#VisitRwanda
Commonly known as the land of a thousand hills, Rwanda is known for its stunning and breathtaking scenery, setting the stage for an unforgettable experience.
Its vibrant culture is displayed through the language, it's people and the general lifestyle of it's citizens, coupled with a calmness sweeping through its walls.
#VisitRwanda is hard to go unnoticed especially because of its partnerships with some of the world's biggest brands around the world.
A few days ago, I set out to have my fair share of #VisitRwanda. It was refreshing on this side and a breath of fresh air to experience the cleanest city in Africa.
Sooner or later, you realize it's not just the clean streets, but working systems with a sense of consciousness and responsibility by the people to keep it that way.
As I visited different parts of Kigali, I was not only struck by the landscape, but also a few observations that were consistent across the city.
1. Zebra crossings
I have always known that zebra crossings across the globe ease the movement of pedestrians. That wasn't news but I have found myself spending more minutes on a zebra crossing waiting for the traffic to ease up.
In Kigali however, both the cars and motos (boda-bodas) are required to stop at every zebra crossing until the pedestrian(s) finish crossing the road.
I witnessed this in different places as cars stopped for me to cross over with ease to the next street.
2. The use of motos
Motos also known as boda-bodas are a common means of public transport across Africa.
The difference in Kigali is that all motos are required to have 2 helmets. One for the rider and one for the passenger. It is impossible to see someone on a moto without a helmet.
3. Cashless systems
No need to worry if you have no hard cash. Kigali has made it easy to make transactions at every level.
From the motos, to the taxi, to buying groceries, payments can be made simply at the tap of a button.
4. It’s a Green City
Kigali is not only endowed with a stunning landscape but it is also surrounded by trees across the city. From one place to another, you will quickly notice the alignment of trees and plants on every street.
5. A functional road system
The road system in Kigali is quite impressive as all roads are smooth and potholes are a very rare encounter.
There are road signs everywhere but what I found interesting is that the roads are lit up at night for proper visuals for all the road users.
6. Car free day
This is an event that takes place in the capital, Kigali, where people can walk, run, cycle or skate.
So particular roads are blocked 🚫 off for a few hours to enable people engage in some form of corporate exercise.
7. Street names
Every place in Kigali has a street name, different from the other and so places can easily be located, both in person and on Google maps.
As is my tradition, regardless of what I have gone to do in a place or new city, whether work or personal, I try to visit various places to compliment my travel and experience. Here are some of the places I visited during my stay in Kigali 👇🏾
1. Kigali Convention Centre
Outside Kigali Convention Centre, I witnessed young people recording skating and cycling videos. It seemed to me like a space that brings together talented people to nurture their craft.
2. African Leadership University
On top of the hill at ALU located in Bumbogo, Kigali Innovation City, one is also able to see from a far the famous Carnegie Mellon University.
ALU is renowned for its contribution to nurturing Africa's talent and thought leaders through their diverse programmes.
The architectural design of the ALU campus is not only breathtaking but also conducive to facilitate creative learning and innovation of cutting-edge solutions.
3. Nyandungu Eco Park
At the heart of Rwanda's capital sits Nyandungu Urban Wetland Eco-Tourism Park that attracts both nationals and tourists to enjoy the green space. A space where people meet others from different walks of life.
Nyandungu Eco Park is surrounded by trees, plants and flowers with a restaurant and 10km walkway for walking, running and cycling.
4. Nyamirambo
Here, I visited the Biryogo Car Free Food Street which is a place where people sit in an open space and enjoy good food.
There's a range of restaurants and people just gather around the table and share in laughter with friends and family.
To crown my visit in Kigali, I had a weekend get together with friends which also doubled as a birthday celebration.
Here in Rusororo, I experienced a quiet and well developed residential neighbourhood in the Eastern part of Kigali.
With clear skies and quiet surroundings, I clearly viewed the landing and taking off of airplanes at a close range.
Here, I got to meet people who gave me a feel of the entertainment sector and the Kinyarwanda culture. I was taught about the songs and the traditional dance. Through this conversation, I realized how proud and knowledgeable the people are about their culture.
The most fascinating thing I also found in Kigali is that I was constantly surrounded by people speaking different languages from Kinyarwanda, French to Swahili then back to English. It was such a beautiful sight to behold - the ease with which the languages were uttered.
Will I be back? Definitely.
