The Congo Nile Trail

The Congo Nile Trail follows the escarpment above Lake Kivu for around 227 kilometres between Rubavu and Rusizi, taking its name from the watershed it traces between the Congo and Nile basins. It is not wilderness: the route runs through farmed hillsides, coffee and tea terraces, eucalyptus stands and a steady succession of villages, with the lake below and the hills of the far shore across the water. That is the appeal, since it puts you in a working landscape rather than a park. Cyclists take three to five days on a mountain bike; walkers take up to ten. Accommodation is a mix of guesthouses, church-run rest houses and homestays, and coffee washing stations along the way run tours.

The landscape

• The lake escarpment - the route's constant view down to Kivu and across to the far shore.
• Coffee washing stations - working stations open to visitors along the trail.
• Fishing villages - the singing night fishermen and their triple-hulled boats.
• Kibuye and the lake islands - a natural rest point about halfway along.

When to go

The drier windows, June to September and December to February, keep the surface rideable; in the rains the red clay becomes treacherous for bikes. Mornings are clearest over the lake.

Good to know

The trail is not consistently waymarked and sections have been rerouted onto road, so a guide or a good GPS track matters. Climbs are relentless: the profile is far hillier than a lakeside route sounds. Bike hire quality varies and mechanical support is thin. Accommodation is basic and should be arranged as you go rather than assumed.

Nearby

Nyungwe forest lies inland at the southern end; Volcanoes National Park is north.