“These are
lovely villas along the tree-lined shore… a beautiful white sandy beach… the
lake is crystal clear. This is a spot that deserves a longer stay.”
- Daniel Stiles, writing about
Gisenyi on Lake Kivu in Sarwa magazine.
Lake Kivu is extraordinarily
beautiful: a vast inland sea enclosed by the steep, green terraced hills that
are so characteristic of rural Rwanda. Along its shores lie three resort towns,
Gisenyi, Kibuye and Cyangugu, connected by a wild roller-coaster road that
tumbles through lush plantain fields and relic patches of misty rainforest to
offer sweeping views over the shimmering lake.
Gisenyi, a short drive from Ruhgengeri and the Parc des Volcans, is set
on a sandy beach lined with swaying palms and colonial-era hotels that
positively exude an atmosphere of tropical languor. At Kibuye, tourist
activities are centered around a modern lakeshore guesthouse, which overlooks
pine-covered hills seemingly transplanted from the Alps. Different again is
Cyangugu, close to Nyungwe Forest, where most subdued tourist development is
compensated for by perhaps by the most spectacular setting of them all.
Lake Kivu is the largest of numerous lakeswhich fill the valleys of
Rwanda. Lakes Burera and Ruhondo, close to the gorilla-tracking centre of
Ruhengeri, are often neglected gems: deep blue waters ringed by steep hills and
tall waterfalls, with the outlines of the nearby Virunga Volcanoes providing a
spectacular backdrop, particular as seen from the comfortable Foyer de Charité
guesthouse on lake Ruhondo. Further south, Lake Muhazi makes for a good day trip
from Kigali, with overnight camping available.
Gisenyi and Kibuye are the places to head for creature comforts and water
sports. Away from the main resorts, however, the lake circuits offer rewarding
glimpses into a more ancient Africa, as fisherman ply the water in dugout canoes
unchanged in design for many centuries,
colourfully dressed ladies smoke traditional wooden pipes, and
troubadours strum sweetly on stringed iningire (traditional guitars). The
bird life
around the lakes is fantastic: flotillas of pelicans, majestic crowned cranes,
jewel-like malachite kingfishers, and much else besides.