Rugezi Marsh

Rugezi is a peat marsh of around 6,700 hectares in the northern highlands, feeding the twin lakes below it and, through them, the country's hydroelectric supply. It was drained in places in the 1990s with serious consequences for water levels downstream, and has since been restored. It is the most important site in Rwanda for the grey crowned crane, a species that has been badly hit by capture for the pet trade, along with other wetland birds.

Background

Also called Ruhengeri Marsh, Rugezi is a protected area of 6,735 hectares in the Buberuka Highlands and counts as one of the headwaters of the Nile. It lies at 2,100 metres and formed as organic matter built up in a quartzite hollow that held water, which made it a high-altitude peat bog. Rain averages 1200 mm a year, and erosion has worn the hills within the marsh into rounded forms. BirdLife International named it an Important Bird Area in 2001, covering 8,500 hectares, and 43 resident bird species are recorded in and around it. Grauer's swamp warbler and the white-winged swamp warbler live here side by side, a pairing BirdLife International calls unusual.

Source: Wikipedia, "Rugezi Marsh"

What you'll find

• The grey crowned cranes - the country's main population, in a species under heavy pressure.
• The peat marsh - some 6,700 hectares of highland wetland.
• The papyrus and sedge - the vegetation covering the valley floor.
• The restoration - the recovery after the drainage of the 1990s.

When to go

June to September and December to February are the drier windows and easiest for access. Cranes are present year round. Early morning is best for birds.

What to expect

There is no visitor infrastructure: no hides, no boardwalks and no signage. Access is on foot along the edges with a local guide. The ground is wet and boots are essential.

Nearby

The twin lakes are west, and Musanze is beyond them.

Key facts