Rwanda is located almost directly on the equator and has a tropical climate. The Kivu Belt located in the west of the country receives more rainfall than the central and the eastern parts of the country and is lush and green throughout the year. This is also why the country’s rainforests can be found here. Even though The Kivu Belt is in the tropics the elevation keeps the temperature at a constant pleasant with temperatures around 25°C during the day and 15-20°C during the night. When to visit Rwanda is not entirely determined by whether it is raining or not as there are benefits of having both rains and dry weather.
For current weather in Rwanda, visit the Rwanda Metereology Forecast
Raining seasons
There are two distinct raining seasons in the Kivu Belt, one longer and one shorter, though rain falls throughout the year. The long raining season occurs between March and May. Expect daily heavy showers and thunderstorms during this time of year and some full days of rain, but also some sunshine during the day is not uncommon. The shorter raining season from October to December has less rainfall, but heavy thunderstorms are common almost every day. It is common for days to start of sunny in the morning, even during the raining season and then get progressively more cloudy until rain falls in the afternoon and night.
Short Dry Season
The period between the raining seasons in January and February has some rainfall, often quick thunderstorms in the afternoon which pass quickly but several days without rain is also common. This is a good time to visit as there is less rain and less visitors during this season meaning lower prices at hotels and lodges.
Long Dry Season
June, July, August and September are the driest months in the Kivu Belt. Some rainfall still fall during this time of year and a few afternoon thunderstorms are to be expected. This is the best time to visit, but also when most visitors come. Rwanda’s mayor holiday season is during this time of year meaning many locals come to the Kivu Belt. Hotels and parks are generally more booked during this time of the year.