AUTHENTIC TOURS & PERSONALIZED ACTIVITIES IN LAKE KIVU WITH AFRICANMECCA

Activity & Tour Guide For Lake Kivu

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With its lovely, serene locale and absence of dangerous animals such as crocodiles and hippos, Lake Kivu seems an ideal location to spend time after taking active-adventure tours and wildlife-viewing treks in the parks and reserves of Rwanda. The panorama of hills surrounding the lake and the tiny islets dotting it create a picturesque vista to enjoy from a lounger, set up on the ledges beside the lake. Revel in the warmth of equatorial sunshine as you sip refreshing drinks and feel the soft breeze wafting around you. Here, birders in this part of Rwanda can connect with nature and listen to the calls of some of the 60 avian species that can be spotted here. Among them is the pied kingfisher, a striking, long-billed black and white water species known as the world’s largest bird able to hover without the assistance of a headwind.

There are other active pastimes to enjoy at the lake, which maintains an average water temperature of 23C to 27C (73F to 81F) degrees, making it perfect for leisurely swims. You may wish to hire a canoe or a kayak and go on a gentle row on the lake; those looking for leisure can opt for half-day rentals, while experienced canoers and kayakers might opt for guided trips over several days. Adventure-seekers will enjoy windsurfing or jet-skiing, riding the waves of a speedboat. If you’re in search of a slightly tamer adventure, book a cruise aboard the Munezero boat. Take pictures of the small towns and villages along the waterfront as you skim over the blue waters of Lake Kivu (read more on best time to go). You will also be cruising around the small, uninhabited islets on the lake, discovering that each has a unique biome with rare flora and various species of birds and small fauna to explore. One of them, Napoleon Island, even hosts a colony of bats that you can sightsee during your trip.

The lake also abounds with a wide variety of fish, and you can spend a lazy afternoon trying to catch one for your dinner. The great delicacy from Lake Kivu is the isambaza, a fish that is caught by local fishermen on dark nights when there is little or no moon to be seen. Paddling out onto the lake together at sunset and singing rhythmically, the fishermen tie their boats together in threes and light lanterns on telescopic poles to draw the fish to the surface, catching them with nets suspended below their boats. It’s possible to witness this fascinating technique anytime except in September and October, when fishing is suspended to allow the stock to replenish.

The towns around Lake Kivu have attractions of their own. The lower slopes of Mount Rubavu, also known as Gisenyi, are blanketed by tea and coffee farms. You can visit them and perhaps get a taste of the famous Rwandan coffee, freshly brewed for you. If you’d like to see how the coffee is processed, visit the operational plants at Cyimbili and Kinunu. Here, the coffee beans are washed, dried, roasted, and grounded to extract that unique flavor. Cyclists and hiking enthusiasts on holiday can choose to travel along part of the Congo Nile trail. A 227-kilometre (141-mile) path that begins at Rubavu, the trail offers adventurous vacationers terrific views of the lake’s coastline and beautiful landscapes of rolling hills and an opportunity to immerse themselves in Rwanda’s culture and way of life. The trail connects the main towns along the coast and, among the lovely vistas of lakes and forests, may take you through plantain farms. Note that you can rent a bicycle, and even hire a cycling guide to accompany you on the trail. The entire trail can be cycled in 5 days or walked in 10.