Hi,
I am planning a trip to Rwanda next Augus and a bit confused on the extent I need to preplan and book a car and driver. Joyce from ITT is telling me I need a car and driver every day at $160.00 per day. I arrive Kigali 8/20 and go to the Hotel Muhubaru in Rhuengeri The next day I need to get to the new Gov's Camp in Kinigri, the Sivlerback Lodge where I will stay for 8/21,22 & 23. I vist the Gorillas on 8/22,23 & 24. Then it is back to Kigali, the Hotel Chez Lando. Do I need to have a car every day? I was thinking I would need one only 8/20 & 8/24 and that there would be a way to get car rides from the various hotels. $160.00 per day seems like a very dear price to have to be spending. What does anyone know? Thanks in advance.

You'll need to arrange some kind of transportation for each day that you need to travel between your hotel and trekking location. You can keep your vehicle and driver from Kigali for the duration of your stay or you can hire a vehicle and driver locally.

Scroll down to a post by sunny_days in this thread http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34683068

He has posted the contact information for a tour operator in Ruhengeri that he used for local transportation.

On every given day there are at least a few people with no transport trying to get rides from Gorillas Nest and other hotels! And again from the warden's office to the trailheads.

I've seen folks get rides in all types of transport! And I saw one stranded couple who missed their flight as a result.

It is not unusual to ask for rides! But you have to have a thick skin to walk around and ask!

I think it is time for the hotels to start providing transport for guests. Maybe the Govs Camp will. I will check it out when I visit soon after they open. We should all suggest it to them.

I am a firm believer that the gorilla visit in Rwanda is an excellent candidate for self-drive rentals. The only problem is that the car, fuel and insurance will probably cost as much as car, fuel and driver!

Eben-
I don't know if self-drive rentals would be too good of a thing. Maybe from Kigali to Ruhengeri or Kinigi but that's as far as I would allow.

The roads to the base of the volcanos are quite bumpy, rocky and sometimes just a royal pain and unless one is very skilled at handling a four-wheeler, it could cause a lot of problems.

And of course, you have to know how to get to each of the various volcanos to begin the treks.

I've been with many skilled drivers/guides who have run into problems navigating down some of the rock-filled roads so turning it over to amateurs, no way.
I say stick to letting the drivers/guides of the tour operators do it.
Plus, you're helping with the local employment.

I just think it is overkill to have a driver/guide from Kigali hang around in a 4WD Landcruiser during a 4-day Gorilla visit! Not much guiding is needed!

At minimum, one needs a little 4WD Panjero. If you don't want to drive then a driver can be hired. I am going to look into this during my next visit.

The gorilla guides lead the way to the trailheads. No worries about directions there.

I thought the roads were bumpy but fine. They were scraping it in June.

About employment, I prefer to give money to the locals/guides/rangers on the edge of the park by hiring porters, etc. They take good care of the gorillas and need the money more than the guides from Kigali.

Anyway, these are just my thoughts! Nothing serious!

Eben-
When are you going again?

They were scraping the roads in March when I was there but it wasn't the trailhead roads, it was more of the main dirt roads around PNV and Kinigi.

Just my guess but I think you've probably got a little more four-wheel drive experience than most of the tourists who visit.

I just don't want to see the roads around the trailheads and the parks become overrun with amateur drivers and tourists because eventually someone will probably try to drive up on their own and sneak behind the park wall without paying.

I know the park is patrolled but somehow, someway, someone will sneak in. And the more vehicles driven by tourists, the bigger the chance.

Call me the overprotective gorilla girl, but with only 750 left, I want to see them protected as much as possible and letting people self-drive could open up the gorillas and the park to a whole new set of problems.

And also know that the drivers do not make as much money as one might think.

As you stated, just my thoughts but it's always good to hear the flipside. Just want to make sure the gorillas are well taken care of.

Sandy

13 Moons...I think it depends how you travel. I worked with Joyce also, and I think she overstates it a little.

You can take public transport from Kigali to Ruhengeri if you want. That will cost you $1 throught he Virunga Bus Service. Or you can arrange for a taxi or a private car/driver. Honestly, unless you want someone to guide you around, I'd just take public transport or barter for a taxi. The road from Kigali to Ruhengeri is not bad and you don't need 4WD.

From the Murahabura to Governors in Kinigi, you can ask the Manager at the Murahabura to arrange transport. Depending on the quality of the road at that point...I don't know if it's boulders or not right now...you'll either need 4WD or a regular taxi. If it's a regular taxi, it shouldn't cost you more than $5.

In terms of visiting the gorillas from Governor's Camp. I would contact them and see if they can arrange transport or you. The Manager at the Murahabura did for us and it cost us $50 for the day (it didn't matter what gorilla group we visited). Some travelers try to hitch a ride with others, but I wouldn't recommend that. Mostly because, many people use a package service through Volcanoes or Primate Safaris, etc. and their drivers can't put other travellers in their vehicles due to insurance regulations or something like that. So I'd expect it would be harder to share transport from a nice place like Governors.

In terms of getting back to Kigali---you can take public transport again. It runs every hour from Ruhengeri, or you can hire a taxi, etc. Again, it's an easy ride.

I'd avoid the car/driver bit completely. When in Kigali, you can take taxis everywhere. It's too bad they have now outlawed the motocycle taxis though...they were fun!

Thanks everyone. I think I get the picture...that I need to arrange transprotation to the trail heads...not just to the parc entrance. I am going to check with the Gov's Camp people to see if they will have cars and drivers available. It seems silly to have to have a driver hanging around all morning to do a pick up and to have to be remaining there from Kigali over night. At $150.00 per day for a car and driver, $500 for Gorilla Permits and Lodging we are fast approaching $1000 per day....Whew! By the way has anyone any quotes on cars and drivers? ITT is $160 per day.

You might want to get a car/driver price from Amahoro Tours in Ruhengeri (just google for their website). No matter who you choose, I doubt you will find anything less than $50/day for your trekking days.

Governors camp should definitely be able to arrange for a local to pick you up and drive you to the parc/trekking start point and back (if Governor's doesn't have their own cars). The rate is $50, you won't find anything below that.

There are folks in Ruhengeri who do this for a living and they usually have toyota trucks which are GREAT in the mud and over the boulders....much better than the fancy 4WDs I saw get stuck over and over...