Hiking the Congo Nile Trail: Multi-Day trek Along Lake Kivu, Rwanda
Hiking the Congo Nile Trail is popular with both cyclists and hikers in Rwanda – this multi-day trek allows you to discover Rwanda while traversing rainforests, bracken fields, and bamboo forests. The Trail passes along the hills of Lake Kivu, offering you magnificent views of the rolling Rwandan hills. This Multi-Day trek Along Lake Kivu, Rwanda takes 10 days to complete on foot, however, you can combine the trek with a two short boat rides or a cycling adventure. The Congo Nile Trail is the longest trail in Rwanda, and hiking it guarantees excellent views of the spectacular Rwandan Landscapes, rolling hills, lakes, forest, and local settlements. This hiking trail follows mainly the footpaths of the local people and is a wonderful way to soak up daily in Rwandan life in traditional villages and experience Rwanda up close.
Although less popular than primate tracking adventures (Gorilla trekking & Chimpanzee trekking in Rwanda), Hiking the Congo Nile Trail is a great way to explore Rwanda’s natural beauty up close. During the trail hike, there is a lot of activities and adventures to experience including; visiting coffee-washing stations, tea plantations, big towns, dozens of villages, and innumerable beaches, coves, waterfalls, valleys, and vistas, along the winding path of the Congo Nile Hiking Trail.
Along the trail are some camp sites and guest houses, especially in nearby towns. These facilities offer refreshment and accommodation as you traverse various parts of this trail. There are also a number of small shops along the way where you can buy refreshments and other supplies during this journey. The more adventurous visitors (Active hikers) can also do kayaking tours and boat rides, and visit the many islands of Lake Kivu along the way.
Overview of the Congo Nile Trail: Facts, duration, & length
Length: Approximately 227 kilometers (141 miles)
Duration: 10-day hike (on foot), 5-day bike ride (cycling version available)
Start Point: Rubavu (Gisenyi)
End Point: Rusizi (near Nyungwe Forest National Park)
Difficulty Level: Moderate to challenging (depending on segments)
Best Time to Hike: Dry seasons (June–September and December–February)
Hiking map of the Congo Nile Trail
Hiking the Congo Nile Trail: Starting Point, Stages, & End Point
Starting Point (Point 1): Rubavu (Gisenyi) to Cyimbiri
The hike starts from Rubavu (Gisenyi), the largest beach town of Rwanda in the north. From Rubavu, the journey will take you to Cyimbiri, which is about 16.5 km. There are a number of safari accommodations at Cyimbiri, ranging from different budgets (budget guest houses to four-star accommodations). We recommend the Cyimbiri Guest House, located on the shores of Lake Kivu and surrounded mainly by coffee estates.
While here, there are several community-based activities that you can enjoy, from traditional pottery, traditional healing, and music to coffee and tea experiences.
Estimated Duration: 5 hours
Distance: 16.5 km
Hiking the Congo Nile Trail from Cyimbiri to Kinunu
Point 2: Cyimbiri to Kinunu
From Cyimbiri, you’ll trek to Kinunu which is also the second stage of the Congo Nile Trail. The distance from Cyimbiri to Kinunu is about 13.4 km, a journey that takes you through several small villages and harbours. It passes near Lake Kivu and offers some of the most varied hiking in Rwanda.
You’ll enjoy the traditional healing trail and continue with the charming views of the amazing landscapes and coffee plantations of Kinunu. You’ll also have a chance to experience some community-based tourism products such as visiting the beekeeping farms, coffee experience, and handcrafting experiences with a local women’s cooperative.
Estimated Duration of the trek: 4 hours
Distance: 13.4 km
Hiking the Congo Nile Trail from Kinunu to Bumba
Point 3: Kinunu to Bumba
From Kinunu, the trek continues to Bumba. This part of the trek is challenging but walkable and is known for offering hikers an opportunity to walk around rolling hills and have a great view of the clear water of Lake Kivu.
There is no better place you’ll have the best views during a hiking safari in Rwanda that this place. Along the way, you can also enjoy a number of community activities like spending some time with the local communities in their daily activities.
At this point of the Congo Nile hiking trail, you’ll have clear views of the famous Lake Kivu since the altitude here is raised. You can also see the Koko-River Valley while on the hike here.
