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Rwanda Practical information Rwanda

 
 
Area : 10169  sq.mi - Population 9907509 hab.
Rwanda

Our expert Rwanda

map

map Rwanda

Weather

  • Kamembe  24°C 23°C 22°C 23°C
  • Kigali  25°C 25°C 25°C 25°C

Practical information Rwanda

superficie

Area

10169  sq.mi
vol

Flights

Anticipate a 10-hour flight to get to Kigali from London.
decallage horaire

Jet Lag

population

Population

9907509 hab.
aeroports proche

Airports

Kanombe international airport is located 8 miles away from Kigali's city centre. It is possible to do the journey in a taxi for roughly RWF 3,380, but mini-buses are ten times cheaper (RWF 338 or 80 pence).
securite

Security

Safety is not guaranteed on the whole of the Rwandan territory. You must never drive at night outside cities; use only main roads in the day time. Particular caution is recommended in the Volcano park and in the forest of Nyungwe. In cities, you must not walk alone at night. We recommend to be most careful in Kigali, even though thefts aren't frequent. You must get information from the embassy before any journey within the country. Avoid the border with Burundi.
langue

Languages

The three official languages are Kinyarwanda, French and English. Bantu and Swahili are also spoken.
formalites

Requirements

A visa is mandatory and is valid for three months. Your passport has to be valid for three months after your return date. You can get your visa from the Rwandese embassy.
religion

Religion

The catholic denomination is predominant (56.5%), there are 26 % Protestant and 4.1 % Muslim.
monnaie

Currency

The currency is the Rwandan franc (RWF). Travellers cheques and cash can be exchanged in the main banks in Kigali, and there are twenty or so foreign exchange offices in the capital (Forex bureau). Credit cards are accepted in hotels. There are no cash machines, but you can withdraw money from banks on presentation of your credit card. Banks open from Monday to Friday, from 8:00am to 4:00pm, and sometimes on Saturday mornings. Some banks close between 12:30pm and 2:00pm.
transports

Local transportation

The main roads, from Kigali to the neighbouring countries, are tarmacked. The roads around Kigali and the suburbs are in very bad condition. Some mud tracks are tough and dangerous for driving. The use of an off-road vehicle is recommended. It is possible a hire vehicle when you arrive. An international driver's licence is compulsory. Mini-bus shuttles are operational and link cities to one another. A domestic flight service ensures air-links between major cities. There is no railway network.
sante

Health

Vaccinationsagainstmeningitis, hepatitises A and B are recommended, as well as the vaccine against typhoid.

Sanitary conditions are very basic in the whole country, be careful of the water (for consumption and swimming) and of food that carries diarrheic diseases. Fruit and vegetables must be washed and meat should be very well cooked.

Be careful ofmalaria. Be careful of mosquitoes: the country is listed in zone 3 (savarine). It is recommended to subscribe to insurance covering medical expenses and to medical repatriation insurance.

Useful phone numbers:
Health centre of the Belgium Embassy: Tel: 575.551 - 575.554
Kigali's Hospital. Tel: 75.555- 76.466
King Faycal Hospital: Tel: 85.937
Ruhengeri Hospital. Tel: 546.330.

electricite

Electricity

220 V, 50 hertz. Adaptor not needed.
frequentation

Flood of tourists

taxe

Taxes and tips

telephone

Telephone

To call Rwanda from the UK, dial 250 (country code) + the number you are trying to reach. There aren't any city codes in Rwanda.
To call the UK from Rwanda, dial 00 + 44 + number you are trying to reach excluding the initial 0.