Kigali City Sightseeing Tour: Market, Memorial & Rooftop Views

Market vendors, a river that feeds the Nile, a memorial, and a city view from above

Kigali City Sightseeing is a guided tour of Rwanda's capital with a local English-speaking guide and hotel pickup included. The day moves through Gahanga local market, the Uzuri K&Y sandal workshop, the Akagera river, Kigali Heights shopping district, the Kigali Genocide Memorial, and ends at a rooftop bar overlooking the city. Lunch is included; the tour runs 7 to 8 hours. Choose between shared departures or a private tour with flexible start time.

Step-by-step itinerary

Kigali city sightseeing tour

• Pick-up in Kigali city
• Drive to Gahanga local market
• Walk through Gahanga local market
• Visit Uzuri K&Y workshop
• Enjoy scenery at Akagera river and marshland
• Stop at Rebero mount for Kigali city view
• Visit Uzuri K&Y showroom at Kigali Heights
• Buffet-style lunch
• Walk through Kigali car-free zone and handcraft shop
• Drive through Nyamirambo area
• Visit Kigali Genocide Memorial
• Relax at Ubumwe Grande Hotel rooftop bar
• Guide debrief and drop-off

The Experience

After pickup from your Kigali hotel, the drive to Gahanga local market takes about 20 minutes. The market itself is where locals shop daily—vendors, mostly women, sell produce and goods in the open air, a rhythm entirely different from the shopping malls in the city center. Your guide can ask permission before you photograph, and you walk through on foot to see how the market actually works.

From there, the tour moves to Uzuri K&Y workshop (closed Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays), where young apprentices and employees make sandals by hand as part of Rwanda's youth skills program. You watch the production chain, then visit the showroom at Kigali Heights to see the finished products and buy a pair if you want to support the initiative. A stop at the Akagera river—which separates Kigali from the Eastern province and eventually flows into the Nile—lets you see the marshland and surrounding hills. From Rebero mount, you look out over central Kigali and the Convention Centre on the horizon. Lunch is buffet-style and takes about an hour; you choose what you eat.

The afternoon includes a walk through Kigali's car-free zone and a handcraft shop, then a drive through Nyamirambo, one of the city's oldest suburbs. At the Kigali Genocide Memorial, you spend roughly 75 minutes inside. The memorial staff brief you at the entrance, and you can rent an audio guide device for more detail at each stop. The day ends at Ubumwe Grande Hotel's rooftop bar, where you have a coffee, tea or drink of your choice while looking out over the city. Your guide debriefs and drops you at your preferred location in Kigali.

What’s included

• Bottled water throughout the day.
• a local English-speaking driver-guide.
• vehicle.
• lunch at a buffet restaurant.
• a coffee, tea or drink of your choice at the rooftop bar (morning tours only.
• afternoon tours do not include the rooftop drink).
• complimentary WiFi onboard.
• pickup and drop-off anywhere in Kigali city.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Countryside Tours-Rwanda

Is this one for you?Book the shared tour for a morning departure if you want to see Gahanga market and the Uzuri K&Y workshop in full operation—both close or change rhythm by afternoon. Choose the private option with flexible start time if you need to fit the tour around flight times or other plans, or if you prefer to move through the stops without waiting for other travelers.

Traveler reviews

4.77★★★★★★★★★★

53 verified traveler reviews

5 ★41

4 ★12

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What is Gahanga market like, and how is it different from shopping in Kigali city?

Gahanga is a local market in the outskirts of Kigali where vendors—mainly women—sell produce and goods in the open air. It shows the daily market livelihood that is different from the shopping mall style you find in the city center, and vendors are welcoming if you want to take pictures with your guide's help.

Can I visit the Uzuri K&Y workshop on any day of the week?

The Uzuri K&Y workshop is not available on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays. On other days, you can watch young apprentices and employees making sandals as part of Rwanda's youth skills program, and later visit the showroom to buy finished products.

How long do I spend at the Kigali Genocide Memorial?

You spend approximately 1 hour 15 minutes at the Kigali Genocide Memorial. The memorial staff brief you at reception, and you can rent an audio guide device to get a more detailed explanation at each stop inside.

What does the tour include for food and drink?

Lunch is included and served buffet-style, with about an hour to eat what you choose. At the end of the day, a cup of coffee, tea or a drink of your choice (alcohol or non-alcohol) is included at Ubumwe Grande Hotel's rooftop bar. Bottled water is provided throughout the tour.

How does the Akagera river connect to the Nile?

The Akagera river separates Kigali from the Eastern province and flows through Akagera National Park, which separates Rwanda and Tanzania. It continues into Victoria Lake and eventually forms the Nile River. You stop at the river to see the marshland and surrounding hills.

What is the pickup and drop-off arrangement?

Hotel pickup anywhere in Kigali city is included, and your guide drops you at your preferred location in Kigali at the end of the tour. Mention your pickup place in the booking notes so the driver knows where to collect you.