Rwanda to the fore
THERE’S much buzz
about Rwanda, as brisk
development spans
all sectors of tourism, with
an increase in air access,
hospitality growth, and a
concerted push for MICE
business.
Recent projects have
included commencement of
a new airport to handle 1,8m
passengers annually, the
acquisition of new aircraft and
the expansion of air networks.
The opening of an international
convention centre in Kigali
in 2016 along with five-star
properties in the capital
have attracted international
conventions.
Belise Kariza, chief tourism
officer of the Rwanda
Development Board (RDB),
says year-on-year tourism
revenue growth has almost
doubled from 2010, when the
country recorded US$200m
(R2,31bn).
A number of SA-associated
tourism players are involved
in high-end projects in the
country. The Mantis Collection
has been contracted to
manage and market the
Akagera Game Lodge;
One&Only is set to open
resorts in the Nyungwe
National Park and the Virunga
Volcano range; and Singita will
open Kwitonda Lodge in 2019
on the edge of the Volcanoes
National Park. Wilderness
Safaris recently opened Bisate
Lodge in the same location
and has plans for a second
lodge in Akagera National
Park, but details are not yet
available.
Belise says South Africa
holds fifth position in the ranks
of Rwanda’s African source
markets and particular growth
is noted in the leisure and
MICE sub sectors.
Marketing to South Africans
this year will take the form
of exhibition participation.
“The RDB, in collaboration
with the Rwandan private
sector, will participate at
some of the major South
African fairs to showcase its
unique experiences to South
Africans,” she says.
While the mountain gorillas
of the Virunga Massif,
protected within Volcanoes
National Park, are the bestknown
tourism experience
in the country and widely
deemed to fall in the ‘bucket
list’ category, the RDB has
identified other locations for
tourism promotion. These
include the Kivu Belt to the
east, Twin Lakes close to
Volcanoes National Park, the
area around Akagera National
Park and Lake Muhazi, northwest
of Kigali.
As of this year, all travellers
to Rwanda, irrespective of
nationality, are receiving 30-day
visas on arrival, no prior
application needed. But the
recent doubling of the cost of
permits to see its mountain
gorillas would seem to fly in
the face of this liberalisation.
Defenders of the move,
however, see it as a welcome
signal of the country’s lowimpact,
high-yield conservation
strategy.
Kigali-based Jacqui
Sebageni, md of the tour
operation, Thousand Hills
Africa, says Rwanda woos
luxury travellers in many ways,
citing its progressive policies
and attention to environmental
issues. The country is safe
and clean, she says, tourism
infrastructure is good, the
people friendly and landscapes
stunningly beautiful. Getting
from Kigali in the centre to the
various Rwandan attractions
entails short driving times.
Endless must-see attractions
“RWANDA’S natural beauty
and hilly landscapes have
a lot to offer tourists,”says
the RDB’s Belise Kariza,
who recommends a stay of
about one week.
“Kigali is a modern
metropolis, one of the
cleanest vibrant cities
in the region,” she says.
There are shopping
centres, cafés, a variety
of trendy restaurants and
a lively nightlife. Wellknown
museums in the
city include the Kigali
Genocide Memorial and
the Presidential Palace.
Tour operators offer
full- and half-day tours.
“Activities such as birdwatching
excursions,
cycling, community-based
and cultural tours are just
a few activities visitors can
engage in,” says Belise.
The surroundings of Lake
Kivu offer the best places
to enjoy a sundowner
by the beach or on an
island, next to crystalclear
waters, she adds.
On tea and coffee tours,
visitors taste some of the
world’s finest coffee or tea
straight from the farm. A
drive, walk or cycle around
the Congo-Nile trail is just
as rewarding.
“Rwanda’s caves date
back 65 million years. The
caves in Musanze also
offer hiking activities.”
Akagera National Park,
the largest in Rwanda,
offers tourists the ultimate
Big Five experience in
East Africa, says Belise.
The Akagera River is also
the largest protected
wetland in Central Africa,
and an evening game
drive through the park is
recommended, she adds.
“Nyungwe National Park
is Africa’s largest protected
mountain rainforest
and home to a number
of species, especially
primates and birds. The
park also offers the only
canopy walkway experience
in the East African region,
a thrilling aerial view of
the entire forest is quite
remarkable,” says Belise.
RwandAir on growth path
MAY 16 signals the launch of
RwandAir’s service between
Cape Town, Harare and Kigali.
Bookings for the flight are
now open.
Thembela Dladla, the airline’s
country manager in South
Africa, confirmed that the
aircraft to be used on the route
would be a Bombardier CRJ
900 or B737, suited to regional
travel.
The airline is in a phase of
ambitious growth. Guangzhou
in China; New York; Yaoundé
in Cameroon; and Abuja in
Nigeria are to be added to
the RwandAir network soon,
which has recently been
expanded with flights between
Johannesburg and Lusaka (with
fifth freedom rights); Kigali
and Harare; and services to
Mumbai. The airline has also
set up a West African hub in
Cotonou, Benin.
To facilitate extra capacity, the
carrier recently took delivery of
its first A330-200/300 with a
second due end-April. Another
fleet addition was a B737-800
Next Generation aircraft.
Ethiopian Holidays debuts coffee tour
ETHIOPIAN Holidays, in
partnership with Ethiopian
Airlines, is offering a twonight,
three-day Ethiopian
coffee tour this year.
Ethiopian Holidays is the
airline’s in-house retail
division, explains regional
manager for Southern
Africa, Abel Alemu.
The coffee tour includes
two nights’ accommodation
in a hotel on a twin-bed
basis, all meals, ground
transportation, entrance
fees, and an Englishspeaking
local guide.
The price is $1 615
(R20 100) for one person
travelling alone. For groups
it ranges from $920
(R11 500) for two people
to $485pp (R6 000) for
seven people with an
additional $65pp (R800)
for a single room.
Discounts apply for larger
groups.
Book it
Thompsons Holidays is offering a three-night package at the three-star Sandies Tropical Village in
Malindi, Kenya, at R10 878pps. It is valid from April 1-September 30 and must be booked and paid
for by April 30. It includes return flights from Johannesburg, taxes, transfers, all meals and snacks
daily, selected drinks and free WiFi.
Standards impress on Madaraka Express
experience:
“We travelled to Tsavo on
the new Madaraka passenger
train that goes all the way
from Nairobi to Mombasa. The
full journey takes four hours
with around seven stops of
three-four minutes. Our journey
from Nairobi to Mtito Andei
Station took two hours and we
travelled first class. Security
is very strict with a sniffer dog
checking bags at the entrance
of the station in Nairobi.
“In the first-class section
there are 27 seats positioned
two seats on one side of
the aisle and one on the
other side. Each window seat
has a plug to charge your
electronics. There is a dining
car where you can have a
snack. The one-way rate for
our trip in first class was
KSh1 210 (R144). The full
four-hour journey costs
KSh3 000 (R345).
“Travelling back to Nairobi
we experienced second class
(economy), with 3-3 or 2-2
seating facing each other,
separated by a table. There
are 210 seats in this class.
Food was available from a
steward with a food trolley.
There’s a rack above the
seats for hand baggage and
space behind the last row of
seats for ‘travel trunks’. The
one-way rate for this ticket
was KSh290 (R35). The full
trip costs KSh700 (R81). The
train leaves Nairobi daily at
08h00 and arrives Mombasa
at 13h55
