Rwanda

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Quick Facts

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Capital

Kigali

Population

8,441,000

Government

Republic

Religions

Christianity (Catholic, Protestant), Muslim

Languages

Kinyarwanda, French, English, Kiswahili

Calling Code

+250

Nationality

Local name

Contributors

• Utrecht (55%)
  from http://utrecht.travellerspoint.com
• lageograph (23%)

as well as dr.pepper (13%), Peter (9%)

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Introduction

Children in Cyangugu

© All Rights Reserved tarmo

Mention Rwanda and most people will think of civil war, mass genocide, and refugees. Mountain gorillas and stunning volcanic scenes are less likely to come to mind, but for the travellers who are heading back into Rwanda after ethnic violence has dissipated, these are the attractions that make Rwanda worthy of being the hosts to their next great holiday. Parc National des Volcans, in the northwest, is the place to go, despite the fact that some areas remain off-limits due to the war: the park's volcano-studded landscape and gorilla-filled rainforest are prime highlights of a Rwandan trip. The attractive vistas around Kigali make this a perfect place from which to base your trip. Local expats are fond of Gisenyi, a gorgeous lake-side town. A few days here, enjoying the scenery and swimming in the water, will add immense variety to a Rwandan holiday.

Since tension remains, make sure that travel is safe prior to booking.

Brief History

Geography

Regions/Provinces

Rwanda is organised into 5 provinces.

• North Province
• East Province
• South Province
• West Province
• Kigali Province==

Cities

• Kigali - The capital
• Butare
• Kibuye
• Gisenyi
• Ruhengeri
• Cyangugu
• Gitarama
• Kibungo
• Byumba

Sights and Activities

Parc National des Volcans

Silverback of Susa group

© All Rights Reserved tarmo

The Parc National des Volcans (Volcanoes National Park) is one of a few parks in the world where you can have a close encounter with mountain gorillas. The other parks are just across the border with Uganda (Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Virunga National Park). The Rwandan park is located in the northwest of the country and is easily accessible by (mini)buses from the capital Kigali. Several of the Virungas volcanoes are located in Rwanda and some, like the Bisoke, can be climbed. The most popular activity though is to go on a trek to see the mountain gorillas. Although the permit alone costs 500 USD, it is extremely popular and advanced bookings are advisable. It is a very rewarding trip on the other hand and most people consider this to be one of the highlights of a visit to Rwanda or even Africa! Dian Fossey made this place her home for a long time, before she was killed (presumably by poachers) and buried in the same park.

Nyungwe Forest National Park

Nyungwe Forest National Park is located in the southwest of the country just south of Lake Kivu and protects not only tropical rainforests but also swamps and grassland. The park is famous for its primates and about a quarter of all primates in the whole of Africa can be found here in this relatively small area, including the number one favorite, the chimpanzee. You can reach the park easiest from Cyangugu which is less than an hour away. Guided walks are one of the best activities here.

Akagera National Park

Akagera National Park is located in the central east of the country adjacent to the Tanzanian border and protects a wide range of areas, including lakes, swamps, grassland and mountainous areas. It is actually the best place in Rwanda to go on a safari and see a wide range of animals, including species of antelope, many birds but only few predators live here and spotting the big five here unfortunately is not possible.

Nyamata Genocide Memorial

Nyamata Genocide Memorial is a worthwhile complement to the Gisozi Memorial Centre in Kigali. Located in the town of Nyamata, 40 minutes south of Kigali on a newly paved road, the memorial is located in a church where over 5000 people were killed during the 1994 genocide. Visitors take a short tour and see the evidence of the genocide that remains there today - victims' clothing piled on benches, the roof pockmarked with bullet holes, and the open crypts behind the church that hold the remains of over 40,000 people from the area. An extremely moving look into one of the places where the genocide was carried out.

Ntarama Genocide Memorial

Ntarama Genocide Memorial, just 20 minutes away from the Nyamata memorial, is also worth visiting. Like the Nyamata memorial, this site was a church before the genocide, and was nationalized to serve as a memorial after thousands of people were killed within its walls. The church itself is similar to Nyamata, with victims' clothing and remains visible to offer proof of what happened there, but Ntarama also has a peaceful memorial garden and wall of names in the back of its compound. Ask the resident guide for a tour in English or French, and remember to give them a donation for the site afterwards; it gets almost no support from the government. To get there, take the highway from Kigali to Nyamata and follow the signs for the Ntarama memorial, before you reach Nyamata.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Rwanda has a tropical climate with generally warm and humid weather but conditions are somewhat tempered because of the fact that much of the country lies on a higher elevation. There are two dry seasons, the cool and long one from June to September, and the warm and short period from December to February. From March to May is the long rainy season, with heavy rain possible for days on end. From October to early December is the short rainy season with showers at the end of the day but most of the time it is dry. Temperatures average between 22º C and 30º C during the day and between 15º C and 20º C at night. Note that some parts might be slightly warmer but it can cool off considerably in the mountains.

