Rwanda

Gorilla tracking takes place all year round. The only seasonal advice we found from official sources is that roads and paths are easier in the dry season, June to mid-September. Visit Rwanda does not name one single best month.

- Rainy seasons (mid-February to May, mid-September to mid-December) bring muddy, steep trails.
- Nyungwe chimpanzee tracking is described by the Rwanda Development Board as steep, slippery and muddy at any time of year.
- We found no official best-month advice for Nyungwe or Akagera.

Most visitors can get a visa on arrival at Kigali International Airport and at land borders, or apply online in advance through Rwanda's government portal, Irembo (checked 8 October 2026). Rules and fees can change, so confirm on the official immigration website before you travel.

- Single-entry tourist visa: USD 50, valid 30 days.
- Multiple-entry tourist visa: USD 70, valid 90 days.
- East African Tourist Visa: USD 100, multiple entry, 90 days, covers Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda only (not Tanzania). If you buy it before travel, your first entry must be through the country where you applied.
- Some nationalities pay no fee (for example citizens of African Union, Commonwealth and La Francophonie countries for up to 30 days, and a list of other countries for 90 days). Check your own nationality on the official page.

To apply online, choose Immigration and Emigration, then Visa Application. You upload a white-background passport photo, a copy of your passport photo page and an application letter, then pay online. Irembo says processing takes about 4 days, and embassies quote 3 to 5 working days, so apply well ahead.

Immigration warns that unofficial agents may overcharge, so use only the official sites.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months when you arrive in Rwanda (checked 8 October 2026). Rwandan immigration and the UK government give the same rule.

- Have at least one blank page for entry stamps.
- You can be refused entry with an invalid passport, or one reported lost or stolen.
- Immigration may ask you to show you have enough money for your stay.
- Carry your passport or another acceptable photo ID with you. The US State Department notes that police may detain people who cannot show identification.

Yellow fever certificate (checked 8 October 2026): Rwanda Biomedical Centre says a certificate is required if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk or an active outbreak. It is not required if you arrive from a country without the risk. Rwanda's list includes Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and DR Congo, so carry your certificate if you are coming from or passing through those countries. Be vaccinated at least 10 days before you travel; a certificate less than 10 days old is not valid. Travellers from risk countries without a certificate are vaccinated on arrival at their own cost. The list can change, so confirm with the Rwanda Biomedical Centre before you travel.

The yellow fever vaccine itself is generally not recommended by the US CDC or UK TravelHealthPro for a trip to Rwanda alone. The certificate rule depends on where you arrive from.

Other vaccines (health agencies' advice, last CDC update seen April 2025):
- CDC recommends routine vaccines, hepatitis A, typhoid for most travellers, hepatitis B (under 60) and MMR, and says to discuss rabies and cholera with a doctor.
- UK TravelHealthPro lists hepatitis A, tetanus and typhoid for most travellers, and others for some.

See a doctor or travel clinic at least 8 weeks before you go.

Check the official health pages below for the latest advice (checked 8 October 2026).

- Malaria: the US CDC says malaria occurs in all areas of Rwanda and recommends prescription anti-malarial tablets. Visit Rwanda says the high altitude makes malaria less of a concern in much of the country but still recommends tablets and avoiding bites, especially from dawn to dusk. Ask your doctor or a travel clinic.
- Altitude: gorilla treks can reach between 2,500 m and 4,000 m. Go up gradually, rest, and go down if you feel worse.
- Water: do not drink tap water. Use sealed bottled water. Avoid swimming in untreated fresh water.
- Medical care: pharmacies are in most towns and hospitals in larger towns. King Faisal Hospital in Kigali is the most advanced. Care outside Kigali is limited and serious cases may need air evacuation. The national ambulance number is 912.
- Do not go gorilla trekking with a cold, flu or other contagious illness. People can pass illness to gorillas.
- Bring prescription medicines in their original packaging. Fake medicines are common.
- Outbreaks: UK TravelHealthPro notes an ongoing mpox outbreak, and the US CDC lists suspected Rift Valley fever cases. For Ebola entry measures, see the travel tips section.

We could not find an official Rwandan rule making travel insurance a condition of entry for tourists. Confirm current entry rules with Rwandan immigration before you travel (checked 8 October 2026).

Insurance is still strongly advised, because medical care outside Kigali is limited and treks are remote.

- Choose cover for medical treatment and emergency medical evacuation. Visit Rwanda advises adequate medical insurance, and the US State Department strongly recommends medical evacuation cover.
- Add cancellation cover for your trip.
- The UK government warns that insurance can be invalid if you travel against its official advice, so read your policy.
- Singapore's foreign ministry says health insurance is mandatory by law for everyone in Rwanda. We could not confirm how this applies to short-stay visitors, so ask your insurer or the Rwandan embassy if you are unsure.

The currency is the Rwandan franc (RWF). US dollars are also widely accepted.

- Everyday local services are usually paid in cash in francs. Upmarket hotels and larger payments are more often in US dollars or other hard currency.
- More places now take cards. Visa is accepted more widely than Mastercard, so check before you rely on one.
- ATMs are available in Kigali and nearly all major cities. Banks and exchange offices close on Sundays and public holidays. Traveller's cheques may be impossible to exchange outside the capital.
- US dollar notes should be recent and undamaged. The US State Department says vendors and banks generally accept only notes printed after 2009 (another US guide says 2006), so bring newer notes.
- Tipping is optional. Visit Rwanda suggests about USD 10 per day for guides and drivers and USD 2 per day for porters.

