The UN Millennium Villages Project is probably the most famous and most comprehensive development initiative of our time. It was designed to lift some of the world’s poorest areas out of extreme poverty. Our Millennium Village Tour gives answers to those visitors who want to know more about the challenges that so many African communities face, and teaches a variety of interventions that have proven to be successful in the fight against poverty.
A truly educational experience, the tour touches on topics such as sustainable agriculture, education, health care, infrastructure, micro-enterprise development as well as peace building and reconciliation, while offering opportunities to authentically experience aspects of the local culture, including food, language and traditions. Guided in part by local inhabitants, the tour offers very personal insights into the lives of the villagers while ensuring that the community and the individuals involved in tourism benefit from the initiative.
Inclusions & Exclusions
✔ Bottled Water
✔ Lunch
✔ Entry/Admission - Nyamata Church
✔ Guiding fees and Tour Guide
✔ Peace basket (gift)
✔ Contribution to community development fund
✔ Local banana wine
✔ Private Transportation
✖ Airport parking fees, incase of delayed flights. We cover the first 30 minutes only, it costs $2/hr
Pickup Locations
1. 2000 Hotel
2. Tia Country Resort Hotel
3. Hotel Hellenic
4. Step Town Hotel
5. Hotel Okapi
6. Hotel Isimbi
7. Ubumwe Grande Hotel
8. Vision Motel
9. Paradisia
10. Heaven Restaurant & Boutique Hotel
11. Hotel Des Mille Collines
12. Alpha Palace Hotel
13. Iris Guesthouse
14. Smartinn Hotel
15. B.Maurice Guest House
16. The Governors Residence
17. K-Town Motel
18. M Hotel
19. Believe Residence
20. Sainte Famille Hotel
Additional Info: We pick you up and drop you off from any hotel or accommodation around Kigali or in Bugesera.
Itinerary
1
Ntarama Church
After a 40-minute drive from Kigali and an introduction to the MVP, you start your excursion with a visit to the nearby genocide memorial site where you can gain a better understanding of the historical and cultural context within which Rwanda’s development challenges arise.
The red-brick church at Ntarama is peacefully situated, shadowed by acacia trees. Ntarama Church, how-ever, is the site where some of the most brutal killings of the 1994 genocide took place. The church was seen as a safe place by almost 5,000 people, many of whom were women and children seeking sanctu-ary. But Ntarama was not safe at all. The victims of the genocide remain there, their bones still strewn with lifeless chaos where they fell in 1994. Their belongings cover the floor: clothes, suitcases, a child's white sock – the last remnants of a desperate flight for life.
Duration: 45 minutes
2
Following your visit to the Ntarama Genocide Memorial, you'll have the opportunity to engage in a series of enriching experiences showcasing various MVP interventions. These activities are only paused for a locally prepared lunch, hosted in a village home, where you can immerse yourself in the area's traditional cuisine. You may even participate in cooking lessons, learning to prepare local dishes, and enjoy lively, thought-provoking conversations with your hosts over lunch.
After lunch you will meet women from three recognized handicraft associations. Some of its members will introduce the complete basket weaving process to you and are glad to also teach their skills if you are interested. You further have the opportunity to support this valuable initiative by buying a few products on offer, and you will also receive a traditional gift from the women. 246 women between the ages of 19-76 directly benefit from this project by producing about 45 items per week.
Duration: 3 hours
3
As final highlight of the excursion, you will enjoy a traditional ubusabane or “get together” ceremony together with numerous members of the community, their local leaders, and their cultural troupes. What makes this experience particularly remarkable is the location: In the settlement we chose, there are 120 households and 540 residents. 30 of the houses were constructed by the government for genocide resettlers in an exemplary effort of reconciliation. Today, 20 of them are inhabited by survivors, 12 by perpetrators and 3 by returnees.
To make this more tangible for you, members of reconciliation Village who compromise of both victims and perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi are happy to give testimony as to how they manage to live and work together in harmony. In addition, you will enjoy traditional dancing and local drinks. And, since this is a very welcome form of local entertainment, you will be joined by numerous community members who celebrate with you.
Duration: 60 minutes
Additional info
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• The 1hr 15 minutes extra covers for the transportation to and from Kigali to Bugesera. Its 30 minutes to and 30 minutes back. The 15 minutes is the time it takes between the first stop, Ntarama Genocide Memorial and the reconciliation village. All other activities take place at the reconciliation village in Mbyo.
