To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the government of Rwanda has released new Covid-19 travel guidelines and requirements for visitors arriving and departing the country.

If you’re planning a Rwanda safari, such as a Rwanda gorilla safari, chimp trekking safari, Rwanda wildlife safaris, or any other Rwanda tours, please check out the following latest Rwanda COVID-19 travel guidelines and requirements, which were issued on March 5, 2022:

COVID-19 Requirements For Arrival In Rwanda

On arrival in Rwanda, all visitors will be required to meet the following COVID-19 guidelines:

1. A Negative Covid-19 Certificate

• All passengers to Rwanda (regardless of vaccination status) must possess an authentic and valid negative Covid-19 certificate.
• Visitors on Rwanda safari trips are encouraged to bring printed copies of their negative test results on their flight to Rwanda.
• The only accepted test is the SARS-CoV 2 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) performed within 72 hours prior to departure.
• This means that you must be tested and get results within 3 days of your first flight.
• Other tests, such as Rapid Diagnostics Tests, are not accepted for international travelers.
• The COVID-19 test is not required for accompanying children under the age of five.

2. You Must Be Fully Vaccinated

• All inbound travelers eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine/aged 12 years and older must be fully vaccinated prior to arriving at Kigali International Airport.

3. Passenger Locator Form

• All passengers arriving/transiting in Rwanda must complete the Passenger Locator Form and upload the Covid-19 PCR test certificate before heading to the airport.
• Please rbc.gov.rw to complete the Passenger Locator Form.

4. Take A Covid-19 Test

• Covid-19 PCR and Antigen Rapid Tests will be taken upon arrival in Rwanda at your own cost
• Travelers will do self-isolation until they get negative PCR test results taken on arrival.
• At the airport, the payment for Covid-19 tests taken on arrival of 62,200 Frw or 65 USD will be done as per the indications of the Passenger Locator Form.
• For passengers who choose cash payment at arrival, the balance will be given in Local currency (FRW).
• If the passenger does not pay using the payment methods specified on the Traveler Locator Form, the passenger may be asked to pay again upon arrival and claim a refund for any earlier payment.

5. Transiting/Connecting Travelers

• All travelers transiting through Rwanda for more than 12 hours will be screened upon entry and will be required to pay for RT-PCR and rapid tests.
• However, transiting/connecting travelers who are not leaving the airport for less than 12 hours will be screened upon entry and will not be required to take a second Covid test.
• This does not apply to travelers transiting via land borders; in that instance, passengers will be screened using RT-PCR and rapid testing upon arrival), PCR test results will be fast-tracked.

6. Rwanda Land borders

• Beginning Monday, March 7, 2022, land borders will reopen.
• Upon entry in Rwanda, people may be subject to random Covid-19 testing by the Ministry of Health
• It is recommended that you get vaccinated before crossing the border into Rwanda.

7. Self-Isolation

• The COVID-19 test results for RT-PCR taken on arrival will be examined on the RBC website of the covid-19 results portal.
• To check the results, you will use the phone number you entered while filling Passenger Locator Form and the Unique code received when you submitted Passenger Locator Form prior to departures or by SMS and/or email.
• Results will be available 24 hours after a sample is obtained.
• If a traveler’s COVID-19 test result is positive (even if asymptomatic) while in Rwanda, they will be treated at their own expense according to the National Covid-19 Management Guidelines until they have completely recovered.
• The National Covid-19 Management Guideline can be found at rbc.gov.rw.
• If you are considering a Rwanda safari tour, you should consider purchasing international travel insurance.

Covid-19 Guidelines During Your Safaris In Rwanda

While on safari in Rwanda, you must adhere to the Ministry of Health’s Covid-19 preventative measures such as:

• Frequent hand-washing or sanitization
• The appropriate wearing of face masks in public
• Keeping a safe physical distance from people (at least one meter apart).
• Conducting regular temperature checks on all visitors at various Rwanda tourism attractions/destinations and hotels
• Visitors are required to use cashless transaction methods at all times while on safari

Please visit www.rbc.gov.rw for more information on Rwanda COVID-19 clinical management guidelines.

COVID-19 Requirements for Departure From Rwanda

All passengers exiting Rwanda will be required to meet the following guidelines prior to departure:

1. Covid-19 Departure Test

• All passengers leaving Rwanda must test negative for COVID-19.
• The only test that is acceptable is a Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test for SARS-CoV 2 done within 72 hours before departure.
• You must take your Covid-19 tests 2 days prior to departure.
• The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test must be done at the Rwanda Biomedical Center/National Reference Laboratory, Provincial or District Hospitals.
• Other tests, such as Rapid Diagnostics Tests (RDTs), are not accepted for international travelers.
• The COVID-19 test is not required for accompanying children under the age of five.
• Travelers are recommended to verify with airlines on the COVID-19 requirements in their final destination and/or transit countries and to prepare accordingly for their RT-PCR test.
• Travelers are not permitted to enter the airport unless their COVID-19 RT-PCR test results are negative.

2. Self-Isolation If You Test Positive While In Rwanda

• If visitors’ test results for COVID-19 are positive while in Rwanda (even if they are asymptomatic), they will be treated according to the National Covid-19 Management Guidelines.
• Travelers who test positive and undergo 10 days of isolation but remain positive on PCR with CT values greater than 37, negative rapid diagnostic test, and without any Covid-19 symptoms will be issued a recovery certificate that will allow them to leave Rwanda provided their transiting and final destination countries permit it.

Conclusion

The above COVID-19 travel guidelines and requirements for Rwanda are intended to assist you in planning your Rwanda gorilla trekking safaris to Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda chimp trekking tours to Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda wildlife safaris to Akagera National Park, and other safari activities in Rwanda.

Additionally, prior to visiting the Volcanoes and Nyungwe primate parks, an RT-PCR negative test certificate is required and should be obtained within 72 hours before the visit. You should note that humans, chimps, and gorillas share almost 98 percent of their DNA, which means that people, chimps, and gorillas may all get the same illnesses, including Covid 19.

Please contact us at any time if you want any information on Rwanda safari COVID-19 travel guidelines and requirements.