Kigali has served as Rwanda's capital since independence in 1962, growing from a modest colonial administrative post into one of East Africa's most discussed cities. It sits roughly in the center of the country at an elevation that keeps temperatures mild year-round. The city gained international attention in the mid-1990s following the 1994 genocide, and its subsequent transformation into a clean, organized and fast-developing capital has been widely documented and studied. The moto-taxi, known locally as a mototaxi, became central to how the city moves, an informal transit network that is now formally regulated.

The golden late-afternoon light seen here is at its richest during the dry seasons, roughly June through September and December through February, when the hills glow and the air over the valleys runs clear.