Considering most of us take moto in Kigali on a regular basis, I thought it would be interesting to get a bit more of a glimpse into the world of moto drivers. I asked Nash from SafeMotos if he’d like to share his experiences so far working alongside Kigali’s drivers and here what he had to say.

After more than a year working with Kigali’s moto taxis it’s kind of cool to take a step back and think about what I’ve learned. For me, it’s been a really eye-opening year that’s brought me on a journey from throwing change at that one driver who refused to give me a fair price to hosting more than forty drivers at my house for brochettes and Jenga.

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Scooting around on the back of motorcycles is a great way to get around town and it’s one of the things I love most about living in Kigali. But lets be real, folks, they’ll probably be the death of me (I’m knocking on wood as I type this. It’s hard to type and knock at the same time, by the way). Taking motos around town is probably the most dangerous thing you can do in Kigali so it can’t hurt to try to take a few precautions in order to make sure you arrive in one piece.

• Check the driver – I’m a horrible judge of drunkenness but some drivers are pretty obviously bleary-eyed. Look into their eyes… deeeep into to their eyes. If you think they may have been drinking, don’t get on.
• Check the bike – There are some seriously rickety bikes trolling the streets of Kigali so it doesn’t hurt to give the one you’re considering riding on a quick look over. I guess the most obvious and important thing is that the front and rear lights are working but also make sure the bike has two rear view mirrors. I don’t know a thing about motorcycles so can’t really recommend any checks beyond those obvious ones. I guess if there are pieces smashed off of the bike then it’s a pretty good indication that your driver sucks.
• Check the helmet – It’s probably not a good sign if the passenger helmet’s visor (or the driver’s helmet, for that matter) has been smashed to smithereens and taped up. Plus many helmets are very old and are missing padding which probably won’t do you much good. Not that the helmets are of any sort of decent quality anyways which brings me to my next point…
• BYO helmet – While it’s nice that Kigali’s moto drivers actually have a helmet for you, it’s doubtful that they’re of a high standard. Many people buy their own for added protection and to avoid the grossness of sticking their head inside a greasy helmet shared by all of Kigali. True… it’s a pain in the ass to carry them around with you but… it’s your head. It’s kind of important.
• Be a back seat driver – It pays to keep your eyes facing forward as you’re barreling down the road. I’ve been in a few situations where my driver’s attention wanders to a fancy car beside him or to a hot chick walking down the side of the road just as the car in front hits the brakes. Keep a lookout in case your driver isn’t.
• Be a nag – Don’t be afraid to ask your moto driver to slow down, to put both hands on the handlebars, or to get off of their cell phone. Motos are dangerous enough as it is and there’s no reason to ride with a driver who has bad habits.
• Get off if you feel in danger – If your driver doesn’t seem to have their shit together or if you have a close call, just get off. I’ve only felt compelled to do this once when my moto drove right in front of a car that only just missed us. I asked to get off, waved my finger angrily at him and paid Rwf 200 for the short distance I’d travelled.
• Don’t get burned – Always get off and on any motorcycle on the left side if you want to avoid burning your leg on the exhaust pipe and looking like an idiot with a giant circular burn on your leg. The mark of the new arrival.
• Ask about gas – Many moto drivers don’t seem to pay much attention to how much gasoline they have in their bike. So if you’re on your own, heading to somewhere remote or driving late at night, it wouldn’t hurt to make sure your driver has gas. I don’t know how good this piece of advice is because I’m sure every driver will tell you that they do, even if they don’t.
• Take note of their helmet number – Moto drivers all have a number on their helmet. If you’re the paranoid type who thinks they might drive you off to a dark corner and mug you then taking note of their helmet number will help you track down the perpetrator. This is very unlikely to happen and isn’t something I’d ever bother doing… but the option is there!

I just realised that I might have made taking motorbike taxis in Rwanda seem like a scary and horrible experience, but it’s really not that bad. I know plenty of people who avoid motos at all cost but I actually really like zipping around town on them. In two years I’ve had a couple of close calls but nothing too serious – except for falling off the back of a stationary bike and fracturing my wrist. Totally my own fault. Alcohol may or may not have been involved.

