooms which was for receiving the visitors. Mutara was also the first Mwami to convert to Catholicism and was so liked by the Belgians that once thanked Jesus Christ to having given Rwanda the divine light of Belgian colonial administration its science of good government.

It’s based in Nyanza, which is 88km south of Kigali city, it offers a detailed look into Rwandan Traditional seat of their monarchy, and this is also an impressive museum which was restored in the 19 th century and made entirely with its traditional materials. The long horned cows which are known as Inyambo were recently introduced because they an integral part of Rwandan culture. On the nearby hill of Mwima, you can as well visit the burial grounds of King Mutara 111 and his wife Queen Rosalie Gicanda.

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Rwanda Gorilla Trekking » Information » Rwanda Cultural Heritage Corridor

Rwanda Cultural Heritage Corridor

Rwanda Cultural Heritage Corridor:    Rwanda is one of the countries in the world where tourists can trek mountain gorillas, but many tourists forget to explore the unique culture of the Rwandese people. The Rwandan cultural heritage corridor can be found in the southern part of the country where you can find a lot about Rwanda’s cultural values and historical information. Some of the iconic places to visit in the Cultural heritage corridor are:

Rwanda Cultural Heritage Corridor

Ijuru rya Kamonyi

This place is translated in English as “Heavens of Kamonyi” this historical site is located in Kamonyi district of Rwanda , This place is a famous home to about 13 Rwandan kings the guides will take you through the history and impacts of each king giving you an insight to Rwandese traditions and beliefs. The place is found on top of the hill and gives clear views of most districts it also used to be a place where kings would strategize their armies.

Explore mount Huye

The top of the magnificent mount Huye was home to a woman who was known as Nyagacecuru, she managed to establish her own kingdom until she was defeated by King Ruganzu II and this was in the 16 th century.

Visit Amasuka ya papa

The word “ Amasuka ya papa” is translated in the local word to mean “the holy hoes”. This place is located in Muhanga district of Rwanda. The name of the place was got when Pope John Paul visited in 1990 and declared a message “let the land be fertile and produce as much food as possible” .

Kamageris rock

The Kamageris rock is found in Ruhango district, a man called Kamageris was burnt on this rock after he requested the king to burn the rock until it was red hot and then criminals can be thrown in the hot blaze. The king believed that his chief officer was so cruel and ordered that Kamegeri gets burnt on the rock.

This place was named after the Queen mother of the two last Rwandan kings, she was called Kakanzi Lodeguonde famously known for her very kind heart and giving characters. Its said that she welcomed everyone to her palace and also allowed people to fetch water from the tap outside her palace.

Explore Nyanza town

Nyanza town in Rwanda has got fascinating history, this is where the Kings place museum is also found together with the National art gallery. At the Kings palace museum tourism can participate in the Rwandese culture by becoming King for a day with lots of exhibitions about the Kings palace you can learn about.

There are also other cultural places you can visit in Rwanda like the Iby Iwachu cultural village where you get soaked in the Rwandese culture with performances from local traditional dancers.

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Rwanda Heritage Hub

Rwanda Heritage Hub is a new ICCROM long-term regional initiative. The goal is to create economic value, invest in social and human capital, and foster innovation and creativity within the heritage sector in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the aspirations of the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Through our Heritage Hubs we seek to connect the younger generation and youth organizations with strategies and initiatives that will make Africa’s heritage a source of economic and social opportunity for their benefit.

Heritage Hub Rwanda

Rwanda is rich in cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible. At the same time, its creative industries are expanding and gaining recognition. Over the last decade, the country's growing economy has helped boost its cultural tourism. However, to ensure long-term economic and social development and safeguard Rwanda's cultural heritage, a more holistic approach is needed.

Our Approach

Established in partnership with the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy (RCHA), the Rwanda Heritage Hub (RHH) is a knowledge and training center, which focuses on the promotion of cultural heritage and creative industries as sectors for youth employment and job creation. The scope of RHH's activities is wide, and it encompasses engaging youth in museum and heritage sites management, development of cultural creative industries, cultural tourism, archives and library services. Besides, RHH specializes in building entrepreneurship skills and advancing digital literacy among youth in the cultural heritage sector.

