Rwegura Reservoir

The Rwegura reservoir sits high on the edge of the Kibira forest in northern Burundi, a dam lake built in the 1980s that supplies a substantial share of the country's electricity, with the forest running down to the water on one side and tea estates on the other. The setting at around two thousand metres is cool and often misty. Roads run along part of the shore. The scheme generates a substantial share of Burundi's power, which in a country with very little installed capacity makes it strategically important.

Highlights

• The reservoir - the dam lake on the forest edge.
• The Kibira forest - the woodland running down to the water.
• The tea estates - the plantings on the slopes opposite.
• The altitude - around two thousand metres, cool and often misty.

When to go

June to September is the dry season. Mist is frequent at this altitude in any month. The rains from October make roads difficult.

Good to know

The dam installation is restricted and photography of it is not permitted. There are no visitor facilities. Roads around the reservoir are rough.

Nearby

Kibira is beside it, and Teza is south.