Travel guide Rwanda

A traditional basketry item, the agaseke has a distinctive pointed hat, made from natural fibres by Rwandan women for generations. Used to store jewellery or food products, it is given to women at wedding ceremonies. The "peace basket" is a sign of love and respect.

"Peace" is one of the most common words used to greet a friend or acquaintance. A word that represents what Rwandans aspire to most, even if the new generation has not known war. More than a word, it is therefore a behaviour, so that the worst does not happen again. The stadium in Kigali was named after it.

Rwanda is the fifth largest coffee producer in East Africa after Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. It produces mainly arabica (bourbon), grown in mid-altitude regions (around 1,500 m) with a temperate climate. The unique quality of Rwandan Arabica has resulted in substantial export revenues.

Land of a thousand hills, but have they ever been counted? In any case, they are numerous and they singularly shape the relief of this small country, rich in green and undulating landscapes that inspire gentleness. The Rwandan hill is much more than a simple relief elevation, it is also an administrative, territorial and human entity.

The crowds at the market or at the stadium, the students' uniforms, the kitenge (an African garment or fabric similar to the Asian sarong) that women wear around their waists, the umbrellas, not to mention the entire neighborhoods painted in blue, red or yellow (depending on the telephone company): Rwanda is also a country of a thousand colors.

The treasure of Rwanda! The latest census shows that there are about a thousand mountain gorillas living in the Virunga Massif between the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda. Two thirds of them live on Rwandan territory, in the Volcanoes National Park, where they can be observed after 1 to 3 hours of walking.

A traditional decorative art typical of Rwanda, made up of panels painted with geometric patterns, colored or black and white, whose base is made of calf dung. This ancestral art, passed down from mother to daughter, as well as the manufacture of agaseke woven baskets have been revived by women's cooperatives that survived the genocide.

This is the name of the warrior dancers whose tradition dates back to the monarchic era in Rwanda. It is sometimes called the dance of the heroes. Be careful to press the letter o in the word intore, because depending on its pronunciation, intore can mean "eggplant", "cassava paste" or... the national brand of cigarettes, itself inspired by the dancers!

This word refers generically in Kinyarwanda and Kiswahili to Westerners. Zungu means one who turns around the same place. Tourists are often referred to in this way. Even if it is not pejorative, the term can sometimes be annoying because it refers the "foreigner" to his irreducible difference. In the plural: bazungu.

The crime rate is relatively low. Day and night, in Kigali, the streets are safe, you can walk around as rarely in an African capital. However, beware of pickpocketing or snatching in busy areas. Road accidents are the main risk of insecurity in Rwanda.

A must in the land of a thousand hills, much more popular than coffee. The tea (black) is drunk strong, with a lot of sugar and milk, ginger and cardamom for the spicy version. Children start drinking it very early in life. Breakfast is often a slice of bread with a cup of tea.

This is community service, either for the community or for people in need, and all Rwandans are required to participate on the last Saturday of the month. Unjustified absences can be punished by a fine. Umuganda, which means "the pillar of the house", is enshrined in the Rwandan constitution.