Lake Kivu is among the African great lakes, placed along the floor of the African rift valley region, it was formed as a result of a volcanic eruption in the Virunga as such is dotted with many islands on both sides of Rwanda and the democratic republic of Congo, it is the largest freshwater lake in Rwanda, it a gym of perfection and mostly appreciated by travelers that reach out to the destination, the beauty of the surrounding community, the misty rolling mountains, is a phenomenal to experience a boat ride whilst magnificent views. The nature of the region makes it difficult to know the actual area space of the lake, however, it approximately covers 2700 square kilometers.
Boat cruise on Lake Kivu will genuinely expose you to the beauty of the countryside of Rwanda, exploring from the ice-clear views of the blue waters of the lake to enjoying breath taking views of the surrounding environment, indulging on a boat experience is among the best ways to finish your adventures on Rwanda safari, and also have a chance to interact with the local communities first off on the fishermen. Boat trip on Lake Kivu is conducted in sessions in the morning beginning at 8:00 am, 2:30 pm afternoon, and4:30 pm evening times East African time, boat trips are arranged to take a maximum of 6 passengers per motorized canoe boat, along the papyrus swamp you will spot bird species, expect to see many bird species examples include African fish eagles, African harrier hawk, Kivu ground thrush, sunbirds, pelicans, pied kingfishers, great cormorants, yellow-billed stocks, grey herons, to mention a few.
Other activities to do on Lake Kivu include fishing, there are about 29 species of fish that can be caught in the Lake, including Tilapia and Nile perch, the presence of fish on the Lake offers a great opportunity to do sport fishing, it also supplies fish to the neighboring communities, and for sell in the Rwanda markets. Birding along Lake Kivu, cultural encounters and experiences it has got a strategic location in that it is more than possible to participate in activities in other destinations for example chimpanzee tracking in the Nyungwe Forest National Park, Volcanoes National Park for mountain gorilla trekking or visit the Akagera national park to experience savannah species.
There are available accommodations around Lake Kivu ranging from the best budget to luxury, Examples of facilities include Lake Kivu Serena Hotel, Emerald Kivu Hotel, and Dian Fossey Hotel, among other facilities that offer comfortable stay to travelers that reach out to the destination. Lake Kivu can be accessed by road from the Kigali International Airport, it takes approximately +/-5 hours to drive, helicopter flights can be arranged or travelers can reach by boat.
In conclusion, Lake Kivu can be visited any time of the year but best during the dry season between the months of December-February and June –September, the water levels are lower due to the warm weather conditions, and the roads to the destination are smoother and easy to access.