Destinations to Explore on Self Drive in Rwanda
The climate in Rwanda is hot and wet all year round and the best time to visit is during the dry season from June to September and December to February, when temperatures are more pleasant and rains are rare. This is also the best time for game-viewing, as animals are drawn to waterholes by a lack of water elsewhere and the roads are easier to navigate at this time, and mosquitoes are less abundant. If you want to track chimpanzees, however, the rainy season offers the best chance for success.
Guide to Packing list for Rwanda Safari
Temperatures in Rwanda vary depending on the region and season but in general days are hot and nights can be unexpectedly chilly, so layering clothing is your best bet on a Rwandan safari. Opt for cool, cotton fabrics in neutral colors for the daytime and a fleece or jacket for morning and evening game drives. Comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots are a must.
Rwanda Currency
Rwanda’s currency is the Rwandan franc and travellers can use either currency in shops, lodges, markets and restaurants throughout the country. Visa and MasterCard credit cards are generally accepted throughout Rwanda though holders of other credit cards are advised to check whether their card is acceptable and ATM machines are widely available in the main cities and towns. Self-drivers should note that credit cards are not accepted at petrol stations.
Rwanda People & Culture
The Rwandan culture includes not only the population of Rwanda but people in neighbouring states, particularly Congo and Uganda, who speak the Kinyarwanda language. The important ethnic divisions within Rwandan culture between Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa are based on perceptions of historical group origins rather than on cultural differences. All three groups speak the same language, practice the same religions, and live interspersed throughout the same territory; they are thus widely considered to share a common culture, despite deep political divisions. The Rwandans in Congo and Uganda include both refugees, who generally maintain a strong identification with the Rwandan national state, and Kinyarwanda speakers who have lived outside Rwanda for generations and therefore have a distinct cultural identity within the wider national culture.
Rwanda Airport
Kigali International Airport in Rwanda is located about 12 Kilometers from Kigali city center. It is one of the five Airports that serve the country and is the largest of all. The Airport received its current name in 1999, although in some communities’ locals refer to it as Kanombe international Airport.
Kigali Airport covers approximately 730 square kilometers and lies at an altitude of 1491 meters above sea level, thus making it one of the highest international airports in the world. By 2018, Kigali airport could handle passenger traffic of over 135,189 passengers with most coming from neighboring countries like Uganda, Burundi and DRC. After recent renovations were made the airport, it now has the capacity to handle passenger traffic flows of up to 710,000 passengers from both international and domestic markets.
Kigali international airport is also the main hub for the national carrier, Rwanda Air. The airline company has scheduled flights to more 15 destinations worldwide and some of them include: Bujumbura, Dubai, Entebbe, Cape Town, Mombasa, Brazzaville, Kilimanjaro, Abuja and Accra among others.
Rwanda Flights & Getting Around
Most tourists fly into Rwanda through Kigali International Airport and is served by major airlines including Rwanda Air, Qatar Airways and South African Airways, Charter flights are available with small aviation companies. We arrange them on request privately with those clients that prefer charter holidays like or are limited with time.
Transfers and game drives in Rwanda are usually conducted in open-sided 4X4 vehicles. The country’s good infrastructure means that many visitors to Rwanda hire a car for a self-drive holiday which makes for independent, flexible travel within the ambit of a pre-planned itinerary. Self-drivers staying at private reserves join the other guests for guided game drives in 4X4s.
