Economics in Rwanda

Rwanda’s economy is largely agriculture-based, with tea and coffee the major exports. Tourism is also very important, with mountain gorilla treks the primary visitor attraction.  

Arrive in the capital city of Kigali, and drive to your downtown hotel. Get checked in, and explore the immediate surroundings. For dinner, get a ride to the Kimihurura neighborhood, home to some of Kigali’s best restaurants and bars.

Get to know Kigali today on a full-day city tour. Drive to the top of Mt. Kigali for city views, see a neighborhood market,  enjoy a Rwandan lunch and finish the afternoon by visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial. The site is highly thought-provoking, and examines what led to the 1994 atrocities against the Tutsi people which tore Rwanda apart. 

Tonight have dinner at the famed Hotel des Milles Collines, known as the “Hotel Rwanda” from the movie of the same name. Set on one of the hills that overlook Kigali, the hotel’s restaurant offers wonderful food with a view.

This morning you’ll drive several hours south to Butare, the country’s cultural hub. Here you will find the Ethnographic Museum which shows the history of Rwanda and its people. While here, see a traditional Intore dance performance with spectacular costumes and drumming.  

Have lunch on the terrace at the Hotel Ibis restaurant with its French-style cuisine. Then visit 

the National University of Rwanda where you’ll have the opportunity to meet with some university officials about the state of university education in Rwanda today, and learn about how the school is preparing its graduates to succeed in today’s modern economy, including the tourism and hospitality industry.  

Then it’s time for the drive back to Kigali for dinner and back to your hotel.

The biggest tourist activity in Rwanda is going on a gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park. Drive here this morning, and stop at the Karisoke Research Centre Museum in Musanze. The museum features exhibits about mountain gorillas and the conservation efforts of Dian Fossey.

After lunch, visit Nkotsi village, where you can get hands-on experience with some local activities. Watch basket-weaving demonstrations, and, depending on your interests, see how banana beer is made or learn about bee-keeping, traditional medicine or drumming.

Then settle in at your lodge at Volcanoes National Park, and learn from its staff about tomorrow’s gorilla trek activities. Dinner at the lodge.

Gorilla trekking is the most popular tourist activity for Rwandan travelers. You’ll get an early start as you hike into the mountains to encounter the gorilla population on its home terrain — certainly a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife opportunity!

Have lunch back at the park lodge, then drive back to Kigali for the evening.   

For dinner, head to Nyamirambo, Kigali’s Muslim quarter, one of the city’s most vibrant areas for bars and restaurants. Look for a restaurant serving “big fish,” tilapia grilled with onions and spices, one of Nyamirambo’s signature dishes.

Today you will gain insights into the role of women entrepreneurs in Kigali and their involvement in the private sector. The Nyamirambo Women’s Center offers visitors a window into life in their community. Tours are led by local residents and begin with an introduction to the work done by the center. The walking tour leads to the nearby market and into local shops, to give you the opportunity to speak with women about their daily business. A traditional lunch is served at tour’s end. 

This afternoon, help out the community you just explored by teaching English at a local school in Nyamirambo. The eager children will appreciate so much your efforts to help them learn!

At sunset, grab drinks at a rooftop cafe, followed by dinner at a French or Belgian-influenced bistro.

Start today with a visit to a milk bar. Cows are culturally and economically important in Rwandan society, and these shops are dedicated to serving milk!

Learn about another successful economic venture by touring the 1000 Hills Distillery, located on one of Kigali’s hills. Started by an American expat, it is the only distillery in Rwanda. Your distillery tour is followed by a short tasting and a tapas lunch. 

Afterward, head to the airport for your flight home, having learned and experienced so much about the economy in Rwanda and its capital of Kigali, plus its culture, food, people and natural sights.