Rwanda travel tip

1. PREPARATION
     Documents
     Health
     Money
     Equipment

2. GENERAL TIPS
     It's not a very cheap country!!
     People calling you MZUNGU!!
     Use local guides
    Private matatu (minibus)
    Off limits areas
     Unrealible powers

3. GORILLA TRACKING
     Booking in Kigali
     Getting there
     Gear

PREPARATION

Documents:
Visa: single entry visas are issued at the border (Gatuna) for 60$.

Health:
Yellow fever vaccination is compulsory. Besides I got vaccinations for:
-meningitis
-hepatitis A/B 
-atyphus 
-tetanus 
DON'T FORGET YOUR YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION CERTIFICATE!!!

Besides I got Lariam pills to prevent malaria, I didn't have any particular side effect due to Lariam as it's said, left out some depression after the last pill back from the travel...I didn't figure out if the depression was for Lariam or for the end of the travel or just a psychological influence. Anyway I didn't commit suicide ;-)
My suggestion is to prevent from mosquitos to bite using repellents, a mosquito net and a burning spiral
Watch out from bathing in every charming lake you will find; unfortunately Bihlarzia is quite spread. Ask to the locals.
Motion sickness: I’m not prone to suffer for motion sickness, but it turned out useful to have something for it; the roads are empty and the minibuses rocket.

Money:
I changed Dollars, but even euros are commonly accepted.
ATM: there’s no VISA ATM in Rwanda and it seems the only way to get some money by VISA card was in Kigali but paying 14$. On the opposite it’s plenty of Western Union money transfer counters.

Equipment:
I'll list just the main stuffs:
-mosquito-net
-mosquito repellent spray
-mosquito repellent burning stuff
-a flash lamp with batteries change
-a good knife... to eat bananas ;-)
-I do not reccomend trekking shoes. I had sport shoes
-long linen pants and short ones
-s sweater

GENERAL TIPS

It's not a very cheap country!!
.Forget travelling with less than 30 euro/day, unless you don't travel walking, sleeping on the side of the road and eating bread ;-),... Accomodation are the main expense.

People calling you MZUNGU!!
You'll hear a lot of people calling you MZUNGU, it means white man. To me it doesn't sound so friendly, depite  their aim is not to offend you.

Use local guides
Getting a local guide is often the best way to avoid bothering people but the risk then, is that to be stuck in a turistic root.

Private Matatu (minibus)
For most of the connection between the main towns there’re the public minibus and the private ones. I suggest you the formers, since, even if slightly more expensive, faster and relatively more comfortable.

Off limits areas
Keep away from the off-limit areas like the Congolese and Burudian borders. Ask about the latest news.

Unreliable power
If you have a digital camera bring more batteries since the power in the city is really unreliable.

GORILLA TRACKING

Booking in Kigali
The gorilla tracking in Rwanda cost 375$ to be paid in hard currency in Kigali.
I cannot say you if it’s 100% worthwhile the money: I’m happy I did it, but it's a lot of money, especially for a low budget traveller like me.
Take into consideration that one of the nicest aspects of the tracking was to trek through the wildlife in the Vulcanoes National Park and you can climb the Vulcanoes crossing it for one third of the price staying even two days instead of few hours. If you have a tight budget, this is a good alternative.
Anyway remember that gorilla tracking in July and August can easily be overbooked; don’t expect to do it when you want during this peak season..

Getting there
On top of the 375$ fee, you have to provide your own mean of transport from Kigali till the starting point of the track (that depends on the group of gorillas you’ll visit).
First of all from the capital reach Ruhengeri (2h, matatu). Here you have to sleep one night and leave in the early morning (5.30 am) to the park headquarters Of course there’re no matatu around there, so the best it’s to arrange a pick up with other travellers (2h from Ruhengeri, 50$).
The meeting point is at the park head quarters at 7.00 am in the morning, where the groups of max 7 people for each of the 5 families of gorillas are formed. Theoretically you can gather for the group you want, but it seemed some people had already booked in advance for a particular group (for the Susa one, for instance).
Then you get on your vehicle again till the starting point that depends on the group you’ll visit.
It’s also possible to sleep near the headquarters and ask for a lift from here to the starting point of the track to the rangers (your guides), but it’s not the most popular choice.

Gear
You don’t need any particular equipment, just use long pant and long sleeve shirt. I brought a pair of gloves (the one you use in the garden) and they turned out very useful against the sting needles. We spot the gorillas at 2700 m so it can be chilly, bring a sweater!