So don’t let me scare you! Try them out for yourself and see how comfortable you feel on them. Some people love them (me), and some people hate them but they are a large part of life in Rwanda and should be experienced at least once!

Thanks to Sean from The Jones Experience for the photo!

Rwanda isn’t exactly a major world transport hub and, as a result, it can be an (expensive) pain in the ass to get to. Rwanda International Airport (KGL) doesn’t have a website which can turn finding out even simple bits of information into a really frustrating experience.

But that’s where we come in! I have just spent a soul-destroying afternoon of my life finding out all kinds of boring details about Kigali Airport so that you don’t have to. Yes, right now I want to shoot myself in the face… but I know this info will come in handy later, so I’m going to hold off on that.

Kigali Airport Information

Unlike normal airports the world over, Kigali International Airport doesn’t seem to think it needs a website.

Flight Status Updates

Kigali’s airport doesn’t have a website. It’s a small place… I’m not really sure what a website would say. But one useful thing would be flight arrival and departure details (plus other wonderful little bits of info). Well don’t worry because you can get all that wonderful information from the Kigali section of Skyscanner. Click on the ‘Departures/Arrivals’ tab. A useful little find.

Airlines

There are only a handful of airlines flying into and out of Kigali.

* Bizarrely, Rwandair flights have been known to leave early. So beware.

Arrivals

Kigali airport is possibly the least intimidating airport I’ve ever been to. It’s small, compact, and arriving and finding your way out of the airport is easy. Plus people speak English and are friendly so there’s always someone around to ask your questions to should you start to freak out for some reason.

Getting Money

Kigali Airport, while small, it does have a few practical things at the new arrival’s disposal. There’s an Ecobank ATM machine just as you exit the baggage claim area. This works with international Visa and Visa Debit cards but you’ll be out of luck if you don’t have a Visa-affiliated card.

But there’s a money exchange desk nearby so you can sort out your cash that way. Just arrive with some US (make sure the year is 2006 or later) fifty or hundred dollar bills. The rate decreases as the denomination gets smaller. I didn’t check the rate at the airport but the usual rate is around Rwf 600 to the dollar.

I didn’t check to see what other currencies are accepted so if anyone can fill us in, it’d be appreciated! But US$ are a safe bet.

Communication

Everyone will have a mobile phone and people in Rwanda are nice (how’s that for two huge generalizations? Thought you’d like those…) so if there’s someone you need to get a hold of and you don’t have a phone, ask someone and they’re bound to help you out and let you use theirs. Better yet, if you have an unlocked, SIM-ready phone then stop being a freeloader and buy a local SIM card. These can be bought at the airport for about Rwf 1,000 and will give you a number instantly. Buy a top up and you’re ready to roll.

Transportation to Town

Kigali’s airport is actually just on the edge of town so getting to other parts of the city really isn’t a big deal. Right as you walk out of the airport there used to be a road with taxis waiting. This has been barricaded recently but the driver’s are still hanging around offering taxis. If you get a cab here you can expect to pay around Rwf 10,000 to town. If you bargain a bit it could go lower, but not by much.

If you want a better deal, walk for two minutes (provided you you don’t have a crazy amount of luggage) to the road in front of the airport an flag a car down there. True, it might be a cab or it might just be some dude with a car, but Kigali’s safe anyways and you’ll be able to get to town for about Rwf 4,000 with a bit of bartering.

If you’ve got a backpack that’s smallish and lightish and like the wind in your hair then grab a moto taxi. You can also get these on the road in front of the airport, a short walk from the main gates. The bikes are small and I nearly killed my back this morning riding with a pretty heavy and awkward backpack from the airport to the cusp of Nyamirambo on the complete other side of town. But it only cost me Rwf 1,000… so back be damned!

Departures

Leaving Kigali? Really? People do that?

Parking

Rates for parking at the airport are pretty expensive. Do I know what they are? Well… no. But I know it’s pricey. If anyone wants to chime in with the prices, we’d appreciate it!

