‘The country of a thousand hills and lakes’, is how Rwanda is picturesquely described, with its rainforests covering rolling hills and ancient volcanoes, between which flow water-rich valleys and natural reservoirs, set like gems between tea, coffee and banana plantations. A true lake paradise is Lake Kivu, the country’s largest, whose waters stretch along the western border with Congolese territory.
Here, a scenic road, called the Congo Nile Trail, connects the main towns of Gisengyi (Rubavu), Kibuye (Karongi) and Cyangugu (Rusizi), running for about 225 km along the lakefront, on stretches that are partly paved or deviate onto rural paths, passing through small fishing villages, characteristic agricultural agglomerations and vast plantations, opening up here and there to breathtaking lakeside scenery, or entering areas of dense primary forest, such as the Gishwati Forest, inhabited by chimpanzees, golden monkeys and blue monkeys, or the intricate vegetation of the Nyungwe National Park in the southern hinterland of Kivu, home to hundreds of species of endemic flora, a very rich birdlife and numerous families of primates.
The surroundings of the lake are morphologically dominated by the gentle slopes of fertile land sloping down from more than 1,000 metres and framing the transparent sheet of water, acting as a hinge with the blue sky. There are so many activities to do amidst these idyllic sceneries, from hiking and cycling to water sports, from excursions to the many islands lying on the surface of the lake, to total relaxation amidst the thermal water springs or the fine sandy beaches, equipped by the accommodation facilities that dot the shores.
An ideal destination to reach after a challenging and exciting hike in the footsteps of the gorillas in the Volcanoes Park, Lake Kivu offers numerous tourist accommodations where one can rest and enjoy the quietness of the lake’s scenery.
Enchanted landscapes that provide a backdrop for the fishermen’s boats that set sail at dawn and dusk, returning laden with sambazas (a kind of endemic sardine), while farmers and beekeepers live according to the rhythms of the fertile land. Everything revolves around the lake, the real protagonist and main source of livelihood for more than 2 million inhabitants, many of whom are employed in tourist reception.
The cheerful and festive atmosphere, over a glass of banana beer, but also relaxed and familiar, thanks to an exemplary welcome, will do the rest.
