CityBuddy
Lake Kivu
Best time to visit
At sunrise and sunset the lake surface turns copper colored; around December you catch calmer and clearer weather. On weekday mornings the boats are almost empty.
Budget tips
You can bargain for lake trips; half-day tours with local fishing boats cost half as much as licensed agencies. Outside the high season (the lazy months), include in your pension stay the right to reach the shore with your own canoe without an entry fee.
Recommended for
Nature photographers, Travelers seeking silence, Those curious about the local fishing culture, Those who love canoeing and swimming
Plan your visit
Half a day
About
Quick facts: With a surface area of approximately 2,700 km², this lake is not one of the four largest lakes on Earth, but it is a volcanic water layer reaching a depth of 480 meters. Its gas reservoir is the only natural lake where methane is extracted alongside the fishery that feeds two million people.
Highlights: Beneath the lake lie millions of cubic meters of CO2 and methane gas waiting to surface; in 2007 a consortium began piping this gas out and converting it into electricity. In the late afternoon in the three villages on the shore, while the fishermen's fires dance above the water, you breathe in air that smells at once like fizzing steam and a calm sea.
Insider tips
- Take the first boat in the morning; as the fog lifts, the silhouettes of the islands appear to float over the water.
- To see the monkeys, take a walk toward the banana groves on the shore, but keep your phone in your pocket because the networks are tied to an old radio station.
- For photos, prefer the northern shore, which catches the dark outline of the Congo ridge right before sunset.
- You may have a chance to come across fishermen's weddings; on Saturday afternoons, dance shows in the village square are free.
Practical info
Where to Stay in Kibuye
Selected by City Buddy based on guest reviews and proximity to top attractions
Search all hotels in KibuyePowered by agoda
