Showing 9 Rwandair Flights from Abuja - Starting at Just ₹18,597

  About Abuja

The city of Abuja, overlooked by the dominating Aso Rock, is the capital city of Nigeria. Located right in the middle of the country, Abuja is a planned city that was developed in the 1980s. It actually managed to replace Lagos to be the new capital of Nigeria.

Best time to visit Abuja

Due to its proximity to the equator, the city of Abuja is hot through most of the year. However, out of the heat that you do face, they are pleasant and mild in some months in Abuja. The city also witnesses some moderate rainfall which adds to the humidity you might face. You will have to prepare yourself mentally concerning the heat as you will face a lot of it. The months January through July though, are pleasant. In fact, January to March is recognised as the best time to visit Abuja. The temperature is at a friendly 26 degree Celsius, and the humidity in the air is quite mild. This helps the tourism industry to attract more crowds. You will actually see a slew of tourists during these months as the mild temperatures are easy on the senses. Due to the peak season though, there is a surge in the hotel prices. You will find cheap hotels also spike up their rates during the peak season. Hence, it would be ideal for making prior hotel bookings to Abuja to avoid the last-minute surge in prices. The good thing is, the flight tickets are quite decent, irrespective of the peak season.

From May through August, you will witness a rise in the humidity level in the air. Even though the temperature is slightly mild, the humidity will make things a little difficult. Travelling within the city or engaging in tourist activities might become tough. You will have to constantly carry bottles of water and ensure that you stay hydrated throughout the day. The humidity will sap out all your energy. Avoiding these months would be the best choice. Unless you're okay with the excess heat, you should at all cost, not plan a trip to Abuja during these months. Instead, you can opt for the months of September through November. These months also see a moderate temperature where the humidity is also not too much. It would be nice to carry equipment such as moisturisers and bottles of water to survive in Abuja. But these mild months would be refreshing and paint a new colour to the vibe of Abuja. You can make prior bookings of flight tickets and accommodations in Abuja to avoid any excess cost. You might even receive some online deals.

Places to visit in Abuja

As part of your Abuja rendezvous, you can start your exploring by checking out the famous Zuma Rock. The rock is composed of gabbro and granodiorite. In the past, the Gbagyi tribe people used the rock to defend themselves from invasions and attacks from neighbouring tribes. You can take up trekking and hiking as an activity to reach the peak of the rock. You should also visit the National Mosque of Abuja. The beautiful structure has a golden dome and boasts Islamic architecture. It is Nigeria's national mosque and holds tremendous religious significance. It was constructed back in 1984 and is open to non-Muslims as well. Aso Rock is another interesting natural granitic rock that is situated on the outskirts of the capital city. Important buildings such as the Supreme Court and the Nigerian National Assembly are both located close by. Another beautiful mosque that you can visit is the An Noor Mosque. The place is quaint and quiet.

Things to do in Abuja

One of the best ways for you to spend your time in Abuja would be to hang out at the Millennium Park. The park is in proximity with the former Presidential Palace. It is beautiful and has the Zuma Rock in the background too. You can actually take a picnic basket and spend your time in leisure at the park. You can also indulge in a boating rendezvous at the Jabi Lake. The scenic landscape is sure to marvel you. You should also visit the National Children's Park and Zoo Abuja. It has some basic animals, including turtles, jackals and more. The IBB International Golf & Country Club is definitely another place that you should visit. The vast expanse is certainly a spectacular sight, plus you can also explore the golf course. Pack yourselves a nice lunch basket and head to Usuma Lower Dam for a lovely afternoon. The place is gorgeous and soothing to the senses, especially since it is not surrounded by the city's noise and bustle. You can also indulge in some waterfalls excursions. The Gurara Falls is one such place that you simply cannot miss. You also should go exploring at the Pedam Lake.

Food and restaurants in Abuja

Abuja's food culture is heavily influenced by the tribal traditions of Nigeria. You would majorly find a lot of dishes that celebrate the Nigerian cuisine and style of cooking. It would actually be a good opportunity for you to try out some exquisite authentic Nigerian cuisine. Their tribal dishes are a rage in the city of Abuja. Over the years though, they have managed to infuse much of their traditional cuisines with European flavours to promote tourism. You will find some lovely African meals favouring European-style cooking. The food culture is a trip on its own and you can make the most of it in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. You can start your culinary excursion in Abuja from the Salamander Café. It is recognised for its cool vibe and manages to attract a slew of native crowds. The quaint cafe offers not just extraordinary coffee but also books to indulge in while you sip on the beverage. The menu is also curated to serve the natives as well as the international crowd. You will find Indian cuisine also in Abuja as the city has the famous Wakkis, a restaurant that boasts Indian cuisine.