Activities and Themes

Heritage Hub Rwanda

Heritage-related business development

RHH will encourage Rwandan youth to develop products and business models including digital communication platforms, video games, research tools and other solutions for cultural heritage and related sectors. The best projects are awarded on an annual basis.

Capacity building and training

Capacity building activities of RHH include training programmes in heritage management, cultural tourism, and digital literacy skills, each of them tailored for different target audiences. To support these activities RHH will host two internships and two research fellowships annually.

Communications platforms

To promote heritage awareness, special emphasis is made on communicating the value of culture through events, gatherings, festivals, social media campaigns and web platforms.

  • Raise awareness and sensitize youth about Rwanda’s cultural heritage and unlock the opportunities it offers to young people.
  • Position cultural heritage and creative industries as prospective sectors for employment and income generation by promoting heritage-related entrepreneurship.
  • Strengthen capacities of young heritage practitioners in Rwanda with an emphasis on digital technologies.

Expected outcomes

  • 20 heritage practitioners gaining digital literacy skill
  • 30 young professionals gaining digital literacy skills
  • 50 young professionals trained in the incubation laboratory
  • 6 new heritage-related business ideas being incubated
  • 10 events organized at district level
  • 8 museum and virtual exhibitions
  • 4 internships
  • 4 junior fellowships

Heritage Hub Rwanda

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Amasunzu is a traditional Rwandan hairstyle that was once worn by men and women. The unique style is created by cutting some of the hair sideways and braiding the top. A person who had this hairstyle was identified as powerful, noble, prestigious and brave. Amasunzu hairstyle made a come back in 2018 when Lupita Nyong™o wore it on the red carpet at the Oscar. Visit the king’s Palace and the Ethnographic Museum to learn more about Rwanda’s cultural heritage.

cultural tourism in rwanda

Intore Dancing

The finest displays of Rwanda™s dynamic traditional musical and dance styles are performed by the Intore Dance Troupes. Founded several centuries ago, the Intore, (The Chosen Ones) who performed exclusively for the Royal Court, were given military training and taught the technique of jumping which forms a significant part of the dance. Performed wearing grass wigs and clutching spears this dance is a true spectacle of Rwanda.

Live dance performances can be seen at cultural villages, museums and as entertainment at many lodges and hotels across Rwanda. The Gorilla Guardians village in Musanze, and the National Museum of Rwanda have regular performances.

cultural tourism in rwanda

Artisanal Crafts

Weaving and basket making is a traditional art still used today to make dry containers for storing food and medicines. These are also known as peace pots and had traditional values such as to commemorate weddings or as a welcome gift.

Pottery is one of the oldest forms of art in Rwanda and can still be seen in many towns today using traditional Batwa techniques. Known for its good quality clay these potteries are still widely used for cooking and storing liquids.

cultural tourism in rwanda

A distinctively Rwandan craft is the Imigongo or cow dung paintings that are produced by a local co-operative in the village of Nyakarambi near the border with Tanzania. Dominated by black, brown and white whirls and other geometric shapes, these unique and earthy works can be bought in craft markets throughout the country.

cultural tourism in rwanda

Translated from Kinyarwanda as œcoming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome, Umuganda is when Rwandans from all walks of life come together to work for the good of their neighbourhoods and their nation as a whole. The last Saturday of every month, shops are closed, buses stop running, traffic disappears from the roads, and Rwandans set aside their personal business for the morning and contribute their efforts to public works projects around the country, which can include litter cleanup, tree planting, building houses for the vulnerable, and more. The social and economic benefits of Umuganda are easy for all to see (Rwanda isn™t the cleanest country in Africa by accident!), and whether or not you have special skills to contribute, all visitors are warmly invited to take part; given the range of projects addressed through Umuganda, you™re sure to find one to fit your interests.

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Cultural Tourism

The Historical and Cultural sites; Genocide Museums in Rwanda

Rwanda comprises of three tribes namely, the Hutu, Tutsi and the Twa. The former colonial power, Germany, lost the possession of Rwanda during the First World War and the territory was placed under the Belgian administration. The history of Rwanda is so long but full of unrest accompanied by blood shade; remember the recent 1994 civil war that turned into the Genocide.

