Lake Ruhondo

About this place

Lake Ruhondo is a calm lake in north-west Rwanda, on the outskirts of Musanze and close to the Ugandan border. It stretches across Burera, Musanze and Gakenke districts, with volcanoes watching from a distance. It is one of the easiest northern lakes to reach if you are staying near Volcanoes National Park, and a few hours here go well after a gorilla trek. The lake and its twin, Burera, formed when lava from nearby volcanoes flowed across a river valley, then cooled and hardened, blocking the river. Only a strip of land about a kilometre wide separates them, and water comes down from Burera through the Ntaruka stream. An old power station still stands by the stream, a reminder of how useful that drop in height was. Its finest moment is sunset, when the sun goes down behind the hills, the water turns gold and the cones of the volcanoes stand dark on the horizon. By day green hills reflect on the surface, banana farms line the shores and long wooden boats pass. Water birds live here too, among them great egrets and pink-backed pelicans. It is about 10 km from Musanze in a straight line and about 8 km from Lake Burera. Hire a boat an hour or two before sunset, and agree the price and the return first. Bring a jacket, as the air cools fast at this height once the sun has gone. Take a torch if your way back is on a dirt road.