How to organize a  safari in Rwanda during winter

How to organize a Rwandan winter safari
How to organize a safari trip to Rwanda for the winter. One of the greatest and most reasonably priced destinations for travelers seeking refuge from their own countries’ frigid temperatures is Rwanda. The dry season, which runs from December to February, makes these months ideal for planning a safari in Rwanda. During this time, you can engage in a variety of activities, such as gorilla trekking, game drives, cultural excursions, chimpanzee trekking, boat cruises, and bird watching.

Most Well-liked Safaris

• Two-day Bwindi Gorilla Trekking from Kigali
• Three-Day Low-Season Gorilla Safari in Uganda via Kigali
• From Kigali, a 3-day gorilla safari in Uganda
• Three-Day Safari to Track Gorillas in Rwanda
• Gorillas and Game Safari in Uganda for 5 Days via Kigali
• 4-Day Safari Through Kigali, Uganda
• 14-Day Safari Through Kigali, Uganda
• 3 Days in Rwanda to Acclimate Gorillas
• 3-day double trip through Bwindi via Kigali

The first step in preparing a winter vacation safari is to stay in constant contact with your tour operator to discuss any modifications to the itinerary that may arise and what is needed. Along with knowing what to anticipate from your location, you must also ascertain whether any restrictions or modifications have been imposed. Your tour guide can provide you with all of this information so that your safari is well-planned.

It’s easy to plan for your safari with a few simple steps. These include selecting the precise time to visit (the dates and duration of your safari), picking the venue for your safari, selecting the tour operator (you must read and conduct in-depth research on the business to prevent scammers), making a packing list, and learning more about the location.

What you should know before booking a winter safari in Rwanda
How to navigate Rwanda while on safari
Safari automobiles: In case you made your reservation via a tour operator, your transportation has already been planned, and 4×4 safari cars are employed. These are clean cars that are ready and reserved once payment has been confirmed. This is the most private way to go on safari in Rwanda, despite the fact that it can be pricey at times.

Matatus: Locals travel to various parts of the country in these yellow or green minibuses. Even the most isolated regions of Rwanda are well-served by the efficient transportation infrastructure in place. For large groups traveling across Rwanda, well-maintained matatus can be leased from Kigali. Numerous busses travel the various routes linking Kigali with the rest of the nation every thirty minutes.

Taxis: These are widely available and can be obtained at several taxi booths in the provinces surrounding Kigali and Rwanda. The most costly mode of transportation in the nation is the taxi, which you can book by phone or request to be dropped off at a recommended driver by the hotel.

Cash
The Rwandan Franc (RWF) is the official currency of Rwanda. For convenient transactions, travelers are urged to bring local currency with them on safari. You can exchange your cash into dollars or euros at the airport, banks, or currency offices. The Banque de Kigali offers cash advances, and many posh establishments take credit cards. ATMs can be found all around the nation, but mostly in Kigali. In Rwanda, banking services are not available on Sundays or the final Saturday of the month (until 11:00 am), when the Umuganda is conducted.

When tipping, buying, and other activities on the safari, local cash is helpful. Keep in mind that leaving a tip is customary and a means to express gratitude for the services provided. Tipping is required for drivers, guides, potters, and wait staff at hotels and restaurants.

Rwandan language
The people’s major language of communication is Kinyarwanda. Additionally widely spoken and the official language in offices is French. In addition to being widely used throughout the nation, Swahili has also been accepted and is now taught in schools.

Visas
Every visitor to Rwanda needs to have a current passport and obtain a visa. However, Rwanda recently eliminated the need for visas for nationals of any African nation; for East African individuals, all that is required is a passport and national identification card. Travelers have the option of applying online for a visa or picking one up in person. On the other hand, we suggest that customers apply for the visa at least three months in advance of the date of travel. There’s also a new East African tourist visa that lets you enter Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda.

Rwandan cuisine
Although Rwanda may not be the world’s food basket, a wide range of foods, including both indigenous and foreign cuisines, are prepared there. Rwandan cuisine consists primarily on starchy foods like cassava, beans, and a wide variety of fresh fruits like papayas, avocados, mangoes, watermelons, pineapples, and many more. A traditional cuisine in the area made with spinach, eggplants, cassava leaves, plantains, and other ingredients is called isombe.

Rwandan culture and people
One of the greatest ways to settle in quickly when you arrive on a safari is to familiarize yourself with Rwandan culture and people before you fly there. Although the people of Rwanda are friendly and inviting, be sure your clothing is appropriate for the occasion, as it is not permitted. In order to maintain clean cities, polythene bags are also prohibited throughout the nation.

Rwanda safari destinations
There are various safari locations you can choose from while planning your winter vacation safari; the list of places we suggest you visit is provided below. This is just to help you plan ahead for the safari; you don’t have to visit them all.

Rwanda’s most popular safari location is Volcanoes National Park, where a large number of visitors come to experience gorilla trekking. The DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda are the only three nations where mountain gorilla trekking is permitted. Ten habituated gorillas and perhaps 400 gorillas reside in Rwanda. The primary activity at Volcanoes National Park is gorilla trekking. In addition, there are bird watching, guided nature walks, ascending the park’s volcanoes, the Batwa trail, taking part in the Kwita Izina ceremony (during which young gorillas are named), golden monkey trekking, and cultural visits. To embark on a gorilla trekking expedition on a volcano, you must obtain a permit six months in advance. These are always in great demand, therefore, reservations must be made well in advance.

