A country with a grim recent history, Rwanda has come amazingly far since the genocide. On the surface the country seems to have it together these days and Kigali, the capital, is a relaxed, safe and easy city to find your feet in. The roads are amazing, the cities are clean, transport is reliable and well-organised, the countryside is stunning, and Rwanda has yet to be discovered by tourists on a large scale.
If you dig a little deeper, though, you’ll hear rumblings of discontent and questions over whether Paul Kagame, the country’s president who brought an end to the Genocide, has become a dictator. Locals and foreigners alike are cautious when speaking about politics or the president and there seem to have been some sinister goings on leading up to recent elections.
There are many levels to this place and people don’t seem to want to talk about the past, for good reason. But if you can make some local friends who are willing to share their experiences, you will be in for a fascinating conversation.
View my top tips for backpacking and travelling independently in Rwanda, and get all the information you need to plan your trip.
Weather & Best Time to Visit
I’m convinced that Rwanda has the best weather of anywhere I’ve been. At least when I was there from late-July until early-November. The rainy season kicked in in mid-September but even then it was sunny for most of the day with a heavy downpour at one or two times during the afternoon. The days are warm but not too hot and the evenings are a bit cooler but you’d often only need a light jacket, if you needed one at all.
Visa & Border Crossings
Rwanda shares its borders with Tanzania, Uganda, the DR Congo and Burundi.
Visas are free and you can get them on entering the country if you’re British, American, Canadian… for other countries check online. As a foreigner it took me all of two minutes to get my visa at both the Tanzanian and Goma/Gisenye border.
Know Before You Go
Rwanda has outlawed plastic bags and buying them inside the country is impossible. It’s a great policy but it’ll also make you realise how useful the occasional plastic bag actually is. If you need one for anything at all (keeping electronics dry etc.) then hide it in some deepest, darkest corner of your bag. You probably won’t be searched but better safe than sorry.
Getting Around
Bus – Getting around in Rwanda is pretty easy with buses going to most major towns and cities. The country is small and the main roads are fantastic. They might even be better than the roads in Canada! The country is hilly though so the roads are winding and it’s not uncommon for the back of the bus to become a vomit factory. Mmm… vomit factory. Seriously, though, if you have a fragile tummy, make sure to arrive early and snag a seat near the front of the bus near a window.
Buses are efficient, reasonably comfortable (as compared with Tanzania) and cover a lot of the tiny country, fanning out from Kigali. It’s often easier and more comfortable to keep returning to Kigali to get to your next destination which can seem frustrating but the alternative is a rough ride over bumpy, dusty roads in a packed bus.
Within Kigali buses are pretty good with a decent amount of coverage of the city. They’re a cheap option with rides to most places costing well under $1. There are large, white buses that are efficient and spacious and then the smaller, brightly painted matatu-style mini vans that cram as many people in as possible.
Moto Taxi – Getting from one point to another in Kigali and other major towns is as simple as waving down a motorcycle taxi and hopping on. You can travel on a moto for as little as $0.50 to $2 which is more expensive than the buses, but the convenience (and the fun) is hard to beat. Moto drivers wear green vests and they even carry a helmet for you to use. They’re regulated and only allowed to carry one passenger per bike which means that they’re a lot less scary than the boda bodas you’ll find in Uganda. Kigali is made up of beautiful rolling hills and moto taxis make a great way to take in the scenery.
Plane – Rwanda is so small that there’s not a lot of need for domestic flights and the only place in the country they fly to is Kamembe in the southwest of the country. The airline is growing slowly and always adding new international routes. Here’s where they fly to so far:
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Brazzaville, Congo
Brussels, Beligum
Bujumbura, Burundi
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania (via Kilimanjaro)
Dubai, UAE (via Mombasa)
Entebbe, Uganda
Kemembe, Rwanda
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Johannesburg, South Africa
Mombasa, Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya
Boat – There are a few lakes in Rwanda the largest being Lake Kivu to the west. Plenty of fishing boats ply the lake and small boats exist to take tourists out to the islands from Gisenyi and Kibuye but using a boat for point-to-point transport isn’t really done. It is possible but a boat to take you from the top to the bottom of the lake (or vice versa) can cost as much as $1000! I have no idea where this price comes from. I did once meet a couple who took a boat from Gisenyi to Kibuye for considerably less but they were sure they were going to die as waves rolled into the boat and water came in from the floorboards. So yeah… maybe the boat isn’t the best option.
