Learn weaving in rural Kigali: A day with local artisans

Eight hours learning to weave, farm and cook the way rural Rwandans do

Learn weaving and subsistence farming in a rural Rwandan village outside Kigali, spending a full day with a local family. You start with a briefing, then drive to the village where you help with farming and water collection, prepare food with the family, eat a traditional lunch together, and receive two hours of one-on-one weaving instruction in sisal before returning to the office. A guide in English or French leads the day. Transport from Muhanga Town, lunch, water and gratuities are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Experience rural life and weaving

• Briefing at the start
• Drive to the village
• Welcome by artisans
• Try subsistence farming
• Join locals to fetch water
• Help with food preparation
• Eat local vegetarian lunch
• One-to-one weaving instruction
• Return to office
• Enjoy cold drink and debrief
• Shop for handicraft souvenirs

The experience

The day begins with a briefing before you drive out to the village. Once you arrive, the artisans welcome you and put you straight to work: you'll try subsistence farming alongside them, then join in fetching water and helping prepare the meal. This is not observation. You're doing the work the family does every day, which means you see both the skill and the physical reality of rural life here.

Lunch is local Rwandan food cooked the way the family eats it: vegetarian dishes like cassava and beans, served family-style. This is when the real conversation happens. Your hosts will ask you about life in your home country while you ask them about theirs: the kind of exchange that only works when you've spent the morning working alongside each other. After an hour, you move to the weaving instruction: two hours of one-on-one teaching in sisal, learning to make a simple item you'll take home.

When you leave the village, you head back to the office for a cold drink and a debrief about what you've learned. Before you go, there's time to browse the gift shop, which stocks high-quality handicrafts made by the artisans you visited: a chance to support the community directly if you want to take home more than what you wove yourself.

What’s included

• Local guide in English or French.
• return transport from Muhanga Town.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• lunch with the family.
• gratuities.
• debrief at the office afterward.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (17 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (13 to 16 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Azizi Life

Is this one for you?Transport from Muhanga Town is included, so you don't need a car or a separate ride to the village. Book this if you're based in Muhanga or happy to arrange a pickup there. If you're staying in Kigali itself, ask about the additional transport charge when you book.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 16 years); Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What exactly do I learn to weave during this day?

Weaving instruction focuses on a simple item in sisal, taught one-on-one over two hours by the women who make these pieces as their livelihood. You'll finish something you can take with you.

How much of the day is spent actually doing farm work versus watching?

You're doing the work, not watching: the morning includes subsistence farming, fetching water, and helping with food preparation alongside the family before lunch.

What kind of food is served for lunch?

Lunch is the local Rwandan food the family normally eats (vegetarian dishes like cassava and beans) cooked and served by your hosts.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the village?

Return transport from Muhanga Town to the village is included. If you're staying in Kigali rather than Muhanga, transport can be arranged for an additional charge on request.

Is this day suitable if I have limited physical fitness?

You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness, as the day involves farm work and uneven surfaces. The experience is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or during pregnancy.