Capital: Kigali
Time zone: GMT + 2
Telephone services: Country Code: 250
Outgoing Code: 00
Emergency telephone numbers: All travellers should consult the foreign office in their country of residence regarding emergency assistance.
Tourist information: Office Rwandais du tourisme et des parcs nationaux (ORTPN), BP 905, Kigali, Rwanda Tel: 76514 Fax: 76512
Passport information: Valid passports required by all. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.
Visa information: A passport and evidence of yellow fever immunization are required. Visa generally required except for American citizens entering Rwanda for less than 90 days and citizens of Burundi, DRC, Uganda and Tanzania; Those requiring a visa must obtain these in advance of travelling.
Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists throughout the year. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by all travellers arriving over one year of age.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Rabies. There is a very high prevalence of AIDS/HIV. Visitors should seek medical advice before travelling. There are periodic outbreaks of meningitis.
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.
Currency: Rwandese Franc (RwFr) = 100 centimes NOTE: Import and Export of local currency is limited to RwFr5000.
There is limited acceptance of MasterCard. Travellers cheques have limited acceptance. French francs are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable
Cost of living: Due to recent civil unrest, the economy has been decimated
Languages: Kinyarwanda and French. Kiswahili is also spoken
Weather: Rwanda is cool due to its high latitude, but warmer in the lowlands. Mid Jan – Apr and mid Oct – Dec are the raining seasons.
Electricity: 220 Volts AC 50Hz. There is no electricity supply at present but some hotels have their own generators.
Post: Approximately 2 weeks.
Transport: FLIGHTS: Internal flights are operated by the national airline to the main towns. ROADS: Most roads are unsealed and in bad condition. BUS: Services operate and a timetable is available. DOCUMENTATION: An IDP is required.
Special information: Most of this ‘beautiful country of a thousand hills’ is now trouble free but visitors should take particular care on the eastern borders with DRC because of the conflict across the border. Elsewhere visitors should take the normal safety precautions with regard to money and street safety. Normal social courtesies apply. Travel after dark is not recommended because of the state of the roads. The traditional way of life is based on agriculture and cattle.