Lake Muhazi

Muhazi is a narrow lake that snakes for some sixty kilometres through the eastern hills, rarely more than a couple of kilometres wide and often much less, with fingers running up the valleys. It is the closest lake to Kigali and a string of waterside places have opened along it, serving grilled tilapia on terraces over the water. Boats run out on the lake and birdlife along the reedy edges is good.

Background

In Kinyarwanda the lake is called Ikiyaga cya Muhazi. It fills a flooded valley running east to west, and its many side arms pointing north and south were once tributaries. The lake covers 33 square kilometres at an elevation of 1443 metres, averages 10 metres in depth and reaches 14 metres at most, with a catchment of 829 square kilometres. A concrete dam built in 1999 at the western end replaced an earth dam that had stood since time immemorial. Its outflow is the Nyabugogo River, which runs south to Kigali and meets the Nyabarongo, part of the upper Nile. Near Gahini the Kayonza to Kagitumba road follows the shore for 3.8 kilometres.

Source: Wikipedia, "Lake Muhazi"

What you'll find

• The winding shape - a narrow lake threading for sixty kilometres between hills.
• The lakeside terraces - restaurants and resorts serving grilled tilapia over the water.
• The birdlife - kingfishers, herons and weavers along the reed margins.
• The boat trips - runs out onto the lake from the resorts.

When to go

June to September and December to February are the drier windows. Weekends bring Kigali crowds to the resorts. The rains keep the hills green but make some shore roads difficult.

Before you go

Bilharzia is present and swimming is not advisable. Resort standards vary considerably. There is little to do beyond eat, sit and take a boat out.

Nearby

Kigali is west, and Akagera National Park is east.

Key facts