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Rwanda 2007

Route

• Days: 10 
• Period: August 2007
• Weather: Warm and mainly dry. In Kigali about 25 degrees, but in the mountains a bit colder. We had a lot of sun.

General information:

• Currency: Rwandan Franc (RF)

• Internet: Available in bigger cities

• ATM's: No ATM for Visa or other Cards. You can only get money with you Visa card inside at the Bank of Kigali in Kigali. For this sevice the charge a lot of money. RF 7020 at the time we were there.

• Creditcards: Accepted in some places. Mastercard is more accepted than Visa.

• Safety: Rwanda is very safe.

Prices (per August 2007)

• Value Money: €1 = 744 RF

• Fuel:  Between 600 - 620 RF/ 1 liter diesel

• Camping: There are almost no camping possibilities in Rwanda. At some hotels you can camp on the parking for about 5000-6000 RF per night for two persons. If you promise to have diner in the hotel, they sometimes allow you to camp for free. In some hotels you can use a room for shower and toilet, but sometimes you can only use the toilet of the restaurant.

• Memorials: Visiting the memorials is for free. A free gift however is appreciated.

• Gorilla tracking: 500 US$ per person including entry fees for NP

Visa

• Some nationalities, like the Dutch, have to pay 60 US$ per person. For many, like the UK and VS, the visa is for free.

• Our visa was single entry and valid for two weeks. Perhaps when you get it at an embassy this period will be longer.

• Only if you fill in a special form on the internet and take the printed confirmation with you you can get you visa at the border. In other cases you must have to get in in advance.

Border crossing

• ENTRY: We entered at Katuna on the border with Uganda. Passport and Carnet are quickly stamped. No further costs. When entering the country we were asked to show the stamp in our Carnet.

• EXIT: At Rusumo on the Tanzania border. Quick and easy. They do however want the receipt of the payment of your visa. You have to keep this form!

Highlights or not

• Gisozi: Genocide memorial in Kigali. Very impressive to visit and it will help you to understand what happened.

• Murambi memorial: Former school where 50.000 people were killed. It is weird to see all the skull and bodies.

• Gorilla tracking: Great experience.

• Lake Kivu: If the weather is nice, this is a great place to relax and swim. No Bilharzia in the lake.

Roads

• Katuma (border Uganda) - Kigali: one hours. Tarmac with sometimes a few holes.

• Kigali - Butare: 124 KM good tarmac.

• Butare - Gikongoro: 30 km good tarmac. Last few kilometers to the memorial is a good piste.

• Kigali - Ruhengeru: good tarmac

• Ruhengeru - Kinigi: good tarmac

• Ruhengeru - Gisenyi: tarmac, with some holes

• Gisenyi - Kibuye (only 4x4): 90 km (4,5 hours) piste which in some parts can be very rough and can be slippery when wet.

• Kibuye - Kigali: 125 km good tarmac

• Kigali - Rusumo: good tarmac

Tips

• We were very lucky to obtain the permit for the gorilla tracking within a few days. At the moment it is full for two months, so it is better to book in advance.

• If you want to go to the gorilla tracking. You have to organise your own transport from the headquarters to where you start walking.

• AT ORTPN you can pay for your gorilla tracking with Dollars, Euros, Pounds, but also with Mastercard (No Visa)

• If you want to visit some of the churches that are now a memorial, do not plan this on a Sunday.

• Getting you visa for Tanzania in Kigali is easy. Issued within 24 hours. Costs 50 US$ per person and two photo's needed. Opening hours between 9 am - 3.30 pm.

• On you way to Tanzania, you'd better fill up your tanks here as diesel is much more expensive in Tanzania.

Important addresses

 

Nederlandse ambassade in Rwanda
Adres:	Royal Netherlands Embassy Boulevard de l’ Umuganda Kacyiru - Kigali, Rwanda
Postadres:	P.O. Box 6613 Kacyiru - Kigali, Rwanda
Telefoon:	00-250-510603/4 of 00-250-584348
Fax:	00-250-584503
E-mail:	kig@minbuza.nl
Openingstijden
maandag t/m donderdag	08.00–12.30 en 13.15-17.30 uur
vrijdag	08.00–13.00

 

ORTPN (Office Rwandaise du Tourisme et des Parcs Nationaux)

PO Box 905

Kigali, Rwanda

Tel : +250 57 65 14

Fax : +250 57 65 15

Mail : info@rwandatourism.com

Web : www.rwandatourism.com

 

GPS-waypoints

 

Grid: Lat/Lon hddd°mm.mmm"

 

Kigali	S01.56.896	E030.03.590	Banks	Bank of Kigali	No ATM with Visa you can get money inside.
Kibuye	S02.04.256	E029.21.168	Shops		Good bakery
Kibuye	S02.03.575	E029.20.234	Accomodation	Bethanie Guest House	No camping, cheap rooms
Kigali	S01.56.471	E030.03.661	Camping	Okapi Hotel	Camping on the parking, use of shower and toilet from staff
Butare	S02.36.129	E029.44.502	Camping	Ibis Hotel	Free camping on parking. No shower, only toilet of restaurant
Kinigi	S01.25.957	E029.35.908	Camping	Kinigi Guest House	Close to the headquarters of the gorilla tracking. For showers and toilets you can use a room. Restaurant has very good meals.
Kibuye	S02.03.564	E029.19.931	Camping	Noriah Hill Resort	We camped on the parking, but the resort is building a nice campsite!
Kigali	S01.56.585	E030.03.520	Shops		Shop for computers
Kigali	S01.56.951	E030.06.201	Embassy	Tanzania	Embassy of Tanzania, open from 9 am till 3 pm. Visa issued within 24 hours
Ruhengeru	S01.29.908	E029.37.605	Fuel	Sopeya
To Tanzanian border	S02.08.229	E030.33.449	Fuel	Kobil	On of the last stations before the border of Tanzania
Kibuye	S02.03.101	E029.24.814	Junction		End of piste Gisenyi - Kibuye
Gisenyi	S01.41.949	E029.19.068	Junction		Start piste Gisenyi - Kibuye
Kigali	S01.55.854	E030.03.626	Place of interest	Genocide memorial	Memorial in Kigali
Butare	S02.27.350	E029.34.072	Place of interest	Murambi memorial	Old school close to Butare
Butare	S02.36.041	E029.44.591	Place of interest	National museum
Kinigi	S01.25.943	E029.35.669	Place of interest	ORTPN	Headquarters, Tracking starts here
Rusumo	S02.22.941	E030.46.994	Border		Border Rwanda - Tanzania
Kigali	S01.56.791	E030.03.652	Place of interest	ORTPN	Headquarters in Kigali

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