The public beach
Brown sand, big trees.
MuitaHappy — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Guswen — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ericnkurunziza — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Emmanuelkwizera — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ludovic Hirlimann — CC BY-SA 4.0
Gisenyi is a lively town on the northern shore of Lake Kivu, the seat of Rubavu District, known for its wide sandy public beach. It is the closest thing Rwanda has to a seaside resort, with palm trees, old hotels and a long road beside the water. People come from Kigali at weekends, and it faces the city of Goma in DR Congo across the border. The lake lies in the Albertine Rift, covers about 2,700 square kilometres and is one of the African Great Lakes. The Rubavu urban area had about 546,000 people in the 2022 census, the second largest in Rwanda. The town grew up as a lakeside resort and keeps that character today, with a broad spread of residential districts behind it. On the beach you find brown sand, big trees and bright boats and small craft resting on the grass. In the evening people walk along the water, and from the hills you see the whole town and the wide bay out to the horizon. Long wooden canoes pass close in, with fishermen standing at the edges. Rubona harbour nearby is calmer, with larger boats. It is about 93 km from Kigali in a straight line and about 39 km from Volcanoes National Park. The UK Foreign Office warns that risks close to DR Congo may affect the Rwandan side of the border, so read the current advice before you travel. Bring sun protection, and ask where you stay about swimming.
Brown sand, big trees.
Close to shore.
Town and bay.
Public beach, Gisenyi, Rubavu District, Rwanda
Yes, it is close to Volcanoes National Park, and many rest here after a trek.
Crossings can close at short notice, so do not rely on them, and read official advice.