Climate and average weather in Kigali
In Kigali, the weather is warm, wet, and partly cloudy and remarkably steady, with daytime highs holding near warm levels all year. The wettest stretch peaks around April.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Kigali typically varies from 15°C to 26°C, and is rarely below 13°C or above 29°C. August is the hottest month of the year, while May is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best time of year to visit Kigali for warm-weather activities is from late May to mid September.
- Hottest
- Aug
- 26°
- Coldest
- May
- 15°
- Wettest
- Apr
- 137 mm
- Driest
- Jul
- 4 mm
- Rain / yr
- 915 mm
- 168 wet days
- Daylight
- 11.9–12.1 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 1,542 m
- 1.9°S
- Clearest
- Jul
- 63% cloud
Kigali is province-level city, capital and largest city of Rwanda.
- Density
- 1,552/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1907
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Kigali weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around late May to mid September.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Kigali, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
Temperatures in Kigali stay fairly even through the year, without a distinct hot or cool season. The warmest month is August, with an average high of 26°C and low of 16°C; the coolest is May, with an average low of 15°C and high of 25°C.
Days typically run about 10°C warmer than nights year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 |
| Avg low (°C) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26 | 15 |
| Feb | 26 | 15 |
| Mar | 26 | 15 |
| Apr | 25 | 15 |
| May | 25 | 15 |
| Jun | 25 | 15 |
| Jul | 26 | 15 |
| Aug | 26 | 16 |
| Sep | 26 | 15 |
| Oct | 26 | 15 |
| Nov | 25 | 15 |
| Dec | 25 | 15 |
Average hourly temperature in Kigali
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on August afternoons, near 26°C, and coldest before dawn in May, near 15°C.
Kigali weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26° / 15° | 77 | 15.4 | 12.1 | 5.7 |
| Feb | 26° / 15° | 77 | 14.6 | 12.1 | 5.5 |
| Mar | 26° / 15° | 105 | 21 | 12 | 4.9 |
| Apr | 25° / 15° | 137 | 24 | 12 | 4.4 |
| May | 25° / 15° | 83 | 15.9 | 11.9 | 5.9 |
| Jun | 25° / 15° | 14 | 2.7 | 11.9 | 7.7 |
| Jul | 26° / 15° | 4 | 0.8 | 11.9 | 8.0 |
| Aug | 26° / 16° | 24 | 4 | 11.9 | 7.3 |
| Sep | 26° / 15° | 54 | 10.3 | 12 | 6.3 |
| Oct | 26° / 15° | 117 | 18.6 | 12 | 5.2 |
| Nov | 25° / 15° | 130 | 22.6 | 12.1 | 4.6 |
| Dec | 25° / 15° | 92 | 18.2 | 12.1 | 5.4 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Kigali gets about 915 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is very wet, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 3.4 months, from around Feb 4 to May 18, peaking in April at about 83% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Jul 12.
April is the wettest month by volume, with 137 mm over about 24 wet days; July is the driest, with 4 mm.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 50 | 53 | 67 | 80 | 50 | 9 | 3 | 14 | 34 | 59 | 74 | 59 |
| Rain days | 15 | 15 | 21 | 24 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 19 | 23 | 18 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50 | 15 |
| Feb | 53 | 15 |
| Mar | 67 | 21 |
| Apr | 80 | 24 |
| May | 50 | 16 |
| Jun | 9 | 3 |
| Jul | 3 | 1 |
| Aug | 14 | 4 |
| Sep | 34 | 10 |
| Oct | 59 | 19 |
| Nov | 74 | 23 |
| Dec | 59 | 18 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Kigali collects about 915 mm of rain across 168 wet days — roughly 76 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. April is the wettest month with 137 mm, while July is the driest at just 4 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 42% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 77 | 77 | 105 | 137 | 83 | 14 | 4 | 24 | 54 | 117 | 130 | 92 |
| Rain days | 15 | 15 | 21 | 24 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 19 | 23 | 18 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 77 | 15 |
| Feb | 77 | 15 |
| Mar | 105 | 21 |
| Apr | 137 | 24 |
| May | 83 | 16 |
| Jun | 14 | 3 |
| Jul | 4 | 1 |
| Aug | 24 | 4 |
| Sep | 54 | 10 |
| Oct | 117 | 19 |
| Nov | 130 | 23 |
| Dec | 92 | 18 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Kigali, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around May 12 and lasts for 4.7 months, ending around October 2. The clearest month is July, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 40% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around October 3 and lasts for 2.4 months, ending around December 14. The cloudiest month is November, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 87% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 23 | 24 | 23 | 15 | 31 | 36 | 40 | 37 | 34 | 18 | 13 | 25 |
| Cloudier (%) | 77 | 76 | 77 | 85 | 69 | 64 | 60 | 63 | 66 | 82 | 87 | 75 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | 77 |
