What to Wear in Kigali

Packing for Kigali is refreshingly simple once you remember three things: the city sits at 1,500 metres where evenings are always pleasantly cool, Rwandans take pride in neat, understated smart-casual dress, and all non-biodegradable plastic bags are banned at the border.

Cloth bags, footwear and highland layers

• Fabric packing cubes and cloth tote bags (no plastic bags): before leaving home, strip any duty-free plastic carrier bags, polythene shoe wraps or disposable zip-lock bags from your suitcase and carry-on; use washable cotton pouches and reusable silicone travel bottles instead.
• Supportive walking trainers or cushioned loafers: Kigali's pavements are clean and well paved with brick or stone tiles, but the gradients in Kiyovu, Kimihurura and Nyamirambo are steep. If you are cycling or walking the trails of Nyandungu Eco-Park, closed trainers work best.
• Breathable daytime cottons plus a light evening sweater or blazer: temperatures hover around 27°C in the afternoon sun and dip to 16°C after dark across all twelve months, so pair linen shirts, polo tops or sundresses with a light knit cardigan, denim jacket or tailored blazer for open-air terrace dinners.
• A packable waterproof rain shell (especially October to May): sudden highland downpours can roll in quickly during the green seasons, and a hooded waterproof jacket is also essential if you add a day trip to the montane rainforests around Musanze.

Dress code at the Genocide Memorial and local neighbourhoods

At the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Gisozi and other national memorial sites, visitors are asked to dress respectfully: wear trousers, jeans or skirts and dresses that cover the knees, along with tops that cover the shoulders (avoid short gym shorts, vest tops or midriff-baring outfits). In daily city life, locals dress smartly, and visiting a tailor in Kimironko Market to have a custom kitenge shirt or jacket made is a favourite way to add a colourful local piece to your wardrobe. Check seasonal weather before you travel.