Rwanda Travel Information

Passport and visas

Applicants should have a valid passport or another acceptable travel document. The document must have a validity of at least six months on the day of entry into Rwanda. As of 1st January 2018, nationals of all countries receive a visa on arrival at Kigali International Airport and all land borders. Visas can be applied for before departure, by submitting an application online, with the option to pay online or upon arrival.

Vaccinations

Travelers should ensure they are up to date with vaccinations, following the advice of their local healthcare provider. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required. At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) on the TravelHealthPro website. https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/187/rwanda, each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad.

The greatest health risks in Rwanda are accidents and malaria. Much of Rwanda lies at too high an elevation for malaria to be a major concern, but the disease is present and prophylactic drugs are recommended. Travellers should seek professional medical advice on taking anti-malarial medicines and take precautions to avoid mosquito bites, especially between dawn and dusk.

COVID-19 Requirements

All travellers must provide printed, documented proof of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test, taken within 72 hours of boarding your flight to Rwanda, immediately upon arrival.

Note: The negative RT-PCR test result will be the only type accepted. Other tests, such as Rapid Diagnostics Test (RDTs), are not accepted.

All travellers are required to complete and submit a “Rwanda Passenger Locator Form” to assist in contact tracing. To access this form, please https://travel.rbc.gov.rw/travel/.

You must provide printed, documented proof of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test each time they visit Volcanoes and Nyungwe National Parks.  Rapid Diagnosis Test (RDTs) is accepted for check-in at any hotel or lodge and in Akagera National park

Note: all passengers arriving from or have traveled to India and Uganda in last 7 days are required to complete 7 days in mandatory quarantine upon arrival at the designated hotels. Please visit https://rbc.gov.rw/index.php?id=188 for an up-to-date list of approved. This quarantine requirement does not apply to transit passengers.

Note: COVID rules and regulations are subject to change from time to time. Get in touch with us for accurate new rules before travel.

Climate

Fractionally south of the Equator and with much of the country lying at altitude, Rwanda enjoys an agreeable tropical highland climate. Peak temperatures rarely exceed 30°C (86°F) in the daytime or drop below 15°C (59°F) at night. Akagera is generally the warmest and the Virunga Mountains the coolest and the average daily temperature in Kigali is 21°C (70°F). There are two rainy seasons in a year, from mid-February to May and mid-September to mid-December. The dry season, from June to mid-September, sees light cloud cover and occasional light rainfall. The roads and paths tend to be easier to navigate in this period

Money

The Rwandan franc (Rfw) is the principal currency, although US dollars are widely accepted. Expect to pay for local services in cash, in Rwandan francs. Dollar series of 2006 below are note accepted in national park and for exchange they have a lesser exchange value together with smaller notes below 50$. A growing number of places accept credit and debit cards, with Visa being more widely accepted than Mastercard. It’s best to check when making a booking. Cash can be exchanged at banks and private forex bureaux (bureau de change) but Both are closed on Sundays and public holidays. ATMs can be found in Kigali and nearly all major cities. It may be impossible to exchange traveler’s cheques away from the capital. Western Union facilities are common.

Electricity:  230v 50Hz

Time:  GMT + 2:00

Telephone:  International telephone code +250