Ntarama & Nyamata Memorials Kigali Day Trip Lake Bugesera

Ntarama Church and Nyamata Memorial: what the memorials reveal about Rwanda's past

A full-day tour from Kigali to Ntarama Church Memorial and Nyamata Genocide Memorial in the Bugesera region, with a guide in English or French who walks you through the sites and their historical context. The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, bottled water, and a guided walk around Lake Bugesera with lunch. The afternoon shifts from the memorials to time spent with local fishermen and farmers at the lakeside.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit memorials and Lake Bugesera retreat

• Visit Ntarama Church Memorial
• Visit Nyamata Genocide Memorial
• Drive to Lake Bugesera
• Lunch at Lake Bugesera
• Guided walk around hotel grounds
• Relax at the hotel
• Return to Kigali hotel

The experience

Ntarama Church Memorial and Nyamata Genocide Memorial stand in the Bugesera region southeast of Kigali as physical records of the 1994 genocide. Ntarama, a former Catholic church, now holds the names and stories of those killed there. Nyamata, another church, was the site where tens of thousands of Tutsis were massacred in a single day: a place of worship transformed into a symbol of the atrocities. Your guide walks you through both sites, explaining the role of colonial powers, the Catholic Church, and the ethnic divisions that led to the genocide. This is not a rushed overview. The guide's role is to help you understand the complexity of what happened and why.

The second half of the day shifts entirely. After the memorials, you travel to Lake Bugesera for lunch and a guided walk around the hotel grounds. Here you meet local fishermen, farmers, and artisans: people whose daily routines and traditional practices offer a different view of rural Rwanda. The walk is unhurried. It is a chance to see how the community lives now, away from the weight of the memorials. Lunch is served at the lake, and you have time to sit and absorb the day before the drive back to Kigali.

The tour runs eight hours total. Your guide speaks English or French, and hotel pickup and drop-off are included, so you do not arrange transport yourself. Bottled water comes with you throughout the day. If you are traveling with infants or small children, specialized seats and pram access are available.

What’s included

• Private transportation with hotel pickup and drop-off in Kigali.
• a guide in English or French who leads you through both memorials.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• a guided walk around Lake Bugesera to meet local farmers and fishermen.
• and lunch at the lake.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

AgesAdult (12 to 90 years) · Child (under 12)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 26 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by YAMBI Tours & Adventures

Is this one for you?This is a private tour, so your guide's pace and explanations follow your questions and needs rather than a group schedule. Choose it if you want to spend real time at each memorial with someone who can answer what you want to know, and if the shift to the lake in the afternoon (meeting people whose lives continue in the region) matters to how you want to spend the day.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 12).

What exactly is the Ntarama Church Memorial?

Ntarama Church Memorial is a former Catholic church in the Bugesera region that now serves as a genocide memorial. It stands as a physical record of the lives lost during the 1994 genocide and offers visitors a space for reflection and remembrance of what occurred there.

What happened at Nyamata Genocide Memorial?

Nyamata is a church where tens of thousands of Tutsis were massacred in a single day during the 1994 genocide. The site was chosen deliberately. The Bugesera region had been designated as a place for forced deportation of Tutsis in 1959, and the memorial now stands as a testament to the atrocities and the importance of remembrance.

How much time do we spend at Lake Bugesera?

After visiting the memorials, you travel to Lake Bugesera for the afternoon portion of the tour. There you have a guided walk around the hotel grounds to meet local fishermen and farmers, followed by lunch and time to relax by the lake before returning to Kigali.

Is lunch included in this tour?

Yes, lunch is included at Lake Bugesera. The meal features local options such as beef, goat or chicken brochettes, or grilled fish, served with a variety of sides including fresh vegetables.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off in Kigali are included. The guide will collect you from your hotel in the morning and return you to your preferred accommodation at the end of the day.