Lake Kivu

Lake Kivu is one of Africa's Great Lakes, stretching 89 km from north to south and up to 48 km wide along the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). At an altitude of 1,460 metres above sea level, it is one of the world's highest large lakes, fed by rivers from both sides and drained southward by the Ruzizi River into Lake Tanganyika. The lake sits in the western arm of the East African Rift System and is geologically extraordinary: its depths contain vast dissolved reserves of methane and carbon dioxide gas, which Rwanda has begun harnessing for energy generation through an innovative methane extraction facility at Kibuye (Karongi). The Rwandan shore is lined with charming lakeside towns — Gisenyi (Rubavu) in the north, Kibuye (Karongi) in the centre, and Cyangugu (Rusizi) in the south — each with distinct character and accommodation options ranging from backpacker lodges to world-class beach resorts. The lake's interior is dotted with over 150 islands, including Napoleon Island (home to Africa's largest fruit bat colony) and Idjwi Island (the second-largest inland island in Africa, on the DRC side). The surrounding landscape of deeply terraced hillsides, banana groves, coffee farms, and fishing villages creates a visual richness unlike anywhere else in Rwanda.