Cash, and dollars that must be newer than 2006
A cash economy where cards work in Kigali hotels, some ATMs refuse foreign cards, and pre-2006 US banknotes are simply not accepted.
The rule that catches people out
- Most shops will not accept or exchange US dollars printed before 2006. Check the date on every note before you leave home; older bills are refused outright rather than discounted.
- This applies to exchange bureaux as well as shops. A pre-2006 hundred is a hundred dollars you cannot spend.
Cash first
- Rwanda is a cash-based economy. Electronic payments and online banking are growing but cash is still what most transactions use.
- Cards work at most hotels and lodges, and most businesses, restaurants and shops in Kigali. Outside Kigali, assume cash.
ATMs
- ATMs are available in the large cities.
- Some will not accept foreign bank cards. The workaround is a counter withdrawal inside the bank, using your passport as identification, which does work.
- Take out more than you think you need before leaving Kigali for a park or a lake.
The currency
- The Rwandan franc (RWF). Park fees and upmarket lodges are often quoted in US dollars and payable in either.
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