Backpacking In Rwanda🇷🇼: Staying At The Discover Rwanda Hostel, Kigali

Backpacking In Rwanda: Staying At The Discover Rwanda Hostel, Kigali

I stayed in two different places in Kigali in Rwanda, as well as spending a night in Kigali airport on a layover on route to Kenya. Our first port of call was the Discover Rwanda Hostel. This is a textbook typical backpackers hostel in the city. It was right up my street and I backpacked my way here with Malina and Russell on a daytime mini-bus from Kampala in Uganda. We crossed the Uganda to Rwanda border and ended up here.

We had a 3 bed dorm at the back. 2 of the beds had mosquito nets and one didn’t. Obviously I took the one without the mosquito net, as Russell is older and Malina is female. In the common area, lounge and bar there were plenty of other backpackers. Oddly, I didn’t really speak to them on this trip.

The hostel is in a lofty part of the city, high up on hills. After arriving by mini-bus, we ended up sharing a taxi up the hill.

The hostel offers good views over the city and is also only about 20 minutes walk to the main city centre, which is also up a big hill – Kigali is a city built into the hills.

As often happens, I am in Room 22, here again we were. 22 is my lucky number. I grew up in house number 2, Granny and Granda lived at 22, Granny lived at 32 and later my parents moved us to number 12. So naturally, I felt at home here.

We had breakfast included, Wi-Fi was free and I certainly had a few beers in the bar, whilst I was blogging.

The hostel had a chilled and relaxed vibe – you could stay here for weeks to work online and be fairly satisfied.

Breakfast was boiled eggs, toast with jam and butter also an option. Tea and coffee was free/included.

I was here in 2019, and am now finally finishing this post in 2026, 7 years later so I hope not much has changed in The Discover Rwanda Hostel – a perfect place which we enjoyed.