Kigali, the capital of Rwanda is located within the centre of the country on the Ruganwa River. This buzzing city is famous for its friendly people & warm hospitality.
Experience
Most people visit Rwanda to go on a once-in-a-lifetime gorilla-trekking safari, & since Kigali enjoys a convenient location close to Volcanoes National Park, it offers guests the ideal pit stop before or after a gorilla-trekking adventure.
The city provides a choice of accommodation choices, from large hotels to smaller boutique-style bed & breakfasts.
Activities
Visitors to Kigali can visit a variety of city attractions, such as the Genocide Memorial & the Inema or Ivuka Art Centres & even go shopping at the buzzing Kimironko market (arguably one of the best things to do in Kigali).
Day trips to Volcanoes National Park, Lake Kivu & Akagera National Park are some of the nearby Kigali top attractions.
When to travel
Although Kigali is located within the heart of Rwanda, it has a temperate climate with a good amount of rainfall, thanks to its high elevation. Temperatures may vary slightly based on the seasonal months.
Year-round temperatures in Kigali range from daytime highs between 25C and 27C (77F to 81F), & evening lows of 14C to 16C (57F to 61F). April through June are the coolest months, while visitors who opt to travel between June, July, August & September are likely to experience warmer, drier weather in Kigali thus the best time to visit the city.
Like the rest of the cities in East Africa, Kigali also has two wet seasons: the long rains & short rains. The long rains extend from March through May, with some showers possible even in January & February. The months of October to November experience the short rains, with December generally having a bit of rain as well.
It does not rain continuously throughout the day during the wet seasons, & there are times in Kigali when the sun is out. The hilly areas of Kigali & the countryside have a cooler climate with slight variations compared to the flatter lower altitude regions.
