Destinations › Rwanda › Kigali › Scams
Kigali, Rwanda
8 reported scam patterns travellers run into in Kigali, what they look like, and how to sidestep them.
Gorilla permits offered by third parties online at a discount; permits are issued only by the Rwanda Development Board and cannot be resold.
Unlicensed changers offering above-bank rates and short-counting the local currency.
Orphanage and community-project visits soliciting cash donations for institutions that cannot be verified.
Imported baskets and imigongo sold as locally handmade at craft prices.
Tour operators collecting full payment for park transfers and lodges that are downgraded on the day.
Moto riders claiming the meter is broken and naming a fixed price, where metering is legally compulsory.
Undisclosed service charges added to bills in the tourist-facing restaurants.
Opportunistic bag theft in the crowded sections of Kimironko and Nyabugogo.