| Feb | 24 | 76 |
| Mar | 23 | 77 |
| Apr | 15 | 85 |
| May | 31 | 69 |
| Jun | 36 | 64 |
| Jul | 40 | 60 |
| Aug | 37 | 63 |
| Sep | 34 | 66 |
| Oct | 18 | 82 |
| Nov | 13 | 87 |
| Dec | 25 | 75 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. Close to the equator, Kigali barely changes through the year: days stay near 12 h 06 min of light in every season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 12.1 | 12.1 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 12.1 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:06 | 6:12 | 6:09 | 6:01 | 5:59 | 6:03 | 6:08 | 6:06 | 5:54 | 5:43 | 5:42 | 5:53 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:12 | 6:16 | 6:10 | 5:59 | 5:53 | 5:57 | 6:02 | 6:02 | 5:54 | 5:46 | 5:48 | 5:59 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12.1 | 6:06 | 6:12 |
| Feb | 12.1 | 6:12 | 6:16 |
| Mar | 12.0 | 6:09 | 6:10 |
| Apr | 12.0 | 6:01 | 5:59 |
| May | 11.9 | 5:59 | 5:53 |
| Jun | 11.9 | 6:03 | 5:57 |
| Jul | 11.9 | 6:08 | 6:02 |
| Aug | 11.9 | 6:06 | 6:02 |
| Sep | 12.0 | 5:54 | 5:54 |
| Oct | 12.0 | 5:43 | 5:46 |
| Nov | 12.1 | 5:42 | 5:48 |
| Dec | 12.1 | 5:53 | 5:59 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Kigali averages about 3 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 1 and 6 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 4.6 months, from around May 18 to Oct 3. The sunniest month is July, with roughly 6 sunny days (gloomy).
The greyest month is April, down near 1 sunny days — about 83% fewer than the July peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Sky | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Gloomy |
| Feb | 3 | Gloomy |
| Mar | 3 | Gloomy |
| Apr | 1 | Gloomy |
| May | 3 | Gloomy |
| Jun | 5 | Gloomy |
| Jul | 6 | Gloomy |
| Aug | 5 | Gloomy |
| Sep | 4 | Gloomy |
| Oct | 2 | Gloomy |
| Nov | 1 | Gloomy |
| Dec | 2 | Gloomy |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Kigali, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 3.5 months, from around February 6 to May 22. The muggiest month is April, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 76% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around May 23 to October 24, and July is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 100% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 54 | 88 | 69 | 33 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
| Comfortable (%) | 63 | 60 | 48 | 24 | 47 | 40 | 12 | 29 | 60 | 69 | 62 | 64 |
| Humid (%) | 32 | 32 | 51 | 76 | 45 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 23 | 37 | 33 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 | 63 | 32 |
| Feb | 8 | 60 | 32 |
| Mar | 1 | 48 | 51 |
| Apr | 0 | 24 | 76 |
| May | 8 | 47 | 45 |
| Jun | 54 | 40 | 6 |
| Jul | 88 | 12 | 0 |
| Aug | 69 | 29 | 2 |
| Sep | 33 | 60 | 8 |
| Oct | 8 | 69 | 23 |
| Nov | 1 | 62 | 37 |
| Dec | 3 | 64 | 33 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Wind in Kigali is steady company: average speeds sit near 5 km/h — calm — in every month of the year, with no meaningful windy or calm season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 | calm |
| Feb | 5 | calm |
| Mar | 5 | calm |
| Apr | 5 | calm |
| May | 5 | calm |
| Jun | 6 | calm |
| Jul | 6 | calm |
| Aug | 6 | calm |
| Sep | 6 | calm |
| Oct | 6 | calm |
| Nov | 5 | calm |
| Dec | 5 | calm |
Best time to visit Kigali
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Kigali throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around early September, Kigali is still near the tail of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds already thinning.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Kigali for general outdoor tourist activities is from late May to mid September, with a peak score in the second week of July.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 5.6 | 5.5 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 5.9 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 7.3 | 6.3 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 5.4 |
| Rating | good | fair | fair | fair | good | ideal | ideal | good | good | fair | fair | fair |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.6 | good |
| Feb | 5.5 | fair |
| Mar | 4.9 | fair |
| Apr | 4.4 | fair |
| May | 5.9 | good |
| Jun | 7.7 | ideal |
| Jul | 7.9 | ideal |
| Aug | 7.3 | good |
| Sep | 6.3 | good |
| Oct | 5.2 | fair |
| Nov | 4.6 | fair |
| Dec | 5.4 | fair |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Kigali for hot-weather activities is from late May to late September, with a peak score in the third week of July.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Kigali, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
Kigali packs about the same all year — highs hold near 26°C. Across the year the things worth having are light clothes, sun protection and rain gear.
