You will visit Kibeho for an inspiring pilgrimage tour in the south of Rwanda. This is a uniquely profound spiritual tour encounter that will leave you blessed for the rest of your life. The Kibeho site is around 153 kilometers to the south of Kigali. Come and learn about the history and the spiritual experiences of the Roman Catholics as you worship God in this beautiful site. Explore one of the few sites approved by the Vatican church as a Marian apparition site. This implies that the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ appeared and was witnessed by believers.
During this tour, you will witness the site associated with the apparition as well as the Church of Our Lady of Sorrow. You will also witness the statue of Jesus Christ, known as the divine mercy statue. You will gain knowledge about this unique statue and how it got here from the United States. You will also learn about how the visions were connected to the tragic Rwandan Genocide of 1994. Interact with various Roman Catholics and people from other religious denominations as you explore these ambient and sacred grounds.
How the Kibeho Pilgrimage tour in Rwanda is done
From Kigali city, wake up at your hotel or residence for an early morning breakfast. You will be picked up by a driver guide from Standard Safaris. Your guide will take you to Kibeho in the southern province of Rwanda. You will arrive and join other pilgrims and believers. If you are lucky enough, you might attend mass. Then you will explore the place, and visit the shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows. You will also get the opportunity to see several beautifully crafted statues including one of the Merciful Jesus.
The best time to go for the Kibeho Pilgrimage tour in Rwanda
The Kibeho site is open to pilgrims throughout the year, however, the most significant days are the Assumption Day on the 15th of August and 28th of November, to mark the anniversary of the first day the Virgin Mary appeared. However, we at Standard Safaris advise that you make your pilgrimage on time. This is because the site receives almost 30,000 visitors from all over the world. This is often the case during the peak season. You can reach Kibeho for a tour by road. The trip from Kigali southwards takes 3.5 to 4 hours on our comfortable safari car.
History of Kibeho Pilgrimage and Cultural Site in Rwanda
Kibeho experienced its first Marian apparition on the 28th of November 1981. This was witnessed by a student of Kibeho High School, Alphonsine Mumureke, 17. She reported that a beautiful lady appeared to her and called herself ‘Nyina wa Jambo,’ meaning ‘Mother of the Word.’ She was instantly convinced that this was the Virgin Mary. This event occurred consistently and people saw the apparition for both short and long periods. This was followed by the Virgin Mary requesting them to pray, repent, convert, and have unwavering faith in God.
Anathalie Mukamazimpaka, 20, also received visions that lasted from January 1982 to December 1983. She reported that Mother Mary instructed her to pray and atone for her sins and earthly immoral desires. The third person to get these visions vividly was Marie Claire Mukangango, 21. Though initially a skeptic, who bullied Mumureke over her report, she experienced her own in 1982. Between March and September, the Virgin Mary told Mukangango that people should pray the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, to be favored after repentance.
The visions from the mentioned 3 girls were approved by Augustin Misago, the then Bishop of the Diocese of Gikongoro. However, other people reported similar circumstances. These included Emmanuel Segastashya, Vestine Salima, Stephanie Mukamurenzi, and Agnes Kamagaju. Yet, these were not approved by the Catholic Church. The bishop instead approved public devotion connected to the Virgin Mary apparition by the 3 girls on 15th August 1988. Then, on 29th June 2001, their authenticity was declared.
Other tour sites to visit in Rwanda
While planning your Kibeho Pilgrimage tour in Rwanda, do not miss out on other similarly captivating tour sites. For example, go for a breathtaking gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park in the northwest of Rwanda. Here, you can also go for a golden monkey trek, and hiking tour on Mount Karisimbi. You can also visit the Dian Fossey Grave to pay respect to one of the best academics to study the gorillas of the Virunga Massif. You can also explore Nyungwe National Park in the southwest of Rwanda.
This is another breathtaking primate tracking experience that involves locating the chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Here, there is also the exhilarating canopy walk, colobus monkey treks, and birdwatching tours. You can also have a thrilling time at Akagera National Park. This offers game drives, boat cruises, and birdwatching tours. You can also visit Lake Kivu on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This offers boat cruises, hiking tours, birdwatching relaxation, etc. You can also tour Kigali for city tours.