Rwanda's official languages are Kinyarwanda, French and English.

Kinyarwanda is spoken almost everywhere. English and French are used in business, but English may be harder to find outside Kigali. Some people also speak Kiswahili.

Rwanda has a tropical highland climate. Temperatures change little through the year: daytime highs rarely go above 30 C and nights rarely fall below 15 C. Kigali averages about 21 C.

- Akagera in the east is generally the warmest area. The Virunga mountains are the coolest.
- Rainy seasons: mid-February to May, and mid-September to mid-December.
- Dry season: June to mid-September, with light cloud and occasional light rain.
- Heavy rain can cause floods and landslides. Pack for rain in the mountain parks all year round.

- Gorilla trekking: solid walking shoes, gaiters, sturdy long clothing that protects against stinging nettles, gardening or leather gloves, and a lightweight waterproof jacket. Porters are available.
- Volcanoes and Nyungwe: slightly heavier clothing and a waterproof jacket.
- Akagera: avoid blue clothing (it attracts tsetse flies) and use insect protection.
- General: lightweight clothes for warm days, a light sweater for cool evenings, a hat, sunglasses and sun protection.
- Glasses as a spare, because contact lens fluid is not easy to buy.
- Prescription medicines in original packaging, a small first aid kit, and recent undamaged US dollar notes.
- Dress is informal but respectful. Men should not go shirtless and women should wear knee-length or longer clothing.

Do not pack:
- Plastic bags. They have been illegal since 2008 and are confiscated on arrival. Use cloth or paper bags.
- Vapes and e-cigarettes. They are banned, including for personal use, and will be confiscated (UK government advice, checked 8 October 2026).

Most visitors arrive at Kigali International Airport (KGL), which Rwanda Airports Company says is open 24 hours. Visit Rwanda lists RwandAir, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, KLM, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines as serving it.

- Kamembe International Airport (KME) in the south-west serves the Lake Kivu and Nyungwe side. The UK government advises against all but essential travel within 10 km of the DRC border in Rusizi District, which includes Kamembe Airport. Check current advice before using it.
- Rwanda Airports Company also lists airstrips and airports at Gisenyi (Rubavu), Ruhengeri, Butare and Nemba.
- Ebola screening and entry controls are in place at Kigali airport (see travel tips).

Confirm any airport departure charges with your airline or the airport before you travel.

Gorilla trekking permits are issued by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) through its online booking portal, or through a licensed tour operator. Book well in advance. You need full names, passport number, email and phone number at payment.

- Incorrect, incomplete or false application details can mean you are refused entry at the park gate even if you have paid.
- Time with the gorillas is limited to one hour. Minimum age is 15. Groups are at most 8 visitors, and you must stay 7 m from the gorillas.
- Check in at Volcanoes National Park headquarters in Kinigi at 7:00 for your briefing and group. Groups are matched by fitness. Hikes can take from 30 minutes to four hours or more.
- Do not trek with a cold, flu or other contagious illness. You may be refused.
- Golden monkey tracking: minimum age 12, up to 16 people per group, report at 7:00, booked through the same RDB portal.
- Nyungwe chimpanzee tracking starts at 5:30 (up to one hour with the chimps once found). Permits are via Irembo, an RDB office or a tour operator.
- Akagera: arranged through the park or a tour operator.

Permit validity, refund and transfer rules were not on the pages we checked, so confirm them with RDB when booking. Ebola note (checked 8 October 2026): see travel tips for the DRC entry ban.

- 112: general emergency.
- 912: ambulance (SAMU), 24 hours.
- 114: health services line run by Rwanda Biomedical Centre. Use it to report Ebola-type symptoms.
- 113: traffic accidents.
- 111: fire brigade.
- 118: traffic police.
- 110: maritime problems.
- 3512: gender-based violence. 3511: abuse by a police officer.
- US Embassy Kigali: +250 252 596 400 (US State Department).

Before you travel, save your own embassy's number and your insurer's 24-hour emergency line (checked 8 October 2026).

Ebola entry measures (checked 8 October 2026): Rwanda's Ministry of Health notice of 22 May 2026 says foreign nationals who travelled to or through the DRC in the 30 days before their trip are denied entry. Screening is stepped up at Kigali airport and DRC land borders. As of 16 June 2026 no case had been confirmed in Rwanda. The UK government says the measures were revised in September 2026 and may change at short notice, and we could not confirm the current wording. If your trip includes the DRC, check the Ministry of Health and Rwanda Biomedical Centre pages before booking.

- Borders: the UK government advises against all but essential travel within 10 km of the DRC border in Rusizi District. Crossings can close at short notice.
- Time zone: Central Africa Time (UTC+2), no daylight saving. Electricity is 230 V, 50 Hz. A US government guide lists plug types C, E and F.
- Drones: a Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority permit is needed (about 2 to 4 weeks). Declare drones on arrival. They may be confiscated.
- Photography: do not photograph military sites, government buildings, airports or public monuments.
- Umuganda: community work on the last Saturday of each month. Most services close for the morning.
- Laws: drug penalties are severe, and vapes and plastic bags are banned.
- Safety: crime is relatively low, mainly petty theft. Avoid walking at night and carrying large amounts of cash. Roads are unlit at night and motorbike taxis are dangerous.