Lake Kivu covers most of the western border of Rwanda with the main tourist areas being Gisenyi, Kibuye, and Cyangugu, which lie along the lake shores.

Gisenyi is the most developed of the sites and is less than an hour's drive from the Volcanoes National Park and is about 2.5 hours drive from Kigali. It is set on a sandy beach lined with swaying palms and colonial-era hotels. Here you can find both the upmarket hotels and the budget ones.

Kibuye is located between Gisenyi and Cyangugu in the center along the shores of Lake Kivu. It has tourist activities centered on a modern lake-shore guesthouse overlooking pine-covered hills, and boat trips from here to Gisenyi.

 Cyangugu is the least developed for tourism and is different from the other two. It is the closest to Nyungwe Forest, with great community engagements and beautiful views of Congo but limited lake activities except for the fishermen.

 As you interact with the people on the shores, you will quickly notice how they are generally laid back exhibiting the phrase hakuna matata to its fullest. Fishermen ply the water in dugout canoes on their usual routine of laying their nets for a possible catch of fish. This is sold to various hotels and restaurants in town, some are taken to as far as Kigali, and the rest is smoked by ladies on the shores for local consumption. You can choose to take a boat ride in the traditional dugout canoes listen to the sea stories of the fishermen and even participate in the fishing. The place is teaming with water birds like pelicans sailing, Grey crowned cranes,  pied, and malachite kingfishers above the shore waiting to catch their next meal.