Category: Advice for Travellers
Our Stories:
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Smaller Twins Are Handsome Too
Three pretty sets of twin lakes can be found nestled on the Rwandan and Ugandan side of the Virungas, and we usually spin tales about the bigger siblings only — Lakes Burera, Kayumbu and Mutanda. The reason is that these lie directly on our trekking routes … But today we are correcting this omission with…
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How Safe Is the Congo Nile Trail in 2025?
In recent months there have been concerns about security in the area around Lake Kivu. News from DR Congo has cast a shadow over what are in reality the very peaceful Rwandan shores. As a team of people who live just minutes from the border and who have guided countless travellers along the Congo Nile…
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The Coffee Pot Hotel: A Family’s Legacy
Kisoro’s Coffee Pot Café is an institution. Known all across the Ugandan slopes of the Virungas, this cozy place of mixed German and Bafumbira DNA opened its doors in 2010. After 15 years in the business, it’s currently reinventing itself. At the heart of this transformation is Joseph Ndagijimana who was a kid when his…
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Where Can I Learn the Most About Gorilla Conservation?
If gorilla tracking is more than a selfie opportunity to you, add the Ellen DeGeneres Campus to your itinerary. Even from Uganda, it’s worth a day trip — located about an hour from the Cyanika border post in Kinigi, Rwanda. This 12-acre (5-hectare) facility is home to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Yes, that Fossey…
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Congo Nile Trail Update 2025-05
Whether you’re cycling or hiking, the Congo Nile Trail offers unmatched beauty and local encounters. Just remember to plan with care and stay informed: 1. Mama Nelly’s Relocation Mama Nelly’s cooking can now only be enjoyed if you make prior arrangements. See our previous post for the details to learn about her relocation. 2. Trail…
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Fishing Experiences on the Congo Nile Trail
Three connected boats, powered only by singing fishermen with no engine in sight — the Dutch TV crew was impressed! They came to Rwanda to film a travel documentary for 3 op Reis/BNNVARA, with the Congo Nile Trail as a featured highlight. Since the trail hugs Lake Kivu’s shore, capturing lake life was essential. Consider…
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Mama Nelly: A Pillar of Hospitality on the Congo Nile Trail
Mama Nelly has long been a beloved figure among travellers exploring Rwanda’s Congo Nile Trail (CNT). For years, she’s been offering delicious homemade meals to adventurers passing through her home village of Nkora. Stopping by her modest eatery has meant more than just a taste of traditional Rwandan cuisine; it has provided a genuine connection…
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Cyimbili on the Congo Nile Trail: Now & 50 Years Ago
Cyimbili may well be the most peculiar overnight stay on the Congo Nile Trail. It’s staggeringly picturesque, lying right on the sandy Kivu waterfront and with an iconic island just off shore — yet it does not feature on everybody’s itinerary! Cyclists skip it because it’s a bit too close to Gisenyi/Rubavu while some hikers…
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Why Get a Guide for the Congo Nile Trail?
Are you wondering if it’s worth getting a guide for the Congo Nile Trail (CNT)? Whenever our team meets hikers or cyclists with a guide, they start talking about the greatness of their experience. But when we run into self-guided travellers, they ignore everybody else and head straight to the guide in our group. They…