{"id":1846,"date":"2014-08-22T17:38:46","date_gmt":"2014-08-22T17:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelcake.site\/?p=1846"},"modified":"2025-04-22T18:13:48","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T18:13:48","slug":"things-you-might-want-to-know-before-going-to-rwanda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/things-you-might-want-to-know-before-going-to-rwanda\/","title":{"rendered":"Things you might want to know before going to Rwanda"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rwanda: A Refreshing Take on Africa, But Not for Everyone<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Rwanda is a tiny African country nestled between some of East and Central Africa\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s biggest players: Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its landlocked position, turbulent recent past, and modest size might raise a few eyebrows when it comes to its tourism potential.<\/p>\n

But having lived in Rwanda during my childhood\u00e2\u20ac\u201dweekends spent exploring, holidays filled with local getaways\u00e2\u20ac\u201dI always regarded it as a fantastic travel destination. When I returned just two weeks ago, though, I saw the country with new eyes. This time, I wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t the resident expat enjoying my adoptive home. I was just a visitor.<\/p>\n

\"visiting<\/a>
visiting my primary school<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rwanda has changed tremendously since I left in \u00e2\u20ac\u212294. It felt like discovering it all over again. And while I thoroughly enjoyed my stay, I noticed many travelers didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t. Their disappointment got me thinking about what really<\/em> to expect from Rwanda\u00e2\u20ac\u201despecially if you’re planning to add it to your travel itinerary.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

Travel in Rwanda is expensive<\/strong><\/p>\n

Especially when compared to its neighbours.<\/p>\n

Transportation, food, drinks, safaris, activities… all come at a premium. Hotel prices in particular will eat into your budget. To give you an idea: we paid around \u00e2\u201a\u00ac23 for a standard tent\u00e2\u20ac\u201dwithout<\/em> breakfast. A basic private double room cost about \u00e2\u201a\u00ac40 a night. Keep in mind these are 2014 prices.<\/em><\/p>\n

Sure, you can get by on less if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re willing to rough it, but value for money? Rwanda doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quite deliver on that front.<\/p>\n

\"from<\/a>
from our expensive tent<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rules are rules \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and you will follow them<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rwanda is big on regulations, and they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not just for show. People follow them.<\/p>\n

For example: it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the only non-Western country I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve visited where every<\/em> motorcycle taxi driver wears a helmet\u00e2\u20ac\u201dand carries a second one for the passenger. They will<\/em> refuse you if you won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t wear it (trust me, I tried).<\/p>\n

It might feel rigid to some, but it also means minimal chaos and a strong sense of order.<\/p>\n

\"helmets<\/a>
helmets are mandatory<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

It’s modern and well organised<\/strong><\/p>\n

Especially in Kigali.<\/p>\n

There are street signs, a movie theatre, sidewalks, new-looking taxis, spotless streets lined with tall, flowery trees. Wi-Fi is everywhere. Coffeehouse chains dot the cityscape. Buses are clean, punctual, and not overcrowded (unlike the triple-stacked ones in Uganda).<\/p>\n

Rural areas are a little less polished, but even there, things run pretty smoothly.<\/p>\n

\"Kigali<\/a>
Kigali city tower<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"most<\/a>
most establishments have decent wi-fi and 3G network works well<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

It’s safe- even after dark<\/strong><\/p>\n

You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll find well-lit streets in many parts of the cities, and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not unusual to see expats jogging after sunset. That says a lot. I felt safe the entire time.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

Single use plastic is banned<\/strong><\/p>\n

Non-biodegradable plastic bags are illegal<\/em>. As in: your luggage will be checked at the airport for them. If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re caught using one, you could face a fine of up to $150. Store owners risk a year in prison.<\/p>\n

It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s strict\u00e2\u20ac\u201dbut effective. You won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see the heaps of trash so common in other African capitals. Rwanda is striving to become the world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s first plastic-free nation. Aside from a small thriving underground trade in plastic bags<\/a>, they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re on the right track.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

The roads are twisty but in excellent condition<\/strong><\/p>\n

In fact, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d say they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re better than the ones in Belgium (Rwanda\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s former coloniser).<\/p>\n

Off the beaten path, the road quality dips, but they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re still manageable. Renting a car is no issue\u00e2\u20ac\u201dunless you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got a serious fear of heights. The winding roads might test your stomach though, so bring motion sickness pills if you need them.<\/p>\n

\"well<\/a>
well maintained, exotic roads<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

There is a strange language situation<\/strong><\/p>\n

English only became an official language in 1994, and Rwanda\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s entire education system switched from French to English in 2008. Today, Kinyarwanda, French, and English are all official.<\/p>\n

It makes for some confusing conversations. Some people only speak English (mostly in Kigali), others only French, and many with little formal education speak only Kinyarwanda.<\/p>\n

As a French and English speaker, I found myself constantly guessing the right language to start a conversation\u00e2\u20ac\u201dand getting it wrong most of the time.<\/p>\n

As an English and French speaker, I found it awkward to start every single conversation guessing which language to use, mostly choosing the wrong one first.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

So, is Rwanda worth visiting?\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The disappointed travelers I met were looking for something Rwanda simply isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t.<\/p>\n

They wanted raw, gritty, traditional Africa. What they found instead was a place that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s clean, structured, modern, and surprisingly Westernized.<\/p>\n

And while that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all true, I personally found it refreshing. Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s an Africa that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s moving forward. That cares about sustainability. That values art, expression, order, and safety. Things may not be perfect, but you can feel the progress\u00e2\u20ac\u201dand that, to me, is a great starting point.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"end\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Would I recommend it?<\/p>\n

Yes\u00e2\u20ac\u201dbut perhaps not as your only<\/em> destination if you’re seeking a classic, essential \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Africa experience.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Rwanda is a fascinating side trip while visiting Uganda or Tanzania. If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re after a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Gorillas in the Mist\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em> kind of moment, then Rwanda is a must. But even then, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d suggest combining it with somewhere else to balance out the contrast.<\/p>\n

Rwanda is not what you expect. And maybe that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s exactly the point.<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n

Have you ever though of Rwanda as a destination? Africa in general?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The post “Things you need might want to know before going to Rwanda”<\/em><\/a> first appeared on\u00c2\u00a0Travel Cake<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rwanda: A Refreshing Take on Africa, But Not for Everyone Rwanda is a tiny African country nestled between some of East and Central Africa\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s biggest players: Uganda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its landlocked position, turbulent recent past, and modest size might raise a few eyebrows when it comes to its tourism potential. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1854,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,87],"tags":[110,38,20],"country":[200],"class_list":["post-1846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-africa","category-rwanda","tag-africa","tag-backpacking","tag-off-the-beaten-track","post_format-post-format-image","country-rwanda"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1846","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1846"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1846\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4577,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1846\/revisions\/4577"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1854"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1846"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.travelcake.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=1846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}