{"id":3418,"date":"2021-11-26T14:07:22","date_gmt":"2021-11-26T14:07:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/?p=3418"},"modified":"2025-02-17T15:03:25","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T14:03:25","slug":"cycling-in-rwanda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/en\/verhalen\/fietsen-in-rwanda","title":{"rendered":"Cycling in Rwanda - the World Cup is about to open its doors"},"content":{"rendered":"

It's been a while since Rwanda hosted the WORLD CUP 2025<\/a> was assigned. A unique achievement 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,<\/a> where money was clearly the main motivator. Images of the Tour du Rwanda<\/a> have already shown enthusiastic crowds and more local courses also present a totally 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 very well and cycling in Rwanda is a crazy possibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rwanda is a wonderful cycling destination<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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 species of wildlife in real life. Rwanda and Uganda are known for gorillas. Although Rwanda does not actively promote it on the one hand, it is a logical stopover in your trip. Because say it yourself, gorillas in the wild, you don't see that often. Rwanda is a crazy cycling destination and the World Cup is yet to come!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(c) ryzon.net\/Nils Laengner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Basecamp Kigali<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The 2025 World Cup course<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much has already been written about it, including on our partner platform It's Heading!<\/a>: The World Cycling Championships in Rwanda will take place on 21-28 September 2025. The course does not lie, partly because of the famous Mur de Kigali<\/strong> Especially the men's elite ride, that will be a brutal challenge. But rest assured, you can also cycle the lap that has been laid out for yourself. Of course, you can tackle the whole 267.5 kilometres, with just under 5500 altimeters, but just the small loop should be enough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mur de Kigali<\/a>, Kigali, Rwanda<\/p>- Distance: 445 m, Height difference: 51 m, Average slope: 11.4 %<\/blockquote>