Tag: Lake Kivu /Rwanda, DR Congo/
altitude: 1,460 m/4,790 ft
max length – width: 89 km/55 mi – 48 km/30 mi
depth: 480 m/1,575 ft
In the very corner of the Gorilla Highlands region extensive sandy beaches and tropical vegetation hint at a sea — only lack of salt in the water may attest to Kivu being a lake. Its Rwandan coast offers a remarkable 11-day hiking route, the Congo Nile Trail.
Lake Kivu is unusual for its methane concentrations that are both potentially dangerous and very useful for power generation. A major beneficiary of this energy is Bralirwa, Rwanda’s only brewery. This is Africa’s eighth biggest lake that includes the tenth biggest island, Idjwi.
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Mama Nelly Is Cooking at Nkora Again
We have some big news to share: Hadidja Nyirababikira, better known as Mama Nelly, is back in Nkora on the Congo Nile Trail! Six months ago we shared her life story and her decision to relocate to a more urban area. What has changed? “I found a new business opportunity,” Hadidja explains. “I now buy…
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Cyimbili: Fishing the Sunset, Feasting the Night
At Cyimbili on the Congo Nile Trail, you won’t need to sing for your supper — but you might row for it! The fishing experience there is among the most memorable activities, starting any day at 5pm. Adventurous visitors can join local fishermen on Lake Kivu to try and catch their evening meal.This unusual activity…
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Explosive No More: The Congo Nile Trail’s Clean Energy Stop
Do you know that Lake Kivu, right on the Congo Nile Trail route, holds a powerful secret? Beneath the lake’s tranquil surface lies one of the world’s largest reserves of methane gas — and Rwanda is using it in a groundbreaking way. Methane is a natural gas found underground and in deep lakes. It’s colourless,…
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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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Chillin’ on the Trail, Thanks to Mansuet
A good trekking guide can elevate your hiking experience no matter where you are. Here’s an example involving a group of British students on the Congo Nile Trail (CNT) … Amri, Amy, Georgie, Kitty, Matthew and Ryan were guided by Mansuet Umugwaneza — simply because Ryan thought it was important to have an expert at…
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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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20 Kilometres of Hiking Can Sound Terrifying!
Sure, sure — the Congo Nile Trail is supposed to be 227 kilometres (141 miles) in total. But that doesn’t mean you can’t just enjoy a day or two and still have a blast! Nuša and Marko’s adventure is a perfect example, so it shall be our showcase … The route through villages, fields and…
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Mobility Issues? David Can’t Be Stopped!
Three years after he explored Uganda with us, David Azumbrado came back for more. This time he spiced up his travel days (and the lives of GHE Youth Spaces participants) with a presentation about using digital technologies. Once the volunteering day was ticked off, he hit the roads of Rwanda for real. He paid a…
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SABA Episode #7 — Congo Nile Trail & Staring at the Muzungu
That photo above, that’s something I can totally get behind! Miha took a picture of Cesar Niyonkuru before they embarked on a lovely chat about the Congo Nile Trail, a hiking or cycling adventure on the eastern side of Lake Kivu that is the topic of the seventh episode of SEE AFRICA BREATHE AFRICA. The…
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