Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about mistakes that people often make when they travel to Rwanda. While many travel blogs will tell you the best things to do in Rwanda, we want to be sure you know about the things you should NOT do when you travel to Rwanda.
Focusing Only on Gorillas & Rwanda Genocide
When visitors travel to Rwanda, it’s usually to see the gorillas. And most of us remember the genocide, so that’s another aspect of Rwanda the visitors focus on. However, there is so much more to Rwanda than just these two facets. Even more important than remembering the horrors of the genocide is to experience the vibrant culture that has come through forgiveness and justice. Meeting the locals was absolutely the highlight of our Rwanda vacation.
Not Talking With Locals
Starting with the staff at your hotel, the locals in Rwanda are very approachable and friendly. They may tend to blend into the background a bit when working, but don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with your bartender or your server. The people of Rwanda are so friendly and open; it doesn’t take much to get a good conversation going. Think of them as potential friends rather than staff.
Not Tipping The Guides And Staff
To tip or not to tip is usually one of the biggest questions people have about traveling to a new destination. In heavily touristed areas of Rwanda, tipping has become customary. Some loose guidelines for tipping in Rwanda are as follows:
- Hotel housekeeping: $10 per day per room
- Tour Guides: $5-$10 per day per person
- Trekking porters: $10-$15 per trek
Most hotels in Rwanda have a tip box near the front desk that is a lockbox where you can leave your tip for the entire stay. The hotel will divvy up the tips amongst all of the staff accordingly.
Travel Money Tips & Exchanging Money Abroad
Not Exploring Outside the Lodge
Some of the Rwanda travel lodges are pretty fantastic, but we encourage you to get out of your lodge and explore the surroundings. You can trek with gorillas and return to the lodge without ever experiencing the local culture, which would really be a mistake. Our kids have played soccer with the local kids, while we’ve mingled with the locals and other travelers. Our guide took us into town to do some shopping. Your guide or your lodge would be happy to arrange transport for you to explore the nearby villages and cities.
Assuming Rwanda is Not Safe
Many people have no association with Rwanda other than the massive genocide of 1994. Rwanda is actually frequently cited as the safest country in Africa, and the capital city of Kigali is likewise very safe. We visited with our parents and children and never felt unsafe at any time during our travel to Rwanda. As we’ve mentioned already, the locals are incredibly warm and welcoming.
Not Trying Rwandan Cuisine
Most lodges will prepare international food to satisfy their visitors. While the food we had was excellent, we wanted to try local food instead of American or Indian food. The staff was more than happy to prepare more traditional Rwandan food, but we had to ask for it specifically.
Not Visiting Rwanda
The biggest mistake of all is not visiting Rwanda! Rwanda was on our travel wish list for years. It takes some planning, but it was so totally worth it once we arrived in Rwanda. Our Rwanda vacation exceeded all of our travel expectations!
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Rwanda is safe, fun, and beautiful with amazing locals. Don’t make the mistake of not going to Rwanda! We cannot express enough how much we loved our travel to Rwanda! Want more of our international travel tips? Check out some of our other blog posts: