Lake Kivu

Why Lake Kivu works

Lake Kivu is the calm, contemplative counterpart to Rwanda's adrenaline-heavy gorilla treks -- a 2,700-square-kilometre lake ringed by terraced hillsides, banana groves and volcanic peaks, straddling the border with the DR Congo. Gisenyi (Rubavu), the main lakeside town, has a languid, faded-colonial charm with Art Deco villas along a black-sand beach where locals swim each evening; Kibuye, further south, is quieter still, scattered with small islands reachable by dugout canoe. The lake's fishermen still paddle out at dusk in traditional pirogues lashed together in trios, their lanterns lit to draw fish -- a scene that has barely changed in generations and makes for the region's most photographed sunset. Kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding are increasingly available through lakeside lodges, and several islands host coffee cooperatives where visitors can walk the terraces and cup Rwanda's prized high-altitude arabica. Because Kivu sits an easy two- to three-hour drive from both Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe Forest, it works naturally as a decompression stop after gorilla or chimpanzee trekking -- a lakeside night or two of quiet before returning to Kigali. Boat transfers between Gisenyi and Kibuye are a scenic, unhurried alternative to the road.

Trip Snapshot

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