Genocide Memorial Museums; it’s also truth to urge that some of the present genocide memorial sites are as a result of blood shade evidenced by the thousands of skeletons laid to rest in the museum. The killing of the Habyarimana was the catalyst for the eruption of the 1994 genocide, in which many Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed.

The Tutsi RPF conquered Rwanda, and there was counter genocide of the Hutus by the Tutsis. Many of the Hutus fled as refugees, contributing to large refugee camps of the Hutus in the nearby DRC, where there were already refugees from other countries. At the end of the war, many genocide memorial centers cropped up and among them include; Gisozi genocide memorial museum that is located in the heart of Kigali city, it is easily accessed and most visited. The other genocide museums include; Nyamata, Mulambi, Ntarama, Kigali as well as Bisesero as well as Nyarubuye.

The Iby ‘iwacu cultural Village; this is one of the major cultural sites in Rwanda and is located in northern Rwanda near volcanoes National Park. The center shows Rwanda culture through Art and crafts, traditional clothes, cultural demonstrations, hunting attires among others. At the site, the visitors are taught Rwandan skills of dressing, skills in Art and crafts, singing among others.

This cultural center was set to enable local communities also share from tourism cake to enable locals earn a living and stop them from poaching. Therefore, the presence of Ibyiwacu cultural centre has not only led to the development of the local communities and has played a bigger role in the preservation of the wildlife including mountain gorillas, birds, golden monkeys and many more.

The presidential palace museum is also located in Kanombe in Kigali City which is about 2kms from Kigali international Airport. This served as home to Juvenal Habyarimana and Pasteur Bizimungu during the 1970s up to the late 1990s.  The Presidential Palace Museum is one of the new museums in Kigali. It gives visitors a chance to visit the former state house as well as gain an overview of Rwanda’s history; one can also visit some of the flight debris of the FALCON 50 presidential plane that went down on 6th April 1994.

The King’s Palace Museum; located in Rukari in Nyanza province 88km from Kigali city. It was the residence of King Mutara III Rudahigwa and the Royal Palace that was traditionally built. The Museum brings out an excellent picture of Rwanda traditional monarchy – the site was restored in 19 th century and the recently Long Horned cows called “Inyambo” were introduced to the King’s palace because they are part of Rwanda couture. On the neighboring hill of Mwima, one can also visit the burial grounds of King Mutara III and his wife Queen Rosalie Gicanda.

There is also the museum of national History; this is known as the Kandt house. Its located 10kms from Kigali international Airport. It was named after Dr. Richard Kandt, a German explore and a doctor to appreciate his work of initiating the setting of the museum. The Natural History Museum aims at explaining the richness of Rwanda’s Nature. The idea being that it is only through the knowledge of the nature we live in that our behavior and understanding will change. This museum showcases many specimens and replica of the natural wonders of the country.

The Environment museum; it’s the only and also the first of this kind in Africa. It focuses mainly on environmental preservation. The first emphasis was put on energy produced in Rwanda and in the rest of the world and the role energy plays in an ever changing environment.

The Rwanda National Museum; this is the most known and the major ethnographic and archaeological collections in East Africa with more than 10,000 artifacts. It’s located in Huye and was inaugurated on September 18 th 1989.

The Rwesero Arts Museum; it’s situated on Rwesero hill in Nyanza province. It was built as palace for king Mutara 111 Rudahigwa, but he never had the time to move in it he dies before occupying it and was converted into an art museum. It’s situated at the top of the Rwesero hill in the city of Nyanza. The Art Museum is linked to the Olympic Academy, the cultural center, the sports museum and the stadiums of sports.

There is also the Museum of Rwandan Ancient History; the museum shows art works which justifies the creativity of Rwandans, its located 2km from the Nyanza town.

Lastly is the Ethnographic museum which is located in Huye region and its 132kms south of Kigali- Rwanda’s capital city. The museum was built in 1987 and now houses one of Africa’s finest ethnographic collections. It has seven galleries that display historical, ethnographic, and artistic and the archaeological artifacts that are accompanied by visual aids, giving the visitors rich insights into Rwanda’s culture.

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Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy (RCHA) is a non commercial Public Institution established in 2020 merging 3 institutions that were recently removed namely: Rwanda Academy of Language and Culture, Institute of National Museums of Rwanda and Rwanda Archives and library Services.

