What to see, what to do Rwanda?

Departments are open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with 1 hour for lunch. The private sector is generally on duty Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm, with 1 hour for lunch. Many businesses also work on Saturday mornings. Banks remain open Monday through Saturday, from 8am to 5pm, sometimes later. Finally, most businesses are open from 8am to 6pm during the week. Some are also open on weekends from 8am to 5pm. The Woodlands Kigali supermarket (KG 9 Av.) is open until midnight. Some mini-markets are even open 24 hours a day. Simba supermarkets are open daily from 8am to 10pm. Museums and historical sites are open every day from 8am to 4pm.

Note: every last Saturday of the month is dedicated toUmuganda; this is community work in which the entire population is called upon to participate from 8:00 am to 11:00 am, including the President of the Republic! Most services, shops and museums remain closed. Participation in Umuganda is written into the law. A fine is foreseen in case of non-participation.

All reservations and permit purchases for Volcanoes National Park are made exclusively online through the Visit Rwanda website (https://visitrwandabookings.rdb.rw/). It is strongly recommended to apply for a mountain gorilla tracking reservation in advance through the same website. The number of entries is limited to 96 per day. You will be asked to select an available time period, fill out a form, upload supporting documents (tip: upload a single PDF document with the various supporting documents) and pay the fee online. The minimum age for gorilla tracking is 15 years old. You may be denied entry to the park if you have a cold, flu or other contagious illness. For the same reason, and until further notice, a negative PCR-Covid test is required for entry. This test must be done within 72 hours before the visit (the laboratory at Musanze Hospital performs these tests for a fee of US$50; the results are returned within the day if the test is done first thing in the morning).
Finally, to plan a visit to the museums, one must visit the Irembo website (https://irembo.gov.rw). Permits for Akagera National Park and Nyungwe Forest can be obtained directly from the park, but it is also advisable to book in advance, especially for the chimpanzee trek (www.africanparks.org).

The celebrations are mainly related to the events of 1994. Independence Day, on July¹, is celebrated less than Liberation Day, on July 4, or Heroes' Day, on February¹. The week of April 7 is devoted to various commemorations throughout the country, which then lives in slow motion. It is a week of national mourning. The Christian holidays of Christmas (December 25) and the Assumption (August 15) are public holidays, as are Muslim holidays such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Kebir. A great festive moment is the Kwita Izina, the naming ceremony of baby gorillas in early September, in the Volcanoes Park. On the sports front, the Kigali Marathon in June, the Tour du Rwanda (cycling) in November and the Rwandan Epic (mountain biking) are worth mentioning. The cultural festivals Kigali Up in August (music) and the Rwanda Film Festival (cinema) are also very popular.

With a sense of adventure, a bit of resourcefulness, time and... a good travel guide, independent travellers will be able to organise their stay independently, without any problems. Rwanda is an easy and well-organized country. As long as you book early, especially for visits to the national parks, you shouldn't encounter any obstacles. However, if your budget allows it, in autonomous driving, a chauffeured vehicle is more comfortable, while still keeping the freedom to explore the cross-country trails. In the end, with an organized tour, even if you know what to expect, you will save time and you will be able to let yourself be totally carried and won over by the magic of this country. It's also a guarantee that you won't miss out on a must-see and the possibility of making other local discoveries.

Since 2013, smoking has been prohibited by law in public places, including restaurants, bars and hotels. Establishments are required to provide smoking areas. Smoking outside these areas can result in fines of up to 50,000 Frw. Shisha is also banned in Rwanda, as of 2017. Overall, you will not see any Rwandans smoking. Smokers are very discreet.