Mont Kigali is a climb of 3.0 kilometers (category 3). The climb finishes at 1,560 m above sea level. It is located in Kigali, n/a, Rwanda. The average gradient is 6.0% with a maximum of 16.4%. The climb has 178 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty breakdown: This Cat 3 climb is all about its first two kilometres, with 9% gradients on the km 0.0-0.5, km 1.0-1.5 and km 1.5-2.0 sections, broken up by a gentler 6% stretch on km 0.5-1.0. With an average gradient of 6% and 178 m of elevation gain, it's a demanding effort, especially since it kicks off without any warm-up. The second half is noticeably more rolling, with 2% on the km 2.0-2.5 section and then 1% on the km 2.5-3.0 section. The difficulty lies in the intensity of the opening part rather than the length.
Tips for managing your effort:
1. Pace your start Don't go too hard on the km 0.0-0.5 section at 9%, because it's tempting to burn all your matches right from the bottom.
2. Recover on the respite Use the km 0.5-1.0 section at 6% to catch your breath and settle into your rhythm before the 9% ramp of km 1.0-1.5.
3. Attack in the final third Once past the 2.0 km mark, the 2% then 1% gradients let you ramp it up with a lighter gear and a high cadence to finish strong.
The reviews mostly talk about the city of Kigali and very little about the climb itself. None of them describe the gradient, the length of the col or the time spent climbing. What keeps coming up is a clean, quiet and well-kept city, with friendly locals.
As for the roads, one rider says they are in good condition. Another finds the city safe and well lit at Christmas. One person went up to the highest point in Kigali and found the scenery very beautiful, without giving more detail.
The other comments are brief. The meals were rated good, including by one person who has to avoid gluten. The staff of a hotel are praised for their help, with three first names given. One reviewer points out that Rwanda is known as the land of a thousand hills, and feels the nickname is well deserved.
One person was in Kigali during a cycling championship and found the atmosphere there even more pleasant. Several people note that the cycling world championships will be held in Kigali in 2025.
No review mentions annoying traffic, noise, danger or litter. There are no negative remarks about the road either.
3.0 km • 178 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
Join thousands of cycling fans! Plan your rides, record your performance, track your progress and discover the finest climbs.
Live climb profile to pace your effort all the way to the top.
Other climbs to Mont Kigali