The City of Kigali has been ranked third on the list of travellers’ favourite African cities in 2024.

According to the World’s Best Awards survey by the travel publication Travel + Leisure, in which over 186,000 of its readers participated, the Rwandan capital emerged third in Africa after Morocco’s Marrakech and South Africa’s Cape Town.

On the list of Travel + Leisure readers’ 10 favourite cities in Africa and the Middle East, Kigali secured the fifth position, after Marrakech, Cape Town, Jerusalem in Israel and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

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The list includes modern metropolises and some of the world’s oldest religious pilgrimage sites and hubs for culture and creativity.

Morocco’s Fez and Essaouira emerged sixth and seventh on the top 10 list, followed by Israel’s Tel Aviv, and Egypt’s Luxor and Cairo.

The cities were rated based on sights/landmarks, culture, food, friendliness, shopping and value.

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Kigali, which climbed four slots on the 2024 list, is described by the Travel + Leisure voters as a beautiful hub with friendly, helpful residents.”

In the words of one voter, Kigali is an "amazingly clean and progressive city! I felt safe walking all over. There is a wide variety of cuisine available and amazing coffee.”

The Rwandan capital first appeared on the list of 10 favourites cities three years ago. In 2023, Kigali ranked ninth, coming only before the Jordanian capital Amman.

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The Rwandan capital, touted for cleanliness and progress, has come atop on other travel and tourist destinations rankings.

In 2023, Kigali emerged first on the list of smart cities in Africa.

For over a decade, Rwanda has secured top positions on travel, and leisure rankings.