From murgh malai to tandoori chicken, if you are in no mood to experiment with the traditional Nigerian cuisine, then you can simply make regular visits to Wakkis. The staff is friendly, and the cooking styles are very indigenous to the raw Indian culture. BluCabana is an interesting restaurant that doesn't just limit to African food but also expands to Middle Eastern cuisine. You will find some exquisite Lebanese food as well as global cuisine such as sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, salads and more. The fish suya is a big seller which basically consists of grilled skewered meat that has been perfectly coated with aromatic spices. At the Bukka at the Hilton, you will find traditional African spread. The dining hall is a vast and beautiful spot which leaves enough room for the fresh breeze to pass through. Not to mention how the classic dishes such as oha soup, pounded yam, jollof rice, egusi soup, to name a few, can be found here. Other restaurants that you can check out are The Charcoal, Vanilla, Jevinik, Dunes Continental and Chez Victor.

How to reach Abuja (Transportation)

As the capital of Nigeria, Abuja enjoys great flight connectivity with other international cities. Abuja does witness some flight action as it is an important city. Although there are no direct flights to Abuja from Indian cities, they do have international airlines that accommodate flights to Abuja. There are many international routes connected to Abuja, such as from Addis Ababa, Kigali, Dubai and Cairo. However, Addis Ababa and Dubai are recognised as the most popular routes to Abuja. Airlines such as RwandAir, Ethiopian Airlines, EgyptAir, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Etihad Airways, Air France and British Airways have flight services to Abuja. Most of these airlines have layovers in their domestic cities. You do not need a specific transit visa when travelling to Abuja. A transit visa is only required when you are travelling from European cities. If you do pick Air France as your airlines to travel to Abuja, then you will need a Schengen transit visa. Similarly, the only other route to Abuja where you would require a transit visa is if you travel by Emirates.

The flight duration of Abuja is quite decent. It takes about 12 hours to 15 hours to reach the city. Flying to Abuja is the only way to reach the Nigerian capital. The flight tickets are a little steep. In fact, they actually start from INR 35,000 and from here, the graph only goes up. Since the flight tickets to Abuja are so pricey, the best way to go about booking a ticket would be to search for online deals. It comes in handy to find great flight deals online to Abuja. You will be surprised by the drastic drop in the ticket prices to Abuja with the addition of discounts. This means you will actually have to invest a lot of time to ensure that you get some good flight deals. You can also use this time to make hotel reservations as that would further reduce the total cost of the trip. These can be found online as various platforms and airlines have sale and discounts. Another way to go about this would be to use up your miles if you are collecting them. You might be eligible for some more discounts depending on the program.

  About RwandAir

RwandAir Limited or just RwandAir is the national flag carrier of Rwanda. The airline predominantly operates as a domestic route and international route service to Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Its main hub is at Kigali International Airport in Kigali. Following the Rwandan genocide in 1994 which was a mass slaughter of the Tutsi, moderate Hutu and Twa, the government of the country made several attempts to restore the former national flag carrier, Air Rwanda, operations of which were ceased. As the country was trying to repair itself and return to normalcy following the genocide, the government did its best to attract many companies to revive the airline. A huge number of enterprises and private companies also expressed interest to partner with the Rwanda government. Eventually, Uganda-based SA Alliance Air took up the operations of RwandAir between 1997 and 2000. However, as SA Alliance Air's operations had ceased in 2000, the government of Rwanda once again took over all the operations of the airline, starting from rebranding it to altering its management.

The plan was to ensure that the airline doesn't terminate services. By 2002, the airline was able to commence operations as it followed the new brand name, Rwandair Express. It was established as the national flag carrier of Rwanda and focussed solely on passenger transport. In 2016, after nearly 14 years since its revival, the airline received its International Air Transport Association's Safety Audit for Ground Operations. The airline has had quite a tumultuous journey in surviving in the aviation industry with the constant civil conflicts in the country. By 2009, RwandAir's strategy to expand its regional market and to enhance the domestic routes became their sole focus. They planned to include cities such as Dar-es-Salaam of Tanzania, Nairobi of Kenya and Gisenyi of Western Rwandan province to join the regional network. In the same year, RwandAir registered itself with the new trademark 'RwandAir Ltd' which has since been used as the operating name of the airline. Following the rebranding that took place, the airline dropped RwandAir Express and acquired RwandAir as its new brand name. The main reason behind dropping Express from the airline's name was to add more seriousness to its brand and to acquire itself as a large airline.

By 2010, the airline, under the leadership of Rene Janata, also introduced a frequent flyer programme called Dream Miles. The move was certainly appreciated as it further enhanced the stance that RwandAir aimed to project to the world. After the exit of Rene Janata later the same year, John Mirenge took over the office to become RwandAir's new CEO. Despite being founded in 2002, much of RwandAir's expansions and development took place at the end of the decade. By 2010, the airline managed to acquire its new Boeing 737-500s. Two of the aircraft were delivered to the airline in the same year. The two aircraft have been leased from the General Electric Capital Aviation Services by the airline. The flight boasts a two-class configuration with 12 business class seats and the remaining 90 as economy class seats. In 2011, the airline welcomed its first delivery of aircraft that was purchased by RwandAir. Much of the fleet of RwandAir have either been leased or bought as second-hand with their Boeing 737-800 being the first aircraft purchased by the airline. The Boeing 737 Next Generation became the only aircraft across African carriers to be operated in the continent.

