Bukavu keeps UTC+2 (CAT) all year. There is no daylight saving time, so the clock never changes.
Bukavu and your time
Bukavu at a glance
| Country | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
|---|---|
| Region | South Kivu |
| Time zone | Africa/Lubumbashi |
| Abbreviation now | CAT |
| UTC offset now | UTC+2 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed |
| Coordinates | 2.49° S, 28.84° E |
Bukavu time zone and clock changes
Local time in Bukavu is UTC+2 year round, under the Africa/Lubumbashi rules. Clocks have not changed for the seasons here since at least 1970.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo uses 2 offsets, and Bukavu is not on the same time as the capital: right now Kinshasa is 1 hour behind Bukavu.
Clock changes in Bukavu, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Bukavu for 2026 or 2027.
Bukavu time compared with major cities
Take 9:00 AM in Bukavu: the clock reads 2:00 AM in New York, 6:00 PM in Sydney and 11:00 PM (previous day) in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinshasa | --:-- | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | 7 h |
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 7 h behind | 7 h behind | 6 h behind | 1 h |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 10 h behind | 10 h behind | 9 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 1 h behind | 6 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 1 h behind | 1 h behind | Same time | 7 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 2 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 6 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 3 h 30 min ahead | 3 h 30 min ahead | 3 h 30 min ahead | 4 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 6 h ahead | 2 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 7 h ahead | 1 h |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 9 h ahead | 9 h ahead | 8 h ahead | None |
| UTC | --:-- | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 2 h behind | 6 h |
Bukavu never changes its clocks, but many of these cities do. Where the January and July columns disagree, the gap shifts when the other city moves to or from daylight saving time.
Shared office hours counts the time when the clock reads between 9 AM and 5 PM in both cities on the same day.
Daylight in Bukavu
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Close to the equator, days in Bukavu last between 11 hours 59 minutes and 12 hours 16 minutes, so evenings get dark at about the same time all year.
Daylight through the year in Bukavu
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 6:09 AM | 6:15 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 6:07 AM | 6:06 PM | 11 h 59 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 5:54 AM | 6:00 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 5:55 AM | 6:11 PM | 12 h 16 min |
When the sun is highest in Bukavu
Bukavu lies close to the centre of its time zone, so the sun is highest at about 12:05 PM on standard time, close to clock noon.
Places close to Bukavu
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gisenyi (Rwanda) | 99 km (61 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Uvira | 106 km (66 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Bujumbura (Burundi) | 115 km (71 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Ruhengeri (Rwanda) | 141 km (88 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Kigali (Rwanda) | 148 km (92 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Gitega (Burundi) | 159 km (99 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Nyagatare (Rwanda) | 211 km (131 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Kasulu (Tanzania) | 271 km (168 mi) | --:-- | 1 h ahead |
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as Bukavu today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
More cities in Democratic Republic of the Congo
All time zones and cities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Tools for time in Bukavu
- Convert a time to or from Bukavu: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Bukavu to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Bukavu and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Bukavu in?
Bukavu uses the Africa/Lubumbashi time zone, which is UTC+2 (CAT) all year.
Does Bukavu use daylight saving time?
No. Bukavu stays on UTC+2 all year, so the time difference to places without daylight saving time never changes.
What is the time difference between Bukavu and New York?
Bukavu is 7 hours ahead of New York in January and 6 hours ahead of New York in July, because New York moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Bukavu does not.
Is Bukavu on the same time as Kinshasa?
No. Kinshasa is 1 hour behind Bukavu, because the Democratic Republic of the Congo uses more than one offset.
How long is the longest day in Bukavu?
About 12 hours 16 minutes, around the December solstice. The shortest day, around the June solstice, has about 11 hours 59 minutes of daylight.
Time zone rules: IANA tz database, version 2026e. Place names and coordinates: GeoNames. Sunrise and sunset are calculated from the coordinates and can differ by a minute or two from local almanacs.