The fishing boats
Long poles in harbour.
Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Adam Jones, Ph.D. — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Adam Jones, Ph.D. — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Adam Jones, Ph.D. — CC BY-SA 3.0
Lake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes, lying between Rwanda and DR Congo, and the town of Kibuye in Karongi District is its quietest spot on the Rwandan side. The shore twists here among steep green hills, small bays and islands, so the view is closer to a mountain lake than a resort. Visitors come to rest among woods and gardens. The lake once drained north to the White Nile, until volcanoes blocked its outlet 9,000 to 13,000 years ago and its water turned south to Lake Tanganyika. It is one of three lakes in the world known for gases building up in the depths, and Rwanda draws methane from it to make electricity. Tourism is a main part of life in Karongi. You will see wooden fishing boats with long poles moored in the harbour, and visitors tell of crews singing as they head out in the evening. By boat you can reach Napoleon Island, known for its fruit bats, and Monkey Island. On the hills above the water are fields and terraces, a narrow inlet shining among the green and clear green water by the shore. It is about 80 km from Kigali in a straight line and about 41 km from Gisenyi, with the Congo Nile Trail for walkers and cyclists running between them. Agree a boat price first and ask for a life jacket. Guides say swimming is common here, but ask where you stay about the right spot, and keep clear of the water border.
Long poles in harbour.
Fruit bats.
Above narrow inlets.
Kibuye, Karongi District, Western Province, Rwanda
Yes, it is quiet, with lakeside hotels and short boat trips.
Kibuye is quieter with finer hills, while Gisenyi is larger with a wide sandy beach.