Telephone: 0783379597

E-mail: [email protected]

Twitter: @IntekoyUmuco

Location: Southern province, Huye District SH 1 RD2

Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy has 19 responsibilities listed below:

1º to safeguard and promote the culture and the Ikinyarwanda language;

2º to collect, preserve and exhibit objects of national cultural heritage, natural heritage and history;

3º to search for, acquire, process, preserve works, public and private documents which have national value and make them accessible to the public;

4º to conduct research on the culture, the Ikinyarwanda language, objects and sites of Rwanda’s heritage, archives and works;

5º conserve, exhibit and publish findings on the culture, the Ikinyarwanda language, objects and sites of Rwanda’s heritage, archives and works;

6º to implement Government policy and strategies promoting the culture, the Ikinyarwanda language, archives and library services;

7º to contribute to development and implementation of specific educational programmes on the culture, the heritage, the Ikinyarwanda language and history of Rwanda;

8º to contribute to the promotion of artistic creations, literature and crafts based on the culture;

9º to encourage the private sector and various organs to exploit opportunities offered by national culture, thehistory, the cultural and natural heritage to promote the national economy;

10º to prepare requirements to establish a museum, archives and libraries, support private museums, monitor their operations and provide advice;

11º to approve the appropriate use of the Ikinyarwanda language at all levels;

12º to prevent the disappearance of dialects of the Ikinyarwanda language used in the Country;

13º to approve fundamental principles of the Rwandan culture as a source and pillar of sustainable development;

14. To enrich the Ikinyarwanda language for its use in all areas of knowledge;

14º to enrich the Ikinyarwanda language for its use in all areas of knowledge;

15º to approve Rwandan cultural standards and values and show theirrole in proper knowledge and behaviour for a Rwandan;

16º to issue instructions relating to the management of records and works to be retained and disposed of and monitor their implementation;

17º to promote reading and writing culture;

18º to establish national standards and guidelines to follow for art works, offering international standards book number for records to be published, provide permission where necessary, for literature, artistic creations and crafts based on the culture;

19º to search for and inform competent organs about objects of cultural and natural heritage unlawfully exported or kept beyond the designated time abroad for their repatriation to Rwanda. 

Administration and Management

Amb. Robert Masozera

- Director General

Ambassador Robert M. MASOZERA was appointed the Director General of Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy (INTEKO Y’UMUCO) on 11 November, 2020.   The mission of this academy is to preserve national heritage and safeguard the national language (KINYARWANDA), the culture and its values as a foundation of national unity and dignity. In this capacity, he is responsible for Rwanda's museums and historical sites, national archives and library services, cultural creative industries and cultural tourism.  He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Rwandan National Commission for UNESCO, which provides expert analysis and policy advice to the Rwandan government on UNESCO-related issues, and at the same time serves as the focal point for the UNESCO World Heritage Convention in Rwanda.

Prior to this appointment, he was the Director General of the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda (INMR) since October 2016.

Previously, he was Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the Kingdom of Belgium and Permanent Representative to the European Union (2011-2015) and Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of Rwanda in Germany (2000-2007). This gave him extensive experience in diplomacy and foreign affairs in his country, Rwanda.

MASOZERA holds a Master's degree in Political Science, International Relations and Journalism and Communication Sciences from the University of Vienna, Austria, obtained in 1999.  He has also participated in various executive training courses and seminars in diplomacy, communication and administration. He speaks English, French, Germany, Kiswahili and his native language Kinyarwanda.

His expertise is wide-ranging and covers fields as diverse as culture and heritage, diplomacy, international cooperation, communication and public relations, mass mobilization, foreign affairs, security, economic and trade issues. Robert MASOZERA is married and has 2 children.

Jean-Claude Uwiringiyimana

- Deputy Director General in charge of Language, Culture Preservation and Promotion

Mr Jean-Claude Uwiringiyimana was born in Rwanda on August 3 rd , 1974. He is the Deputy Director General in charge of Language, Culture Preservation and Promotion since November 2020.

