Nestled in the east of Africa, Rwanda is one of the places to explore on a self-drive safari. It is a country with lots of tourist attractions hidden in its highlands. Some of the places to visit on a Rwanda self-drive experience are Volcanoes National Park– the home to the endangered mountain gorillas, Akagera National Park– the Big Five destination, Nyungwe Forest– the capital of small primates and Kigali where culture meets modernity.
Exploring all those aforementioned destinations on self-drive does not come cheap unless
you conjure some tricks to cut down the cost of the travel expenses involved. In this article, we bring to you some of the tips to have an affordable Rwanda self-drive experience.
Book with an online rental operator
The perfect platform to find rental operators with competitive or affordable rates is the
Internet. On the web, there is a chain of rental companies competing for clients and one
way of cutting a deal is by offering a lower price than their counterparts. This works in
favour of travellers who end up getting Rwanda self-drive car rental services at an affordable price.
Rent a Budget Car rental
Car rental companies have a fleet of cars to hire but all have different rates and fuel
consumption which are a part of the expenses incurred on a Rwanda self-drive trip.
Travellers are advised to hire rental vehicles like a Toyota rav4 or land cruiser Prado tx
which have a low fuel consumption rate and price tag compared to the big SUVs like the
Toyota land cruiser V8, GX and hardtop.
Go for a Rwanda self-drive in the low travel season
Rwanda has two contrasting travelling periods, the peak and low seasons. The peak season
takes place from June through October and December and the low season happens from
March through May. In the low season, there is a low turn-up of tourists at the different
destinations in Rwanda and this brings low demands of travel auxiliary services like car
rental services and accommodation. Due to the low demand, travel service operators like
car rental and accommodation tend to lower their prices to attract the few customers in the
park. Travellers are advised to advantage of the low travel season period to have a relatively affordable Rwanda self-drive experience.
Go for camping
Instead of staying in established lodges or hotels, go camping to enjoy the wilderness of
Rwanda as you also save some money on your self-drive trip. You can either go for a
pitch/dome tent or a rooftop tent, the car rental operators hire both types of tents with other camping gear. There are also campsites where you can station your tent and enjoy the night at an affordable rate.
Engage in less costly activities
Although gorilla trekking is the most sought-after and exciting activity in Rwanda, go for
other activities like game viewing, nature walks, city tours, boat tours and historical and
cultural tours which are cheaper.
Enjoy local foods
While on a Rwanda self-drive experience, dine in local restaurants and order local foods.
These meals are not only delicious and organic but also more affordable than those in
swanky restaurants.
