Kigali night life

When you walk or drive through the streets of Kigali, it is quiet to the point that you would think nothing goes on at night. Wrong! The night life in the city is not as vigorous as compared to some capitals in neighboring countries but it is every bit as entertaining, especially with the right crowd. With good company, you can’t go wrong. You will hit all the hot spots this city has to offer. Foreigners sometimes wonder if anything happens in Kigali at night. The assumption is that bars or night clubs close as early as 10pm. Wrong again!Weekends are the best for anybody to have the time of their life. “People love Fridays and Saturdays and by 9pm, most hot spots are already full,” says Peter (not real name) working at Virunga bar at MTN center. The weekend is the best time to kick off the office shoes and step into your partying gear. Forget the nagging boss, the gossiping tea lady or the hot receptionist who wasn’t feeling your vibe. Let loose! Places such as Virunga, Papyrus and Sun Downer are very popular. “I usually see the same faces here though new ones also surface during the weekend,” says Peter. “The partying goes on as long as people are still here and having a good time.” The night clubs come in handy at that time of the night when conversation seems boring and all what people want to do is shake their booty till daybreak. Planet is probably the most popular night club. It even enjoys fame outside the country. Although Planet is open on some weekdays, the weekend is still the best time to go and “exercise’. The place will be fuller, the people merrier and you might just bump into a local celebrity! Not all people are interested in noise and overcrowded places. That’s okay because if there is one thing Kigali has in plenty, it’s quiet hangouts! Hotel Lemigo in Kimihurura offers a relaxing atmosphere for the ones who enjoy a more serene outing. During the Easter weekend I went there with my sister and in-laws for dinner and it was really lovely. Though it is not exactly my kind of thing I did have a wonderful time just staring over at the pool and enjoying the food! Instead of music, sometimes loud enough to leave you partially deaf, these quiet places play more soothing jazz and other favorites of people in the corporate world. You can hang out with your buddies from work and be able to hold a conversation that doesn’t need straining your voice to near insanity! “Night life in Kigali often becomes an expensive affair,” says Kelli Mutiso, a Kenyan working in Rwanda. “Taking a girl to dinner, buying her a few drinks and dropping her at home is difficult in the current economic climate.” Beautiful things don’t come cheap in Kigali! If you want fun and a memorable time, you just have to pay the price rachelgaruka@yahoo.co.uk