Founding Member of the Economic Initiative

Rwanda2024-02-20T12:22:28+01:00

Rwanda

Travel tips for Rwanda

Top 5 Experiences

A variety of adventures can be found in the small country of Rwanda, including gorilla tracking, safari and mountain trekking. Highlights include:

Gorilla Tracking

Home of mountain gorillas, the „gentle giants“. Standing eye to eye with a free-living up to two meters tall „silverback“ and its family in Volcanoes National Park is a true highlight. The grave of the gorilla researcher Dian Fossey can also be found here.

Akagera Tracking

Pure safari! In the diverse landscape of grass, bush and tree savannah as well as swamps, an impressive animal world can be found. This includes lions, leopards, rhinos, crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, impalas, antelopes and 400 species of birds.

Nyungwe Forest

The mountain rainforest, which has been declared a national park, impresses with its endemic flora and fauna and one of the highest primate densities in the world, including chimpanzees and Ruwenzori colobus monkeys. Another attraction is the treetop trail with a suspension bridge between the treetops.

Mountains

Rwanda is also known as the „land of a thousand hills“. The imposing plateau with 1,700m, the mountain range in the west with 2,740m and the highest mountain in the country with 4,505m – a true paradise for adventurers! For example, on the 227km long Congo-Nile Trail, whether on foot or by mountain bike.

Cultural Heritage

The Tutsi and Hutu belong to the main ethnic groups of the country, but one can also meet traditional healers and pygmies. Insights into the life of the local people can be gained during village visits or simply at the market.  The sad history can be encountered in the genocide museum.

Tourist infrastructure

The airport in Kigali is the starting and end point of all connections, whereas Rwanda can only be reached from Europe with a stopover. The tourist infrastructure has been continuously improved in recent years due to growing numbers of visitors. Thus, the number of hotel rooms increased steadily and even some luxury lodges were built. The roads between the main cities of the country are asphalted, but most of the country still has a gravel or earth layer.

Climate and travel season

Due to its location on the equator, Rwanda has a tropical climate with moderate temperatures throughout the year. These vary between 15°C and 27°C, in higher areas it can be significantly colder. The country is characterized by two rainy seasons: the big rainy season in April/May and the small rainy season in November/December. Due to the sometimes large water masses that fall during this time, Rwanda is a very green country for Africa.

The best time to travel stretches along the dry season from June to October, although sporadic, sometimes heavy rain showers must be expected all year round.

Visa and entry

To enter Rwanda, Germans, Austrians and Swiss need a passport and a visa. The passport must be valid for at least six months. The visa can be applied for in advance online at https://www.migration.gov.rw/our-services/visa/visitors-visa/ or on arrival on site. After successful examination of the documents, the applicant receives an „Entry Permit“, which is to be carried in printed form upon entry.

Since the regulations can change at any time, all information are non-binding and without guarantee. Please observe the visa regulations and the current information of the Federal Foreign Office / Federal Ministry European and International Affairs / Federal Department of Foreign Affaires at all times.

Impressions from Rwanda

(Click to enlarge)

Stories

Our partners for Rwanda

Visa, Entry, and Updates

Federal Foreign Office ➝

Federal Ministry European and
International Affairs ➝

Federal Department of
Foreign Affairs ➝

Information of the
Tourism Board ➝

Country information

Current accessibility

  • Information on entry:

    Rwanda’s borders are open again to travelers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Entry is currently only possible via the international airport in Kigali, the national borders are closed to tourists. The prerequisite for entry is the submission of a negative PCR test, which must not be older than 72 hours. Unvaccinated travelers must also provide proof of a booking for a transfer hotel. Upon arrival at the Kigali airport, all entrants must do another test at their own expense (USD 50). All travelers then have to stay in their transfer hotel for 24 hours at their own expense until the test result arrives, if the test result is positive, the quarantine will be extended. It is forbidden to leave the hotel earlier. The transfer from the airport to the hotel costs USD 10. Children under 5 years of age traveling with their parents do not need to present a test. Travelers must fill out an online form 72 hours before departure to Rwanda, the Covid-19 test result and, if applicable, the booking confirmation from the transfer hotel must be enclosed. Travelers over 5 years of age must perform another PCR test at their own expense (approx. 50 USD) to leave the country by air. This must not be older than 72 hours, it should be noted that the evaluation can take up to 48 hours.

  • Information on return:

    Since March 30, 2021, all travellers, no matter from which country they are coming and which means of transportation they use, must present a negative PCR or PoC test, a proof of complete vaccination, for instance the digital Covid-Certificate from the EU (Green Pass), or a proof of recovery from a Covid-19 infection, which was completed at least 28 days ago and is maximum 6 months old, before entering the Federal Republic of Germany. The PCR test must be performed at the earliest 72 hours and the PoC-test 48 hours before the start of the return journey. In addition, travellers must register their entry at the entry portal www.einreiseanmeldung.de➝ before arriving in Germany and carry proof of the corresponding registration with them. For stays in high risk areas classified by the RKI➝ there is a 10-day quarantine obligation. The quarantine can solely be prevented when a proof of complete vaccination or a proof of recovery from a Covid-19 infection, which was completed at least 28 days ago and is maximum 6 months old, was submitted on the entry portal. After five days at the earliest, travellers who are not vaccinated or did not recover from a Covid-19 infection can undergo a Covid-19 test. With a subsequent negative result, the quarantine obligation can be ended early. For stays in virus mutation areas a negative PCR-test, which must be performed at the earliest 72 hours before entering, needs to be shown before return and a fourteen-day quarantine must to be entered without possibility to shorten it.

