Kigali runs on UTC+2 (CAT) every day of the year, with no daylight saving time.
Kigali and your time
Kigali at a glance
| Country | Rwanda |
|---|---|
| Region | Kigali |
| Capital of | Rwanda |
| Time zone | Africa/Kigali |
| Abbreviation now | CAT |
| UTC offset now | UTC+2 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed |
| Coordinates | 1.95° S, 30.06° E |
Which time zone Kigali uses
Local time in Kigali is UTC+2 year round, under the Africa/Kigali rules. Clocks have not changed for the seasons here since at least 1970.
As the capital of Rwanda, Kigali shares one clock with the whole country.
Clock changes in Kigali, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Kigali for 2026 or 2027.
Kigali time compared with major cities
Take 9:00 AM in Kigali: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Kigali 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 is the part of a 9 AM to 5 PM local working day that both cities have in common. Weekends are not taken into account.
Sunrise and sunset in Kigali
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Close to the equator, days in Kigali last between 12 hours 1 minute and 12 hours 14 minutes, so evenings get dark at about the same time all year.
Daylight through the year in Kigali
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 6:04 AM | 6:10 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 6:01 AM | 6:02 PM | 12 h 1 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 5:49 AM | 5:55 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| December solstice | December 21 | 5:51 AM | 6:05 PM | 12 h 14 min |
When the sun is highest in Kigali
Clock time and sun time line up fairly well in Kigali: solar noon falls at about 12:00 PM on standard time.
Cities near Kigali
Distance is not the same as time: Mbarara (Uganda) lies just 163 km (101 mi) away, yet its clock is 1 hour ahead of Kigali.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruhengeri | 69 km (43 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Nyagatare | 78 km (49 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Gisenyi | 93 km (58 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Bukavu (Democratic Republic of the Congo) | 148 km (92 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Mbarara (Uganda) | 163 km (101 mi) | --:-- | 1 h ahead |
| Gitega (Burundi) | 165 km (102 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Bujumbura (Burundi) | 177 km (110 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Uvira (Democratic Republic of the Congo) | 191 km (118 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
Same time now, different rules
These places read the same time as Kigali today but follow different rules, so they can drift apart when clocks change.
Plan around the time in Kigali
- Convert a time to or from Kigali: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Kigali to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Kigali and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Kigali in?
Kigali uses the Africa/Kigali time zone, which is UTC+2 (CAT) all year.
Does Kigali use daylight saving time?
No. Kigali stays on UTC+2 all year, so the time difference to places without daylight saving time never changes.
What is the time difference between Kigali and New York?
Kigali 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 Kigali does not.
How long is the longest day in Kigali?
About 12 hours 14 minutes, around the December solstice. The shortest day, around the June solstice, has about 12 hours 1 minute 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.