Gisozi is a hillside district of Kigali, and for most visitors it means the memorial. The Kigali Genocide Memorial, on a ridge in Gisozi, is the burial place of more than two hundred and fifty thousand victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, and it also houses a museum that documents the killing, its causes and its aftermath, with photographs, clothing and testimonies. It is sobering, honest and carefully made, and it is the most important stop for anyone who wants to understand modern Rwanda. Allow at least two hours and go with an open heart.
The city around it is something else. Kigali is a place of hills, a green city of well-swept streets and flower beds, spread over ridges at about 1,500 metres, with a mild, dry climate that makes it more comfortable than many equatorial capitals. Plastic bags have been banned since 2008, and on the last Saturday of each month, the community work day called umuganda closes most shops and many roads in the morning while neighbourhoods sweep and repair, so plan your day accordingly.
Riding in Kigali is an acquired skill. Motorcycle taxis, locally called motos, are everywhere, weaving through traffic in numbers, and their riders are required to wear helmets and carry a spare for their passenger. Traffic rules are strictly enforced, with police checkpoints and speed cameras, and the city streets are well paved, though steep, with tight junctions and heavy traffic at rush hours. Roundabouts are busy. Rain brings sudden downpours that turn gutters into streams, so allow a margin on the hills.
Fuel is easy in Kigali, a city of more than seven hundred thousand, with stations on the main avenues, and you will find mechanics for most bikes. For food, brochettes of grilled goat or beef, cooked over charcoal and served with bananas, are the classic, and the local coffee is among Africa's best, with cafés that roast their own beans. The highlands of the country are never far, and an hour's ride takes you into the terraced hills.
Visit the memorial in the morning, when you are fresh, and leave the afternoon for something gentler.