Rwanda is continuing to receive more and more visitors for both tourism and business purposes. The capital Kigali is regarded as one of the cleanest cities in Africa. Cleanliness aside, what sets Rwanda apart are the green terraced hills, beautiful lakes, volcanoes and the opportunity to see rare primates (mountain Gorillas, chimpanzees and golden monkeys among others). Rwanda has a well-developed transport networks, high-end accommodation and conference facilities. One other interesting fact about Rwanda is that it has a government which is considered by many to be less corrupt compared to her neighbors.
If you are planning to go on a safari in Rwanda and have already chosen your tour operator to put things together on the ground, you might begin wondering what to pack. As you think of what to pack, it’s important to note that countries in Africa differ especially in terms of weather and climatic patterns. The choice of activities (wildlife and cultural) differ too. Rwanda is a country that is generally warm for much of the year but areas around the volcanoes can be cold and chilly. Travelers should therefore take into consideration the weather conditions in Rwanda, cultural aspects and the particular activity they plan to do while in Rwanda.
The women in rural areas of the country tend to dress modestly because of their culture and traditions. While traveling outside Kigali, it is important to dress modestly to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to yourself. We have come up with interesting things to consider packing for your safari in Rwanda. You don’t have to travel with everything in this list but choose those that you deem important based on what you will do in the country and where you plan to visit. You might be interested in a separate article about the cost of a safari in Rwanda. There are similar articles about what to pack for a safari in Uganda or the packing list for a trip to Africa in case you plan to visit other countries in the continent after Rwanda.
Packing List for a Safari in Rwanda
Your essential travel documents: Travel documents must be considered high on the list of things to pack for your safari in Rwanda. Ensure to have both originals and soft copies of your travel documents. 
If possible, keep your originals safe in your room while in Rwanda and move with the copies. The travel documents we are referring too are your passports, air-tickets, travel visas, travel insurance policies, yellow fever vaccination certificates, financial documents (Travelers cheque or credit cards). Always have some cash with you as you travel around the country just in case you need to purchase souvenirs. It is important to pack these important travel documents and money in a separate bag. Never put them in your main luggage to avoid losing everything in case the bag gets misplaced at the airport or doesn’t arrive. Your Travel documents must always be with you during flights/trips.
Clothes: Travelers often pack clothes that turn out to be very uncomfortable while in Rwanda. The clothes may be too tight, too short or have the wrong colors (Colors that absorbs too much heat from the sun). Ensure that you pack clothes that are loose and will not trap the suns heat. Ensure that you pack 
trousers, shorts, T-shirts and long sleeved shirts. These will help you while going for nature walks, game drives and tracking primates. Long dresses and skirts are also very ideal for community tours, places of worship and other places that require modest dress codes. Don’t forget to pack swim wears to use while visiting the beaches and at the swimming pools. Other clothes to consider include rain jackets, heavy sweaters, hats and scarfs for chilly mornings/evenings. The choice of fabric/colors are also important. Black colors absorb too much heat and must be avoided. Neon colors could attract insects during canopy/nature walks. One should instead go for neutral colors of grey, beige, navy blue and khaki.
Shoes: The choice of shoes could affect the overall quality of your trip to Rwanda. Heavy boots and high heeled shoes may become uncomfortable if you use them while visiting national parks in Rwanda. We recommend strong closed walking shoes and breathable socks. These will help you during nature walks, community tours and game drives. You should also pack simple flip-flops/sandals to use around the hotel. Strong but light water-proof boots will help for strenuous activities like mountain gorilla trekking and mountaineering.
Sun protection: The sun is hot in Rwanda during the dry seasons of June to August and December to February. This means that you must think about how to protect yourself from the afternoon heat. Remember to pack a hat with a string to fasten it to your chin, sunscreen, UV protection sun glasses and your favorite lip balm to keep it moist.
Travel equipment: A trip to game parks in Rwanda, cultural centers and the capital Kigali is much more fun when you have devices to help you capture the beautiful moments in video or picture formats. For that reason, see to it that you pack your digital camera, camcorder to record your social media vlogs, a pair of binoculars, your favorite audio books, headphones/ear plugs and charging devices with plugs. Don’t forget your adapters, head torches/flash lights and their spare batteries.
Communication devices: While traveling to Rwanda, it’s important that you keep in constant touch with your family and friends back home. They need updates about your trip and because of that, you will need to pack your smart phone and install your favorite communication apps. You may not need to purchase a sim-card while in Rwanda because almost all of the accommodation facilities have free Wi-Fi. Always have and a hard copy of emergency contacts in case a need arises.
Traveling Bags: While traveling to Rwanda, it’s important that you have an extra bag apart from the one holding your main luggage. Your main luggage bag is the one that carries most of your belongings and is usually in the cabin or under the plane. There must be a smaller bag to carry your travel documents. A simple waist bag or a day backpack is recommended for carrying your travel gadgets, cameras, binoculars, chargers, drinking water, favorite snacks and rain jackets.
Personal belongings: These include items for personal grooming like shampoo, soap, skin creams, hair oils, insect repellents, sanitary wears and nail clips. These items are important things to consider packing because your intended place of residence in Rwanda may not provide them. Even if they provided them, it is important to travel with your own creams and oils in case you have allergies. Some safari parks in Rwanda like Akagera require that Travelers move with their own fishing and camping gear.
Medications and First Aid: Visiting new places could mean getting minor allergies due to weather changes, sudden change of diet and contact with wildlife among others. It is very important to pack emergency medications like anti-malaria treatments, diarrhea drugs and anti-septic medications. Solo Travelers to Rwanda with underlying medical conditions should also see to it that they not only pack their prescribed medications but also written prescriptions for use should they lose their drugs.
Items for Charity: Many Travelers to Rwanda tend to include community tours in their travel itinerary. If you are one of those who wish to visit orphanages, schools or charity organizations, you might want to consider bringing in gifts from your country. Donations for charity can include toys, clothes, shoes, school bags, books and crayons. These items may be taken for granted in your country but may bring a smile on the faces of orphans or children in Rwanda. They might never forget you for the rest of their lives because no one offers them such gifts. You might want to read about Mission Trips to Rwanda.
To conclude, while packing for your safari in Rwanda, it’s important that you do not over pack as you could exceed the weight limit required by your airline. Pack what is essential and always leave room for souvenirs.
