Rwanda is a landlocked nation positioned in East Central Africa. It’s sure by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) and Lake Kivu to the west. The nation is split into six topographical areas from west to east. (1.) The Nice Rift Valley and Lake Kivu. (2.) The volcanic Virunga Mountains and the excessive lava plains of the northwest. (3.) The Apartment-Nile divide and the central plateaux east of the mountains. (4.) The savannas and swamps of the east and southeast. (5.) The central plain and (6.) the arid desert like space of the southeast. The nation’s 9 largest lakes are the Ruhondo, Muhazi, Mugasera, Ihema, Rwanye, Burera, Rugwero, Cyohoha and Kivu whereas the principal rivers are the Kagera, Ruzizi and the Nyabarongo with its tributaries. Few years after the 1994 genocide, Rwanda has change into a worthwhile and peaceable ecotourism vacation spot regardless of what some individuals nonetheless consider: the nation has been rebuilt and is a bustle of exercise, the persons are cheerful and pleasant, the roads are in good restore and secure…
Native Tradition:
Locals are pleasant and welcoming, though many rural areas are with out operating water, and a conventional lifestyle is adopted in most areas. Perceive that genocide is part of latest historical past, in 1994, and remains to be contemporary in everybody’s reminiscence, so keep away from the subject.
The principal ethnic group are the Hutu who account for 90% of the inhabitants, adopted by the Tutsi who account for 9%. The smallest ethnic group are the Twa who’re Pygmies and account for 1% of the inhabitants. The ethnic alien teams embody Indians, Pakistanis, Arabs and Belgians.
RELIGION
The Christian religions are a robust pressure in Rwanda in the present day, as witnessed by the good variety of lively church buildings all through the nation. Roman Catholicism leads the sphere with 65% adherence, adopted by Protestantism 9%. Some evangelical sects at the moment are gaining floor. There’s a small 1% Muslim inhabitants, leaving a 25% following for minority and conventional beliefs, a few of which can have absorbed traces of Christianity.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Good Friday and Easter Monday, which fall on variable dates, are acknowledged in Rwanda. Different public holidays are :
1 January (New Yr’s Day); 1 February (Nationwide Heroes Day); 7 April (Genocide Memorial Day); 1 Could (Labor Day); 4 July (Nationwide Liberation Day); 15 August (Assumption Day); 1 October (Patriotism Day); 25 December (Christmas Day), and 26 December(Boxing Day).
CACH ON HAND
Bank cards have restricted acceptance, and though traveler’s checks and currencies could be exchanged at banks and change cubicles, it’s smart to maintain a provide of forex available, as most companies will solely take money.
MONEY
The unit of forex is the Rwanda franc. The US greenback is the exhausting forex of desire. It could be unimaginable to change vacationers’ cheques away from the capital. Bank cards are often solely accepted on the main lodges in Kigali.
WHEN TO VISIT
Could to November is mostly one of the best time to go to, avoiding the lengthy moist wet seasons. Nationwide Day, on July 1st, and the Harvest Competition, August 1st, are the 2 greatest festivals in each cities and rural villages.
CLIMATE
A mixture of tropical location and excessive altitude ensures that the majority of Rwanda has a temperate year-round local weather. Temperatures not often stray above 30 levels Celsius by day or under 15 levels Celsius at evening all year long. The exceptions are the chilly higher slopes of the Virunga Mountains, and the recent low-lying Tanzania border space protected in Akagera Nationwide Park. All through the nation, seasonal differences in temperature are comparatively insignificant. Most elements of the nation obtain in extra of 1,000mm of precipitation yearly, with the driest months being July to September and the wettest February to Could.
FOOD:
Native Rwandan delicacies is predicated on native staples together with fish, bananas, and rice or manioc. Some dishes are Isombe, finely mashed leaves of the manioc plant, typically served with dried fish, bugali, manioc plant root floor into flour and cooked with water right into a porridge, and banana is brewed in some areas into beer.
TIPPING:
Comply with customary tipping guidelines and add a ten% gratuity for good service. Taxi fares don’t require a further tip.
COMMUNICATIONS
Rwanda has a superb cellular phone community overlaying virtually all the nation.
Worldwide cellphone calls could be made simply. Acceptable SIM playing cards for the community are available in every single place, even in distant cities, and cell telephones could be bought or rented from main outlets in Kigali. Most cities of any measurement may have a number of Web cafes and pc facilities.
GETTING AROUND
Rwanda has presumably one of the best roads in East Africa. Most guests who’ve booked by a tour firm might be supplied with good personal automobiles, often 4-wheel drive. All the main facilities are linked with native and luxurious bus companies. Air constitution companies can be found anyplace within the nation.
GETTING THERE
All Worldwide flights arriving in Kigali are with SN Brussels, Kenya Airways Ethiopian Airways, Air Burundi and Rwandair Specific.
All worldwide flights arrive at Kigali Worldwide Airport,10 Km from central Kigali
There are two flights a day from Nairobi, two per week direct from Brussels and two per week from Johannesburg
PASSPORT AND VISAS
A legitimate passport is necessary. Visas, required by all guests besides nationals of the USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sweden, Mauritius, South Africa and Hong Kong, value USD 60 and could be purchased upon arrival.
