Lake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes situated in the Albertine Rift on the border between Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
Lake Kivu is known to empty its water in Ruzizi River that flows southwards in Lake Tanganyika. This magnificent Lake is Rwanda’s largest and Africa’s sixth largest covering an area cover of 2,700 square kilometers.
Lake Kivu is in the west of Rwanda surrounded by splendid mountains known as the Virunga volcanoes that formed as a result of volcanic activities that blocked Lake Kivu’s outlet to the watershed of the Nile about 13,000 years ago forcing it to the Ruzizi River.
This Lake is dotted with beautiful islands and it supports a wide range of aquatic life including African clawless otters, fish species such as Nile tilapia, red-spot barb, sardines, ripon barbell and many more. The Lake has become a magnet for travelers seeking a blend of natural beauty, exciting adventures, cultural experiences and many more due to its stunning landscapes, cultural groups around and various attractions.
The best way of exploring and covering this tranquil and charming Lake is by taking on a boat cruise along its freshwaters which is an impressive tourist activity in Rwanda. Lake Kivu boat cruise is carried out in three resort districts namely Rubavu, Karongi and Rusizi.
Rubavu is previously known as Gisenyi situated on the northern shores of the Lake, Karongi halfway along the Lake is a popular beach with hillsides covered in pines and Rusizi in the southern shores of the Lake. Therefore embarking on a boat cruise, one is not only able to enjoy its breathtaking views but also immerse in its tranquility, connect with local communities to have a clear understanding of the region’s culture and witness firsthand harmonious bond between nature and mankind that truly defines the spirit of Lake Kivu.
A serene boat cruise on Lake Kivu is a gratifying opportunity to spot a diverse array of bird species roam the Lake while others relax and fishing along the shores. Among the bird species that are spotted in this scenic lake include white-breasted cormorants, pied kingfishers, egrets, grey herons, western great egret, goliath or giant herons, giant kingfisher, brown-throated wattle eye, chinspot batis, lesser grey shrike, grey-backed fiscal, northern fiscal, mosque swallow, red-ramped swallow, bronze manikin, black and white manikin, red-billed firefinch, African firefinch, common waxbill, black-crowned waxbill, western-yellow wagtail, cape wagtail to mention but a few.
There is no better place to relax and conclude a safari in Rwanda that relaxing on a boat cruise as well as along the shores of this tranquil Lake. Lake Kivu is neither a habitat for crocodiles nor hippopotamuses making it suitable for swimming. Other tourist activities carried out around Lake Kivu include kayaking, cultural tours, sport fishing, mountain biking to mention but a few.
The cost of a boat cruise on Lake Kivu varies based on several factors for example the duration of the cruise, type of boat, amenities and services offered while on the cruise, season of travel and many more. For example prices tend to be a bit high in peak seasons compared to low season when there are fewer travelers.
The boats available on Lake Kivu range from private charters to group boats each offering a totally unique experience of this stunning Lake as well as being charged differently for example standard group boats charge between 30USD to 50USD per person for a period of two hours whereas private boats range from 100USD according to the vessel’s size, duration and other amenities.
Charges of a boat cruise include a knowledgeable tourist guide who shares insights and stories about Lake’s history, flora and fauna.
Lake Kivu can easily be accessed by using both air and road transport from Rwanda’s capital city Kigali. By road it takes to around 3 hours driving from Kigali on well tarmacked road to Lake Kivu.
This can as well be accessed during your drive to and from Volcanoes National Park making stopovers to Gisenyi or Kibuye. Public means are also available from Kigali to either Kibuye or Gisenyi most preferably by bus. One can as well access Lake Kivu by flight embarking on domestic chartered flights from Kigali International airport to Gisenyi airstrip and then connect to Lake Kivu.
