Rwanda Airport Travel Guide

Rwanda Airport Travel Guide: Only two of the eight airports recognized by the country’s Civil Aviation Authority as being open to private aircraft actually offer regular commercial service. Rwanda has two airports: Kigali International Airport (KGL) and Kamembe International Airport (KME), the former serving as the primary international entry point for the nation.

Most visitors will just fly into and out of Kigali International Airport; they may easily drive to the nation’s wildlife areas, which include the national parks of Nyungwe Forest, Akagera, and Volcanoes. But for those with limited time and enough money to consider spending a few hours on the road, Rwanda‘s Kamembe international airport, which is closest to Nyungwe national park, is a good domestic choice for seeing sights in the extreme west of the country. Both airports have had recent renovations and are kept up nicely.

Kigali International Airport.

The international airport of Rwanda is located on the outskirts of Kigali, the country’s capital. If travelers are traveling locally or internationally, Kamembe International Airport is the finest option. Access to Akagera National Park in Kayonza, roughly two hours’ drive from Kigali International Airport, and Volcanoes National Park in Ruhengeri, about three hours’ drive from the airport, is readily available to visitors.

Rwanda‘s Kigali International Airport is located roughly seven miles from the city center. The airport has a tumultuous past: it was the scene of President Habyarimana’s jet being shot down in April 1994, which set off the Rwandan genocide, and it was also a vital base throughout the Rwandan Civil War. It has now undergone more than $30 million worth of repairs, and it has gained a reputation for being safe and clean. Kigali International Airport in Rwanda has frequently been ranked as one of Africa’s best airports.

As the primary port of entry for foreign visitors, it has three terminals, three runways, and nonstop flights to 31 destinations across 21 countries (and is the only airport that provides scheduled international flights). Many of these are served by Rwanda‘s official airline, RwandAir, which also runs frequent flights to Kamembe, the only domestic airport in the nation. Other significant airlines that operate into and out of Kigali include Ethiopian Airlines, EgyptAir, Turkish Airlines, and KLM. The latter travels to Amsterdam for eight hours and fifteen minutes, which is the furthest distance from Kigali.

Despite being small by global standards, the airport offers most of the amenities that passengers desire. There are two Bourbon Coffee locations, duty-free shops, souvenir and gadget shops (containing Rwandan SIM cards), free Wi-Fi, ATMs, and a foreign exchange bureau. You can have your bags plastic-wrapped for further security, and there are three VIP lounges (two in arrivals and one in departures). Many times, only first-class and business travelers on specific airlines, as well as VIP cardholders, have access to these facilities.

Kamembe International Airport

Rwanda‘s Kamembe International Airport is well situated in the western province, to the north of Cyangugu. The greatest time to use this airport is to cut down on the six hours it takes to drive from Kigali city to western tourist attractions like Lake Kivu and Nyungwe Forest National Park.

Located roughly three miles north of Cyangugu, the main city of Rwanda‘s Western Province’s Rusizi District, is Kamembe International Airport. The sole domestic airport in the nation, it serves as an ideal base for visiting western tourist destinations like the nearby Lake Kivu and the epicenter of chimpanzee trekking, Nyungwe Forest National Park. For example, taking a plane into Kamembe cuts the approximate six-hour drive from Kigali to Nyungwe down to less than 1.5 hours.

The airport just has one runway and one terminal, although it is kept up nicely after repairs were made in 2014. The only airline that regularly flies flights to and from Kamembe is RwandAir, which also offers seven weekly connections to Kigali. Nonetheless, the airport is able to receive charter aircraft from nearby nations including Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As a result, business travelers and affluent holidaymakers regularly use the airport.

What is needed when visiting Rwanda.

Passengers to Rwanda need to have a current passport and a yellow fever card that is good for at least a year. Additionally, if you plan to track primates like mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park, go chimpanzee trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park, or go on game drives or hiking in Akagera National Park, you’ll need a valid PCR test and a rapid test.

If you want to visit any of the National parks while on a gorilla or wildlife safari in Rwanda, get in touch with Budget Gorilla Trekking.