The beautiful and picturesque Lake Kivu, in western Rwanda, is one of several ‘inland seas’ running along the Congolese border. One of the deepest freshwater lakes in Africa, it is fringed by steeply terraced escarpments (highly characteristic of Rwanda), verdant slopes, waterfalls and sandy beaches. Surrounded by the majestic mountains of the Rift Valley and the Virunga Volcanoes in the north, the lake’s depth of 480m is due to its position upon the Albertine Rift floor, which causes occasional volcanic activity in the area.

Immerse Yourself In Nature

The sheer beauty of the deep blue, clear water, against its spectacular backdrop – as well as the lake’s proximity to Volcanoes National Park – has made Kivu an ideal transit point, especially for those wishing to relax, swim, hike or picnic. The region’s birdlife is also notable and includes crowned cranes, flotillas of pelicans and malachite kingfishers.

The Switzerland Of Africa

There are three colourful resort towns – Gisenyi, Kibuye and Cyangugu, all with their own distinct character amidst the tropical languor of lush plantations and misty rainforest that connects them. The winding roads around curved inlets, narrow valleys and pine-covered hills also verify the region’s reputation as ‘the Switzerland of Africa’, though the route is alive with agriculturalists tending their cassava fields, fishermen in dugout canoes, women gathering tea and tending their crops on the steep mountainside – which provide a fascinating glimpse into traditional, rural life.