The most beautiful natural sites to discover Rwanda

Lake Kivu can be discovered in different ways:

The easiest : board a small motorboat and go to Nyamunini Island, to admire the myriads of bats while tasting guavas. This small island is also nicknamed "Napoleon Island" because it is shaped like his hat. The ascent takes only 30 minutes. The view from the top is sublime. You can also stop on Amahoro Island, where it is unfortunately no longer possible to camp. It is necessary to count approximately 35 000 Frw per hour for a simple motorboat between 8 and 12 places. The price depends on the distance traveled (price of oil). Departures are usually on the small bay in front of the Environment Museum. The Ames Boat & Tours agency can also organize excursions at low prices.

The most enchanting: Iliza Houseboat. You stay on the boat and wake up between Rwanda and Congo, between water and sky, surrounded by the sweet melody of the fishermen. It is also possible to reserve the Iliza boat for a few hours, half a day or a day (+250 788 300 630).

The most sporty: rent a kayak to meet the fishermen or the rural communities living on the lake's shores, or to get excited about the magnificent birds nesting on the islets (www.kingfisherjourneys.com). Also in Gisenyi.

Lake Kivu is a real inland sea of extraordinary beauty, surrounded by green hills and dotted with small islands. With a surface area of 2,700 km2 and a depth of up to 485 m, the lake stretches between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, wedged in the middle of a volcanic chain culminating at 1,400 m in altitude. Three towns, known as "seaside resorts", line the shoreline: Rubavu (Gisenyi), Karongi (Kibuye) and Rusizi (Cyangugu). They are linked by a panoramic road that winds through the hills, between tea and coffee plantations, forests and rice fields. Gisenyi is the most developed of the three towns, and certainly the most touristic. Numerous waterfront establishments compete to offer the best view and the most comfortable seats. The stroll along this inland sea offers its share of encounters. It's a bit like the Croisette without the snobs (or "the African Saint-Tropez", as RDB puts it). The banks are very clean, especially if you compare them with neighboring Goma, whose inhabitants cross the border to come and relax or have fun in Rubavu! The atmosphere is, it must be said, without showing off, friendly and relaxed. If you want to soak up this unique border atmosphere, Gisenyi is a must. In the last few years, there have been more and more places to go out and enjoy Lake Kivu and its beautiful sunsets.

In a few hours, one climbs this 2,647 m peak which dominates Gakenke (Nemba), a small town located 1 hour's drive from Kigali and 30 minutes from Musanze. "The ascent is easy and can be done in the morning, and all along the hike, the view of the volcano chain is superb," notes Françoise Widmer, an experienced hiker. It takes about 3 hours to reach the summit and 2 hours to descend. And why not make the journey from Gakenke and Musanze (about 30 km), taking the cross-country trails used by the farmers, who are very numerous in this region? The landscape is pleasant, between eucalyptus forests and terraced crops, always with a magnificent view of the Virunga mountain range.

Practical info: the ascent is not free (40 US$ per person). It is managed by the company Beyond The Gorillas Experience. Contact Theodore Nzabonimpa (+250 788 495 604 - [email protected]). Professional guides will accompany you (including a French-speaking guide), they will show you the way and you will learn a lot by their side about rural life in the villages of Rwanda. A visit to the Mushubi primary school is usually scheduled. For those who would like to take their time, it is possible to camp at the summit, provided that you book in advance, and for the more sporty ones to continue this sumptuous hike the next day towards Musanze, through fields, villages, hills, lakes and eucalyptus forests (count 8 hours of walking).

Situated in a flood-prone valley in the Buberuka highlands (2,050 m above sea level) between Byumba and Ruhengeri, the Rugezi Marshland covers a total area of 6,735 hectares and is worth a visit. It has been recognized as one of the main ornithological areas of Rwanda. In fact, it is home to rare or endangered species, such as the king crane (Balearica regulorum), Grauer's scaup (Bradypterus graueri) or the aquatic chloropet (Calamonastides gracilirostris). It supplies water to lakes Bulera and Ruhondo.

Testimony of Jean-Louis Claessen: " It is 13 hours when you arrive, beautiful coast to reach the village, everything is done on the backs of man or woman, meeting of a Congolese teacher who is asked where the bats are, crossing part of the island. There are houses everywhere, a young person accompanies us and a lot of children, we reach the forest and we recognize the noise of the bats, which we observe with our binoculars. After an hour and full of photos, we give a little money to our guide and we pick up the boat around, to find our taxi-bike. '»»»»