In the same year, the airline also took delivery of its second Boeing 737-800 Next Generation. While it started expanding its fleet by purchasing new and better aircraft models, RwandAir also put its focus on further extending its operations among other African countries. In 2013, the airline announced that they would be commencing international routes to Cape Town, Juba, Accra, Zanzibar and Harare. Much recently, the Middle Eastern airline, Qatar Airways, purchased 49 per cent of shares in RwandAir. This move came right after the airline bought 60 percent of stakes in the Bugesera International Airport in Rwanda. Currently, RwandAir's ownership is divided between the government of Rwanda and Qatar Airways with the former owning 51 percent of shares. The airline has been a loss-making venture for quite a long time now. The government of Rwanda aimed to privatise the airline once it would start showing profits. However, the airline is yet to show profits that would enable more buyers and investors to want to invest in it. So far, Qatar Airways is the only airline to have invested in RwandAir.

Fleet size of RwandAir

Even though it has been a while for RwandAir to be present in the aviation industry or even be part of the country, the operations haven't really kicked off the way one would have expected it to. The fleet size of RwandAir is also considerably small as it has only 13 aircraft. With a slew of African destinations that the airline covers, the fleet is rather small. However, with the involvement of Qatar Airways, it does seem like the airline's operations might pick up after all. In fact, once they can establish a better name, the airline's next focus will be on its fleet expansion. Currently, the fleet consists of one Airbus A330-300, one Airbus A330-200, four Boeing 737-800NG, two Bombardier Q0400 NextGen, two Bombardier CRJ-900 NextGen and two Boeing 737-700NG.

Baggage Allowance

RwandAir's baggage allowance enables passengers to carry 23 kg. While the airline has 23 kg baggage allowance for all the passengers, the only way the rules alter is depending on the cabin class. According to the airline's policy, the economy class and premium economy class passengers are allowed to carry two pieces of checked baggage. Meanwhile, the business class passengers are allowed to carry three pieces of checked baggage. In case the passengers have excess baggage and need extra weight, the airline also has provision to purchase extra baggage. The cabin baggage policy involves passengers carrying 10 kgs. Passengers mustn't carry more than 10 kg weight for their cabin baggage. The dimension of the baggage should also not exceed 55 cm x 38 cm x 20 cm measurement. This is basically the length, width and depth of the baggage. Along with the cabin baggage, the airline also allows passengers to carry an additional accessory bag. The bag could be a laptop, a handbag, a briefcase or even a camera bag. The accessory bag should fit under the front seat.

In-flight services

RwandAir might be a national flag carrier, but the airline has miles to go before they are able to provide passengers with upscale in-flight services. They do have the basic amenities such as reclining seats with legroom, provision for in-flight meals and also spacious overhead bins. Other high-tech equipment to enhance the in-flight services can be received once RwandAir chooses to expand its fleet with newer aircraft.

Popular routes and top cities for RwandAir

RwandAir is known to connect a plethora of domestic route and international route destinations. Despite being a considerably small airline with less presence, RwandAir has been working towards expanding its regional route connectivity. As of 2020, the top destinations for RwandAir include Brussels, Benin, Bujumbura, Douala, Kinshasa, Addis Ababa, Libreville, Accra, Conakry, Mumbai, Tel Aviv, Abidjan, Mombasa, Nairobi, Bamako, Abuja, Lagos, Brazzaville, Bugesera, Cyangugu, Kigali, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Juba, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Entebbe, Dubai, London, Lusaka and Harare. The airline also has codeshare agreements with a few airlines. Since RwandAir does not have a very strong presence in the aviation industry, the codeshare agreements are also a few. They include Brussels Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, Turkish Airlines and Westair Aviation.

Why travel by RwandAir?

RwandAir is easily one of the best options to pick when travelling to African countries. The airline is one of the handful of airlines in the continent to have such a massive domestic route and international route connectivity. Passengers can easily reach East Africa from West Africa on RwandAir as the airline does offer excellent network. While they have been slow with their expansion plans due to several financial constraints, the airline has accommodated some recent technology to enhance the experience of passengers.

On the airline's booking window, travellers can book either one or multiple RwandAir flight ticket/s and receive promotional offers too. On the same page, the airline has also accommodated a web check-in window. Along with this, passengers can also receive updates on flight updates and flight status. Following the booking of the air ticket, RwandAir tends to share the company policy with respect to travelling. They even mention baggage allowance and other such important details along with the ticket. RwandAir is a loss-making venture that is yet to receive some good news in terms of monetary profits. However, despite its position, the airline has ensured to bring forth facilities and equipment that cater to bring comfort and convenience to the passenger. Hence, it is an ideal choice for travellers who wish to explore African terrains. Also, the flights are considerably cheap and affordable.