Prior to his appointment, he occupied different positions:  Lecturer at University of Rwanda, College of Arts and Social Sciences (December 2005-November 2020); Assistant Lecturer (January 2002-December 2005), Head of Department of African Languages and Culture (2005-2007), Appointed  Chairperson of University Task Force for Arts and Culture (January 2002- June 2004), Director of the University Center of Arts and Drama (September 2002- June 2004) at the former National University of Rwanda; Producer and presenter of artistic and cultural TV shows on Rwandan Television: Igitaramo, Umurage w’u Rwanda, Urubuga rw’Abahanzi (October 2000- January 2002). He is also an experienced playwright, storyteller and filmmaker.

Jean-Claude Uwiringiyimana holds a Master’s Degree majoring in Texts, Languages and Cultures from Université de Limoges (France) (2004-2005),  a Bachelor Honours in African Languages and Literature from the National University of Rwanda (1996-2000) and a Certificate in Film Directing   from Ecole de Cinéma et de Télévision de Québec (Canada) (CINECOURS, 2005). Prior to his appointment, he was pursuing his PhD by research in Film Studies at Kenyatta University (Kenya). 

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Rwanda reviews its policies and measures to promote the cultural and creative industries

cultural tourism in rwanda

In the framework of the   2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, UNESCO is supporting the Government of Rwanda with the preparation of its second Periodic Report on the implementation of the 2005 Convention using a participatory policy monitoring approach to review the impact of its National Cultural Heritage Policy and measures undertaken to support the cultural and creative industries sector in Rwanda.

Information sharing and transparency stands at the heart of the UNESCO 2005 Convention. Upon ratification, countries commit to submit every four years “ periodic reports ” on the policies and measures they have adopted, and challenges encountered in implementing the Convention. These reports are key instruments for civil society to engage with government officials in assessing progress made to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions.

The Government of Rwanda ratified the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions in 2012, and submitted its first Periodic Report to UNESCO in 2017, which was completed with the cooperation of a national team and two international experts as part of a UNESCO project financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation ( SIDA ).

For their second report, the Rwandan National Commission for UNESCO has established a multi-stakeholder national team of 30 people to be led by a local consultant, Dr. Cannisius Ruterana, over a three-month period starting in August 2020 in order to finalize the report by the 1 November 2020 deadline. Rwanda’s national team includes representatives of different sub-sectors of the culture and arts, including stakeholders who participated in the drafting of the country’s first periodic report in 2016 as well as a small team from the core partner institutions, including: Rwanda Academy of Language and Culture ( RALC ), Rwanda National Commission for UNESCO ( CNRU ), Rwandan Ministry of Youth and Culture ( MYCULTURE ), National Museum of Rwanda ( INMR ), Rwanda Arts Council ( RAC ), Rwanda Arts Initiative ( RAI ), and Ishyo Arts Centre ( ISHYO ).

“UNESCO is please to support Rwanda, once again, with the preparation of their Periodic Report using an inclusive and participatory approach,” said Ms. Ann Therese Ndong-Jatta, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa.  “The key findings of Rwanda’s report will be included in the next UNESCO Global Report “ Re|Shaping Cultural Policies ”, which provides an analysis of trends, best practices, and recommendations as well as evidence of how the 2005 Convention implementation process contributes to attaining the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals,” she added.

For more information on the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, see: https://en.unesco.org/creativity/convention.

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Mission Africa Safaris

Cultural Attractions in Rwanda

Are you planning a cultural tour in Rwanda? Well, read more. Known as a country of a thousand hills, Rwanda is one of the most fascinating countries to visit in Africa. Whereas gorilla trekking is the most popular tourist attraction in Rwanda, the country is not all about apes. Rwanda is an excellent destination for mountain hiking, game drives, biking, nature walks and cultural tours. The cultural practices of the indigenous people were passed on from one generation to another through cultural ceremonies, language, stories, dressing style and a kingdom that has now been abolished.

Cultural heritage sites in Rwanda

Modernization, the introduction of the western culture, intermarriages and immigration has changed the lifestyle of the people of Rwanda. Many Rwandan nationals fled the country during the 1960’s and 1990’s to settle in neighboring countries. They now live a mixed lifestyle even after returning to the country. In an attempt to preserve the culture of the Banyarwanda, the government and individuals have invested in cultural sites that will remain a constant reminder of the important cultural norms and values of the people.

