Country Dossier for Rwanda The Facts Brief History Visas The entry point is: Gatuna Due to international agreements, the nationals of the following countries may visit Rwanda without visa for a period up to 90 days: USA, Germany, Canada, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, Mauritius, South Africa, Kenya, Great Britain, Sweden, Singapore, Hong Kong and Burundi. Arrival in Rwanda Kigali City Money Please note: It is very important to ensure that you obtain enough US$ cash to cover your local payment, visas and optional excursions before you travel. It can be very difficult to obtain US$ in Africa, even in major cities like Cape Town. Tour leaders cannot accept any notes that are marked, torn or older than the year 2002, and you may have difficulty exchanging these notes elsewhere in Africa, so please check your cash carefully at the point of purchase. Local Currency In general, Visa is the only credit card that will work everywhere in Africa. Master Card, AMEX and Cirrus will work in some countries but not in others. We recommend that you bring cash/travellers cheques in US Dollars only. When changing money, it is a good idea if at all possible, to get small denomination notes and coins in the local currency as often there is a lack of change when you are making purchases and no-one in Africa ever seems to have change. Please note that it is not possible to withdraw US$ from ATM machines in Africa, only local currency. Working Out Your Budget Optional Excursions Entrance Fees Local Transport Geography & Weather Check the weather chart on our website or visit www.worldclimate.com to get an idea of what the weather will be like on your trip. Security Photography All drinks such as water, soft or alcoholic drinks are at your own expense at all times. The following is a guideline for drinks bought at the campsites that we use. If bought from shops in the street, prices are likely to be cheaper, but in restaurants and hotels can sometimes be more than double the prices specified below; 1 litre of water - US$1.50 You should be wary of drinking the local tap water. Bottled water and carbonated soft drinks are widely available and are generally safe to drink. There are various brands of beers found only in Rwanda including Primus and Muitzig. Most of the campsites / hostels that we use have bars or serve alcoholic drinks. If there is not a bar in the campsite / hostel then there is sure to be one within walking distance. Beware imported spirit prices as they are very expensive so always ask for the local equivalent spirit if you want to remain within your budget! Typical Local Meals Vegetarians Tipping Shopping National Holidays Please remember that on public holidays, banks, museums and shops will be closed and often public transport is less frequent than usual. Emergency Contact Please note that this number is a service for emergency calls only. We respectfully request that you consider the urgency of your enquiry. Non-urgent enquiries should be made during office hours. Please be considerate of time zones. Alternatively please contact our Operations department at the Tucan Travel office in London (office hours - 9am to 5.30pm local time): Last Updated 30/04/10
During the 15th century, there were two main ethnic groups in Rwanda – The Hutus and the Tutsis. The Tutsis from the north conquered the area and became the ruling power over the Hutus. In 1895, the country came under German rule but was not developed economically and the existing Government continued to be used. Later, a protectorate was taken by Belgium before Rwanda became a United Nations Trust Territory after World War II. At this time, the Tutsis were still the strongest ethnic group although there was much civil unrest and rumblings among the Hutus. In 1961, the Tutsi monarchy was abolished and by 1st July 1962 when Independence was declared, the Hutus had become the stronger political power. By the 1990s, the RPF (Rwandan Patriotic Front) – a Tutsi dominated force, and the Interahamwe – the Hutu’s secretly trained army, were at continuous war with each other resulting in the appalling 1994 genocide in which an estimated one million people were murdered over a 3 month period. The majority of the killings were carried out by the Interahamwe and Hutu military but both Tutsi and Hutu civilians were killed. Since the genocide and war, peace and calm has returned to the country and lives are being rebuilt. There is now a ruling that parliament must be made up of at least one third women representatives as it is believed that women would never permit another genocide to happen.
Currently EU, Ireland, Australian and New Zealand citizens all need a visa to enter Rwanda. Visas are not available at the border. It is your own responsibility to check all visa requirements before travelling and obtain them in advance as required. Rwanda visas MUST be obtained a minimum of 3 days advance of travel. If you do not have a Rwandan consulate or embassy in your country you can apply for your visa online at www.migration.gov.rw under Public Forms – Online Visa Application or via this link: http://www.migration.gov.rw/singleform.php. Don’t forget to print out your acceptance letter when it arrives and take note of the reference number.
The exit point is: Gatuna
For entry and exit dates, check your tour dossier or contact our reservations staff, who can double-check schedules for you.
Accommodation: Fatima Pastrol Centre
IMPORTANT: GBP (£) are not accepted at border crossings so bring US ($) cash for any visa expenses at the border.
We will enter and exit Rwanda by land through the Katuna Border. This is the main border between Kigali and Kampala so is very busy. Visas can be obtained here but due to the large numbers of travellers crossing, and filling out all the paper work, it can take some time and your patience is appreciated.