Attractions & Best Things to Do in Rwanda
There isn’t really a typical tourist trail in Rwanda. It’s working towards establishing a tourist industry aimed more at upscale folks but, for the moment, it remains the domain of expats who take breaks from their work to visit the country. Gorilla trekking and, unfortunately, genocide, are the exceptions.
Gorilla Trekking – This pricey outing will cost you $1500 for a permit alone plus another hundred or so for your accommodation in Musanze and a car to take you to the park. Nobody I’ve spoken to has ever regretted the experience, even considering the cost.
Genocide Museum, Kigali – This museum is a harrowing account of what happened in the country in 1994 and it is worth a stop, especially if you don’t know much about the Genocide and want to learn more. It’s very well done and informative but shocking and obviously very sad. It won’t be a cheerful day out, but it will help you gain a bit of perspective on one of the most terrible events in history. There are Genocide memorials scattered all across the country, some very shocking and others a little more low-key.
Off the Tourist Trail
Gisenyi – Located at the northern tip of Lake Kivu and across the border DR Congo border from Goma, Gisenyi is a popular spot for expats to head to to enjoy the beaches and unwind.
Kibuye – Kibuye is a smaller city then Gisenyi located about halfway down Lake Kivu. It doesn’t have the beaches Gisenyi has but it’s a nice place to relax. You can also take boats out to islands scattered nearby to visit monkeys, climb to the top, or even to an island with only a bar, volleyball net, some deck chairs and a couple of cows on it.
Butare – Butare is Rwanda’s cultural capital with the main university there and many of the country’s best museums.
Nyungwe Forest – This forest in the southwestern corner of the country is packed with primates and some good hiking trails.
Akagera National Park – This is Rwanda’s safari park and it takes up much of the eastern side of this already tiny country. It doesn’t compare with the big game parks in nearby Kenya and Tanzania but if you’re only able to travel in Rwanda and want a taste of safaris then check it out. For all the information you’d need read this Akagera National Park, Rwanda post.
Money & Costs
There’s no way around it: Rwanda is expensive. There’s only a few hostels in the country and the main tourist attractions like gorilla and other primate trekking, Nyungwe Forest, and safaris in Akagera are all expensive due to permits and needing to arrange your own transport. You could easily find yourself spending $40-50 per day on bus travel, food and a hotel room alone and then add hundreds if you plan on doing any of the major activities.
Kigali is the only place in the country with ATMs and, while you’ll see them all over town, most are useless to you. The ATM machines here, despite telling you they’re connected to visa, aren’t actually able to take international bank cards. The exception is Eco Bank which now has two ATM machines outside able to fork over some Rwandan francs. If those machines are down (as they often are) then head across the road to the Bank of Kigali with your Visa-affiliated bank card or creditcard and your passport. Go to the office upstairs and you’ll be able to withdraw US dollars, euros or Rwandan francs. The process is very fast and easy, depending on the queue.
If you don’t want to mess around with finding a way to access your money, bring a wad of American money with you. Don’t bring anything lower than $20 bills, though, because you’ll get a lower exchange rate for those. Also make sure all of your bills are from later than 2000 or they won’t be accepted at all. There are plenty of places to change money in the center of town and these places give a better exchange rate than the banks.
People
Locals – You can be forgiven if you approach Rwanda with a bit of apprehension. It’s impossible to comprehend what went on here in 1994 and what sort of impact it has had on the population. On the surface, at least, people are just getting on with things. The Rwandans I’ve met have been very friendly but I never felt like I wanted to broach the topic of the Genocide. It seems like few people want to talk about it, and with good reason.
Travellers – Rwanda doesn’t have much of a tourist industry beyond gorilla trekking so most people you meet here are likely to be volunteers or expats. Kigali has a small but lively expat scene and certain cafes and restaurants will be almost exclusively filled with muzungos (white people) which is a bit surreal. If you stick around for awhile you’ll find yourself caught up in expat life of parties, quiz nights, coffee at Bourbon Cafe and lazy Sundays sprawled on the pillows at Shokola.
Accommodation
Rwanda isn’t a country known for being friendly for the budget traveller. They have only one hostel and that only opened recently. There are plenty of hotels to choose from in the capital of Kigali but you will probably find yourself paying $30 up to a lot more. Even the hostel is pricey at $15 for a dorm bed. So, in short, accommodation in Rwanda doesn’t come cheaply.
