Rwanda Driving Advice and Car Hire Info
Driving in Rwanda –
You can drive on an EU photo licence for up to 3 months but an International Driving permit would also be useful to have. I was actually asked to produce one by the police in Rwanda, which is one of the only countries I’ve been asked for it .Check your Government’s website before planning a trip to Rwanda. The security situation near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi remains unstable, and there have been armed attacks in Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest and Volcanoes National Parks. If you’re travelling near the DRC or Burundi borders, you should be aware of the risk of attacks and Government security operations.
Roads are generally in good condition for Africa and all main roads from Kigali are fine. Secondary roads will deteriorate after heavy rain and many will only be passable using 4WD vehicles. (Or not at all. I was stranded for a couple of hours by a landslide after heavy rain) Street lighting is non existent in rural areas. As there will be many poorly lit vehicles on the roads, plus wandering animals and pedestrians, night time driving is not wise. Driving standards are often poor- drivers will sometimes overtake at speed on blind bends or hills so you should always expect the unexpected and drive defensively.
Driving in Kigali is generally okay. It has more of the feel of a large town than a sprawling city. I found Rwanda to be a pretty stress free self drive destination, certainly by the standards of other African nations.
Although I try and keep the information in the site updated as much as possible, in a rapidly moving world, situations can change daily. Therefore please use the site as an approximate guide, and in conjunction with other resources in order to form your view on driving conditions, roads, safety etc.
Rwanda Car Rental –
Europcar seem to be the only large multinational company with a branch in Kigali.
We currently have no local car rental partners in Rwanda. If you are a local car rental company who would like to feature on DriverAbroad.com please check details on our Partnering page or contact us on ADriverAbroad@Outlook.com.
