Kigali Night life

Travelers are drawn to Rwanda to have a unique encounter with nature, an hour with the rare Mountain Gorillas of the Virungas.  This exciting exposure to the Silverbacks in the wild is bringing wildlife lovers from near and far, and none are disappointed.  For some, hiking the muddy trails in search of their assigned Gorilla family, is a life-changing experience, one that they will tell family and friends for years to come.  Others come to experience some of the other many primates that live in this paradise called Rwanda; there are over a dozen of the Great Ape species here, the more popular ones being the Golden Monkeys and the Chimpanzees.  Still others enjoy hiking the many trails in the various National Parks; climbing volcanic mountains or mountain biking through the forests.

In contrast, there is an escape from all this natural beauty, the capital city of Kigali.  The same explorers that trudge through the muddy forests, sometimes in heavy rain, also enjoy some “down time” of just having a beer with friends or listening to a local band.  Kigali has many offerings; there is something for everyone.  Two of the more popular venues, particularly for expats are Ogopongo and Papyrus.  Both of these bars are in a section of Kigali called Kimuhurura.  Another, slightly cheaper option in the same area is the Sundowner; here the music focuses on oldies, especially on the weekends.  All three of these bars attract large crowds.

In the sector called Kacyiru, there is a place called Shooters, which regularly has cultural performances such as poetry readings; the audience attracts musicians, writers, poets and various

other artists and their fans.  The performances are free and the atmosphere is very inviting.  Another such venue in Kigali is Le Must; it is much smaller and sometimes gets overcrowded, but there is a terrace for those feeling claustrophobic.  Le Must has a cover charge of 5,000 Rw. Francs.  Muhima Club charges 5,000 Rw. Francs for men to enter, women get in free of charge.  Here the music is considerably better than Shooters, but as the night goes on, the place gets very crowded.

Two extremely popular nightclubs are the Planet Club and the New Cadillac.  Here there is lots of space and the drinks are sold at a lower price than most.  The music is a mixture of local and Western pop.  The Planet Club has a number of pool tables for those interested in more than just drinking.  Locals favor the Car Wash, where you can have a cocktail at the garden bar while your car is being washed.  In the suburb of Remera, across from the Amahoro Stadium, there are a number of popular local bars with such names as Mukunzi, Jackson’s Bar, Selecta and Vaticano.  The beers are moderately priced and there is lots of dancing to the local music by the energetic young crowd.  If its

Reggae music that you enjoy, the One Love Club is a good choice.  There is lots of outdoor seating and a fire pit to sit around.  

For live music, there are a number of venues.  City Beach usually has a jazzy-type band playing on the weekends, plus a dance floor, with seats around.  Another Reggae spot is the bar in the Hilltop Hotel; Fridays are Reggae night.  For live background music, the bar in the Hotel des Mille Collines is the spot, although they usually wind up around 9 or 10.  On the weekends, the Fantastic Restaurant has live music.  There is a Congolese band playing on Fridays at Tiamo; here they have both indoor and outdoor seating.

Kigali has many other nightclubs to entertain both locals and visitors.  The Black and White Club is very popular; it is inside the Alpha Palace Hotel in Remera.  Club Next is another late night spot, but the drinks are a bit pricey.  At the Top Tower Hotel, the Crystal Club is a rooftop space with great views; not very crowded and is a venue for private parties from time to time.  Inside the Lemigo Hotel, the Golemi is a true ‘club’ with mirrored walls, a sunken dance floor and a full bar.  A good place to go with a group.  The most popular ‘clubby’ place in Rwanda is the K-Club; here they have a 5,000 Rw. Francs cover.  And there is the Le Must and Papyrus, which was mentioned earlier.

There are dozens of ‘Sports Bars’; here football is the only sport watched.  There is the Car Wash in Kimihurura, Chez Lando in Remera, Meze Fresh, and American-owned bar, Ozone Sports Bar in Kigali City Tower, Sportszone in the Top Tower Hotel, complete with a casino and lastly, the Serena Hotel has a venue to watch sports, but it is not very popular and has a fairly cold atmosphere.

This does not by any means exhaust the list of possibilities, but it is a fair sampling of the more popular spots in and around the center of Kigali.  There are many different venues, with various price ranges and catering to an assortment of audiences.  One thing is for sure, you will not be bored in Kigali at night; and the city is fairly concentrated, so hopping from one place to another is always a possibility.  Here in Rwanda, you can spend your days immersed in nature and your nights immersed in entertainment.  The beauty of this small country is that the center of Kigali is only a 2-hour drive from the Park gates where one goes Mountain Gorilla tracking….so enjoying both very different activities is very possible.