    All travellers older than 12 years, must present a negative PCR or PoC test, a proof of complete vaccination, for instance the digital Covid-Certificate from the EU (Green Pass), or a proof of recovery from a Covid-19 infection before entering Austria. The PCR-test must be performed at the earliest 72 hours and the PoC-test 48 hours before the start of the return journey. Since January 15, 2021, travellers must register their entry here ➝ („Pre-Travel-Clearance“) before arrival. With the above mentioned certifications a quarantine can be fully prevented when entering from a country classified as safe. The certifications can be handed in 24 hours later if no hotel stay is planned. For vaccinated people arriving from countries not classified as safe or from virus mutations areas the quarantine does not apply neither. Non-vaccinated people however need to present a negative Covid-test or a proof of recovery as well as enter a 10-day quarantine. After five days at the earliest, travellers can undergo a Covid-19 test. With a subsequent negative result, the quarantine obligation can be ended early.

    All air as well as transit passengers who are not fully vaccinated or did not surpass a Covid-19 infection within the past 6 months must register their entry on www.swissplf.admin.ch before or during arrival in Switzerland and need to carry the generated QR-code with them. Air passengers older than 16 years must present a negative PCR or PoC test, a proof of complete vaccination, for instance the digital Covid-Certificate from the EU (Green Pass), or a proof of recovery from a Covid-19 infection before entering. The PCR-test must be performed at the earliest 72 hours and the PoC-test 48 hours before the start of the return journey. Air as well as transit passengers who are not fully vaccinated or did not surpass a Covid-19 infection as well need to enter a 10-day quarantine and present a PCR-test. In addition, they need to inform their corresponding cantonal authority latest within two days after arrival. After seven days at the earliest, travellers can undergo a Covid-19 test. With a subsequent negative result, the quarantine obligation can be ended early. The obligation to test or enter quarantine does not apply to fully vaccinated people who can present a certificate such as the EU Digital Certificate or a Swiss Covid certificate.

Für Einreisende in die Bundesrepublik Deutschland, die sich in den letzten 10 Tagen vor Einreise in einem Risikogebiet aufgehalten haben, besteht seit dem 08. November 2020 die Pflicht, sich unverzüglich in eine zehntägige Quarantäne zu begeben. Darüber hinaus müssen Reisende vor ihrer Ankunft in Deutschland ihre Einreise unter https://www.einreiseanmeldung.de ➝ anmelden und den Nachweis über die entsprechende Anmeldung mit sich führen. Nach frühestens fünf Tagen können sich die Reiserückkehrer Covid-19 Test unterziehen. Mit einem anschließenden Negativergebnis kann die Quarantänepflicht frühzeitig beendet werden.

ACHTUNG: Wer sich in den letzten 10 Tagen vor Einreise in Deutschland in einem Hochinzidenz-Gebiet oder einem Virusvarianten-Gebiet aufgehalten hat, muss bereits bei Einreise einen ärztlichen Nachweis oder ein negatives Testergebnis bei sich tragen und diesen bei Aufforderung der zuständigen Behörden vorlegen können. Der Test darf nicht älter als 48 Stunden vor Einreise sein. Darüber hinaus ist das negative Testergebnis auch vor Antritt der Rückreise dem entsprechenden Beförderer vorzulegen. Sollte es den Einreisenden aus etwaigen Gründen in einem Hochinzidenzgebiet oder einem Virusvarianten-Gebiet nicht möglich sein, sich vor Abreise testen zu lassen, können die entsprechenden Beförderer vor Abreise einen Schnelltest durchführen und bei Negativergebnis die Beförderung vornehmen. Der Beförderer darf den Test maximal 12 Stunden vor Abreise durchführen. Dieser Test muss den Anforderungen des RKI entsprechen: https://www.rki.de/tests ➝

Covid-19

Corona precautionary measures

  • Restrictions in the country:

    In Rwanda, a minimum distance of 1.5 m must be maintained. The lockdown has ended, but there is still a nightly curfew from 0 am to 4 am. If a transfer to the airport is required during the curfew, authorization must be requested either online or by calling * 127 #. Travel to and from Kigali and between the districts are again permitted without exception and local public transport runs at 75% occupancy. Restaurants are allowed to open their indoor areas with an occupancy of up to 50% and their outdoor areas up to 75%. Bars are allowed to welcome vaccinated people with a negative test with an occupancy of 50%. Sports activities are permitted again under certain conditions. Events such as concerts, festivals or exhibitions are again permitted under certain conditions, venues may receive 50% of the guest capacity. Participants must be vaccinated and present a negative rapid antigen test. Pools, saunas and massage salons may open to vaccinated people with a negative test under certain conditions. Domestic trips and tourist activities are allowed for tourists when presenting a negative PCR test or antigen rapid test that is not older than 48 hours and a proof of booked accommodation. However, guests must apply for the trips in advance using an online form. For visits to the Nyungwe, Gishwati-Mukura and the volcanoes national parks, PCR tests are required, which must not be older than 72 hours. Akagera National Park can be visited with a rapid antigen test (RDT) that is 72 hours old or less. Many shops only accept cashless payments. Services must be paid for with Momo (mobile money).

  • Mouth and nose protection:

    Rwanda has a nationwide mask requirement for all public spaces. When entering public facilities, hotels and restaurants, visitors are required to use hand-washing stations and disinfectants and leave their personal details.

  • Hygiene measures in the country:

    Together with the Rwanda Development Board the Rwandan government has published guidelines for the tourism sector (PDF), which are binding for all institutions operating in the tourism sector and comply with generally accepted hygiene requirements.

Status: 19.10.2021

Nach oben