Getting there

Plane

Rwandair Express is the national airline of Rwanda and is based at Kigali International Airport (KGL) near the capital. International flights include those to and from Bujumbura, Entebbe, Johannesburg, Kilimanjaro and Nairobi. Several other airlines from neighbouring countries have flights as well, and from Europe the only direct connections are from Brussels with Brussels Airlines.

By Car

Roads in Rwanda are generally good and crossing is possible and easy from Tanzania and Uganda, though except some checking of your papers and insurance. Crossings to the DRC and Burundi are not advised. You can use border posts mentioned below (by bus).

By Bus

There are several daily buses between Kigali and Kampala, the capital of Uganda, taking about 8 hours. There are also daily connections with a few companies to and from Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi. The main crossing point between Rwanda and Burundi is via Butare (Rwanda) and Kayanza (Burundi) and the road is very good. Check safety situations first though, as some areas of Burundi are not safe.
The main border crossing with Uganda is located between Kigali and Kabale, via Gatuna (Rwanda) and Katuna (Uganda). There is also a second crossing between Ruhengeri (Rwanda) and Kisoro (Uganda), via Cyanika. The road is in good shape on the Rwandan side but in poor condition on the Ugandan side. Frequent minibuses link either side of the border with Ruhengeri and Kisoro.
Crossing to the Democratic Republic of Congo is possible but only the one between Gisenyi and Goma is considered relatively safe at the moment. The one at the southern end of Lake Kiva, between Cyangugu and Bukavu is less safe, mainly on the DRC side.
To Tanzania, take a minibus from Kigali to the border town of Rusumo. Across the border there is onward transport to Ngara. From Ngara, buses go to Mwanza, taking 12 hours. The road to Mwanza is mostly good but has some rough sections.

By Boat

When safety situation improve, there might be transport on Lake Kivu, linking towns and cities in Rwanda and the DRC but for now that is not the case.

Getting around

Plane

Rwandair Express flies between Kigali, Cyangugu and Gisenyi.

By Train

There are no train services in Rwanda.

By Car

Rental cars are limited in Rwanda, but a few local companies in Kigali offer cars. Both rental prices as well as fuel prices are high. Roads on the other hand, are in a fairly good condition, especially the main roads. Most secondary roads are unpaved and can be impassable in the rainy season and shortly after. Traffic drives on the right and you need an international driving permit.

By Bus

There are frequent bus and minibus (called matatus) departures to and from most major cities and towns. Morning and early afternoon are the best times to travel, as services die out later during the day.

By Boat

There might be services between several towns along the shores of Lake Kivu on the eastern border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, but travelling overland is better, faster and more reliable.

Red Tape

Travellers can get a 90-day visa upon arrival without costs, but this only applies to people of the following countries: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, Germany, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania, and Uganda. Others are advised to prearrange there visa in their home country or at the nearest Rwandan Embassy.

Money

See also Money Matters

Rwanda's national currency is the Rwandan franc. As of October 2008, the exchange rate is approximately 550 RWF to US$1. Most products and services are extremely inexpensive, compared to Western standards, with the exceptions being imported food products (available at most grocery stores in larger cities) and dinner at the nicer restaurants in Kigali (which are worth the splurge).

Travelers should know that international credit and debit cards are nearly worthless in Rwanda. International debit cards will NOT work at Rwandan ATMs, and only a few of the larger hotels in Kigali will accept credit cards. (Don't be fooled by the "Visa" signs that one sees around the city; these refer to a card issued by Visa for one of the local banks, and do not mean that foreign Visas will work.) Thus, it's preferable to simply carry an appropriate amount of cash for the length of your stay into the country. Traveler's checks are a hassle to exchange, and Rwanda is so safe that it's simply easier to carry cash. The best exchange rates are available for US$100 bills printed after 2006 (the type with the large heads); older bills and smaller denominations may be difficult to change in some locations, or receive a lesser rate.

Work

Study

Language

Rwanda's national languages are French and English, although this designation is somewhat misleading as the most widely spoken language by far is Kinyarwanda (the mother language of 99% of the populace). In Kigali, nearly everyone you meet will speak passable English; outside of Kigali, French is more widely understood by people in local governments or at tourist attractions. (That said, employees of the national parks will usually speak both.)

A useful list of common Kinyarwanda phrases is available at http://morganinafrica.blogspot.com/2006/02/rwandan-dictionary-kinyarwanda-english.html.

Eat

By far the best restaurant in Kigali is Heaven (www.heavenrwanda.com). It serves creative and well-prepared American and Continental main dishes, and has an amazing dessert menu. There's a full bar and an unusually comprehensive wine list for this part of the world, with prices comparable to those at a Western restaurant of equivalent quality. Omnivores and vegetarians will both be happy here; there's a good selection of dishes for both, and, unlike most Rwandan restaurants, the servers actually listen to requests to remove meat from dishes that usually contain it. Furthermore, the menu states that the Heaven management makes an effort to hire people who've been orphaned by HIV or the genocide, and who are supporting their own families, so eating here supports a social good as well.

Heaven is quite close to the Kigali centreville, at No. 5, Rue du Mont Juru, which is three streets downhill from the Mille Collines hotel. Call +250 0848 6581 for directions.

Sleep

Drink

Health

See also Travel Health

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

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