I’m no stranger to solo travel, as Rwanda marks my 7th solo country. With each solo adventure, I learn more about myself, about people, cultures and my ability to navigate on limited internet and broken English. If you want more general info on Kigali and on my trip itinerary, check out my post Let’s Go to Kigali. As always, here are the nuggets I've learned and experienced through my solo trip to Kigali.

kigali kindness

Rwanda has some of the nicest people I've met in the world, which is very on brand so far with my travels in East Africa. Pictured above are my fake Rwandese cousins, who took me under their wing for the weekend I was there. Much like Kenyans, Rwandans are soft spoken, different from the shouting I’m used to in West Africa.

another day wishing i learned french

There weren’t as many English speakers as I thought there would be; most spoke Kinyarwanda (the official language), French, then English and Swahili. And then there was me, fluent in broken Spanish, small pidgin and barely any French. It’s always astonishing traveling outside of the U.S. because most people speak 2-3 languages!

pole, pole

Pronounced po-lay po-lay in Swahili and it means “slowly, slowly” or “take it easy”. I learned this saying in Kenya, but I'm starting to think it’s applicable to all of East Africa. In general, the pace is slow in Kigali. From service, to demeanor, you can expect a laid back atmosphere.

Budget savy

Out of the 12 African countries I’ve been to thus far, Rwanda is the cheapest country. On average, stays were around $100-200 for 4 stars accommodations, $3-10 for transportation and $20-30 for meals. The USD stretches pretty far there. The priciest thing you’ll pay for are nature excursions (forest excursions, gorilla trekking, etc.) and day trips to the eastern part if the country, which range from $200-1000.

hello moto

Moto bikes are EVERYWHERE! I’m not stranger to motorcycles for transport in African countries. I don’t typically ride them though because of how dangerous the roads can be. Kigali, however, is so safe. Every rider is required to wear a helmet and the cars actually respect the moto bikes. They’re definitely the most economical and convenient way to get around the city.

the future

Kigali feels like it’s about to step into a renaissance of art and culture, economics, travel, entertainment and so on. There’s a lot that is slated to be built around tourism and real estate over the next few decades. There is a good amount of returnees and transplants, along with natives, helping to bring these goals to reality. The city looks and feels youthful, and as opposed to other African countries, the youth seem to have a promising future here.

the rumors are true…its clean

Rwanda holds the title as the cleanest country in Africa but dare I say Kigali is the cleanest city I’ve been to, in the world! People are prideful of this honor. Even in the busiest parts of the city, I found no trash.

giants

As an alleged 5’3 baddie (actually 5’7), I couldn’t help but feel a bit height challenged lol. Rwandan men and women are tall! I mean most of the men I met were all 6’4 and up! Ladies, do with that information what you will but I'm tryna put y’all on game!

Rwandese cuisine

I’m not going to front, I didn’t eat any Rwandan food. I wasn’t feeling my best after galavanting through Cape Town and having a bad meal would’ve really brought me down. So I stuck to what I know best, West African food! I LOVED my meals at this Nigerian restaurant, Jollof Kigali, and Ivorian food at L’Abidjanaise; both places were amazing.

Solo travel pushes you out of your comfort zone—sometimes in the best ways, and sometimes in ways that are just plain hard. You encounter new situations, people, and feelings, and you have to trust yourself to navigate them. But along the way, you also discover how many kind, generous people there are in the world. I never feel lonely when I travel solo. That’s why I love it and why I’ll always encourage others to try it. Until next time, xo.

Steph Goes Solo in Rwanda