Lake Kivu is one of the amazing places not to miss on your Rwanda safari, it is located between Rwanda and the democratic republic of Congo formed as a result of volcanic eruptions from the Virunga mountains.it is the largest lake in Rwanda dotted with many islands and is the 7th largest in Africa, its shape makes it challenging to determine the actual size of the large however roughly it takes an area space approximately 2500 square kilometers, The lake is a wonderful location to do activities besides the ray of tourism activities in Rwanda. It is home to several species of fish that are found in the lake Examples species include Tilapia and Nile perch. Lake Kivu is recorded among the great lakes of Africa amazingly placed along the floor of the African rift valley region.
The boat cruise is one of the major activities to do on Lake Kivu, it is an amazing way to explore the many islands along the lake, the surrounding environment is a magical experience, and the backdrop of the rolling angelic hills and mountains is not to miss while doing the boat cruise, it takes 2-3 hours doing the activity, travelers have the chance to visit the coffee plantations on the lake islands, they are perfect way to reach the fishing villages and interact with the local people, expect to see many bird species. The boat cruise is done in sessions, in the morning, afternoon, and evening times to enjoy sundowners.
Sport fishing on Lake Kivu, the deep volcanic lake is a habitat to several fish species, spot fishing involves catching fish for sport purposes implying that after the catch it is returned to the fresh waters, this activity is usually conducted on canoe boats, led by fishermen, fishing along the lake will expose you to the beauty of the land of a thousand hills, it can be done only during the day while considering spot fishing it is important to have proper fishing gears including tools to assist in catching the fish, this can also be provided directly by your tour operator.
Lake Kivu is a perfect destination to go birding, along the marshy swampy areas on the side banks of the lake, several bird species have been recorded here including the African harrier hawk, sunbirds, pied kingfisher, Rwenzori turaco, blue-headed sunbirds, strange weavers, handsome spurfowl, Kivu Ground thrush, white-breasted cormorants, double-faced barbet, yellow-billed waxbill, to mention a few, popular birding spots are along the Gisenyi island and Kibuye Island.
Cultural and historical experiences, the towns of the lake have a history to tell, explore the shores of Lake Kivu, in Gisenyi, this is a known town where the first colonialists were based, it is also where the Batwa discovered local craftsmanship, this showcases the traditional style of Rwanda, a visit on your Rwanda safari will enhance visit to places of more historical importance for example the Nyanza king’s palace enroute to the Nyungwe forest national park.
Lake Kivu is placed within proximity to the capital city of Kigali hence easy to access it can be reached by air, by road, or by boat.