English
Español
中文
हिन्दी
FrançaisTravel and Tourism
Travel and Tourism in Rwanda
Travel alerts, currency, climate, transit, health, and safety information for visitors to Rwanda.
Practical Information
Travel alert status, currency, climate, and transit details.
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
- Time Difference
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Currency
- Rwandan franc (RWF)
- Climate
- Despite Rwanda’s location of only two degrees below the equator, the altitude provides a mild, temperate climate for most parts of the country. The average 24-hour temperature in Kigali is 73° F. The higher reaches above 14,700 feet might even experience frost and snow. Two rainy seasons generally occur from February through May, and from September through December; but variations do occur. The rains can be torrential, although brief, and sometimes are accompanied by strong winds and lightning. Annual rainfall averages 31 inches and is generally heavier in the western and northwestern mountains than in the eastern savanna. The long dry summer season from May to September turns the hills around Kigali a reddish ochre, fine dust is everywhere, and the grass dries up.
- Ethnic Groups
- Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%
- National Holiday
- Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
- Geographic Coordinates
- 2 00 S, 30 00 E
- Location
- Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Airports
- 9
Destinations
Regions and cities, top sights, national parks, UNESCO sites, and festivals for visitors.
One of Africa's Cleanest and Safest Cities
Kigali's reputation as one of Africa's cleanest and safest cities is not accidental, nor is it the product of mere civic pride. It is the result of deliberate, sustained policy choices that reflect a government and population deeply committed to presenting and living a different model of African urban life. The most famous of these policies is the nationwide ban on plastic bags, which Rwanda implemented in 2008 — one of the earliest and most comprehensive such bans in the world. Travelers arriving at Kigali International Airport are informed that plastic bags are prohibited in Rwanda; customs officials inspect luggage, and any plastic bags found are confiscated. Rwandans use woven baskets, cloth bags, and biodegradable packaging instead, a practice that keeps the country's streets, waterways, and natural areas remarkably free of the plastic pollution that blights so many other developing nations.
Equally important to Kigali's cleanliness is Umuganda, a community cleaning and public service day held on the last Saturday of each month. During Umuganda, which runs from roughly 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., all Rwandans between the ages of 18 and 65 are expected to participate in community service activities such as cleaning streets, clearing drainage ditches, planting trees, repairing roads and public buildings, or other collective projects in their neighborhoods.
Every country, every topic, all activities & recipes
✓ Instant access on this device · ✓ No subscription
Health and Safety
Medical facilities, vaccinations, disease risk, and sanitation conditions.
There are very few emergency municipal response services. Ambulances are available in Kigali through SAMU by calling 912 from any mobile phone, or through King Faisal Hospital at 078 830 9003. Ambulance service is basic and works solely as transportation, usually with no medical treatment involved. The ambulance companies expect payment either up front or upon delivery. They charge an initial 5,000 Rwandan Francs (RWF),then an addition charge per kilometer traveled. Outside of Kigali, ambulances are extremely scarce.
Every country, every topic, all activities & recipes
✓ Instant access on this device · ✓ No subscription