Lake Kivu is located in western Rwanda and is shared with Democratic Republic of Congo with beautiful beaches, great tropical weather and beautiful scenery. Lake Kivu in the west of Rwanda is surrounded by magnificent mountains and has deep emerald green waters covering a surface area of 2,700 km2. It is Rwanda’s largest lake and the sixth largest in Africa.

Lake Kivu is a natural drinking water reservoir for people in Goma town and some surrounding villages in Kabare and Kalehe territories in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The lake provides the ideal place for rest and recuperation after your gorilla safari in Rwanda. Some of the activities on the lake include sunbathing, swimming and water sports like Kayaking, wind surfing and canoeing.

You can visit lake Kivu as part of your Rwanda safari or for a weekend if you live in Rwanda. It is an extraordinarily beautiful inland sea enclosed by steep, green terraced hills and Islands. It is easily accessible from Kigali and all the national parks such as Volcanoes National Park known for gorilla safaris, golden monkey trekking, birding and hiking, Nyungwe Forest National Park known for chimpanzee trekking, colobus monkeys, canopy walk and birding and Akagera National Park known for game drives, boat trips and birding.

Lake Kivu is located on the tourism circuit making it an ideal stopover while you explore Rwanda. Lake Kivu covers most of the western border of Rwanda with main tourist areas being Gisenyi, Kibuye and Cyangugu which lie along the lakes’ shores.

Gisenyi is the most developed of the sites and is less than an hour’s drive from the Volcanoes National Park and is about 2 hours’ drive from Kigali. It is set on a sandy beach lined with swaying palms and colonial-era hotels. Here you can be able to find both the upmarket and budget hotels.

Kibuye is located between Gisenyi and Cyangugu in the center along the shores of Lake Kivu. It has tourist activities centered on a modern lake-shore guesthouse overlooking pine-covered hills and boat trips to Gisenyi.

Cyangugu is the least developed for tourism and different from Kibuye and Gisenyi. It is the closest to Nyungwe Forest National Park with great community engagements and beautiful views of Congo but limited lake activities except the fishermen.

Swimming in Lake Kivu is the perfect way to unwind especially after a long day of gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, hiking, or game viewing safari. Lake Kivu is free of crocodiles and other harmful creatures making it safe for swimming.

As you interact with the people on the shores, you will quickly notice how they are generally laid back exhibiting the phrase ‘hakuna matata’ to its fullest. Fishermen ply the water in dugout canoes on their usual routine of laying their nets for a possible catch of fish. This sell to various hotels and restaurants in town and some is taken to as far as Kigali and the rest is smoked by ladies on the shores for local consumption. You can choose to take a boat ride in the traditional dugout canoes and listen to the ‘sea stories” of the fishermen and even participate in the fishing. The place is teaming with water birds like pelicans sailing, Grey crowned cranes, pied and malachite kingfishers above the shore waiting to catch their next meal. Do not miss to pass by Lake Kivu on your Rwanda safari because the lake is worth visiting.