The capital city of Kigali is the country’s entry and exit point for gorilla trekking. You will fly in from East Africa’s logistics hubs such as Entebbe or Nairobi and, depending on your itinerary, will either transfer straight to the Volcanoes National Park or overnight in this compact, vibrant and safe city.
Your other option is to fly direct from Johannesburg in South Africa, which means it is easy to add a gorilla trek onto a Kruger, Cape Town or Victoria Falls holiday. There are also regular connections from Lusaka in Zambia; perfect if you have been visiting the Lower Zambezi or on a walking safari in South Luangwa National Park.
Kigali is both safe and clean. Once a month, residents undertake ‘Umuganda Day’ when they engage in compulsory cleaning of all aspects of the city. It is taken very seriously and Rwandans are justifiably proud of their capital. As a means of combatting litter and pollution, all forms of plastic bags are prohibited in the country.
Your safety is taken seriously and you may encounter checks at the airport, shopping malls and hotels.
Rwandans prefer not to negotiate at the markets so don’t be tempted to haggle about prices! Corruption and bribery of any sort are considered very serious offences.
A full day in Kigali (ie two nights) will allow you time to visit the Genocide Memorial, which is both moving and inspiring, and to see the ‘old’ and ‘new’ parts of the capital.