The Ultimate Rwanda Gift Guide: What to Buy for Everyone
Whether you are looking for a small token for a friend or a high-quality keepsake for your parents, in-laws, or even coworkers my Rwanda gift guide has an incredible selection of local products.
You can also check out my Kigali shopping guide for more inspo.
Quick summary: Get mugs for colleagues, earrings for fashionistas, sports shirts from Kiza for the active ones, and coffee/tea for the grandparents. Don’t forget Akabanga (the “eye-dropper” hot sauce) for your spice-loving friends, local jam for the foodies, and safari themed stuffed animals for the kids!
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Where to go Gift Shopping
If you’re short on time, I suggest visiting the following shops to capture most of the items below: Patel (for food and drink items), Nyamirambo Women’s Center (a bit of everything), Azizi Life Center (and the two shops next door), NP Arts (for artwork), Kigali Cultural Village (a bit of everything). You can see all the pins in my Google Maps List.
Food and Drinks
I usually do my grocery shopping at Patel so you can get all of these Rwanda Gift Guide items there, but you can also find many of the food and drink items at Simba or Sawa City.
Coffee Beans
Coffee is the quintessential gift from Rwanda. We have some of the highest quality beans in the world. My personal favorites are from Kivu Noir and Kigali Coffee Lab. You can buy 250 gram beans (or ground coffee) at their shops. For the grocery shop variety, I like Huye Coffee.
Tea
Black tea is the most common here in Rwanda and it is of excellent quality. Look for the two big names: Silverback or Sorwathe. Silverback has some specialty infusions and some varieties are sold in cute metal boxes that are nice for gifts. I visited one of the Silverback tea plantations, Pfunda, and it was really cool to see.
You can also get green tea, hibiscus, and the occasional chamomile.
Spirits
Virunga Gin (made with local botanicals) or 1000 Hills Distillery products are huge right now. They look very high-end on a bar cart and will bring a taste of Rwanda home. I’ve seen these at the gift shop under Repub Lounge and at Deli Box.
Chocolate
We have one main chocolate brand here, Chocolats Caractère. Their “dark” bar is 54% cocoa and quite good. They also offer adventurous flavors like ginger, chili milk chocolate, pili pili, and a lemongrass white chocolate version. I’ve tried them all except the white chocolate, and they make excellent, easy-to-pack gifts.
Other Pantry Staples
These Rwanda Gift Guide pantry items are easy to pack into your bag and are perfect for people who don’t want things in their house.
- Peanut butter: I love the peanut butter here. Many local brands have no additives or sugar—just peanuts and a bit of salt.
- Rwandan honey: The honey here is amazing. It comes in various sizes depending on your luggage space. Most brands use plastic jars, but you can find a few “export quality” brands in glass jars at a higher price point.
- Jam: There is a local brand with unique flavors like tree tomato, papaya vanilla, and mango. I keep a jar in my fridge at all times.
- Banana Chips: Made from “green bananas” (plantains), these light bags are a fun snack to give away after your trip.
- Akabanga hot sauce: This is the most popular hot sauce in Rwanda. It is a super-concentrated habanero oil. The smallest bottle looks just like an eye-dropper; my dad actually got confused and asked why I bought him red eye-drops! It is a must-buy and won’t take up any luggage space.
- Cashews: This may be an underrated gift… The roasted cashews in Rwanda are sooo addictive.
Home and Wellness
Kandaka Soap Bars
This local brand offers scents like turmeric, lemongrass, and black charcoal. I use these in my own bathrooms and showers. You can find Kandaka at the grocery store for about 3,500 RWF, which is the best price I’ve found.
Ikirezi Essential Oils
Ikirezi Essential Oils are amazing. They are perfect for friends who love diffusers or using natural oils as perfume. You can find them at Akeza Shop or Yokigali. I have a few myself. They also have a natural insect repellent, which I’ve basically started using as my perfume in Kigali so I don’t attract any extra bugs.
Baskets
Rwandan baskets are iconic. You can buy them individually or create your own sets. I like the selection at Abraham Konga Collections (the larger of the two shops) because it’s also got a bunch of other gift items. For very high export-quality pieces, check out Irebe Basket Collections or for a market experience, check out Cavico.
Irebe Basket Collections
Pottery
Gatagara Pottery is the classic choice, known for its beautiful earthenware with blue glaze. You can find these pieces at shops like Abraham Konga, Fika Cafe, and most other souvenir shops around town. I’ve gotten one for a bunch of my own friends and all my colleagues back in DC. Everyone’s loves them!
Pottery Cafe Kigali
Fashion and Acessories
As part of the Rwanda Gift Guide, clothing is a must!
African Prints and Clothing
If you want the traditional fabric experience, head to the souvenir section of Kimironko Market. The women there have a massive selection of fabrics. While the fabric itself isn’t made in Rwanda, it is what everyone wears.
For cool outfits with a touch of Rwandan flair, visit Rwanda Clothing at the very start of your trip so they have time for tailoring the items to you.
Check out the moto t-shirt at Concept Art Studio. Send them a message on insta in advance to see if they have your size.
Jewelry
Abraham Konga is one of the most iconic jewelry brands in the country. They specialize in brass jewelry with prices ranging from 5,000 RWF to over 100,000 RWF. Their 5,000 RWF earring collection is excellent for small gifts.
Sports and Activewear
Kiza: They have really nice shirt designs with “Rwanda” branding. Wilhelm and I each have a shirt. There are also kid sized items.
Football Shirts: You can find Rwanda national team shirts at Kimironko Market or along the main strip in town. I haven’t found “official” ones yet, but the ones available are good enough for gifts.
Flexx Africa: While this is a West African brand, they have high-quality jerseys with unique patterns. These are “real” activewear materials that you can actually work out in, usually priced around 80,000 RWF.
Art
Rwanda has incredible artists. You could easily spend a full day hopping between galleries. I suggest you go on my art gallery walk to see a few different galleries before deciding on a piece. You can get something for $100-$300 or more.
Jean d’Amour, Selekarts, and Oliver Kwitonda
For something custom, check out Selekart. He has a minimalist style and can turn your favorite memories into paintings. I bought a piece from him for Wilhelm’s birthday. His prices are very reasonable, often starting around $150.
Books
Check out Ikirezi Bookstore for books featuring local authors. They have a section for African authors and have books in English, French, and Kinyarwanda. The kids books are especially cute, with some featuring English/French to Kinyarwanda translations.
For a unique gift from Kigali, I suggest A Thread of Silent Echoes, a collection of short stories concerning modern-day life in Rwanda. Each story has something to share about Kigali and I like the references to local places I’ve been to like Biryogo or Kimironko market. Easily get it online or DM Patrick on Instagram (like I did) to get a signed copy in Kigali.
Read all about my favorite Rwandan books.
Kids
Stuffed Animals: You can find funky stuffed crocodiles, snakes, and tiny hippos at shops around town. There are cute options at Abraham Konga and at the Kigali Cultural Village shop.
Traditional Toys: Look for small balls made out of banana leaves or local baby clothes and toys that you won’t find anywhere else. I’ve seen these at the Kigali Cultural Village shop, too.
At Abraham Konga
Am I missing something that should be part of this Rwanda Gift Guide? Let me know!
