Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from London to Kigali. Left side wins at both ends of the flight. During the cruise over northeast Africa, the left side also faces generally north, keeping the Nile Valley and Ethiopian highlands closer to view, while the right side looks south into less distinctive terrain for much of the route.

During takeoff from Heathrow (LHR), sit on the Left side for the best views. Heathrow typically departs eastbound on runways 09L/09R, meaning a left-side seat faces north over central London. You get a clear view of the Thames snaking through the city, with the City of London skyline and Canary Wharf visible before the aircraft turns southeast. Right side faces south toward Surrey suburbs with little of note. Notable sights include: River Thames through central London, Canary Wharf cluster, The City of London skyline, Windsor Castle and Great Park (if departing westbound on 27L/27R).

When landing at Kigali International (KGL), sit on the Left side for the best views. Kigali's runway 10/28 means arrivals from the west typically land heading east (runway 10). A left-side seat on approach faces north, giving views over the densely packed hillside city of Kigali itself and the surrounding green volcanic hills. The right side faces south toward less distinctive terrain. Notable sights include: Kigali city centre spread across multiple hills, Lake Muhazi to the northeast, Nyandungu wetlands, the rolling Rwandan highland ridgelines.

The flight from Heathrow (LHR) to Kigali International (KGL) takes Approximately 8 hours 30 minutes to 9 hours.

The route tracks southeast over France and the Mediterranean, then crosses Egypt near Cairo where the Nile Delta and Nile Valley are visible, over Sudan's desert terrain, into South Sudan and Uganda's Lake Victoria basin — the lake itself is enormous and unmistakable from altitude — before descending into Rwanda's highland hills. The transition from Saharan desert to the green equatorial zone over South Sudan is one of the most dramatic colour shifts visible on any long-haul route.