Cultural attractions Rwanda

We will be discussing the major cultural sites in Rwanda and activities in the country in the next chapters. You will note that most of the tourist attractions in Rwanda also have cultural elements. For more information about the cultural sites in Rwanda, read our article about the top things to do in Kigali . You might also get more information from our 1 day Kigali tour package.

Cultural tours in Rwanda

Cultural tourism sites in Rwanda

While at the Iby’iwacu Cultural Center, tourists can enjoy watching how the Batwa pygmies hunted, traditional Intore dancers, learn how to cook Kinyarwanda dinner or enjoy traditional beer. There is also an opportunity to dress like a King or Queen and live in a thatched palace.

Apart from learning how a typical Kinyarwanda homestead was arranged, the Village offers tourists a chance to learn about the role it has played in wildlife conservation and particularly ending poaching in the Volcanoes National Park. The Batwa performers once lived inside the volcanoes National Park. They would lay snares to catch antelopes, birds and other forest creatures. After experiencing all that is showcased inside the site, you can join others and go for a community walk in the nearby homesteads.

Cultural safaris in Rwanda

Urutare Rwa Ngarama: This large rock is found in the district of Gatsibo. The rock has distinct features and is believed to have been created to King Ruganzu Ndoli. Ruganzu was an ancient king in Rwanda. According to the local legend, King Ruganzu placed magic features on the rock allowing it to vibrate when hit by a stone, metal or when a human foot touched it. The King was thought to wield mystical powers that he used to control his subjects.

Rwanda cultural tourism

Nyamata Genocide Memorial: Nyamata is one of the most visited genocide memorial sites. About 10,000 people had entered the Nyamata Catholic church hoping that the killers would have mercy on them. Instead, grenades were thrown at them or to open the doors and after which everyone was shot/hacked to death. A guided tour around the site takes you inside the church to see bullet holes, bloodstained clothes and more. After touring inside the church, visitors are taken to an outside mass grave where the people were buried.

Cultural tourism Rwanda

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Belinda Mateega

Rwanda’s Economic Performance Strengthened in 2023 Despite Continued Challenges

Kigali, February 28, 2024 - Rwanda’s economy grew at 7.6% in the first three quarters of 2023 despite a challenging global environment and the recent floods that destroyed agricultural produce and infrastructure in April-May 2023. This is according to the 22 nd edition of the Rwanda Economic Update (REU): Mobilizing Domestic Savings to Boost the Private Sector in Rwanda . The report adds that the services sector, sustained domestic demand, and the rebound of the industrial sector, contributed to the robust growth and the positive economic trajectory.

Rwanda successfully balanced inflation control, managed external deficits, and ensured fiscal prudence, showcasing a resilient financial sector, notes the REU. Despite widening external deficits and the depreciation of the Rwandan franc, fiscal responsibility was maintained, with prudent fiscal management strategies in place. The banking sector remained stable and profitable, contributing to economic resilience.

“Rwanda’s economy showcased resilience and adaptability, achieving a robust growth rate in 2023, amidst a series of challenging external and domestic factors,” s aid Peace Aimee Niyibizi, World Bank Country Economist for Rwanda. “ The World Bank encourages the country to pursue its prudent fiscal management by reducing non-essential spending and prioritizing investment in human capital.”

According to the REU, GDP growth is expected to regain momentum in 2024–26, with a projected average growth of 7.2%. Optimism stems from the anticipated recovery in global tourism, new construction projects, and increased manufacturing activities. Fiscal consolidation will continue, focusing on reducing subsidies, overseeing state-owned enterprises, and introducing tax policy measures to broaden the revenue base.

This outlook is, however, subject to significant risks including disruptions to the global economy, trade, and lower availability of concessional resources. On the domestic front, frequent weather-related shocks could result in a decrease in food production, and higher food prices, negatively impacting poor households.

The report, whose special focus is on the private sector, underscores the critical link between private sector investment growth and domestic savings capacity, which is presently limited. Despite notable achievements in savings mobilization, Rwanda's savings rates lag other East African countries, impacting financial resources for businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.

