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 ORTPN
- RWANDA OFFICE OF TOURISM AND NATIONAL PARKS
Contact Details
Office Rwandaise du Tourisme et des Parcs Nationaux
(ORTPN)/
The Rwanda Office of Tourism and National Parks
Boulevard de la Révolution n° 1
PO Box 905
Kigali, Rwanda
Tel (250) 576514 or 573396
Fax (250) 576515
Email: info@rwandatourism.com
 GETTING
THERE:
All International flights arriving in Kigali are with
SN Brussels, Kenya Airways Ethiopian Airlines, Air Burundi
and Rwandair Express.
All international flights arrive at Kigali International
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
For information on connections from Nairobi, Entebbe
and Johannesburg,
please contact RWANDA AIR EXPRESS
on www.rwandair.com
PASSPORT AND VISAS:
A valid passport is mandatory. Visas, required by all
visitors except nationals of the USA, UK, Germany, Canada,
Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Democratic Republic
of Congo, Sweden, Mauritius, South Africa and Hong Kong,
cost USD 60 and can be bought upon arrival.
MONEY:
The unit of currency is the Rwanda franc. The US dollar
is the hard currency of preference. It may be impossible
to exchange travellers' cheques away from the capital.
Credit cards are usually only accepted at the major
hotels in Kigali.
 LANGUAGE:
In addition to the indigenous language of Kinyarwanda,
French and English are official languages. French is
widely spoken throughout the country. In the capital
and other tourist centres, many people speak English.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:
Good Friday and Easter Monday, which fall on variable
dates, are recognised in Rwanda. Other public holidays
are :
1 January (New Year's Day);
1 February (National Heroes Day);
7 April (Genocide Memorial
Day);
1 May (Labour Day);
4 July (National Liberation Day);
15 August (Assumption Day);
1 October (Patriotism Day);
25 December (Christmas Day), and
26 December(Boxing Day).
WHEN TO VISIT:
Rwanda can be visited throughout the year. Gorilla
trekking and other forest walks are less demanding
during the drier months. The European winter is the
best time for birds, as Palaearctic migrants supplement
resident species.
WHAT TO WEAR:
Dress codes are informal. Daytime temperatures are generally
warm, so bring lots of light clothing, supplemented
by light sweaters for the cool evenings and heavier
clothing for the Parc des Volcans and Nyungwe. When
tracking gorillas, wear sturdier clothing to protect
against stinging nettles, and solid walking shoes. A
hat and sunglasses provide protection against the sun,
and a waterproof jacket may come in handy in the moist
mountains.
WHAT TO BRING:
Binoculars will greatly enhance game drives and forest
walks, as will a good field guide to East African birds.
Bring a camera and an adequate stock of film. Print
film is available but transparency film is not. Toiletries
and other essentials can be bought in the cities.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Rwanda has an excellent cell phone network covering
almost the entire country.
International
phone calls can be made easily. Appropriate SIM cards
for the network are readily available everywhere, even
in remote towns, and cell phones can be purchased or
rented from major shops in Kigali. Most towns of any
size will have several Internet cafes and computer centres.
GETTING AROUND:
Rwanda has possibly the best roads in East Africa.
Most visitors who have booked through a tour company
will be provided with good private vehicles, usually
4-wheel drive. All of the major centres are connected
with local and luxury bus services. Air charter services
are available anywhere in the country.
 HIKING
AND BIKING:
The fine road network, with little traffic, offers wonderful
opportunities for long bicycle trips across the verdant
hills and valleys. Mountain biking and hiking can be
enjoyed on the thousands of kilometres of fine rural
trails linking remote villages, criss-crossing the entire
country.
GORILLA PERMITS:
Gorilla Permits can be arranged by a travel operator,
or can be purchased directly through the Office Rwandaise
du Tourisme et des Parcs Nationaux (ORTPN) / The Rwanda
Office of Tourism and National Parks, at the headquarters
in Kigali, or at their office in Musanze.
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