The largest national park in Rwanda, Akagera National Park, faced difficulties when the animals moved there during the genocide, and some of them were stolen. When the refugees returned, they encroached upon it. Since then, it has been revitalized by the reintroduction of some of the extinct animals, such as lions and rhinos. Currently, Akagera is home to a variety of wildlife species, including giraffes, zebras, buffalos, hippos, crocodiles, lions, antelopes, elephants, bush duikers, and black rhinos, which were introduced in 2017. Moreover, more than 408 bird species call it home. During your safari, you can partake in guided nature walks, game drives, and bird watching.

Located on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lake Kivu is a popular safari destination for winter vacations in Rwanda. There are settlements all around the little lake in the Great Rift Valley where you may discover more about Kinyarwanda culture. Activities available here include boat trips on Lake Kivu, cycling along the shores, natural and cultural tours with guides, and bird viewing.

The ideal location in Rwanda for chimpanzee trekking and chimpanzee acclimatization is Nyungwe Forest National Park. Many monkey species can be found in the national park, including red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, Mangabeys, and black and white colobus monkeys. Chimpanzee trekking in the park is available year-round, making it the ideal choice if you’d like to learn more about the primates. While on a safari in Nyungwe, you can also go on nature walks, bicycle rides, canopy walks, and bird watching, to name a few additional activities.

The Genocide Memorial Centers, which are dispersed around the nation, serve as a reminder of what transpired during the 1994 genocide as well as a place to honor the memory of those who perished and gain knowledge of Rwandan history and culture. The Kigali Genocide Memorial Center, Nyamata Memorial Site, Murambi Genocide Memorial Center, Ntarama Memorial Center, Gisozi Memorial Site, and other genocides are among the many to see.

Among the most popular hot springs in Rwanda are those in Nyamyumba and Bugarama, which are situated in the districts of Cyangugu and Rubavu, respectively. It’s also essential to visit the Gisovu hot springs near Lake Kivu, where the water reaches a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius, hot enough to cook an egg in. The people here think that water has the ability to heal practically any illness.

What to bring for your safari vacation in the winter
To have the finest safari experience in Rwanda, you must know what to pack for your safari. We’ve created a packing list to make sure you pack for your vacation as effectively as possible. All meals will be provided at your accommodation facility, but you can still pack your favorite snacks. Other essentials include sturdy hiking boots, neutral-colored clothing, long sleeve shirts and pants (if you plan to trek, avoid jeans), insect repellent, devices like binoculars and cameras (including camera equipment), a refillable water bottle, a waterproof backpack, sunscreen, and garden gloves, sandals, sneakers, a waterproof rain jacket, a warm sweater, a medical first aid kit, and personal toiletries.

Rwandan safari lodges
Although Rwanda is renowned for being a luxurious safari destination, there are lodging options available throughout the many safari destinations that will meet your budget. The lodging has improved, offering anything from opulent to moderately equipped to basic amenities. The lodging options available to visitors on a safari in Rwanda are listed below, and they provide comfort to travelers as they engage in their activities.

Rusizi Tented Camp and Akagera Game Lodge in Akagera National Park

Volcanoes National Park: Go, Hotel Muhabura, Wilderness Bisate Lodge, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, One & Only Gorilla’sGorilla’s Nest, Singita Kwitonda Lodge, Le Bambou Gorilla Lodge, Villa Gorilla, Da Vinci Gorilla Lodge, and Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel are a few of the accommodations available.

Gisenyi Town: The Palm Beach Resort Lake Kivu, Kivu Paradis Resort, Umbwe Hotel, Hakuna Matata, Paradis Malahide, Wind Land Hotel, Galaxy Kivu Hotel, Lake Kivu Serena Hotel Gisenyi, and Hill View Hotel, among others.

The following accommodations are located in the Nyungwe Forest National Park: Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, Chimpanzee Lodge, One&Only Nyungwe House, Ken Barham Guest House, and Nyungwe Nziza Eco Lodge.

The following hotels are located in Kigali: Iris Guest House, Heaven Retreat Hotel, The Manor Hotel, Lebanon Hotel, Flame Tree Village Hotel, Marriot Hotel, Five to Five Hotel, Kigali Serena Hotel, Onomo Hotel, Hotel De Mille Collines, 3000 Hotel, and more.

Kibuye: Bethany Hotel, Hotel Golf Eden, Comoran Lodge, Rwiza Village, and Moriah Hill Resort.

When is the best time to make reservations for Rwanda’s winter safari?
Due to the dry season and the Christmas holidays, December to February is one of the busiest months in the nation’s tourism industry. To get the greatest safari bargains and prevent last-minute bookings, which may incur additional costs, we usually advise our clients to make their reservations at least 4 to 6 months prior to the start of the winter season.

Now that you have all the information you need, it’s time to plan your vacation safari to Rwanda. If you work with a reputable, licensed tour operator like us to plan your winter holiday safari, we’ll make sure you get the greatest safari in the nation and first-hand knowledge of what to expect on your journey. The finest places to go on safari, lodging, obtaining permits if needed, and making sure all the requirements are met are all part of the planning process.