Food & Drink

For anyone departing Kigali, know that the coffee shop upstairs pretty much blows, so if you’re looking for some cake, ice cream, a burger or a chilled cafe mocha or some other fancy coffee drink, make sure you get it at Bourbon before you find yourself trapped behind the security people. It is possible to go through security, check it for your flight, and then come back out to relax with a coffee and wifi… but you have to make sure you ask one of the guard people. I’ve asked once and it was no problem to get back out, and I didn’t ask another time and I was stuck inside and had to continue upstairs to a sun-soaked room with uncomfortable chairs and nothing to eat.

Duty Free

If you do get forced to go upstairs prematurely you can always buy a bottle of some strong stuff and drown your sorrows because duty free here is actually a good deal. I bought a 1 litre bottle of Amarula for Rwf 6,000. It’s usually more than double that price elsewhere. I didn’t shop around too much though so I’m not sure how other boozy, cigarettey and chocolatey items rate.

Be warned that if you’re flying on Brussels Air and have a connecting flight, your bottle could be thieved off of you by the security people as you pass through the x-ray machines again in Brussels. They told me that booze from other European destinations was fine, but not from Africa, for some reason. I didn’t have any problems getting duty free alcohol bought in Rwanda onto my connecting flight on Kenya Air.

Okay, so there’s been a few muggings in dark alleyways, and if you leave you’re iPhone at the local brochette place you probably won’t see it again, but guys? Kigali is no New York, okay? You won’t be killed and cut into pieces if you get into a stranger’s car. Nor will you be forced to perform any form of sexual favor if you decide to accept a friendly ride. I mean, don’t hold me to it, but after a year of hitchhiking, I have experiences nothing but jolly drivers (some of which I paid despite their relentless refusal to accept my money.)

For a fun and free way to get around the city, you may follow this mini-guide:

1. Be a girl. Or in the company of a girl… Or be a boy who looks really terribly awfully lost and sad and helpless.

2. If there’s a lone driver in the car, one of you should get in the front seat. This way you can keep up a friendly conversation while making the kind driver feel less like a taxi driver. (and also be in control of door locks, the music, machine guns hidden in the glove compartment, and rope and duck tape in the overhead shelf.)

3. Unless you got a ride with a married couple or a middle-aged mother (both those things have happened), the driver WILL ask for your number. If you’d like to keep in touch, there is obviously nothing wrong with handing out your number (many a friendship have started this way).

If you don’t feel comfortable sharing contact information, however, please plan in advance so you don’t end up acting rude and possibly getting yourself into an unfriendly situation. Why not make a point out of complaining about your ‘broken phone’ while you’re in the car? Or maybe state that the battery just went out to your hitchhiking buddy. When the driver asks for your number, give him a fake one (and a fake name while you’re at it.) Tell him to give you a missed call, so you’ll have his number, but remind him that (sadly) you’re phone’s turned off now, so you won’t be able to save it until you get home.

4. Don’t be suspicious and wierded out. Just be nice and confident, and all will go well!

Taxis can be anything from a random man who happens to be passing in his car who wants to make a few bucks to an official-looking Kigali cab company vehicle which are most likely to be found around expensive hotels. Usually it’s the former and it can make finding a taxi as easy as someone asking you if you want a cab or as difficult as wandering the streets waving at random vehicles that you hope will drive you somewhere.

In general, white Toyota Corolla’s seem to be the quasi-taxi of choice and are totally fine to jump into. On those lazy afternoons, feel free to pull over any car willing to give you a ride: no better way of making new acquaintances or securing yourself a local boo!

If you’re more than three people then taking a taxi is both cheaper and safer than taking separate motos. Taxi drivers, though, tend to be more prone to give you a muzungu price so be prepared to haggle beforehand (don’t do it the mototaxi way and just pay when you get there). Usually you’ll end up paying around Rwf 3,000 for a 10 minute taxi ride.

While some drivers will refuse to squeeze in more than four passengers, others can be convinced to allow you to sit on each other’s laps, in which case this form of transportation can become very cheap indeed. the police are suppose to pull over cars with crowded back seats, so to be on the safe side I  guess you can duck down on the busiest roads.