National Museum of Rwanda: The National Museum is a surprisingly comprehensive and interesting museum. Even travelers knowledgeable about recent Rwandan history will learn much about Rwanda's colonial and post-colonial governments, as well as the Tutsi monarchy which predated both of these. Many of Rwanda's idiosyncratic cultural attributes will make more sense after a visit to the national museum.
Gikongoro Genocide memorial: Just outside Butare is one of the most compelling genocide memorials in Rwanda. The memorial is located in Gikongoro, which is about 15 minutes east of Butare along the road to Cyangugu; taxis will take you there from Butare for about $15. In 1994, Gikongoro was the site of a large massacre at a vocational school where several hundred Tutsis were hiding. Local guides (some of whom have firsthand knowledge of the events that transpired there) will tell you the story of what happened there.
Butare Market: Butare has a bustling market that is open every day except Saturday. Although there will be no souvenirs on sale, this market is an excellent way to learn how Rwandans shop for their everyday needs. Be prepared to barter.
National University of Rwanda: Although a stroll through the University would take at most 20 minutes, it is a worthwhile trip to see an active African university. Students here are almost all on full scholarship, selected by test performance; they sleep two to a bed in dorms located on campus.
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Butare Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
