Kigali · Rwanda
April
Deep low season during Kwibuka — genocide commemoration month, not appropriate for leisure-first visitors.
Worth considering
#10 of 12 months
There are better months for Kigali — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
25°C
Low
16°C
Rain
156mm
Sun
5hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How April scores in Kigali
Weather
Below average
Value
Outstanding
Crowds
Excellent
Events
Average
Atmosphere
Above average
What you gain in April
- ↑April marks Rwanda's official genocide commemoration month (Kwibuka), a period of profound national reflection centred on April 7 — the anniversary of the 1994 genocide. The Kigali Genocide Memorial (Gisozi) holds particular meaning during this period. For travellers who approach Rwanda with genuine curiosity about its history and transformation, April is when that dimension of the country is most visible and accessible.
- ↑Accommodation prices are at annual lows. Gorilla permits remain at their fixed $1,500 price, but lodge packages and combination packages through tour operators can be assembled at significant discounts.
What you sacrifice
- ↓April is not appropriate for visitors whose focus is purely leisure tourism. The commemoration period involves public mourning, and some venues and events pause during the first weeks of April. Understanding the context of Rwanda's history is essential for any respectful visit, but especially so in April.
- ↓Weather conditions remain difficult: 156mm of rain with the heaviest daily falls of the long rainy season. Gorilla trekking is possible but muddy, and some Nyungwe chimpanzee trails may be temporarily closed after particularly heavy events.
How April compares to June (best month)
| Factor | April | June ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 3 | 9 |
| Value | 9 | 5 |
| Crowds | 8 | 4 |
April in other destinations
Lisbon (18°C)Barcelona (17.5°C)Tokyo (19.3°C)Bali (31.5°C)Santorini (16.5°C)Paris (14.7°C)New York (16°C)Marrakech (24.3°C)Amsterdam (12.3°C)Maldives (31.5°C)Rome (17.7°C)Bangkok (34.1°C)Istanbul (14.8°C)Vienna (15.2°C)Seoul (16°C)Dubrovnik (16.7°C)Rio de Janeiro (27.8°C)Kyoto (20.1°C)Phuket (33.8°C)Cape Town (22.3°C)Prague (16°C)Amalfi Coast (19°C)Mexico City (27°C)Medellín (27°C)Fiji (29°C)London (15°C)Sydney (22°C)Iceland (7°C)Tulum (31°C)Dubai (34°C)Singapore (33°C)Hoi An (31°C)Chiang Mai (35.5°C)Miami (28.3°C)Florence (18.6°C)Queenstown (15.5°C)Madrid (17.6°C)Porto (18°C)Edinburgh (12°C)Copenhagen (11°C)Budapest (17°C)Kraków (15°C)Tbilisi (18°C)Palawan (32°C)Hanoi (26°C)Osaka (20°C)Goa (34°C)Cusco (20°C)Buenos Aires (23°C)Mykonos (18°C)Zanzibar (30°C)Sri Lanka (32°C)Costa Rica (28°C)Cancun (31°C)Krabi (34°C)Athens (20°C)Seville (24°C)Cartagena (32°C)Siem Reap (35°C)Havana (29°C)Split (18°C)Taipei (26°C)Kuala Lumpur (33°C)Valletta (20°C)Ho Chi Minh City (36°C)Hawaii (28°C)Cappadocia (17°C)Dominican Republic (30°C)Jamaica (31°C)Tanzania (24°C)Seychelles (30°C)Nepal (27°C)Jordan (23°C)Azores (19°C)Bora Bora (29°C)Los Angeles (23.2°C)Cairo (30.2°C)Kenya (27.2°C)Jaipur (36.5°C)Las Vegas (27.9°C)San Francisco (16.2°C)Madeira (21.5°C)Vancouver (13.8°C)Muscat (36.2°C)Lima (23.5°C)Cinque Terre (17°C)Kotor (17°C)Tel Aviv (24°C)Santiago (22°C)Bogotá (18°C)Bruges (14°C)Penang (33.5°C)Lombok (31.8°C)Cape Verde (27.3°C)Fez (23.1°C)Kerala (34°C)Hong Kong (25°C)Oslo (11°C)Auckland (19°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Kigali, not across destinations. Methodology →