Lake Kivu

Lake Kivu offers a different rhythm after the intensity of gorilla trekking, and travelers consistently find it a welcome place to slow down. As Rwanda’s largest lake and one of Africa’s Great Lakes, Kivu stretches along the western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, its deep, emerald waters ringed by terraced hillsides, coffee plantations, and small lakeside towns, each with its own character.

Unusually for a body of water this size in Africa, Lake Kivu has no hippos or crocodiles, a result of the volcanic gases trapped in its depths, which makes it one of the continent’s few large lakes genuinely safe for swimming. That same calm water makes it ideal for kayaking, paddle boarding, and unhurried boat cruises out to islands like Napoleon Island, known for its fruit bats, or a coffee-growing island where travelers can walk the plantation and sample a fresh cup grown on the spot. Rubavu, formerly Gisenyi, sits at the lake’s northern edge just an hour from Volcanoes National Park, making it the natural choice for travelers looking to unwind immediately after a trek.

As a stop between Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe Forest, or simply as a restorative close to a Rwanda itinerary, Lake Kivu offers something increasingly rare on a wildlife-focused trip: genuine stillness, without sacrificing scenery.