Lake Kivu | Breathtaking Facts About Lake Kivu Rwanda, Africa
Set in western Rwanda, Lake Kivu is one of the world’s lively water bodies and forms part of the Great Rift Valley in Africa. Lake Kivu is a freshwater Lake and in the surrounding, there are scenic mountains. It is a preferred honeymoon/leisure location, offering distinctly a rare feel to guests. In the surrounding, there are spectacular beaches, fishing villages and terraced hills. L. Kivu surface area measures up to 2700sq.km and makes it the biggest Lake in Rwanda. It is also ranked as Africa’s 6th largest Lake.
Where is L. Kivu found?
Lake Kivu is a freshwater lake located between Rwanda and D.R. Congo. The lake is part of the Albertine rift valley, the western arm of the East African rift. It pours its water into Ruzizi River which then flows southwards to Lake Tanganyika.
Geography
Occupying the surface area of 2700sq.km, L. Kivu extends up to 90km. It has a depth measuring over 220m and set at elevation of 1460m. Lake Kivu is the 12th deepest lake in the world, featuring maximum depth of 475m and 13th deepest by mean depth.
About 58% of Lake Kivu lies in the D.R. Congo borders. This freshwater Lake features the 10th largest island –Idjwi. This spectacular island is situated within Lake Kivu along the Virunga National Park boundaries. There are settlements along the lake’s shores and include Sake, Kalehe, Kabare, Bukavu, Goma –located on the D.R. Congo side and Kibuye, Gisenyi plus Cyangugu in Rwanda.
L. Kivu is amazingly one of Africa’s distinct water bodies featuring rare properties that make it an intriguing area of interest for scientists. Besides, it is listed among the 3 lakes on the earth that are undergoing limnic eruptions.
Biology and fisheries
Lake Kivu contains about 28 species of fish and includes four freshwater crabs. The native fish species include Lake Rukwa minnow, 15 endemic cichlids, East African red-finned barb, Red spot barb, Pellegrino’s barb, redbreast tilapia, long fin tilapia, blue spotted tilapia and others.
This is one of the most threatened water bodies due to human activities. The main threats to this lake include household wastes, soil erosion, urban waste, improper agrochemicals and others.
What to do
Walking safaris
A guided nature walk/walking expeditions can be done on the spectacularly stunning beaches along the lake. As you embark on a guided walk, you can be enjoying the cool breeze of Lake’s waves.
Kayaking
With an experienced and skilled leader, embark on a memorable kayaking adventure on this freshwater body. Spend a full day or some hours paddling through the beautiful blue waters of L. Kivu while exploring the different inlets and bays. Meet the local fishermen as they carry on with their daily activities and also keep an eye on some of the birds including the tiny malachite kingfishers, long-tailed cormorants, pelicans, and others.
Sport fishing
Love sport fishing? Go sport fishing on Lake Kivu to capture your favorite fish species. the lake features 28 distinct fish species and you will spend a good part of the day catching some.
Swimming
If you are interested in swimming, then consider this lake a must-visit. Unlike some lakes, lake Kivu is free from bilharzia, and hippos. At the shores, you can also enjoy the cool temperatures after the long day engagements.
Visit Nyamirundi Island
Embark on Nyamirundi Island excursion where you will find an extensive coffee plantation. Get to know the different stages of coffee making right from the first stage of planting to harvesting and processing to final product.
Bird watching
On L. Kivu tour, there is a chance to also go search for amazing birds. A birding excursion on this lake is perfectly done during the guided nature walk or boat cruise excursion. The birds to look for include ashy flycatchers, African fish eagle, common waxbill, bronzed sunbirds, African pied wagtail, white tailed blue flycatchers, chin-spot batis, yellow throated greenbul, tropical boubou, Bronze manikin and more.
Biking/hiking
Rwanda in general is a country with montane landscape. This makes it an excellent destination for mountain biking/hiking. Embark on biking adventure along the Congo Nile trail, an extensive 160 mile trail as you enjoy view of Lake and other remotest parts of Rwanda.
Boat cruise
With an expert, set off on tranquil cruise along Lake Kivu. Your day boat cruise excursion takes you to the scenic Munini and Amahoro Islands. The popular Napoleon Island excursion enriches visitors with water recreational experiences and takes the name due to its resemblance to the conquering Frenchman’s infamous hat, an you enjoy day cruise expedition, keep an eye on the different species and birds
Accommodation/Where to stay
There are good accommodation options suiting all travelers’ needs and budget. Some of the available accommodation facilities to book for a night stay on Lake Kivu excursion include.
- Cormoran Lodge
- Lake Kivu Serena Hotel
- Rushel Kivu Lodge
- Rwiza Village
- Umutuzo Lodge
- Hotel Paradis Malahide
Frequently Asked Travel Questions About Lake Kivu -Discover more!!!
Why is Lake Kivu described as killer lake?
Lake Kivu like Lake Nyos and Monoun in Cameroon are among the scenic water lakes often described as ‘killers’. This is due to their huge volumes of methane gases, which can easily erupt and this is puts surrounding communities at a higher risk.
Is Lake Kivu Safari safe to swim in?
L. Kivu is a safe lake to swim in. On Rwanda safaris tours, swimming is a must-do excursions in this vast freshwater Lake. It is a safest water body with no crocodiles and hippos.
What is special about Lake Kivu?
This freshwater lake creates part of the Great Rift Valley, Located in Western Rwanda. It is surrounded by the scenic mountains and deep emerald green waters with surface area coverage of 2700sq.km. This is the largest freshwater lake in Rwanda and Africa’s 6th largest lake.
Is Lake Kivu worth visiting?
This lake is 100% worth visiting on Rwanda tours and safaris. Besides numerous excursions such as kayaking, boat rides, swimming, and relaxation, L. Kivu is suitably located in an area where you can easily explore other destinations like Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking, Nyungwe Forest National Park –for memorable chimpanzee tracking and canopy walks.