Kigali International Airport

Kigali International Airport, located in the eastern part of Kigali City, is the primary entry point for most travelers entering Rwanda. The airport is strategically situated in Kanombe, a city suburb.

The airport was previously called the Grégoire Kayibanda International Airport, named after the first elected president of the Republic of Rwanda. Kigali airport is the main air gateway that serves Kigali city. The airport also serves as a transit airport for passengers travelling from Goma or Bukavu in the eastern province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This makes Kigali airport the most favorable travel option for tourists travelling to Virunga National Park and Kahuzi-Biega National Park in Congo.

Kigali International airport in Rwanda is located about 12 kilometers from Kigali city center. It is one of the five airports that serve the country and is the largest of all. The airport received its current name in 1999, although in some communities locals refer to it as Kanombe international airport.

Kigali airport covers approximately 730 square kilometers and lies at an altitude of 1,491 meters above sea level, thus making it one of the highest international airports in the world. By 2018, Kigali airport could handle passenger traffic of over 135,189 passengers, with most coming from neighboring countries like Uganda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

After recent renovations were made the airport, it now has the capacity to handle passenger traffic flows of up to 710,000 passengers from both the international and domestic markets.

Kigali international airport is also the main hub for the national carrier, Rwanda Air. The airline company has scheduled flights to more than 15 destinations worldwide and some of them include; Bujumbura, London-Gatwick, Dubai, Entebbe, Cape Town, Mombasa, Brazzaville, Guangzhou, Kilimanjaro, Abuja and Accra to mention but a few.

Other airline companies with flights to Kigali Airport include; Brussels Airlines, KLM, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Egypt Air, and Uganda Airlines among others.

Kigali international airport in Rwanda boosts of a 3500 meter long runway that is 45 meters wide and capable of handling both large and small commercial and cargo aircrafts. The airport has two helipads and three terminals. The main terminal at the airport can accommodate large aircrafts such as the Boeing 747 jet, as well as six medium sized planes.

Kigali airport in Rwanda offers its passengers services such as; duty-free gift shops, ATM machines, free and fast Wi-Fi internet, Luggage wrapping points, cafés, a well-equipped health center, 14 check-in desks, baggage management section and airport lounges that passengers can access at an extra fee.

Travelers flying to Kigali international airport in Rwanda will be required to present the following requirements in order to be granted access into the country and these include; a valid passport that is valid for at least six months, a valid yellow fever card, medical insurance that covers your medical needs in overseas countries, and a valid Rwanda Tourist Visa which can get purchased at a fee of USD 50 dollars, or an East African Visa at USD 100.

There are licensed airport taxis that offer travelers transportation from Kigali international airport to their designated destinations or hotels in Kigali city. Passengers do not need to worry about being cheated since the airport taxes have meters installed in the vehicle and these calculate the transport fare basing on the distance covered. Alternatively, travelers can also use moto-taxis or bodas (motorcycles) when travelling to and from the airport.

Given that the current location of Kigali international airport does not favor room for further expansion works, plans are underway to construct a bigger and better airport in Bugesera, which is roughly 40 kilometers from Kigali City.

At Explore Rwanda Tours, we offer our clients airport pickups from Kigali International Airport to your designated safari destination in Rwanda. Please ensure that you inform our esteemed team of consultants about a suitable pickup option that suits you.