Lake Kivu

Lake Kivu fills the rift between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and its Rwandan shore is the country's holiday coast. Rubavu (Gisenyi) in the north has sandy beaches and lakeside hotels; Karongi (Kibuye) in the middle has islands, quiet bays and the best sunsets; Rusizi in the south is the gateway to Nyungwe.

Why visit

Most of our self-drive clients build their trip around the lake: Kigali to Rubavu, south along the shore road to Karongi, and on to Nyungwe or back to the capital. The Congo–Nile Trail runs 227 kilometres between Rubavu and Rusizi and can be walked or cycled in sections — we regularly deliver a car to Karongi and collect it in Kigali for clients who hike part of it, and we keep bags at the office in between. Boat trips to Napoleon Island and the Amahoro island reach Karongi's bird colonies; coffee washing stations and hot springs line the road.

The Museum of the Environment in Karongi is a small, well-made stop: two floors on energy, conservation and the lake itself, with a rooftop garden of traditional medicinal plants — the first museum of its kind on the continent.

Getting there and getting around

The roads to Rubavu and Karongi are tarmac and a RAV4 is enough; the lake-shore road between the two towns is spectacular and mostly paved, with some rougher stretches where a Prado is more comfortable. Rubavu is also the road into Gishwati-Mukura and, via Musanze, the Volcanoes.

Practical notes

Lake Kivu is safe for swimming in most places and hotels rent kayaks and boats. Petrol stations are in the towns — fill up before the shore road. Fuel on the road is yours; the car arrives with a full tank.

We would take the Toyota RAV4.