“ Though Rwanda has achieved notable strides in enhancing savings mobilization - as evidenced by a marked rise in financial inclusion and introduction of the innovative long-term savings programs - there are several levers that can be pulled to stimulate further domestic savings, which is fundamental in supporting the investment and growth necessary for achieving Rwanda’s aspiration,” said Sahr Kpundeh, World Bank Country Manager for Rwanda.

The REU suggests strategies to boost domestic savings, including the implementation of subsidies and incentives, educational programs promoting the benefits of saving, and a comprehensive policy approach. Encouraging customer-centric product development, leveraging digital financial literacy programs, and engaging the Rwandan diaspora are key interventions for effective savings mobilization.

The World Bank in Rwanda

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  1. Cultural Tourism in Rwanda

    A cultural safari in Rwanda will enable you interact with the local community, learn more about Rwanda's people, their history traditions and customs. By taking a cultural tour, you will also embrace the development of responsible tourism in Rwanda and as wll support the local communities; The culture of Rwanda is varied.

  2. 10 Less Known Cultural Sites to Visit in Rwanda

    Ryamurari. It's among the prominent archaeological sites in Rwanda. It offers the remains of the famous archeology and oral traditions of the Rwandan culture. Ryamurari site is located in Bufunda Village, Bufunda Cell, Mukama Sector in Nyagatare District. It is situated on top of the hill known as Mukama which stretches on about 50 acres.

  3. Cultural Sites & Attractions in Rwanda

    Known as a country of a thousand hills, Rwanda is one of the most fascinating countries to visit in Africa. Whereas gorilla trekking is the most popular tourist attraction in Rwanda, the country is not all about apes. Rwanda is an excellent destination for mountain hiking, game drives, biking, nature walks and cultural tours. The

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    Arsenal Players and Rwandan Music. Though it would have been a pipe dream some years ago, today Kigali is cosmopolitan enough to host not one, but two fashion festivals every year, and for fashionistas and those on the cutting edge of style, they offer a fantastic opportunity to see the cultural fusion of western and Rwandan styles that the ...

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    What challenges face those who would tap Rwanda's cultural heritage for tourism and development while preserving it for community identity now and in the Dedicated to a truly sustainable and sincerely responsible travel & tourism industry; featuring news, opinions, stories, and evolving best practices.

  6. 11 Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Rwanda

    10. Gishwati Mukura National Park. 11. Nyamata Genocide Memorial. Map of Attractions & Things to Do in Rwanda. 1. Volcanoes National Park. A mountain gorilla at Volcanoes National Park. Without a doubt, the number one thing to do in Rwanda is gorilla trekking at Volcanoes National Park.

  7. THE 10 BEST Rwanda Cultural Tours (Updated 2024)

    5. Cultural and Local Community Tour (Coffee,Village walk,Local food) 4. 4WD Tours. 4-7 hours. Take this opportunity to spend the day with a Rwandan family, learn about, prepare, and enjoy local food.Listen to stories…. Free cancellation. from. $200.

  8. 20 Unmissable Attractions In Rwanda

    Noted as a place for 'remembrance and learning,' the Kigali Genocide Memorial remembers the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. In addition to the memorial, the space also has an incredibly informative museum that leads visitors through the events and historical implications of the genocide. 5. Kimironko Market.

  9. Tourism

    Culture & Heritage. Warm and friendly, Rwandans are also respectful, thoughtful and committed to the idea of progress, starting at the grass roots and running all the way to the top. From the ancient kingdom to the modern day, creativity is something to be celebrated, whether through traditional dance, unique architecture or works of art.

  10. Art and Culture in Rwanda: Museums and Cultural Sites

    Rwanda was ranked among the top 10 fastest growing economies in the world in 2020 according to Borgen Project, a non-profit organisation, thanks to the significant contribution from the country's tourism sector. Here are some of Rwanda's major cultural heritage sites that are worth visiting for a deeper understanding of the country's ...

  11. Visit Rwanda

    Tourism. Known as the land of a thousand hills, Rwanda's stunning scenery and warm, friendly people offer unique experiences in one of the most remarkable countries in the world. It is blessed with extraordinary biodiversity, with incredible wildlife living throughout its volcanoes, montane rainforest and sweeping plains.

