Lake Kivu the largest lake in Rwanda and number six in Africa is located between Western Rwanda and Eastern democratic republic of Congo is one of the popular great lakes in Africa and is perfectly in the Albertine Rift. This lake flows into Lake Tanganyika and is fed by River Ruzizi. The lake covers a total area of 2700 km2 with its deep emerald green covering that sits in the midst of several mountains and a hilly landscape
Lake Kivu is an amazing place to visit that offers a string of activities for you to enjoy while you stay there. The place is both a relaxing and adventurous stop with a range of activities that fit in both categories. Your visit to the lake North West of the Rwanda will give you such an unforgettable experience. Some of the activities you do at the lake include: –
Boat cruise and canoeing
You cannot get to this lake and not go for either a canoeing experience or a boat cruise of this lake to enjoy the views of the surrounding fauna and hilly landscape as you enjoy the cool breeze of the lake. On the boat cruise you get to explore some of if not all the islands on this lake and trust me by time you are done with the whole lake tour you will be thrilled, you want to do it again.
Water sports
You can enjoy water sports like wind surfing that combines surfing and sailing on a board, sport fishing; speed boat rides, kayaking among other sports. These sports are both entertaining and adventurous they sum up your whole recreational package.
Swimming
Because the lake waters don’t support animal like, it’s free of all those water animals like the crocodiles, hippos and many more. This is makes it safe for swimming activities because you will not be afraid of encountering animals. The temperatures of the lake are also normally cool making it even the more swimming friendly. Whenever you are at the lake, don’t miss an opportunity to jump into the water to enjoy a swim.
Beaches
Of course after a swim, someone would want to longue on a cool place with a fresh breeze, sand, sun and nice views. This is exactly what you will get from the different beaches that are along the shores of this fresh water lake. The beaches along the shores are magnificent and are notably very good for relaxing.
Hiking and biking along the shores
As stated above the surrounding landscape of the lake is hilly and mountainous making it the perfect place for hiking and biking experiences. the hiking and biking adventures of course challenge your body because this country of a thousand hills has quite some tough trails but you also get to enjoy breath taking views of the surrounding areas that live you extremely amazed.
Nyamirundi Island
On your stay at lake Kivu you will also be able to visit the Nyamirundi Island that is close to Gisenyi, the area has a rich history and beautiful scenery plus the Gisenyi are is known for coffee growing so you will also find a lot of coffee plantations on your visit to this Island. The good news is you can also visit the different coffee plantations and even taste some of the Rwanda coffee. Other plantations you can visit include banana plantations and crop farms.
Congo Nile trail.
You can join the hikers on the Congo Nile trail that stretches at least 227 kilometres from the north to the south of Lake Kivu. This trail is a combination of specular landscapes, hilly and mountainous steeps, break taking vegetation and scenic views of the waters and the regions around. If you are up for adventure and adrenalin boast, this is one for you, you will be greatly thrilled. However you should note that this trail is quite rough and takes about 3 to 5 days so if you are thinking of taking up the challenge you should be fit for it.
A visit to Lake Kivu is not only amazing it’s one of kind. It can be done as a standalone safari or an addition to your gorilla trekking safari, chimpanzee trekking safari and wildlife safari, it’s the best place to unwind from the hectic treks.
