The highest of the Great Lakes of Africa
As one of the Great Lakes of Africa, and indeed the highest on the continent, Lake Kivu is one of Rwanda's greatest natural treasures and offers visitors an extraordinary experience. Lake Kivu lies on Rwanda's border with the Democratic Republic of Congo and is part of the Great Rift Valley. It covers a surface area of over 2,700km² and stands 1,460m above sea level. It also ranks as the fifteenth-deepest lake in the world and contains the world's tenth-largest inland island, Idjwi.
Lake Kivu has gained notoriety as one of Africa's 'killer lakes' thanks to its location along the rift valley and the resulting volcanic activity. The mix of methane and carbon dioxide in the water is believed to have led to massive biological extinctions roughly once every 1,000 years.
The lakeshore drive
Take a drive along the unpaved road that gently wraps around the shores of this beautiful freshwater lake and experience some of the country's most magnificent scenery. You will weave through hills and mountains, countless eucalyptus trees, and breathtaking hills terraced with bananas as you make your way.
The three resort towns
Three scenic resort towns line the shores of Kivu and offer visitors a range of relaxing accommodations. Whether you choose to stay in Gisenyi in the north, Kibuye further south or Cyangugu at the lake's southernmost point, you will find yourself with stunning views and the most magnificent sunsets in the country.
- Gisenyi — a colonial beach resort on the northern tip of the lake, its three sandy beaches lined with fading old mansions and hotels. Home of Bralirwa, Rwanda's only brewery, where the country's 750-millilitre bottles of Primus and Mützig are made.
- Kibuye — a lazy beach resort town, often thought the prettiest of the three, and still relatively free of the traditional tourist trappings.
- Cyangugu — an old border town at the southernmost tip, once an important trading gateway, now a slow-paced district known for its natural beauty and its proximity to Nyungwe National Park. Nearby Kamembe hosts an airport with regular flights to Kigali.