April 2021

Murray is the CEO of Giltedge Africa, a creator of personalized, authentic bucket-list experiences for travelers throughout Southern and Eastern Africa. 

Reading Time: 6.6 minutes

Q.  What should American travelers know about going to Rwanda?

A. Rwanda, a small landlocked country in East Africa, is known as 'the land of a thousand hills.' With stunning scenery and warm, friendly people, it offers unique experiences in one of the most remarkable countries on the continent. The main tourism highlights are the rich cultural heritage of its people and its great apes. You'll find Gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park and Chimpanzees in Nyungwe Forest in the southern part of the country.

Q. What’s your favorite part about Rwanda? Give us an over-the-top or entirely original experience that Giltedge can arrange.

A. Gorilla trekking remains the major highlight, and the fact that trekking in Rwanda is less strenuous compared to other countries where this activity can be done. We are very excited to be part of the launch of the Mantis Kivu Queen, a floating luxury 10-cabin boutique hotel later this year. Kivu Queen will cruise on Lake Kivu, one of Africa's great lakes of the Rift Valley, an incredibly diverse bio-zone. Also, with the continued improvement of Akagera National Park, Rwanda is now an option to visit exclusively as Akagera is home to the Big Five. With COVID still around, it is easier to visit one country with so much to offer like Rwanda, as opposed to two or three due to PCR testing requirements.

Q. What makes Rwanda better than before?

A. Rwanda has adopted a high-value, low-volume tourism, therefore it’s the right destination to visit if you want to avoid crowds, especially with the current pandemic. You do not have big tourist hotel establishments except in the city. For Gorilla trekking, a maximum of 6 persons is allowed to trek each Gorilla Family.

After the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, Rwanda was able to comply with the Tourism and Travel Health & Safety Protocols that led to the country being awarded the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) ‘Safe Travel Stamp’ in recognition of the standardized global health and hygiene protocols. Tourism activities are therefore going on without interruption.

A number of International carriers are now flying in and out of Rwanda, making accessibility much easier than before. This keeps Rwanda on the bucket list of many travelers to Africa.

Q. Are all tourist services/facilities/attractions open?

A. Yes, these are all open and we recommend people to book well in advance, especially the Gorilla trekking. The limited trekking Permits available are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

Q. What’s it like to dine out, go shopping, and going on safari around the country?

A. Although Kigali is a small city compared to cities in the USA, Europe, or other African countries it has dining options. The Fusion Restaurant located at The Retreat by Heaven Boutique hotel is one great spot for dining. It is known for its international cuisine accented with local flavors.  There are a number of shopping outlets in Kigali, as well as other small tourist towns like Musanze, where one can buy souvenirs and crafts. The Nyamirambo Women Center in Kigali was started by a group of women who came together to collectively create and it sells high-quality clothing, bags, and home accessories.

Going on Safari is easy. Giltedge is your presence in Rwanda. We can arrange all tours and safaris in Rwanda and take you to any of the tourist attractions in the country, from Gorilla trekking, Chimpanzee tracking, Lake Kivu, and Akagera National Park.

Q. What are the entry requirements for Americans?

A. You must present a negative COVID-19 certificate on arrival. The only accepted test is a SARS-CoV 2 Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) performed within 72 hours of departure (meaning you must be tested and get results within 3 days of their first flight). A second PCR test will be conducted upon arrival, with results delivered after 24 hours. During this time you remain in a designated hotel at your own cost. 

As an arriving passenger, you will also need to complete a Travel Health Surveillance form for entry into the country. The form must be filled online prior to boarding your international flight. Passengers receive a QR code after completing the form and will be required to display it to the Port Health Official to proceed on to arrival immigration.

The above are in addition to the standard: a passport valid for 6 months with at least 1 blank page and a valid visa which you can apply for here. If you have been traveling in or have come from a country where yellow fever is endemic, you will also need a yellow fever vaccination. 

Q. Anything else you'd like to add?

A. Kigali, the capital of and largest city in Rwanda, is the cleanest city in Africa. On the last Saturday of every month, between 8:00 and 11:00 AM, at least one person in every Rwandan household must get outside and clean or do maintenance work. Umuganda, a Kinyarwanda word that can be roughly translated as “community service”, is part of Rwanda’s heritage; it became an officially encouraged practice as early as 1998 and then a law 10 years ago. And though you can now be fined for repeatedly skipping your umuganda duties without a reason, everyone I spoke to about it is in favor of the nationwide ritual of pitching in.

Hint: This country is the oldest nation on earth

Read all about this fantastic destination in next month's issue

With travel slowly picking up, we are revisiting some of the best images from years past.  Please #planethoppers your Instagram photos so we may follow your journeys when we are all traveling again!