Butare (Huye)
Cyangugu (Rusizi)
Gikongoro (Nyamagabe)
Gisenyi (Rubavu)
Gitarama (Muhanga)
Kibungo (Ngoma)
Kibuye (Karongi)
Kigali
Ruhengeri (Musanze)
Communication
Language – Rwanda has recently given the middle finger to the French and joined the Commonwealth which has meant changing their official language from French to English. This is fine in theory but the current reality is that many teachers don’t know the language well enough to teach it. It will be awhile before the country makes the switch so in the meantime English will work a lot of the time but not always.
Though you should be able to get by without it, learning a bit of Kinyarwandan will impress the locals and come in very handy if you plan on venturing into the countryside. In Kigali you will do just fine with French or English but Kinyarwandan will be useful in the markets or when bargaining with mototraxi drivers. Check out this site for a crash course in Kinyarwandan.
Phones – The three cell phone networks in Rwanda are Rwandatel, Tigo and MTN. You can buy sim cards anywhere for a couple of bucks so go with an unlocked phone and you’ll be set.
Internet – Internet is cheap and common in Kigali. If you have your own laptop you can get online through the free wifi at cafes. Or you can buy a USB modem and credit through any of the three phone companies. MTN is thought to be the best and most reliable connection.
Food & Drink
Rice and beans, as with so many other parts of the world, is a staple in Rwanda. Brochettes (beef, fish or goat on a stick) are a popular choice and can be purchased for cheap at local bars and restaurants for cheap (although they often take over an hour to come). Grilled fish is another popular dish and you’ll often be served a huge fish on a plate and be left to dig in with your hands. Tasty fun.
In Kigali you’re spoiled for choice with quality restaurants serving everything from Indian to Chinese to French to Middle Eastern fare. The restaurants catering to foreigners in Kigali aren’t cheap though and you’ll know that they cater to foreigners because you’ll be surrounded by them.
If you have access to a kitchen then cooking for yourself is an economical way to stay fed. Vegetables are affordable and pork and beef are as well (although chicken is expensive).
The local beer is called Primus and I like it because it’s nice and watery. If you’re after something a bit stronger, try Turbo King. You almost need to try it just because the name is awesome. If you buy beer at the supermarket you will be charged a hefty deposit on the bottles so keep the receipt and make sure you return them for a refund. Urwagi (which is called a Ugandan whiskey but is actually gin) is popular and affordable.
Safety
I feel safer in Rwanda than I do in my hometown of Sao Paulo. During the elections, things can a bit tense (oh, just with the occasional grenade attack) but things have since settled down. I’ve had friends have things stolen, usually from one of the nightclubs out of their purses or pockets, so be aware of your belongings. Some other friends had a break in but the police are often (and amazingly) able to recover stolen goods and, in this case, they did.
Solo Women – Men here are very respectful and I never felt intimidated walking alone, even at night. Obviously it pays to be on your guard and not be stupid and a reminder of this was when a foreign girl was raped in Kigali a few years ago. She got her attacker’s wallet and he was promptly arrested and given 30 years in prison. Attacks like this are so rare, though, that when one happens, it catches everyone by surprise.
Volunteering & Good Causes
There are so many projects going on in this country and volunteers for all kinds of tasks seem to be at a premium.
With the recent kicking out of French as an official language, English teachers are needed and you would probably be warmly received at any school you wander into. Arrive, find some accommodation, get involved in the expat community and ask around and you’ll soon find some interesting way to volunteer your time.
There are lots of people in Rwanda with ideas of how to help this country get back on their feet, expats and locals alike. Here are a few run by people I’ve come to know personally: Kinamba Project, Claire’s Charity, Generation Rwanda, As We Forgive, and Jeanne’s Women’s Group.
Read & Watch
Shooting Dogs – This movie is a lot less ‘Hollywood’ than Hotel Rwanda and that’s a good thing. It tells the story of a massacre at a school just outside of Kigali. It’s a tough movie to watch and will leave you reeling at the French and UN troops who essentially abandoned hundreds of people there.
Hotel Rwanda – This movie brought the far away Rwandan genocide into homes in a mainstream way. It’s a pretty average movie but I think it’s an important one.
As We Forgive – This documentary seeks to understand how the country can possibly reconcile after neighbours were killing neighbours. It looks at the lives of two women and the two men who murdered members of their families and their road to reconciliation.
We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Out Families, Philip Gourevitch – This is the first book I read on the Rwandan Genocide and it had a huge impact on me. He interviews victims and perpetrators to give a very personal account of what happened but also brings to light the gross failures of the international community.