Mur de Kigali is a climb of 3.5 kilometers (category 3). Mur de Kigali tops out at 1,511 m above sea level. It is located in Kigali, n/a, Rwanda. The average gradient is 3.8% with a maximum of 14.3%. The climb has 132 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty breakdown: The Mur de Kigali is a 3.5 km climb with 132 m of elevation gain and an average gradient of 3.8%, which puts it in 3rd category. The first 1.5 km features moderate gradients of 3 to 4%, but the KM 1.5-2.0 section at 10% packs 49 m of climbing on its own and is the real crux. The difficulty lies mainly in managing this steep section, which comes after an already steady climb.
Pacing advice:
1. Pace yourself before KM 1.5: Don't go out too hard on the 3 and 4% stretches so you arrive fresh at the 10% ramp.
2. Tackle the 10% in a low cadence: Stay seated, keep a light gear and hold a steady cadence so you don't dig yourself into the red.
3. Recover on the flat section: KM 3.0-3.5, at 0%, is an ideal stretch to bring your heart rate back down and set up the finish.
Those who have climbed the Kigali Wall say the climb is less hard than they imagined. It's short but very steep, and several riders' reports stress that gradient.
The road is cobbled, and one rider finds them well laid. Watch out, though, for the water drainage channels halfway up, especially with narrow tyres.
Out there, people come for more than just the bike. They say you can stroll around, buy traditional crafts, relax under the nice trees and enjoy the fresh air. Others go jogging there in the morning and evening.
The climb has been used by the Tour du Rwanda, and riders describe it as impressive.
Opinions on the atmosphere aren't all mellow: one comment calls for more respect and fewer attacks, without saying who or what it's about.
3.5 km • 132 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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