Major Tourist Activities you can do on Lake Kivu

The largest lake in Rwanda, Lake Kivu, is accessible to visitors with a variety of tourism activities. It is situated in the country’s northwest district and is about an hour’s drive from the well-known Volcanoes National Park. Between the borders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lake Kivu is situated in the vicinity of the Albertine Rift. It flows from the northern region of Rwanda to the southern region, bordered by the stunning Virunga Mountains and charming towns like Gisenyi, Karongi, and Rusizi, which are dotted with a variety of remarkable beaches, hotels, and resorts.

Lake Kivu, which is about a three-hour drive from Kigali City, is known for its deep, emerald waters and abundance of fascinating islands. Since hippos and crocodiles are not present in the lake, visitors can engage in a wide range of thrilling tourist activities there, such as:

Boat Trips on Lake Kivu

Boat trips are one of the main tourist activities available on Lake Kivu. Most visitors come to the lake for the magnificent boat trip experiences, which allow them to enjoy the lake’s tranquilly, visit some of the lake’s islands, spot a variety of bird species, and take in the breath-taking surrounding scenery after their adventures in the various National Parks across the country.

Boat tours on Lake Kivu can be taken with knowledgeable local guides from various onshore towns, including Karongi and Gisenyi, but they can also depart from some hotels that are very close to the shoreline at different times, on a scheduled or unscheduled basis, in the morning, afternoon, or evening.

Kayaking On Lake Kivu

One of the other thrilling adventure tourism activities available on Lake Kivu is kayaking. You can enjoy the tranquilly of the lake while paddling along its picturesque shores with your loved ones, friends, or a partner, unwinding mentally and fostering a connection with the natural world. You can go on kayaking trips in the morning, afternoon, or nighttime. Gisenyi, Kibuye, and hotels like the Paradise Kivu Resort and the Cleo Kivu Hotel are further possible starting locations.

Stand Up Paddle Sport

All ages can enjoy the thrilling and enjoyable water sport of standup paddle boarding, which provides incredible experiences in the laid-back setting of Lake Kivu.

The Fishermen Experience

Among the tourist activities available on Lake Kivu is the Fishermen Experience, a recently launched, original, and unique encounter that entails spending the night on the waters with local fishermen while they engage in their custom of night fishing. With their three-wheeled combined fishing canoe boats and the rhythmic melodies they sing along to, you may enjoy the distinctiveness of their local fishing method, which usually provides most tourists with enjoyable experiences. While tourists can choose to participate in one or two rounds while accompanying the local fisherman as they go about their nightly activities, they often conduct this traditional night fishing experience in rounds throughout the entire night.

Sport Fishing on Lake Kivu

Take part in an exciting guided sport fishing expedition in Lake Kivu to catch a variety of fish species. Sport fishing is another option available to visitors on Lake Kivu, in addition to commercial fishing, which is primarily carried out by licenced local groups. More than 28 different fish species are known to live in the lake, and during this tour, visitors typically catch a variety of fish, particularly the key species like sardines, sambasa, and cichlids, which are exclusively found in Lake Kivu.

Beach Relaxation

There are numerous beautiful beaches around the Lake Kivu shoreline, as well as hotel lakefronts. Since there are many lodging options available on the lake and luxurious hotels are being built around the lake’s vibrant towns, relaxing on the beach might be another exciting thing to do on Lake Kivu.

In order to enjoy the beach, unwind, and liven up their adventure moments in Rwanda, most tourists complement their other safaris in the various safari destinations throughout the country, like gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, and hiking on volcanoes in the Volcanoes National Park, as well as chimpanzee trekking, canopy walks, and colobus monkey trekking in Nyungwe National Park, and wildlife safaris for game drives and boat cruises on Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park, with a trip to Lake Kivu.

Biking Along Lake Kivu

A great and popular biking excursion along the Congo Nile Trail offers visitors an amazing opportunity to cycle through Rwanda’s amazing landscapes and terrains along Lake Kivu through the deep villages on the countryside from the northern part all the way to the south, or vice versa. Biking along Lake Kivu is another popular tourist activity on the lake. Tourists that participate in this event typically enjoy amazing off-the-beaten-path adventure experiences with breath-taking views of Lake Kivu and its surroundings, including breath-taking vistas of the magical side of Congo.

In addition to these various tourism activities available on Lake Kivu, you can enhance your Rwanda tours with other thrilling adventures like canoe rides on the twin lakes of Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo, canoe rides on the Mukungwa River, or tours of Kigali City. These excursions will provide you with incredibly fulfilling and enjoyable experiences while in Rwanda.