In August, Kigali sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 16°C. Worth packing: light clothes and sun protection. About 4 days see rain.
UV index (midday) in Kigali by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kigali peaks around March 16 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 19 at about 10 (extreme).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 11 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 15 | Extreme |
| Mar | 16 | Extreme |
| Apr | 15 | Extreme |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 10 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 14 | Extreme |
| Oct | 14 | Extreme |
| Nov | 13 | Extreme |
| Dec | 11 | Extreme |
Average hourly UV index in Kigali
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in March the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 8.5 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 6.5 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 7.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 8 | 8 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 5.5 | 7 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| Feb | 8.5 | 7 |
| Mar | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Apr | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| May | 8 | 6 |
| Jun | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| Jul | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| Aug | 7.5 | 5.5 |
| Sep | 8 | 6 |
| Oct | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| Nov | 8 | 6.5 |
| Dec | 8 | 5.5 |
Air quality in Kigali by month
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see which months the air is worst, not just the yearly average.
Air quality in Kigali is worst in January — around 82 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 82 | 80 | 73 | 66 | 66 | 75 | 67 | 72 | 72 | 68 | 72 | 77 |
| Level | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy | Unhealthy |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 82 | Unhealthy |
| Feb | 80 | Unhealthy |
| Mar | 73 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 66 | Unhealthy |
| May | 66 | Unhealthy |
| Jun | 75 | Unhealthy |
| Jul | 67 | Unhealthy |
| Aug | 72 | Unhealthy |
| Sep | 72 | Unhealthy |
| Oct | 68 | Unhealthy |
| Nov | 72 | Unhealthy |
| Dec | 77 | Unhealthy |
Growing season
Kigali is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Kigali banks about 3,747 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 319 | 298 | 319 | 297 | 307 | 300 | 321 | 343 | 327 | 320 | 291 | 305 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 319 |
| Feb | 298 |
| Mar | 319 |
| Apr | 297 |
| May | 307 |
| Jun | 300 |
| Jul | 321 |
| Aug | 343 |
| Sep | 327 |
| Oct | 320 |
| Nov | 291 |
| Dec | 305 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Kigali receives about 5.3 kWh/m² a day of solar energy — bright — and it stays remarkably steady, holding between 4.8 and 5.8 kWh/m² all year. For solar panels, output here is a flat line, not a seasonal wave.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 5.5 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.5 | Bright |
| Feb | 5.8 | Bright |
| Mar | 5.7 | Bright |
| Apr | 5.0 | Bright |
| May | 4.9 | Bright |
| Jun | 4.9 | Bright |
| Jul | 5.1 | Bright |
| Aug | 5.3 | Bright |
| Sep | 5.6 | Bright |
| Oct | 5.4 | Bright |
| Nov | 5.2 | Bright |
| Dec | 5.3 | Bright |
Where is Kigali?
Kigali sits at 1.9°S, 30.1°E, 1,542 m above sea level, in Rwanda. The nearest listed city is Kamuhanda / Ruyenzi, 8.0 km away.
What Kigali looks like
Topography around Kigali
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Kigali.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Kigali has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 491 m around an average of 1,481 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 734 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,788 m.
The land around Kigali is covered by artificial surfaces (67%) and trees (24%) within 3 km, cropland (27%), trees (24%) and artificial surfaces (21%) within 16 km, and cropland (41%), grassland (22%) and trees (21%) within 80 km.
Rwanda travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 3
- Reconsider Travel
- Power plugs
- Type C / E / G
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 27% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $1,124
- 2025
- Happiness
- 3.3 / 10
- World Happiness, 2021
- Homicide rate
- 3.6
- per 100k, 2020
- Road deaths
- 29.4
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Low
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 417
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Kigali (-1.95°, 30.0588°, elevation 1,542 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).