Indulge in everything special that Rwandan local food has in store for you! This pleasant evening walk (that can become a motorised trip on request) takes you to the famous Mumarangi food street in the bustling Muslim quarters of the city, and includes numerous captivating food stops on the way. There’s even a special dessert by Chef Ramadan Sindayigaya at the end!
The word foray means a sudden attack or incursion into enemy territory, especially to obtain something — or a brief but spirited attempt to become involved in a new activity or sphere. Our Kigali Food Foray is therefore a quick, enthusiastic exploration of the world of local cuisine.
Highlights
- explore the Belgian, East African and Asian influences in Rwanda’s cuisine
- snack at a typical city food kiosk for a fruit & pastry plate with fermented milk
- appreciate Kigali’s latest veggie wrap innovation
- taste raw honey and learn about herbs
- dive into the final open-air dinner
- take in the cool of the city by night as you wander around
Facts
duration: 2-3 hours
area: Kigali car-free zone — Nyamirambo
start: daily at 6pm
Price: USD 60 per person (USD 80 when one person only)
Includes guiding, all activities and tips, three snack stops and an open-air dinner with green tea.
Vegetarian, vegan and other dietary preferences can be catered to.
Itinerary
Our tour begins with a pleasant walk through the car-free zone in the very centre of Kigali. Your guide will have a pack of Winnaz potato crisps in his bag, for you to start nibbling straight away as you listen to the cool story behind this top-quality Rwandan snack. But that is just a warm-up before your first stop at the shop of Mrs Conzolee …
She will cut fresh fruits in front of you and mix them with a variety of pastries that Kigalians love. As you sit on the street, you will have your glass filled with ikivuguto, the fermented milk. (Pro tip: don’t take too much of it or you will find it challenging to keep eating on the way …)
As you continue your stroll, you will see how the city’s night food economy works, understand how Kigalians live and work, and what they care about. All this will be taking place with a backdrop of stunningly lit hills.
The next star on our program is Mr Ntwali. His innovation is a tasty vegetable wrap of a shape you can’t find anywhere else in Rwanda. He is always excited to receive you as he would love to further popularise his creation!
Our friendly cassava ladies will then introduce you to one of the major root vegetables of the tropics, the source of energy for millions of Africans. Most common as cassava flour, it can also be fried, cooked or boiled.
The last stop before your big feast will be at Mrs Charlotte’s. She not only has plentiful raw honey, she can also tell you a lot about medicinal herbs and what Rwandans use them for.
In the Muslim quarters of Nyamirambo, a food street has been created in the area called Mumarangi. Highly appreciated by the city folk — your taste buds will soon know why — it is a place where hardly anyone eats inside.
We will find a nice corner to sit down and talk more, as you sample a mix of Rwandan favourites. This is something we all share from the same plate, in the ancient African tradition!
Would you think that’s all? Nope. One of the directors of Gorilla Highlands Ltd, Chef Rama, has also prepared for you a unique Afrofusion dessert! (If you are lucky and this super-active man is available that evening, he will check in on you too — this is in fact his home area.)
Click for our stories from the GH Silverchef regional cooking competition …
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featured photo: Miha Logar