Getting to Rwanda, Rwandan Visa information,

Rwandan Visa information, Getting to Rwanda, how to Communicate in Rwanda, Flights to Rwanda, Domestic Flights to Rwanda, Prime Safaris and Tours Ltd would be delighted to book your scheduled domestic flights or private charters.

The main airport in Kigali is the Kanombe International Airport. It is located 10 km east of the Kigali centre.

Kigali currently receives direct flights from Nairobi, Entebbe, Bujambura, Addis Abeba, Kilimanjaro, Brussles, Amsterdam, Dar es Salaam, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Juba, Lagos and Dubai via Mombasa. It is also possible to take a bus from neighboring countries.

Getting Around, Rwandan Visa information,

Rwanda has possibly the best roads in East Africa. Most visitors who have booked through our company will be provided with good private vehicles, usually 4-wheel drive.

All of the major centers are connected with local and luxury bus services.

Air charter services are available anywhere in the country. Short distances within cities can be travelled either on foot or by taxi-velo (bicycle taxi).

These are relatively inexpensive. Motorcycle taxis (taxi moto) are the most popular in Kigali. These taxis can be identified by their jerseys and they always have an extra helmet.

Most drivers speak basic English or French. Laws require moto-bikes to use helmets, and Rwandans abide by this.

Taxis are common and can be found at taxi stands in Kigali and provinces and they have specific bus stops.

One may hire a special taxi or by calling them or if at any hotel, one may get the hotel reception calling taxi as most of hotels have a taxi station near them. They are more expensive than motorcycle taxis and other public buses.

“Matatus” are the white with green or yelow minibuses that travel across the country. Rwanda has a good local transportation system for inter-region connectivity, good road system, and has plenty of well-maintained and modern minibuses.

Cars and drivers can be hired from Kigali, and most of the roads are well maintained. To make your trip more interesting, if consider driving from Kigali to other provinces of Rwanda, eg. Along lake Kivu, it is recommended that you get a 4×4 and travel with someone who knows the area or use the public transport (Matatus) as from the regional cars parking at Nyabugogo, each 30 minutes there are buses from different transport agencies linking Kigali to other cities of the country. Back country driving is perfect for anyone with a sense of adventure.

How to Communicate in Rwanda

Rwanda has an excellent cell phone network covering almost the entire country. International phone calls can be made easily.

Appropriate SIM cards for the network are readily available everywhere, even in remote towns, and cell phones can be purchased or rented from major shops in Kigali. Most towns of any size will have several Internet cafes and computer centers.

What Time Zone is Rwanda?

The entire country of Rwanda is in Central Africa Time Zone (UTC+02:00)

Is Rwandan Visa Required When Under Taking Safari to Rwanda?

A Rwanda Visa is required for all visitors except for nationals of the UK, Germany, Sweden, Canada, USA, Hong Kong, Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa Tanzania and Uganda (for a duration of less than three months).

For the rest of the unmentioned countries, the cost goes for about USD60, depending on the place of issue.

For fly in travelers, visas of recent are being issued at Kigali airport on arrival, and you can also usually buy visas at overland boarders.

Nationals of countries without an embassy can also obtain a visa on arrival by prior arrangement with their hosts, who can arrange a facilitate de’ entrée.

In case you plan on hiring a vehicle while in the country, do organize an international driving license (via one of the main motoring associations in a country in which you are licensed to drive), which you may be asked to produce together with your original license.

For Identification and security concern, just in case the worst comes to the worst, it’s advisable to detail all your identification information, make copies of it and distribute a copy into your luggage, your money-belt and definitely give some to close relatives and friends; make sure it includes; travelers cheque numbers and refund information, travel insurance policy details and 24-hour emergency contact number, passport number, details of relatives or friends to be contacted in an emergency, bank and credit card details, camera and lens serial numbers.

Importantly, include also email and contact information of your destination, company, organization or friends and family.

Which Airlines Are Operating in Kigali Airport?

Kigali airport is a small but well organized airport by international standards. There are several international flights operating in this airport including:-

Local Flights, Rwandan Visa information,

Daily flights from Entebbe

3 flights daily from Nairobi

2 flights a week Mon and Fri Kilimanjaro

From Bujumbura 5 flights a week Tue, Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun

Rwandair, the national carrier, has several daily flights to various African destinations, as well as Dubai in Middle East.

Ethiopian Airlines operates daily between Addis Ababa and Kigali

International

Brussels 3 flights a week Tue, Thurs and Sat

Johannesburg 3 flights a week Wed, Fri and Sun

South African airways has daily flights between Kigali and South Africa

Turkish Airlines begun flights to Kigali from Istanbul in May 2012

Prime Safaris and Tours can help you to book flights for you.

It is advisable to have a Yellow Fever certificate before boarding any plane to destinations such as Tanzania and South Africa.

Immigration Officials at the airport will not hesitate to request for it. Some announcements are not loud enough.

So as you sit in the café at the airport be very attentive as most times there are over bookings on some airlines whereby you may end up left at the airport.

Electrical Tips For Rwanda travelers

In Rwanda, the electrical sockets (outlets) used are the “Type C” Euro plug and the “Type E” and “Type F” Schuko.

Often times we advise our guests to travel with plug adapters since many of our guests to Rwanda end up crossing to Uganda as well where the sockets are also different.

The Rwanda electrical sockets (outlets) supply electricity at between 220 and 240 volts AC. If you are to plug in an appliance that was built for 220-240 volt electrical input, or an appliance that is compatible with multiple voltages, then you need an adapter.

Travel plug adapters do not change the voltage.  The electric current coming through the adapter has to be the same 220-240 volts the socket is supplying.

United States of American sockets supply electricity at between 110 and 120 volts, far much lower than in most of parts of the world.