Local Artisan Experience: Immerse in Rwandan Farm Life and Weaving Techniques
5.0
14 Ratings
Gitarama
A unique opportunity to experience and gain insight into the life of rural Rwandans and their families. Spend a day on the farm and get the opportunity to learn weaving with the ladies. You get to not only see something of the beauty and rigor of everyday life, but to also experience it. A truly interactive way to learn about Rwandan Culture.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Azizi Life Experiences - The days starts with a briefing before driving the village where you will be welcome by the artisans and try your hand at some subsistence farming . Then you will join the locals to fetch water and have the opportunity to help with food preparation.
Lunch will be served and this will be local Rwandan food that the family would normally eat. The food will be cooked as vegetarian e.g. cassava and beans. This is a good time to ask your hosts about life in their community. They may have questions for you too about life in your home country.
After an hour at lunch there will be a two hour one-to-one instruction in weaving a simple item in sisal before departing the community. You will arrive back at the office where you will enjoy a cold drink and have a debrief about your experience before shopping for gifts and souvenirs in the life store, here you will find a wide range of high quality handicrafts for sale, including those made by the artisans you visited.
What's Included
- Local guide
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Return transport from Muhanga Town to Village
- Tour host
What's Not Included
- Transportation from Kigali (but this can be aranged on request for an additional charge)
- Items at the gift shop
Additional Information
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Uneven surfaces
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
Location
RN1
Coming from Kigali as you enter Muhanga/Gitarama you will the prison on your left. After 30 metres there is a road forking off to your right; ignore this. Keep going on the main road about 100 metres further on the left hand-side of the road you will see the Azizi Life sign.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(14 Ratings)
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Daschwa
Jul 1, 2023
What an experience! - We spent a night and a day in the village. What an experience! The visit in the village gives an insight to the rural daily life in Rwanda. The women of the cooperative that hosted us where so friendly and welcoming. We enjoyed every minute of this unique experience. To get a better understanding of a place you should try to know the people and their way of life. Thank you Azizi Life for the opportunity. I fully recommend this experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G4434nbcamiller
Jun 19, 2023
Sharing passions - I had the chance to live a day with a very skilled potter! I learned a lot about pottery making in Rwanda. We started the day by collecting clay directly in the closeby river and we then made an object I could choose. All along the day we were together with a facilitator (for translation). So we could exchange a lot! Finally we had lunch all together in our host familly. I would recommand this expericence to anyone, also if your not a great artist. There are many other options, and everyone at Azizi is so welcoming that your day is going to be amazing anyway! The plus: you can stay for the night in the brand new accommodation of AziziLife in Byimana.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Madsyns
Jun 5, 2023
Amazing experience! 10/10 would recommend! - We had the best time. Everyone was so kind, the food was delicious, and the views were incredible. We stayed at Azizi Life all week and had a lovely experience- the accommodations were spacious and clean and the food was delicious! Everyone was so kind and the staff even made a birthday cake and sang to my friend on our last day.
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Wendywardell
Feb 27, 2023
One of my best experiences in Rwanda - I wasn't sure what to expect from this experience, but it was amazing and our hosts, Theogene and Rose could not have been more kind and welcoming. They patiently, and with good humor, walked us through all of the daily activites like cooking, hoeing, water gathering, feeding their animals and finally, learning the beautiful craft of sisal basket weaving. It was a day I will never forget and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to learn how the Azizi villagers actually live.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Byundt1
Sep 19, 2022
Wonderful opporunity!! - We participated in the Day in the Life of an Artisan, and the whole experience was fantastic and one that we will always remember. The women in the cooperative were open, generous, kind, fun, patient, and hard working. We saw how they work in the fields, cook their meals, wash their dishes, collect water, and make their crafts (and we participated!) . Theonaste was a wonderful interpreter and guide. We felt very privileged to have had this opportunity. Just one tip....Muhanga is about a 75 minute drive from Kigali, however Azizi Life also arranged a driver for us.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lararay
Sep 23, 2019
Welcoming and Insightful day with local artist cooperative - I spent the day with a women's cooperative group who make woven goods (baskets and jewelry) to sell. My excellent interpreter spent the day by my side, opening up a window into the daily lives of these great women. I helped with household chores like gardening, cooking and fetching water. After a local lunch we settled down to do some weaving. It was a humbling experience, as they are so quick and skillful! But they were patient and taught me and the afternoon was a big success!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Avalou98
Jul 2, 2019
Unforgettable! - My time at Azizi Life was a wonderful and unforgettable experience. The individuals that we interacted were phenomenal and kindhearted people that truly helped make the experiences unforgettable! The Traditional Coffee Experience and Day in the Life of an Artisan Experience were amazing! These experiences really helped give me a glimpse into the lives of some Rwandan women and I am so grateful to have had that opportunity. From doing a little bit of work in the fields to getting water and grinding coffee or making bracelets - everything was amazing! The women that we spent time with were an absolute joy to be with and learn from!! I would recommend Azizi Life Experiences to anybody visiting Rwanda - regardless of age or reason for traveling! It truly is a wonderful organization with fantastic experiences and beautiful products!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
481henriet
May 19, 2019
A heart-warming experience - It was absolutely wonderful to spend the day with the big-hearted and strong women, doing different activities to learn and experience their daily life. We admire the women so much and are extremely thankful for the things we got to share with each other! A happy to remember!:)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andreas
May 8, 2019
A day with artisans - Amazing experience, friendly people and interesting in every way! We visited with a group of teenager students (17-18 years of age) and all of them where so happy for this experience. We do this every second year with new students, and it is a memory for life for everyone.
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Doris20151024
Mar 25, 2019
A Must See and Do Experience - A day in the life of an Azizi woman is a must see and do. We take so many things for granted. Walk along side of the women to experience getting water, making a meal, hoeing the garden, cutting grass for the cows, doing crafts and dancing. The fellowship you share while enjoying all the activities is so valuable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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