Rwanda
About
| Also known as 'the land of a thousand hills', Rwanda is a landlocked country of lovely and various landscapes. The Virunga volcanic mountains have high altitude forests, world-famous mountain gorillas, and Lake Kivu offers beautiful beaches, jutting peninsulas and an archipelago of islands. Visit Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda. It is home to the Genocide Museum, which documents the 100-day massacre in 1994. Kibungu (Umutara), in the east of the country, is in the centre of a region of lakes and waterfalls, including Lake Mungesera and the Rusumo Falls. Get close to some of Rwanda's fantastic wildlife. The A’Kagera National Park covers over 2,500 sq km (1,000 sq miles) of savannah to the west of the A’ Kagera River (the frontier with Tanzania). The park has a variety of wildlife and is a habitat for over 500 species of birds. The major point of access is Kabarando. Safaris can also be undertaken at Kabarando; the park is devoted to game preservation and has lions, zebras, antelopes, hippos, buffalos, leopards, apes, impalas, crested herons, fish eagles, cormorants, giraffes, elephants, elands and warthogs. Watch a performance of the Rwanda National Ballet, famous for its traditional dancing and singing. |
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| Capital: | Kigali (KGL) |
| Currency: | Rwanda Franc (RWF) |
| Language: | Kinyarwanda, French and English |
| Dialling code from SA: | + 250 |
| Time Zones: | UTC/GMT +2 hours (same as South Africa) |
| Side of the Road: | Right |
| Best Time to go: | mid-March to mid-May |
| Best For: | Gorilla Trek |
| Plugs: | 230 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style plugs with two round pins are used. |
| Drinking Water: | All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. |
| Health: | Medical facilities are very limited. It is advisable to carry basic medical supplies. Comprehensive health insurance is recommended. |
| Customs: | Rwanda does not tolerate corruption and you will cause offence if you offer a bribe. Begging is strongly discouraged. Dropping litter is frowned upon. Eating and smoking in the street is also considered rude. |
| Travel Tips / Warnings: | Credit Cards are not widely accepted. |
| Duty Free: | • 250g of tobacco products • 1L or spirits or 2L of wine • 500ml of perfume and eau de toilette, of which up to a quarter may be perfume • Goods up to US$500 in value |
| Prohibited Imports: | Prohibited goods include counterfeit coins and notes, pornography, matches made with white phosphorus, distilled beverages such as absinthe, soaps and cosmetics containing mercury, used tyres, counterfeit goods, and goods destructive to the environment including plastic bags. Restricted goods include animal traps, unwrought precious metals and stones, arms and ammunition, historical artifacts, ivory, rhino horn, tortoise shell, coral, and non-indigenous species of fish. |
| Prohibited Exports: | Game trophies can only be exported with special permission of the Game Departmen |
Issuing Authorities
Rwanda High Commission
983 Francis Baard Street, Arcadia
Tel: 012 342 6536 / 076 723 5805
E-mail: ambapretoria@minaffet.gov.rw
Website: www.rwandainsouthafrica.gov.rw
Mon-Thu: 9:00-16:00
Fri: 9:00-14:00
Public Holidays 2025: Jan 1-2; Feb 1, 3; Mar 31; Apr 7, 18, 21; May 1; Jun 7; Jul 1, 4; Aug 1, 15; Dec 25-26
Public Holidays 2026: Jan 1-2; Feb 1-2; Mar 20; Apr 6-7; May 1, 27; Jul 1, 4, 6; Aug 7, 15, 17; Dec 25-26, 28
Visa Requirements
South African passport holders are issued a visa on arrival for stays of up to 30 days, at no cost.
Entry Requirements:
- Return flight confirmation/copy of return itinerary.
- An invitation letter with a copy of passport/ID of the inviting party (if host is Rwandan), or copy of residence permit (if host is not Rwandan). If invited by a registered company in Rwanda, the invitation must be on a letterhead.
- If you will not have a host in Rwanda, you need to provide a confirmation of hotel accommodation booking.
- Passport with at least 6 months validity
Visa Requirements:
For stays of longer than 30 days / should you require a visa, you can apply
- Online www.irembo.gov.rw under Immigration and Emigration.
- At the Embassy: An application form is available at the Embassy.
SA Representative
South African High Commission
1370 Boulevard de l'Umuganda, Kacyiru-Sud, Kigali
Tel: + 250 252 551 300
E-mail: Kigali.Admin@dirco.gov.za
Web: dirco1.azurewebsites.net/rwanda
Travel Health
| Compulsory: | Yellow Fever |
| Recommended Travel Vaccines: | Hepatitis A & B, Rabies, Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio |
| Malaria Risk |