  12. Culture and Heritage in Rwanda

    The cultural tourism in Rwanda is a strong one and has been fully facilitated by the local people of Rwanda offering the experience. Rwanda's cultural and heritage sector is majorly divided into 3 categories that are the fashion and style category, the Museums and the Art Galleries category and the festivals and events category. ...

  13. Cultural Tourism in Rwanda

    Cultural Tourism in Rwanda. Rwanda's culture is undoubtedly the most interesting on the African continent. Unlike most of African states, Rwanda is a unified state dating back to the pre-colonial times. It is occupied by Banyarwanda a group of people who share the same values and language. There are three groups of people though sharing the ...

  14. Rwanda Cultural Attractions, Culture Tours Africa

    The eastern province of the country provides an insight into most of the cultural sites that make Rwanda a beautiful country. The institute of national museum is working extremely hard to search and research on the many cultural sites as a way of protecting, identifying and promoting them for cultural tourism.

  15. Rwanda opens a new cultural center on World Tourism Day

    While opening the center, the RDB also used the opportunity to launch Rwanda's first cultural documentation - a comprehensive 325-page book retracing the unique and rich Rwanda cultural heritage. The Rulindo Cultural Center is home to historic sites, mining, and farmland, and has become a highly-successful, community-based tourism model.

  16. Rwanda Cultural Heritage Corridor

    Rwanda Cultural Heritage Corridor: Rwanda is one of the countries in the world where tourists can trek mountain gorillas in rwanda +250-780-870-670 +250-780-870-670 ; [email protected] ... At the Kings palace museum tourism can participate in the Rwandese culture by becoming King for a day with lots of exhibitions about the Kings ...

  17. Rwanda Heritage Hub

    Over the last decade, the country's growing economy has helped boost its cultural tourism. However, to ensure long-term economic and social development and safeguard Rwanda's cultural heritage, a more holistic approach is needed. Our Approach. Established in partnership with the Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy (RCHA), the Rwanda Heritage Hub ...

  18. Rwandan Culture and Traditions

    Amasunzu. Amasunzu is a traditional Rwandan hairstyle that was once worn by men and women. The unique style is created by cutting some of the hair sideways and braiding the top. A person who had this hairstyle was identified as powerful, noble, prestigious and brave. Amasunzu hairstyle made a come back in 2018 when Lupita Nyong'o wore it on ...

  19. Inside Bigogwe: A thriving cultural tourism destination in Northwest Rwanda

    #RBANews #RBAAmakuru #Rwanda #RBAHafiYaweAt Bigogwe in North Western Rwanda, cultural tourism is striving. Local residents there say they proud of their heri...

  20. Cultural Tourism in Rwanda

    The Historical and Cultural sites; Genocide Museums in Rwanda Rwanda comprises of three tribes namely, the Hutu, Tutsi and the Twa. The former colonial power, Germany, lost the possession of Rwanda during the First World War and the territory was placed under the Belgian administration. The history of Rwanda is so long but full of

  21. About us

    Overview. Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy (RCHA) is a non commercial Public Institution established in 2020 merging 3 institutions that were recently removed namely: Rwanda Academy of Language and Culture, Institute of National Museums of Rwanda and Rwanda Archives and library Services. Telephone: 0783379597. E-mail: [email protected].

  22. Rwanda reviews its policies and measures to promote the cultural and

    In the framework of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, UNESCO is supporting the Government of Rwanda with the preparation of its second Periodic Report on the implementation of the 2005 Convention using a participatory policy monitoring approach to review the impact of its National Cultural Heritage Policy and measures undertaken to ...

  23. Cultural Attractions in Rwanda

    National History Museum (Kandt House Museum): Formally known as the Kandt House Museum, the National History Museum is one of the most important cultural and historical sites in Rwanda. It was initially named after Dr. Richard Kandt and was the first modern building in Rwanda. Kandt was the first governor of Rwanda during German colonial rule.

  24. Rwanda_Insight. on Instagram: " ️ #RwandaInsight #

    rwanda_insight_official on March 4, 2024: " ️ #RwandaInsight #RwandaCultureExploration. #RwandaHORECAAdventures. #RwandaTourismDiaries..."

  25. Rwanda's Economic Performance Strengthened in 2023 Despite Continued

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