Below is some of the practical travel information you may need before departing and arriving while on your trip to visit Rwanda
Basic Information
Official Name: Republic of Rwanda
Area: 26,338 sq km
Population: 12 million
Capital: Kigali
Largest Cities, with Population
Kigali: 745,000
Butare: 89,000
Gitarama: 87,000
Ruhengeri: 86,000
Religious Affiliations:
Catholic: 56.5%
Protestant: 37.1%
Muslims: 4.6%
Climate
Rwanda has a temperate tropical highland climate, with lower temperatures than are typical for equatorial countries because of its high elevation. Kigali, in the centre of the country, has a typical daily temperature range between 12 °C (54 °F) and 27 °C (81 °F), with little variation through the year. There are some temperature variations across the country; the mountainous west and north are generally cooler than the lower-lying east.
The best time to visit Rwanda depends on climatic conditions and there are two rainy seasons in the year; the first runs from February to June and the second from September to December. These are separated by two dry seasons: the major one from June to September, during which there is often no rain at all, and a shorter and less severe one from December to February.
Visa Rwanda
Below is the updated visa policy for Uganda
- Nationals of Austria, Germany, Israel, New Zealand, Republic of South Africa, Sweden, UK, and USA, shall get entry visa and pay visa fee upon arrival at any Rwanda entry point without prior application. The entry visa fee is 30 USD, valid for a period of up to 30 days. Nationals of the mentioned countries may also choose to get visa at Rwanda Diplomatic missions (except the UN mission in York) or online
- EAC partner states citizens shall continue to be issued with 6 months visitors pass (renewable) at entry points with no fee.
- DRC citizens will continue getting visitors visa for a stay not exceeding 90 days with no fee as provided by the CEPGL agreement
- Nationals of Singapore, Hong Kong, Mauritius and Philippines are exempted from entry/tourism visa for a stay of up to 90 days
- Nationals of African countries not exempted from visa fee shall continue getting entry visa at Rwandan entry points (Kigali International Airport and all land borders)
Nationals of countries not mentioned above shall get visa upon application before travelling and pay prescribed fee.
For more info https://www.migration.gov.rw/home/
Cash
The official currency of Rwanda is the Rwandan Franc (Rwf).
(For the current rates, please see Internet sites such as xe.com)
Many lodge and restaurant prices will be set in US dollars while outside of lodges (souvenirs, snacks, etc.) Francs will be necessary.
US dollars printed before 2006 are not accepted in the country. When you exchange money, use big notes (50 or 100 US dollar). The exchange rate of smaller notes is much lower. Make sure notes are not cut, not stamped or damaged in any way. They will not be accepted.
We advise that you budget your cash needs per person:
US$30 per day on full-board tour packages to cover drinks and other personal expenses.
US$60 per day on bed & breakfast tour packages to cover meals, drinks and personal expenses not included.
Exchange Rates
You can change dollars, pounds and Euros at the border posts and Kigali and at major banks in certain secondary cities. It’s good to have some US dollars with you at all times. (For the current rates, please see Internet sites such as xe.com). Before leaving the country, you may exchange Francs into Euros, dollars or pounds (obviously at a less favourable rate).
ATM and Credit Cards
ATM: Bank of Kigali and Eco bank both have ATMs that will accept international Visa cards
Credit Card: Credit cards are not yet used much in Rwanda. Only at major hotels and upmarket lodges can this be used, but these will sometimes add a surcharge.
Traveler Cheques: Traveler cheques are not accepted in Rwanda.
Tipping
Tipping is common in the cities these days due to the large international tourist presence. In restaurants, we recommend a tip of about 10% of the bill.
For your entire tour, a common tip of US$10 per day can be expected for your driver / guide.
Plugs and Voltage
Western European-style plugs (type c) with two pins: 230 V, 50 Hz are used throughout the country. See photo on below;
Internet
Internet cafes can be found though the connection (especially outside Kigali) is generally very slow. WIFI is sometimes available in lodges and it is possible to buy a 3G mobile internet USB dongle to be used with your laptop. It will cost around US$ 50 and on sale in Kigali along with various sizes of data packages.
Charging camera and phone
You can charge your cameras, phones and other electric items in most hotels. If you bring a couple of chargeable items, you might consider bringing an adaptor with extra outlets since the amount of outlets is often limited. We advise you to bring extra batteries for your camera, since some hotels don’t have power and power cuts might occur.
Luggage
We request you to bring a bag or suitcase made from a soft material. Hard cover suitcases are difficult to place in the car and are likely to break on the bumpy roads. When travelling with 4 persons or more we request you to limit the weight of your bag/suitcase to 20 kg.
Phone
Mobile telephones have become very big in Rwanda. Throughout the country simcards sell for less than a US dollar which you then can top up with credit and make reasonably priced calls to most international destinations. Most urban areas have reception. The country code for Rwanda is 00250 or + 250
Gay Travelers
Throughout Africa it is generally safe for gay people to travel. Unlike in neighboring Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, there is no official prohibition against homosexuality in Rwanda and it is unlikely that gay travelers will experience any particular difficulties.
Health
Contact your general practitioner at least 8 weeks before your trip to Rwanda and check whether you need any vaccinations or other preventive measures. Country specific information and advice is published by the National Travel Health Network and Centre, and useful information about healthcare abroad, including a country-by-country guide of reciprocal health care agreements with the UK, is available from NHS Choices.
Medical facilities in Rwanda are limited, particularly outside major towns. Medical help at the scene of an accident is likely to be equally scarce. In the case of a serious accident or illness, evacuation by air ambulance may be required. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and/or repatriation.
It possible to purchase a short-term insurance policy with AMREF Flying Doctors programe to cover the period of your tour. Contact EBS TOURS for this information.
Make sure your Yellow Fever vaccination is up to date before arriving in Rwanda as this is often asked for by immigration officials.
Safety and Risks
Rwanda is a relatively safe country to travel in and the people are considered to be very polite and welcoming. You should take the usual safety precautions and contact your local embassy for more safety instructions during your tour to Rwanda.
Air Ambulance Scheme
Medical facilities in East Africa are limited. This is especially true for some of the remote places where your safari may take you. In case of a serious medical emergency, getting to the nearest full-service hospital may mean a long ground transfer over poor roads.
EBS TOURS has an agreement with AMREF to provide an inexpensive Tourist Air Evacuation Scheme. For registered clients, AMREF Flying Doctors will respond swiftly and without delay in the event of an incident and coordinate directly with work with the client’s overseas insurance company (though it is not necessary to have such insurance to qualify for the scheme).