Contact Us - Rwanda

Technically, a valid foreign license works for a while in both countries — Rwanda gives you up to three months if your license is in English or French. But in practice, most rental companies want to see an International Driving Permit, especially if your home license isn't in Latin script. Save yourself the argument at the counter and just get one before you fly.

Age-wise, Uganda companies generally want you at 23 with two years behind the wheel, though a few will rent to 20- or 21-year-olds. Rwanda's usually 21, but some outfits push that to 25. At booking, expect to hand over your license, passport, and a credit card for the deposit, and to sign a rental contract.

Here's the one that catches people off guard on a combined trip: Rwanda drives on the right, Uganda drives on the left (same as Kenya). If you're doing a loop between the two, that's a real adjustment, not just trivia.

You don't need a 4x4 for the highways in either country — Uganda's main roads are decent, and Rwanda's are honestly some of the best-maintained in the region. But once you're heading into national parks or onto rural roads, a 4x4 becomes a genuinely good idea, since those roads can turn narrow, unpaved, or poorly signed fast. And don't forget park fees are separate from the rental — Uganda's vehicle access permits run roughly $40–150 depending on the park.

This is the part everyone underestimates. Yes, you can usually take a rental car across borders — the East African Community has a memorandum covering Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Congo, and Burundi — but you need to tell your rental company well before you go so they can sort the paperwork. That typically means a Cross-Border Permit, COMESA Yellow Card insurance, and sometimes a Temporary Import Permit for the vehicle.

Not every company plays along, either. Go Self-Drive Rwanda, for instance, flags cross-border travel as something that "may be restricted," so it's worth checking each operator's policy rather than assuming.

One more wrinkle: if you were hoping to swing through Burundi, the Rwanda–Burundi border is currently closed. You'd need to route through Tanzania instead.

Deposits vary — sometimes it's just a hold on your credit card, sometimes Ugandan operators ask for a $50–100 confirmation deposit with the rest due at pickup. Most reputable companies include comprehensive insurance with third-party and collision damage waiver built in. And if you're driving in Rwanda, keep it to 60 km/h in towns and 100 km/h on the highway.