According to localtimezone, Rwanda is a country in Africa bordering Congo-Kinshasa, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi. Rwanda has been independent from Belgium since 1962. The capital of Rwanda is Kigali. A number of large cities in Rwanda are: Butare, Gitarama, Ruhengeri and Gisenyi.
Rwanda has a turbulent history. In 1994 a civil war (Rwandan genocide) raged in which Tutsis and moderate Hutus were murdered. Approximately 500,000 to 1 million people died. At the moment the country is stable but this can change constantly. approximately 60% of the Rwandan population lives below the poverty line. The landscape of Rwanda is hilly and characterized by many mountains, tropical rainforests and volcanoes. There are tea plantations and fields for agriculture everywhere. There are also many National Parks where many wild animal species occur such as gorillas, lions, giraffes, elephants, leopards, hyenas and hippos. In addition, there are approximately 275 bird species.
Where is Rwanda located?
Travel information of Rwanda
Official name: Republic of Rwanda
Continent: Africa
Area: 26,338 km²
Capital: Kigali
Country code: RW, RWA
Population: 12,712,431 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Presidential Republic
Highest point: 4,519 m (Mount Karisimbi)
Distance (Amsterdam – Kigali): 6,464 km
Flight time: approximately 7 hours and 30 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: Attention, safety risks.
Current color code: Yellow.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Rwanda that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Rwanda, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete tours and holidays to Rwanda. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compile your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Rwanda?
Weather and climate
Rwanda has a tropical climate. Temperatures are around 25 degrees all year round.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Rwanda can be found on our extensive weather page.
Extensive information about the climate of Rwanda can be found at Climate info.
Best time
January, July, August and September are the best months to travel to Rwanda. This avoids the prolonged rainy seasons.
Language
Kinyarwanda, French and English are the official languages in Rwanda.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Rwanda.
An e-visa is required for a visit to Uganda. You can apply for it online at the official website irembo.gov.rw. It is also possible to purchase an East Africa visa. This is also valid in Uganda and Kenya.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Rwanda: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Rwanda in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Rwanda, it is mandatory to get vaccinated against yellow fever.
In addition, there are one or more vaccinations that are recommended.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria
Malaria occurs in Rwanda. Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Rwanda, payments are made with the Rwandan franc (RWF).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Rwanda can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Rwanda are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -48% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (68% cheaper), food (48% cheaper), imported beer in catering (58% cheaper), cigarettes (83% cheaper) and public transport (93% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Rwanda it is customary, especially in the larger tourist cities, to give a tip of approximately 10%.
Time difference
During our summer time there is no time difference.
During our winter time it is 1 hour later in Rwanda.
Rwanda has no difference in winter time and summer time.
Find the local time, date and time zone for Rwanda on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Rwanda you must drive on the right.
To drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Rwanda, you must have an international driver’s license. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Rwanda.
Electricity In Rwanda you may need a travel plug
in some cases. More information about common plugs and sockets in Rwanda can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 999
– Fire: 112
– Ambulance: Local numbers
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Rwanda can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Rwanda can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Rwanda end in.rw.
Official websites of Rwanda: gov.rw and visitrwanda.com.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Rwanda is 00250 or +250.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Rwanda? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Company details can be found in the Rwanda Yellow Pages.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Rwanda.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Rwanda.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Rwanda can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Russia, supplemented with photos, videos and points of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Rwanda?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Rwanda. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Rwanda can be found on Protected Planet.
Rwanda is not on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Rwanda? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with Rwanda, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Rwanda, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Rwanda.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.8.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 18.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Rwanda was previously known as Ruanda?
…Rwanda was part of Belgium between 1916 and 1962?
…Genocide in Rwanda led to 500,000 to 1 million deaths?
…More than 60% of the population lives below the poverty line?
…Tourism is Rwanda’s main source of income?
…Plastic bags are forbidden in Rwanda?
