Rubavu

Rubavu, long known as Gisenyi, sits at the top of Lake Kivu with a strip of sand along the shore, a promenade of old colonial villas under palms, and the Virunga volcanoes standing behind the town. It is the busiest of Rwanda's lake resorts, with hotels along the front and a working port nearby. The water here is warm, free of bilharzia and safe to swim in, which is rare in the region.

What you actually see

• The beach and promenade - sand and a palm-lined front with colonial villas.
• The swimming - warm water free of bilharzia, unusual in the region.
• The Virunga backdrop - the volcano chain rising behind the town.
• The lake traffic - boats working between the Kivu ports.

When to go

June to September and December to February are the drier windows and the busiest. Weekends fill the beach with Kigali visitors. The rains from March to May are heavy in the afternoons.

Honest expectations

The public beach is small and hotel frontage takes much of the shore. Kivu holds dissolved gas at depth, which is monitored and does not affect swimming, but is worth understanding. Hotel prices are high for the region.

Nearby

Nyamyumba hot springs are just south, and Volcanoes National Park is east.