What Travelers need to know about COVID-19 | Fascinating Rwanda.

Here is What Travelers need to know about COVID-19. Travellers and Tourists  booking with Heritage Safaris will be pleased to know that to enter the country through Kigali International Airport, a COVID-19 PCR test must be taken 72 hours prior to departure and a Negative RT-PCR test certificate presented through the Health Passenger Locator Form that is filled prior to arrival.

Heritage Safaris Travellers are expected to pay $70 for mandatory Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing and a mandatory Antigen Rapid test upon arrival at Kigali International Airport where an equipped special COVID-19 testing facility has been setup to conduct the mandatory tests on arriving travellers. One day 3, another mandatory RT-PCR will be performed at own cost. All arriving travellers must pay for both tests on arrival. Day 3 tests can be taken anywhere across the various designated Provincial/ District Hospitals spread across the country and at Camp Kigali in City of Kigali).

Heritage Safaris Travelers are expected to self-isolate until they get negative PCR test results taken on arrival within 24 hours. Results for these tests are accessible on the Rwanda Biomedical Centre online results portal.  In the event that results are delayed, Traveller could call the BIOS LAB HELP DESK on (+250) 787243836 or (+250) 788793446 or (+250) 784026239.

Prior to departure, Heritage Safari travellers are advised to check with their respective airlines about specific destination or transit country requirements and plan for their RT-PCR tests accordingly. RT-PCR tests are performed within 72 hours before departure and if the results are not yet out within 48 hours, travellers will not be allowed into the airport without the negative COVID-19 PCR test results. This is What Travelers need to know about COVID-19.

Should you wish to book a safari trip, please contact us on info@heritagerwandasafaris.com or visit our website to select a conducive package.

Infection Prevention and Control

To minimise the risk of transmission, like all citizens and residents, drivers are mandated to wear facemask at all times. Social distancing and use of hand Sanitizers are must for private and public vehicle transportation, public building, hotels, restaurants and parks. Whether your choice is to grab a special hire taxi (cab) or public bus, (Twegerane), any driver or designated youth volunteer will insist on use of a hand sanitizer prior to entering the vehicle. Public building or facilities including taxi parks and markets require use of a hand sanitizer. Hotels and restaurants are required to conduct rapid COVID-19 tests for their staff at least every  2 weeks.

All traveller handling staff in the travel, hospitality and tourism industry have been be fully vaccinated. In fact, WHO dashboard reports indicate that over 16.6m vaccines have been administered in Rwanda by 26^th January 2022 and of these over 50% of Rwanda’s population have received. Weekly Health Monitoring Reports by the Rwanda Biomedical Services indicate that over 8.6m people have been vaccinated with over 7.2m people fully vaccinated with two doses in Rwanda. It’s mesmerising to see that out of a total of 129,326 confirmed cases of COVID-19, only 1,452 COVID-19 triggered deaths occurred since the first case was reported in March 2020. Globally, 10.3bn vaccines have been administered and of these, 16% have been administered in Rwanda. No wonder it is mandatory to show proof of full vaccination prior to entering public places. Like all citizens and Rwandan residents, eligible Heritage Safaris travellers are encouraged to be fully vaccinated to access public services. Rwanda encourages eligible travellers (aged 12 years and above) to be fully vaccinated before their travel.

Chances of getting the COVID-19 Virus whilst in Rwanda are estimated to be 0.3% daily and 0.45% weekly, down from over 5% over in the last 5 weeks.

A recent introduction of mobile vaccination clinics; equipped vans and health workers, have made vaccination even more accessible to all residents and travellers above the age of 12 years. Established at major town centres and public areas, mobile clinics have reduced long queues that were previously faced. to get COVAX vaccine at other designated facilities.

Heritage Safaris Tourists visiting Rwanda’s National Parks including children over 5 years, are required to present a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 24 hours. An RT- PCR COVID-19 test is required for all visitors wishing to see primates at Volcanoes, Nyungwe, and Gishwati- Mukura National parks, while tourists who are booked not more than two consecutive visits are required to present their negative RT PCR COVID-19 for the 1st visit only. Tourists visiting the Akagera National Park are required to present a Negative Antigen Rapid test result also taken within 24 hours.

Should you wish to book a gorilla trek or hike to see other primates, please contact us on info@heritagerwandasafaris.com or visit our website to select a conducive package.   

Positive Case Handling

Travellers booked who test positive can self-isolate in the event that they are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms. To avoid potential transmission risk, a tollfree line 114 is available to provide further guidance and in the event that a traveller has symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, trouble breathing, fatigue, loss of smell, loss of taste). Severe COVID-19 cases are referred to designated health facilities that have pre-installed oxygen piping systems including a special hospital in Kigali that has been equipped with  robots to monitor patients and minimise medical staff exposure risks. Self-contained private rooms and restaurant catering services with an “A La Carte” menu are available to provide private health care at a cost.

Please review the updated guidelines on Info Note For Passengers Arriving Or Departing From Rwanda  and Visit Rwanda for more information.

To book a special CHOGM 2022 tailor-made tour around the Rwanda National Parks, forests, wetlands, cultural sites and beach holidays, please contact us or visit our website to navigate available packages for further discussion.

Contact us to know more about What Travelers need to know about COVID-19.

Heritage Safaris Ltd, info@heritagerwandasafaris.com, +250 788306101, http://heritagerwandasafaris.com/