A 55-metre Ferris wheel is rising in Kigali, offering more than views—it's a symbol of Rwanda’s evolving tourism. Locals, travelers, and businesses alike are preparing for a new way to experience the capital.
Rwanda hopes a new Ferris wheel will give fresh spin to its fast-growing tourism sector. Builders have broken ground on the 55 m-tall Kigali Sky Wheel, a US$2.7 million attraction slated to open by December 2025 beside the Kigali Convention Centre.
Riders will spend about 15–20 minutes in climate-controlled cabins that rotate above the so-called “land of a thousand hills”, offering sweeping views of neatly terraced suburbs and the verdant Kigali valley.
The project is led by Kigali Ferris Wheel Ltd in partnership with Canadian engineers Mo Gashi & Partners. It forms the centrepiece of the new Inzovu Mall, a US$68–70 million mixed-use complex that will add a four-star hotel, Grade A offices, and 40,000 m² of retail and dining space.
Developers Duval Great Lakes expect the mall—complete with 500 parking bays and a small duty-free zone—to open around the same time as the wheel.
Backers argue the ride will bolster Rwanda’s ambition to move beyond its hallmark gorilla-trekking packages and position Kigali as a regional leisure hub.
Tourism earned US$647 million last year, up from US$620 million in 2023, and the Rwanda Development Board is targeting at least US$700 million in 2025.
The World Travel & Tourism Council projects a further 13 percent expansion in the sector’s economic contribution this year.
City officials say the wheel will knit together a budding entertainment corridor that already includes the 10,000-seat BK Arena and a newly renovated 45,000-seat Amahoro Stadium.
At 55 m, the structure is modest by global standards—Dubai’s Ain Dubai soars to 250 m—but planners insist it is proportionate to Kigali’s low-rise skyline. A nightly LED light show is expected to make the wheel visible from several city districts.
Local businesses welcome the prospect. “Conference clients often finish meetings by late afternoon and ask, ‘What's next?’ A sunset ride could keep them in town for dinner and nightlife,” says tour operator Claudine Umutesi. University student Kevin Mugisha adds he “can’t wait to see how the wheel lights up the skyline”.
Developers promise solar-powered lighting and discounted tickets for school groups, aligning with government policy on green building and inclusivity.
A five-year maintenance contract with the Canadian partner aims to avoid the downtime that has plagued similar wheels elsewhere on the continent.
Yet delays in mall construction could still push back the opening date. For now, Kigali is betting the attraction will keep visitors circulating—and spending—long after the mountain gorillas retreat into the mist.
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