We do not recommend that you carry your actual passport unless changing flights or money. It is advisable not to wear chains or expensive looking watches or jewellery while in most African cities. Also keep your camera concealed when not in use and carry day packs on your front for extra safety.
Prices quoted in this country dossier’ are in United States Dollars (US$), unless otherwise specified.
The monetary unit in Rwanda is the Rwandan Franc. For up to date exchange rates with your own currency visit www.oanda.com or www.xe.com .
Our Africa pre departure information includes a general list of all the things you should take into consideration when budgeting and an estimate of what you should allow per day for spending money. Below are some specific notes relevant to our trips in Rwanda.
Most excursions and entrance fees are NOT included in the local payment and you can therefore choose as many or as few optional excursions as you like! A full list of the main excursions available on each tour can be found on the optional excursions Guide. There is also a separate “Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Info sheet” available to download from our website. All prices given are approximate and are likely to change due to local inflation or exchange rates.
Generally speaking most entrance fees will be not be included in your local payment. If you have an International Student Card you will often be entitled to reduced entrance fees.
Taxis are recommended for all journeys within Kigali. Taxi meters are not normally in evidence, so you will find yourself engaging in a bit of haggling with the driver to agree upon the fare. This can be fun, but it is a good idea to find out in advance, from your tour leader or the hotel receptionist, approximately how much the fare should be. You will almost certainly have to accept that you will pay more than the Rwandans do.
Rwanda is a small country located a few degrees south of the equator and has a generally tropical climate, with rolling hills to the east and rugged mountains and a chain of volcanoes to the north-west, where at times, snow and frost can occur.
It is also known as the lightning capital of the world due to intense daily thunderstorms during the rainy seasons (February – May and September – December), particularly in the west of the country.
The Virunga Mountains where we trek to see the Mountain Gorillas are prone to extreme variations in temperature as well as very wet weather so it is essential to be prepared for all eventualities. Please see the “Gorilla Trekking Information Sheet” for further details on what to expect.
Crime is not a great problem in Rwanda, but you still need to be aware and exercise caution as with anywhere in the world.
Don’t walk around lonely back streets on your own, don’t wear expensive looking jewellery or a classy watch and don’t carry a wallet in your back pocket. Don’t carry your camera openly; always have it in a small day pack which is firmly attached to your body, preferably in the front in crowded places. Always wear a money belt or leave your valuables, including your passport, in the hotel security box.
Caution should be taken when taking photos in and around the city. Locals should always be asked prior to taking a photo and it is not uncommon for them to ask for a small donation. Never take photos of police, military personal or buildings. The same goes for any government buildings, banks, post offices or the railway station.
Food & Drink
Most meals are included when camping and lunch is usually included on travelling days in the truck. When staying in hotels or hostels, all meals are at your own expense. As a guideline a simple snack (e.g. a sandwich) can cost as little as US$2.5 and a light meal will cost around US$4-8.
30cl bottle of soft drink - US$0.80
50cl bottle of beer - US$2.00
(All glass bottles taken away from shops in Rwanda will have a deposit added on which varies.)
Outside major towns, the food varies little from that found in Uganda. One difference though, is the influence that the Belgians had on the culture while they where ruling the country. Today in Kigali, some of the bakeries have re-opened after the genocide and French bread and pastries are now becoming available again.
In Ruhengeri, the Muhanbura Hotel does and excellent whole grilled chicken with pomme frites (with mayonnaise of course – this being started by the Belgians) and coleslaw for about US$10.
If you are a strict vegetarian you may experience a distinct lack of variety in the food available, especially in small towns. You might find that you are eating a lot of omelettes and other egg dishes. Our tour leaders will do their best to provide interesting vegetarian alternatives when arranging group meals in the campsite, but your patience and understanding is requested.
Tipping in restaurants is at your discretion but you must check the menu for the other hidden taxes as they are not normally included.
The guides on your gorilla trek will expect a tip which we suggest should be about US$5 per guide.
Haggling is expected in Rwanda and hunting for bargains can be a real highlight.
Your best buys are anything to do with the gorillas -Tee Shirts, post cards and carvings of the gorillas are always around. Carvings brought in from the Congo are usually good and slightly different, but can be a little more expensive and you will need to call on all your bargaining skills to get a good price.
1 Jan - New Year's Day.
1 Feb - Heroes' Day.
7 Apr - Genocide Memorial Day.
10 Apr - Good Friday.
13 Apr - Easter Monday.
1 May - Labour Day.
1 Jul - Independence Day.
4 Jul - Liberation Day.
15 Aug - Assumption.
1 Oct - Patriotism Day.
25 Dec - Christmas Day.
26 Dec - Boxing Day.
In the case of an emergency please contact our East & Southern Africa Destination Manager on: +44 (0) 78 9984 3645 (please be considerate of time differences).
Tel: +44 (0) 208 896 6700
Fax: +44 (0) 208 896 6701
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