Lake Kivu: Rwanda's lakeside escape

Why visit Lake Kivu

After early starts in the parks, Lake Kivu feels like a holiday. The water is free of hippos and crocodiles in most places, and locals swim from the beaches and jetties. The air is mild, the pace is slow and the views across to the Congo mountains are wonderful at dusk.

Rubavu

In the north, Rubavu, still often called Gisenyi, is the lake's main resort town. A palm-lined lakeside road leads past old colonial villas, a public beach and hotels with their own sand. South of town, the Rubona peninsula has fishing boats, natural hot springs and lakeside guesthouses. Rubavu sits right beside Goma in Congo, so check your government's travel advice on the border area before you go, and do not cross into Congo unless you have checked advice and paperwork with care.

Karongi

In the middle of the lake, Karongi, also known as Kibuye, is the prettiest stretch of shoreline: a ragged coast of bays and wooded islands. Take a boat to Napoleon's Island, shaped like the famous hat and home to fruit bats, and Amahoro Island for a swim. The hilltop church in Kibuye is a genocide memorial, a quiet place to pause.

Rusizi

The south end of the lake around Rusizi, also called Cyangugu, is quieter and close to Nyungwe forest, so it works well as the last stop before or after the chimpanzees. Kamembe airport has domestic flights to Kigali.

The Congo Nile Trail

The Congo Nile Trail follows the lakeshore and hills from Rubavu to Rusizi through coffee farms, banana groves and villages. Cyclists usually take four to five days and hikers longer, staying in guesthouses and camps along the way. You can also ride a single section as a day trip.

Things to do

• Swim or kayak from a lakeshore lodge
• Take a boat to the islands and fishing villages
• Watch fishermen row out at dusk, singing to keep the rhythm
• Visit a coffee washing station during the harvest season
• Relax at the Rubona hot springs

Food

The lake gives sambaza, small fried fish eaten whole with a cold drink, and grilled tilapia served with chips or plantain. Lakeside bars in Rubavu and Karongi are the best places to try them.

Getting there

Buses run from Kigali's Nyabugogo bus park to Rubavu and Karongi. Many travellers come by road from the volcanoes, about an hour and a half to Rubavu. Boats between the lake towns run on a schedule that changes often, so ask locally. Pair the lake with Volcanoes National Park to the north or Nyungwe to the south.

Where to stay

Rubavu has the widest choice, from classic beachfront hotels with gardens to simple guesthouses and eco lodges on the hillside. Karongi has a handful of lakeshore lodges, several with kayaks and jetties for swimming, plus quieter guesthouses tucked into the bays. Rusizi has practical town hotels. Book ahead for weekends and holidays, when Kigali residents head for the lake. Our places to visit list has ideas for each town.

A sample plan

Spend two nights in Rubavu for the beach, the hot springs and a sunset with the singing fishermen. Then take the scenic road south to Karongi for two nights of island trips and kayaking, before continuing to Nyungwe. The lakeshore road is winding but beautiful, with views at almost every bend, so allow plenty of time and travel in daylight.