We advise you to wear casual and comfortable clothes. Do not forget the temperature difference between day and night, especially in the mountainous areas and during winter. For outdoor activities we advise you to wear multiple layers of clothing, so that you can easily remove them when the temperature rises. We recommend you wear soft colours, especially tops or shirts and long trousers for protection against sun and insects, a fleece or a warm sweater, a windbreaker, comfortable trekking shoes and flip flops. For gorilla and chimpanzee trekking we recommend to pack also a light rain jacket or poncho, a small backpack, leather or gardening cloves and gaiters to walk in the forest. Do not forget cap, sunglasses and a swimsuit during summer. In winter we advice to also pack a scarf, gloves and wool hat. Lodges often offer blankets and hot drinks for outdoor activities during the coldest hours.  

We recommend that you limit your luggage to two bags per person, hand luggage included. Soft bags must be used as they are easier to transport and to stow. Internal flights can be run by light aircrafts usually setting a weight limit of 15-20 kg per person, hand luggage excluded. Most lodges offer a daily laundry service, usually by hand and not always included in the price of your accommodation.

A passport valid for at least 6 months with at least two blank pages and the tourist visa are required to enter Rwanda for EU citizens. The visa costs USD 50, it is valid for 30 days and it can be obtained online or upon arrival at the border. Obtaining the entry visa is your responsibility. We advise you to have copies of your personal documents.  

In the lodges accommodation is generally "all inclusive", so it is not necessary to carry much cash in foreign or local currency. Rwandan Franc (RWF) and US Dollar (USD) are the most used currencies for payments. We advise you to have US Dollars, also in small notes, for payments in the lodges, while in rural areas it is preferred to use Rwandan Francs because it is often difficult to change money. In the lodges it is advisable to leave a tip of 10-20 USD per person per day for the guide and 5-10 USD per person per day for the staff. In restaurants it is customary to leave a tip equal to 10% of the bill. Most lodges, shops and restaurants accept major credit cards, but not all petrol stations accept card payments. Lodges often offer a currency exchange service for the main currencies. Nonetheless, we advise that you exchange currency and withdraw cash from ATMs or banks in the main cities.

Mobile phone coverage is good in the main cities, but can be erratic or absent in remote areas. Usually communication with the lodges in these areas happens via radio or satellite phone. Some lodges have internet connection, mostly accessible only at the reception or in the communal areas.