Weather locations in Rwanda

Rwanda is a small, densely populated country in the Great Lakes region, lying mostly between 1,000 and 2,700 metres above sea level and straddling the equator around one to three degrees south. Its altitude makes it a highland tropical country rather than a hot African one: temperatures are cool for the latitude, the nights are crisp, and frequent cloud gives the landscape its famous mist. There is no coast, and the moisture of the Congo Basin to the west moderates the western half of the country.

Main climate types

Most of the country is classed as an equatorial or tropical highland climate, with cool, cloud-prone days and cold nights. Two rainy seasons are separated by two drier ones: the long rains run from about February to May and the short rains from about September to December, while the eastern plateau is markedly drier than the south-west. The western highlands, including the Virunga volcanoes, catch more rain.

Temperatures

At Kigali, monthly means stay around 20 to 22 °C for the whole year, with maximums near 27 °C and cold nights around 13 °C, especially in June and July. Highland districts cool further, and in the Virunga region nights can fall into single digits even in the dry season. Thin patches of ice and snow have been reported on the highest parts of Mount Nyiragongo.

Rainfall

Annual rainfall in Kigali is roughly 1,000 to 1,200 mm, with more in the west and the highlands than on the eastern plateau, which can take as little as 700 mm. Almost none of it arrives as drizzle; showers build in the afternoons. Because most rain falls in the two wet seasons, planting and food security follow that calendar closely.

When to go

June and July are the dry season and the best time for trekking the Virunga volcanoes and visiting Kigali, with clear mornings and dry trails. The long rains of February to May are the wettest months and can make the mountain tracks very muddy, although the forest is at its most spectacular then.