Lake Kivu

Back to Rwanda

Filling the rift between Rwanda and the DRC, Lake Kivu is East Africa’s inland sea — 90 kilometres of clear, bilharzia-free water folded between terraced green hills, with sandy coves, coffee farms and fishing villages strung along its shore.

Highlights

Kivu is where a Rwanda itinerary exhales: kayak past singing fishermen at dawn, cycle sections of the Congo Nile Trail, tour the lakeside coffee washing stations, or simply swim and be still. Sunset boat trips to the hot springs and island monasteries round out lazy days.

Best Time to Visit

Pleasant year-round thanks to the altitude; June to September pairs best with gorilla trekking, while the green seasons bring dramatic skies over the water.

Where to Stay

Intimate lakefront retreats around Gisenyi and Karongi offer barefoot luxury with the volcanoes on the horizon — we choose the shore that fits your route.

Kivu is the gentle finale of our Akagera Big Five & Lake Kivu journey — or browse all our Rwanda safaris.