Chris Austria

When I lived in Rwanda, I discovered excellent hotels, lodges, and other cool places to visit. Whether your looking for croissants, fresh juice, or Italian wine, Kigali has so much to offer. The wildlife areas in Rwanda are nothing short of breathtaking. I am also taking my travel guests to this beautiful country.

Views from the top of Napoleon Island on Lake Kivu

Male Impala at Akagera National Park

Beautiful views of Lake Kivu, western Rwanda

Kibuye in western Rwanda near the shores of Lake Kivu

This is a bat flying with her baby in Kibuye, western Rwanda

The Land Of A Thousand Hills

I experienced these beautiful views at Lake Muhazi

This spectacular place is located in Nyanza, 55 miles from the capital Kigali. The Palace was the residence of King Mutara III Rudahugwa who reigned from 1931 to 1959. The long horned Royal Cows are known as “Inyambo” They were an integral part of ceremonies honoring the King. Visitors to The King’s Palace can also view the traditional houses where the royalty resided. Rwanda has a very rich, cultural history.

Good News Guest House is a fantastic place to stay in Kigali, and is located in the Gikondo area. Look at this gorgeous view! The accommodations here are wonderful, and proprietor Ben Kayumba is very welcoming. The rooms are also reasonably priced, and the staff is very helpful with travel information. Good News Guest House received a Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor in 2014. Visit http://gdnewsguesthouse.com

The gardens at Good News Guest has a variety of beautiful plants, flowers, and birds

A mini waterfall at Nyungwe National Park

Lake Kivu in western Rwanda

My friend Aymar cooked a delicious Rwandese meal for us. We were able to find most of the ingredients, including the Tilapia at Kime Supermarket, located down the street from the Market of Kigali. They also have a good selection of wines here

These are the gorgeous animals at Akagera National Park in northeast Rwanda

The Carbonara Pasta at Sokoni, the restaurant at the Serena Hotel. I recommend this dish. The pasta was al dente and very tasty. The Seven Sisters wine from South Africa was a good choice.

Every now and then, I crave a really good hamburger with cheese. I found a delicious burger at the Hôtel des Milles Collines. It was bursting with flavor, and paired well with the Cabernet and Chardonnay wine. I really enjoyed sitting by the pool and enjoying the beautiful weather in Kigali. They also had a few pasta dishes on the menu that I will come back for.

RZ Manna Bakery is located in the Nyarutarama area of Kigali. Their bakery goods are freshly made, and I especially love their baguettes. The staff is so warm and welcoming at RZ Manna. In fact, they won last year’s Best Service Provider in Rwanda Award. I also loved their cheese croissants and cinnamon rolls. I think I have gained a few pounds going here. I will have to spend more time working out at Waka Fitness which is only 15 minutes away. https://www.facebook.com/bakeryrzmanna

The lush, and vibrant green forest of Nyungwe National Park.

I love exploring the stores in Kigali, Rwanda. Right in the centre of town at Kime Supermarket, I was able to find Valpolicella Italian red wine from the Veneto (northeast region of Italy). This wine was reasonable priced at $8,500 Rwandan Francs. I also found Gouda cheese from the Netherlands. Kime Supermarket is located down the street from the T 2000 building.

Camellia Tea House has an excellent selection of fresh juices, some of them blended with ice cream. They also have an extensive menu of food to choose from, all at reasonable prices. The Tea House is located across the street from the Bank Of Kigali in the center of town. http://camellia.rw

My first job out of high school was baking croissants at Il Fornaio in San Francisco. Ever since then, I have been on the hunt all over the world for good croissants. After weeks of searching in Kigali, I finally found scrumptious, light, and flaky croissants at the bakery inside Umubano Hotel. It’s located on Boulevard del Umuganda. They also have a good selection of bread, cakes, and small pizzas. Make sure to heat the croissants and enjoy them with real butter. http://www.umubanohotel.rw

This is Akagera Lodge located at the National Park in northeast Rwanda.

The Canopy Bridge in Nyungwe National Park.

Having lived in Ethiopia for two years before moving to Rwanda, I was thrilled to find Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant in the Kimihurara area of Kigali. Mesfin, the owner of Lalibela is from Hawassa, Ethiopia and is a very gracious host.  I found the food at Lalibela to be absolutely delicious and authentic. The Doro Wet was excellently prepared, and went so well with Mützig beer.

Simba Cafe is located in the centre of town in Kigali. The other day, I ordered their ham and cheese croissant which was very tasty. I was really filling, so I had to take half of it home for breakfast the next morning. It paired well with their frothy cappuccino. Simba Cafe is also a cool market where you can find grocery items, bread, and things for the house.

This is the Nyabarongo River, located in south-east Rwanda. It is a tributary of the Nile, which empties into the Akagera River.