Last Updated on February 12, 2024 by Travelationship
Vayando Travel and Jacques Nkinzingabo
While in Rwanda, we were so excited to learn of Vayando, a travel website is connecting travelers with local micro-entrepreneurs for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. They only operate in Rwanda and Costa Rica but are looking to branch out to other countries soon. Check out their website to find your local connection when you are in either location.
As luck would have it, we didn’t learn about Vayando until five days before we departed from Rwanda. We only had time to choose one adventure, and as photographer fanatics, we decided on the Street Photography Walk with Yakubu (we will try the others when we return in a year or two). Through a friend collaborating on his Rwanda Unseen photography project, we learned a bit about Jacques Nkinzingabo (aka Jack). Another friend raved about the photography walk she had taken a few days before.
Photo Walk Time
Jack is an uber-talented photographer born in Rwanda and living in Kigali. His passion for photography and his eye for daily street life relationships and details is inspiring, to say the least. He has a calm demeanor that makes it easy to feel instantly comfortable with him. His tours started only three weeks before our visit. We were his 4th client and would have never guessed because of his level of professionalism and confidence.
Our walk started at the Kigali Center Tower and ended in the Nyamirambo neighborhood. We walked about 10 km in total. We began with a birds-eye view of the city, moved along to spectacular views of the hills, passed schools, and businesses, stopped along the way to talk to locals, and he even had a perfect spot for me to capture some “Stride Bys.”
We kept our walk casual and were open to seeing and doing anything he had to show us. There were so many great moments during our time with Jack. He is professional and knowledgeable about the area and photography. He is open-minded, which helps to keep the creative juices flowing. We enjoyed bouncing photos and project ideas back and forth with him.
If you want to learn more about Jack, look here. Want to see his current project? Kwanda Art Foundation head here.
Know Before You Go:
All date availabilities, bookings, and payments are made through Vayando. Once you have booked, the local Vayando coordinator will immediately send you an email with things to know and contact information. Please see their website FAQ for details if you need to change dates or cancel.
Arrive with an idea of what photos you would like to capture (landscapes, architecture, people, nature, street art, etc.) and the places/things you may want to see. This will help Jack plan his walk designed to your tastes and interests. If you are unsure, it’s ok; he will show you a taste of it all.
They are not included in the $25/3 hours price if you need motos or transportation. Bring extra money if you want to reach places beyond walking distances.
Rwanda is a culture that is slowly adjusting to public photography. In the past, street/public photography was not accepted. During the walk, you will experience a range of people wanting to be photographed with you to people who will get quite indignant about photos taken anywhere near them. Be respectful and always ask before taking pictures of someone or someone’s property. Jack will guide you on where/when images are or are not appropriate.
- May I take a photo? = Nagu fotora?
- Yes – Yego
- No – Oya
The walk starts at the “downtown” Kigali Center Tower, KCT KN 2 Street, either at 9 am for the day tour or 6 pm for the night tour.
- Jack is flexible.
- The route is not fixed.
- The walk is a full 3 hours.
- Bring your camera and an extra camera battery.
- Wear comfortable clothing & shoes appropriate to current weather conditions.
- Bring a hat if you are prone to overheat.
- Bring water & snacks.
There are places to stop and buy snacks or water along the way, but shopping cuts into your photo time.
If you have questions – ask! The staff at Vayando and Jack were happy to answer and help in any way.
Arrive with a great attitude and have fun. The walk is what YOU make of it.
Travelationship Rating:
5 out of 5 Travelationship High Fives. This photo walk quickly slid into our top 5 things to do when in Rwanda.
Type of traveler – adventure, historical, bucket lister
Read About Our Other Adventures in Rwanda.
See More Photos on Flickr, and Please look for us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
This is really cool. It reminds me of the photos you shared of your tribal experience in PNG. I really struggle with the comfort of photographing people, so doing a creative tour/class would be both fun and really inspiring.
Thanks. I have the same internal struggle every time I pull out the camera knowing I will be photographing people. It definitely takes me time to warm up. I must say you hit the nail on the head, the tour was truly fun and inspiring and by the end, my confidence level was through the roof.