Rwanda
Kigali in May
🌦️ Shoulder (showers)Pleasant and some showers.
🎒 Pack: sunglasses & hat
Why May scores 8.7What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort9.2
- ✓Comfortable temperatures (26°C highs / 17°C lows)
- ✓Slightly humid (dew point 16.1°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~89 mm rain)
- Air quality8.1
- ✓Moderate (PM2.5 ~17 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline5.0
- ·High caution
| May | Jun | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.7 Excellent | 8.9 Excellent |
| Season | 🌦️ Shoulder (showers) | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 26° / 17° | 27° / 16° |
| Rain | 89 mm | 20 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 16° | dew pt 14° |
| PM2.5 | 17 µg/m³ | 22 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Kigali Airport weather-station normals. Rainfall: Kigali Airport weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsMay 2027
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Labor Day 1–3 May · 3 days off in a row
- Eid al-Adha 15–17 May · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore KigaliEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyKigali is Rwanda's capital, a clean and green city spread over rolling hills. Travellers come to learn about the country's history and as a base for gorilla trekking and national parks.
UmugandaDate variesLast Saturday morning of every month
A national morning of community work when most shops close and traffic is limited.
Why go: Plan travel and shopping for after midday on these Saturdays.
Where: Across the country
Coming up later
Liberation DayEvery year4 July every year
A public holiday marking the end of the genocide in 1994.
Why go: Some businesses close for the day.
Where: Across the city
Kwibuka (Genocide Commemoration)Every yearBegins 7 April every year
A period of national mourning and remembrance for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
Why go: A solemn time; entertainment is limited and visitors should be respectful.
Where: Across the country, including the Kigali Genocide Memorial
Kigali Genocide Memorial
The main memorial and museum on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
💡 Allow several hours and plan a quiet afternoon afterwards.
Kimironko Market
A large, busy market with produce, fabrics and crafts.
💡 Tailors here can make clothes from kitenge fabric quickly.
Inema Arts Center
An art centre showing contemporary Rwandan artists.
Nyamirambo
A lively neighbourhood known for its mosques, street life and walking tours.
Kandt House Museum
The former home of Kigali's colonial founder, now a museum on the city and natural history.
Brochettes
Grilled skewers of goat or beef, often served with fries.
💡 Bars and restaurants across the city
Isombe
Cassava leaves stewed until soft, often with peanuts.
💡 Local buffet restaurants
Ibitoke (matoke)
Cooked green bananas, a common staple.
💡 Local buffet restaurants
Rwandan coffee and tea
Highly regarded coffee and tea grown in the hills.
💡 Cafes across the city
Agaseke baskets
Finely woven baskets with pointed lids, a national symbol.
💡 Craft shops and Kimironko Market
Imigongo art
Geometric art panels traditionally made with cow dung and natural pigments.
💡 Craft shops and galleries
Akabanga chilli oil
A small bottle of very hot chilli oil popular in Rwanda.
💡 Supermarkets