It has been a while since Rwanda was awarded the organisation of the 2025 World Cup. A unique one on several levels. Apart from being a world championship on the African continent, it is also a developing cycling country. So no Middle Eastern scenes, where money was clearly the main motivator. Images of the Tour of Rwanda have already shown enthusiastic crowds and more local races also present a completely different picture. Speaking of images: when I think of Rwanda, I automatically think back to 1994. An image that just lingers. We dove in to see if we could turn that image around. I think we succeeded quite well and cycling in Rwanda is a crazy possibility.
Rwanda is a wonderful cycling destination
Just a bit of topography. Rwanda is located in Africa in the southern hemisphere and is neighbours with Tanzania, Burundi Uganda and Congo-Kinshasa. The capital of Rwanda is Kigali and with 1.1 mln inhabitants, it is a city of stature. With 26,338 km2, Rwanda is also a bit bigger than the Netherlands. Due to the sometimes poor infrastructure, travelling from east to west is a hefty undertaking anyway. Quite different from the nicely paved A12 or A1 in the Netherlands. Rwanda is known as the land of 1,000 hills. It is green, rugged and you can see many kinds of wildlife in real life. Truly a crazy destination to explore by bike.
Basecamp Kigali
The majority of travellers will enter Rwanda through Kigali Airport. This is also a brilliant location for a basecamp, as the immediate area already has your heart's content when it comes to scenic routes and vistas. Tip for those in the know: don't bring your fanciest bike, as it is not always very well paved. That said: you don't necessarily need 42mm tyres to get away well either.
Rice Rice baby
What you may not have known is that Rwanda has a good climate for growing rice and coffee. Like many countries in the southern hemisphere, so close to the equator. From Kigali, you can take a nice tour of rice fields, heading east towards Kabuga. If you're on a gravel bike, you can also go all the way inland, towards Lake Muhazi. Again, that offers stunning views. A lap around the lake is quite a challenge, though. From Kigali, it will take you 160 kilometres on partly unpaved roads. It is worth the challenge, though.
Akagera National Park
Beyond Lake Muhazi, against the Tanzanian border, you'll find Akagera National Park. While not recommended for cycling in (there's plenty of wildlife running around that would want you for lunch), a trip there is recommended. It is one of the few reserves where you can still see real wildlife, from giraffes to zebras and, of course, real 'game'. Like across the border with Tanzania, but that's for a later piece.
Congo Nile Trail
On the western side of the capital, you will find the beautiful Lake Kivu (Lake/Lac Kivu). The adjacent national park is also worth a visit. If you travel to Gisenyi, you can pick up the insanely beautiful Congo Nile Trail from there. Note that an off-road bike is a must here. The 227-kilometre route along the lake and through nature is one to circle with thick marker. This is a gravel paradise that Kenya could learn from. You pass the lake, tea plantations and in the meantime you also get to see a bit of Nyungwe National Park. That is also a destination in itself, with a number of beautiful routes right through it.
More info and tour operators
ALs you are considering going to Rwanda, local knowledge may come in handy. There are a number of good tour operators including Spice Roads, Kivutravel and Rwanda Bike Tours. Want to know more about how to get to Rwanda, visa rules and just information about the destination? Then check out the site of the tourism office.
