Is Rwanda Safe? 10 Travel Tips for Visitors

Is Rwanda Safe? 10 Travel Tips for Visitors, Is it safe in Rwanda? Rwanda is the ninth safest country in the world and the safest country in Africa. There are no problems at all with the hundreds of thousands of tourists who come to Rwanda every year, mostly to go gorilla hiking. If you book your Rwanda gorilla trek through a good tour company, you won’t have any problems.

Rwanda is still dealing with some of the effects of the killing that happened there in 1993. Many people still think of Rwanda when they think of its dangerous past. The current government should be praised for turning a country that was once hopeless and failed into one of the best places in the world to visit.

1. The number of crimes in Rwanda

Rwanda is one of the best places in the world for women and people traveling alone. There isn’t much crime here, though tourists do sometimes run into small crimes, and the people who live here are warm, friendly, and helpful. Pickpockets like to hang out in places with a lot of people, like markets, and they may break into rental cars to steal goods. Very rarely do violent crimes happen to tourists.
To show respect for the country, women travelers are told to dress modestly.

2. Safety on the Roads in Rwanda

It is possible to drive, but traffic is often crazy. Kigali doesn’t let cars on the street from 7 a.m. to noon on the first and third Sunday of every month.
Some parts of the city don’t have any or very little facilities for pedestrians. People on foot should be very careful.

Motorcycle taxis (motos), buses, vans (matatus), taxis, and bicycle taxis are all ways to get around. On city streets, there are a lot of motorcycle cabs. Most drivers speed and don’t follow the rules of the road.

There are several places in the city where you can rent cars. Before signing the agreement, make sure that the car’s safety features, such as its seatbelts, brakes, headlights, taillights, stop lights, turn signals, windshield wipers, horn, door locks, and tires that are good enough.

3. How to Get Around in Rwanda

When you compare Rwanda to most other African countries, its public transportation is pretty safe. Most of the time, the roads aren’t very big, but they’re in good shape overall. Also, most public buses have a toll-free number you can call the police from if you have a problem on your way to anywhere in Rwanda. As a surprise, almost all city roads are paved and have sun lights that make them bright. A lot of big highways don’t have lights, though, even in the developed world.

It is easy to get on a bus in Rwanda between the country’s big cities and towns. Newly built buses are nice, but many of them are still dirty and busy.

When you get to the bus park, make sure you know the name of the place you want to go and follow the signs. There are scammers who are always looking for people who won’t be careful.

It is possible to take a private hire car, which will cost more but is worth it.

4. Insurance for travel

To visit Rwanda, you need to have health insurance and follow the rules. You have 30 days to get it if you get to the country without it. The medical facilities and services in Rwanda are very basic, so it is very important for anyone planning a trip there to get travel insurance that covers medical emergencies by air. It’s safe in Rwanda. 10 Tips for First-Time Visitors

5. Rwanda has problems with its neighbors across the border

Border safety between Rwanda and Uganda in 2022

This is a very popular route for people who want to go gorilla trekking in Uganda for less money and for people who are coming from Uganda and need to connect to their flights leaving Rwanda. In February 2019, there were political disagreements between the two sister countries. As a result, the land borders were closed and there were a lot of soldiers on the Rwandan side. Today, things are different. The borders between the two countries are now open and safe for all tourists and people who want to visit.

Rwanda and Burundi Safety and the border.

After a political standoff in 2015, the border between Rwanda and Burundi was first closed. When asked, Burundi officials said that talks had been going on between the two countries even when the borders were closed. As a result, the borders were opened in 2022. So, there are no longer any problems crossing the border between Burundi and Rwanda.

Safety at the border between Rwanda and the DR Congo.

The land borders between the two countries were closed for a short time in March 2022 when DR Congo said that Rwanda was helping the M23 fighters, which Rwanda denies. Also, there was a fight when people in Goma broke through the Grand Barrier, which is the border between Rwanda and DR Congo. During this violent protest, one person was shot. Things were put back in order, and the border was opened.

As of October 24, 2022, there have been new m23 attacks in Eastern Congo. We think things may be the same as they were earlier this year. We’ll keep you up to date.

6. Laws and Penalties in Rwanda

Rwanda’s rules are much stricter than those in other African countries, leaving little room for corrupt people. It is illegal to do many things here, like smoke marijuana or try to bribe the cops. It is not allowed to take pictures of the military sites or drive while drunk when you are here.

7. The safety of gorilla trekking

Rwanda’s mountain gorillas are a big reason people visit, and the government has taken steps to protect them and make sure that tourism is safe and sustainable. People who want to see gorillas must take a guided tour. This is for their own safety and the safety of the animals, as there could be bandits, civil unrest, or injuries. Controlled tourism keeps the gorillas’ health safe, since they can get sick, and it also keeps people from getting hurt or killed when they contact with gorillas.

8. Safety for LGBTQ people in Rwanda

Even though being gay isn’t against the law in Rwanda, it’s still frowned upon and not widely accepted. The country is still very conservative, and LGBTQ people in the area face discrimination. Besides that, some African countries are thought to be even more homophobic. Kigali does have some places that are friendly to gay people, but it’s best for safety that LGBTQ travelers stay out of sight at all times.

9. Plague

The government of Rwanda has done a lot to try to get rid of malaria, which is found all over the country. With a number of community projects, including mosquito nets, house spraying, and quick medical evaluation and care. To find out more about how to stay safe and healthy while traveling,

10. The genocide in Rwanda. It’s safe in Rwanda. 10 Tips for First-Time Visitors

As part of the civil war in Rwanda in 1994, the government started the genocide, in which hundreds of thousands of Tutsi, moderate Hutus, and Twa were killed. More than two million Rwandans had to leave their homes, and many people are still missing. Families were also split up. There have been many changes in government since the genocide, and a lot of work has been done to move on from this terrible and tragic event. So that everyone in Rwanda can have a better and safer future.

Genocide laws are very carefully enforced, and encouraging racist or divisive behavior is against the law and can get you fines or jail time. Travelers are told to be polite when they talk about the slaughter and not to talk about it at all. Many people in the area were hurt by the crime and are still dealing with the effects of it. Also, travelers shouldn’t call people by their race or ethnicity. Go to the Kigali Genocide Memorial to find out more.

11. Water from the tap

Unless it has been heated, filtered, or cleaned with iodine tablets, you shouldn’t drink the water from the tap in Rwanda. Instead, choose water in a bottle from a reputable source. In order to avoid getting bilharzia, don’t drink water from streams, rivers, or lakes.