Traveling to Rwanda

Rwanda is a small, landlocked country in East Africa known for its stunning landscapes, diverse wildlife, and vibrant culture. Despite its tragic history, Rwanda has made significant strides in recent years and has become a popular destination for tourists seeking adventure, nature, and cultural experiences.

Most of the people visiting Rwanda are coming to see the majestic gorillas, the human-like creatures said to be sharing 98% of their DNA with human being; although there are some other attractions including but not limited to chimpanzee and canopy walk in Nyungwe National Park, the game drive in Akagera National Park as well as community and cultural based activities, art galleries, museums and city tours. This piece of writing brings you some tips on what to consider before traveling to Rwanda.

Well, there are several important factors to consider to ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip. Rwanda is generally considered safe for tourists. The country has been named by different reports to be the safest country and Kigali being the cleanest city, not only in Africa but among the best in the Whole world. However, it is always wise to stay informed about the current situation, existing guidelines and laws to follow when you are visiting Rwanda in order to take appropriate precautions. The following are factors on what to consider before traveling to Rwanda:

Visa Requirements: it’s of crucial importance to first check visa requirements of your nationality before traveling to Rwanda. Rwanda is visa free African countries, all country members of the commonwealth and the Francophonie countries. The rest who are not concerned by this visa waiver, are given a visa on arrival at the airport. No pre arrival application is needed.

Currency: The financial part of your travel is very important as you will be travelling to places for the first time or places you are not familiar with. The currency is an important factor not to miss out on on what to consider before traveling to Rwanda. The official currency in Rwanda is the Rwandan Franc. International travelers when visiting Rwanda are advised to have the USD dollars as are largely accepted in most of the services or exchanged in all the forex bureau and Banks. In addition to that, Rwanda promotes cashless transactions, either bank transfers, mobile money banking and payments using credit cards. Most of the service accepts credit cards and ETM machines are available throughout the country.

Another factor about what to consider before visiting Rwanda in the Language: English, French, and Kinyarwanda are the official languages in Rwanda. While English is widely spoken, especially in urban areas and tourist destinations, Swahili is a major language used across all the east African countries. Learning a few basic phrases in Kinyarwanda can be appreciated by locals. If you are using none of the above, translators are available for languages like Spanish, Germany, Chinese, Russian and Indian.

Cultural Sensitivity: it’s generally advisable to travelers to familiarize with the local customs and traditions. Rwanda has a rich cultural heritage, and understanding and respecting local customs can enhance your travel experience. You may get to know more about the Rwandan culture, traditions and norms by visiting the communities or natural attractions, these may include national parks, historical sites, and museums.

Responsible traveler. Rwanda has adopted strict measures aimed at the conservation and protection of the environment. What to consider before traveling to Rwanda, be informed that Rwanda has banned plastic bag use. Every waste should be deposited into a dust bin available at each public place. Make sure to be informed of each regulation on every destination you are visiting and follow them.

Weather is also important to know among what to consider before travelling to Rwanda and deciding when to go. Rwanda is situated in East central Africa with a tropical climate. Rwanda has four two seasons namely the rainy season that goes from September to June with a short break in January to mid-March. From June to mid-September it’s a dry season which is also a high season for tourism. However, Rwanda can be visited at any time of the year as the climate is moderate and the rains are not too much to stop movements as it rains for some hours and the rest is normal. Please seek a local tour operator’s advice on the best time to visit Rwanda.

Plan your trip to Rwanda in advance. It’s important to have a plan of where to visit, the hotel to use and do all the bookings ahead of time. Especially during the high season all activities and accommodations are on high demand. It is always advised to make advance bookings to be sure of availability of both accommodation and activities like gorilla permits and some other park activities namely chimpanzee trekking permits, golden monkeys, boat ride in Akagera are limited in number and are served on a first come first serve basis.

For better planning of your trip to Rwanda, you need to contact a local tour operator who will help you to organize your trip and inform you on What to consider before traveling to Rwanda. Unique Rwanda Vacation Experts is a well-established tour operator who has extensive experience in organizing tours in Rwanda and around East Africa namely in Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Kenya. Please send your booking and leave our tour experts help you in designing an itinerary that best fits with your time, interests and budget to booking accommodation and activities.