Rwanda Reopens Kigali International Airport to Travelers

On Saturday 1^st August 2020, Rwanda Reopens Kigali International Airport to Travelers after about 4 months of lockdown to mitigate the COVID-19 outbreak following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country. Since June 17^th, tourists arriving in the country on charter flights were allowed to visit the country for Rwanda gorilla tours or any other Rwanda tours as long as they follow the Ministry of Health guidelines.

Rwanda Air which is the Rwandan national carrier resumed on 1^st August 2020 with a flight from Kigali International Airport to Dubai while Kenyan and Ethiopian Airways made flights to Kigali as stated by the Rwandan Minister of Infrastructure Claver Gatete in a phone interview with Xinhua.

The national carrier will restart services with selected African routes where travel restrictions have been eased and borders have been reopened, and with one long-haul route to Dubai. Other routes will gradually resume.

Is it safe to visit Rwanda amidst COVID-19? – Rwanda Reopens Kigali International Airport to Travelers

Ever since Rwanda tourism was reopened for tourists in July there were set guidelines to keep tourists safe. To ensure that all travelers are safe, each individual is required to adhere to the health guidelines issued by the Rwanda Ministry of Health. Some of the set guidelines as stated by the RwandAir CEO Yvonne Makolo include;

Social distancing measures during boarding
Deeply clean the planes after each flight
Every passenger is only allowed to take one piece of cabin luggage on board to avoid congestion and too much physical contacts between passengers and luggage.
Precautionary measures have been implemented throughout the Kigali International Airport (main airport) to maintain the safety of customers and staff.
Using protective plexiglass at check-in and immigration counter, thermal and temperature screening, social distancing markers, and increased levels of sanitization in compliance with international standards set out by the relevant authorities.
The government guidelines for arrivals require all those arriving to have tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours before departure and receive a second test upon entry into the country.

Note: Currently land borders of Rwanda remain closed, except for goods and cargo, as well as returning Rwandan citizens and legal residents.

For tests, a private test center has been set up at Petit Stade, Amahoro National Stadium in Kigali, by appointment only.

All visitors are required to maintain a distance of at least 10 meters at all times while visiting primates in Nyungwe Forest National Park and Volcanoes National Park.

What to do/activities in Rwanda – Rwanda Reopens Kigali International Airport to Travelers

A very scenic and beautiful land of a thousand hills, Rwanda is one of the increasingly popular African safari destinations. Known as a small and beautiful country formed of several scenic hills, the country may not be that typical African safari destination but still home to several wild species that can be spotted on safari.

Gorilla trekking, wildlife viewing, chimpanzee trekking, birding, and cultural tours are the top safari activities in Rwanda.

Mountain Gorilla Trekking – Rwanda Reopens Kigali International Airport to Travelers

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is the most popular activity undertaken by tourists. An easy-to-trek and close mountain Gorilla Park from the country’s national airport is Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.

Rwanda gorilla safaris are the major drawcard for tours in Rwanda because this was the base of the popular primatologist, Dian Fossey. When Dian Fossey decided to stay in Virunga and interact with the mountain gorillas, she was the first human to closely relate with these species in the wild. Her book was later turned into a movie version titled Gorillas in the Mist and this drew worldwide attention to mountain gorillas.

A gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda costs US$ 1500 for each trek and 80 permits are available each day to enable 8 tourists to trek a single family of the 10 habituated gorilla families in the park. Rwanda gorilla tour permits are the most expensive but still, travelers have opted to visit the country and leave out the cheaper permits in Uganda and Congo because it’s said to be easier to trek the gorilla in Rwanda than any other destination.

Wildlife viewing/game drives

Rwanda may not be the ultimate African safari destination for wildlife tours but if you want a scenic tour within a beautiful setting, Akagera National Park should be on your list. The park is home to the big five wildlife African game which are the Buffaloes, Rhinos, Leopards, Lions, and Elephants.

Akagera is a much preferable East African destination since it is one of the closest wildlife parks to the country’s national Airport-Kigali International Airport. It is just about a 3 hours drive to the park from the Airport. You also spot other wild animals like giraffes, zebras, and hippos.

Birding – Rwanda Reopens Kigali International Airport to Travelers

Birding Rwanda is one perfect choice for any ardent birder. The country is relevantly small in area and therefore can be birded within a short period. Rwanda has 703 bird species recorded within her boundaries, 510 species known to be residents, and 183 being seasonal and migrant birds.

The best spots for birding in Rwanda are Nyungwe Forest National Park, Akagera National Park, Volcanoes National Park, and several other spots outside the parks. With a much-vegetated large area, Rwanda arguably offers the best montane birding experiences in Africa.

Other factors that make birding in Rwanda much more relevant is that the country hosts 29 Albertine Rift bird species, there’s a very good road network, and as well as good security.

Canopy walk

The best canopy walk experience in East Africa is in Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest National Park. A canopy walk can be explained as a walk above within the tree canopies of the ancient Nyungwe Forest on a suspension bridge rising 70 m high and covering 60 m long.

A canopy walk is one of a kind as you see the forest from above while sighting several bird and primate species. The walk starts from any of the three trailheads where you will walk from the Uwinka visitor center. If you need a unique safari activity then the canopy walk is a preferable option with experiences like no other.

Cultural tours – Rwanda Reopens Kigali International Airport to Travelers

Rwanda was largely affected by the 1994 genocide which took the country several years to recover from. With the new government, Rwanda has decided to share her story with the world and therefore several museums in the country describe events that unfolded in the genocide period.

The Rwanda Genocide Memorial Museum has all the details of the genocide. Other museums offer the chance to learn about the traditions of Rwanda. A better way of taking a cultural tour is also by visiting the communities and learning from local guides.

With Rwanda’s international airport now reopened for flights, it is a great opportunity for tourists who want to visit the country during the novel coronavirus. During this time, there are different discounts on gorilla permits and other activities that tourists can take advantage of.

Acacia safaris, on top of planning many Rwanda safari packages, we also customize other East African safaris including Uganda gorilla safaris, Kenya safaris, and Tanzania safaris.