The Land Of A Thousand Hills
Things To Know
- Highlights – Trekking with gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, explore Kigali, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Lake Kivu.
- Languages – French, English, Swahili, Kinyarwanda
- Currency – Rwandan Franc (RWF) Is the official currency. However, American Dollars (USD) are widely accepted as well.
- Power Outlets – Rwanda uses power plug and socket types C and J. The standard voltage is 230 V, with a standard frequency of 50 Hz. I always travel with a universal adapter to ensure I can keep all my devices and batteries fully charged.
- Transportation – Uber is not available in Rwanda. Taxis and moto-taxis are readily available in the cities.
- General Safety – Despite its volatile past, Rwanda is now one of the safest countries to visit in Africa.
- Water Safety – It is not safe to drink tap water in Rwanda. Always drink and brush your teeth with bottled water while visiting Rwanda. I travel with a LARQ purifying water bottle to be safe.
- Credit Cards & ATMs- Credit cards are widely accepted in Kigali, and ATMs can be found throughout the city.
Best Time To Go
Gorilla trekking is the most popular thing to do when visiting Rwanda. The best time for gorilla trekking is during either the shorter dry season, from about the middle of December until early February. Or over the long dry season, starting in June and running to September. These months will offer the easiest hiking conditions of the year while also offering the lowest malaria risk.
Visiting Rwanda to trek with gorillas outside these preferred times of year is certainly possible, but keep in mind that the journey will prove much more difficult in the rain as the trails are steep and potentially quite muddy. It is a good idea to start training in advance to be as fit as possible before your trek begins.
If you are visiting Rwanda to experience chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe, the best times to visit are actually during the rainy seasons. The middle of February through early June, as well as the middle of September through December, are ideal. During these times of the year, the food is easy for the apes to find, making them easier to locate. As the weather dries up, so does their food supply. This causes them to head deeper into the forest, making them more difficult to find.