Estimated Duration for the trek: 7 hours
Distance: 24 km
Hiking the Congo Nile Trail from Bumba to Karongi
Point 4: Bumba to Karongi
From Bumba to Karongi is 15.9 km. This stage of the hike is the last stage of the northern part of the Congo-Nile Hiking Trail. The area between Bumba and Karongi is unique as it is filled with numerous bays and islands, making it one of the unique hiking areas on the Congo Nile Hiking trail. This part of the journey also allows you to enjoy the famous short boat trip to Home Saint Jean, one of the many of accommodation options available in Karongi.
The area is also known for its unique Night Fishing Experience, which we highly recommend you to try out while here. Beyond the night fishing experience, you can also enjoy viewing the swimming cows, sorghum beer making, and silkworms’ experiences as well as boat rides to different hilly islands available in Lake Kivu.
Estimated hiking Duration: 5 hours
Distance: 15.9 km
Hiking the Congo Nile Trail from Karongi to Mugonero
Point 5: Karongi to Mugonero
From Karongi to Mugonero, it is about 19.6 km. As you traverse this stage of the Congo Nile Trail, you’ll enjoy the remarkable views of Lake Kivu and its beautiful islands. From here, you’ll also see the fascinating Kivu Belt Road twisting on the shores of Lake Kivu. As you conclude this stretch, you’ll visit the Mugonero Orphanage, where you’ll also stay for a night.
While here, you can make a detour and hike up Mount Karongi to the Gisovu Tea plantations. From here, you can also continue up to Nyungwe National Park, or you can re-join the Congo-Nile Hiking Trail the next day.
Estimated Duration for the trek: 6 hours
Distance: 19.6 km
Hiking from Mungonero to Karengera
Point 6: Mugonero to Karengera
Trekking from Mugonero to Karengera means covering the longest distance between two points on the Congo Nile Trail (22.5 km). Despite of its distance, this part of the trek grants visitors opportunities to witness the stunning and beautiful footpaths through hills, valleys and fields. From Mugonero to Karengera, you hike through various view points befor you finally reach at Karengera High School. Unlike most parts of the Congo Nile Trail, the Mugonero – Karengera stage is a bit different as it starts with a boat trip across Mugonero Bay, climb up small paths to a hill 1,800m high (350m above lake level) overlooking the lake, pass a valley with rice fields, follow a long and small valley framed by steep hills before climbing up through fields and small forests to Karengera.
Estimated Duration of the Hike: 7 hours
Distance: 22.5 km
Hiking from Karengera to Kumbya
Point 7: Karengera to Kumbya
From Karengera, continue with your hiking adventure on the Congo Nile Trail. The next stop will be 14.7 km away (Kumbya), a journey that takes visitors through several rice fields. Although all through the journey while Hiking the Congo Nile Trail in Rwanda, there are perfect opportunities to have the spectacular views, the Karengera to Kumbya stage is known as one of the most serene of all the hiking in Rwanda. It is known for its lovely, serene, and peaceful retreat center on a little peninsula on Lake Kivu secluded away from the rest of Rwanda.
At the peninsula, there are opportunities to see different bird species and enjoy the views of the small forest with native trees.
Estimated hiking Duration: 4 hours
Distance to be covered: 14.7 km
Hiking from Kumbya to Ishara
Point 8: Kumbya to Ishara
The trail from Kumbya to Ishara is about 13 km, a journey known for offering the scenery of the beautiful footpath along the banks of the lake. This journey continues through several villages where you come across charming smiles and greetings from the local communities along the trail. The experience here is unique compared to the rest of the parts on the Congo Nile Trail – this trail ends with a walk through the rice fields of Kamiranzovu Valley. The trail here will take you through the shores of the Karundura River.
Estimated hiking Duration: 3 hours
Distance to be covered: 13 km
Hiking from Ishara to Shangi
Point 9: Ishara to Shangi
The journey from Ishara to Shangi takes you through scenic Rwanda as you hike near the Lake Kivu, while surrounded by nature. From Ishara to Shangi is about 24 km of the Congo Nile Trail. This trail takes you through beautiful vegetations, including forests of eucalyptus trees. The Congo Nile Trail from Ishara to Shangi is mainly on narrow footpaths passing through villages and fields.
On your hiking in Rwanda, from Ishara to Shangi, you can enjoy the views of the astonishing Lake views with long passages near the shores of Lake Kivu. The endpoint of this trail is Shangi Catholic Church. Beyond the stunning views, you can also explore other attractions like the historical landmark “Richard Kandt House”.
Estimated hiking Duration: 7 hours
Distance to be covered: 24 km
Hiking from Shangi to Kamembe
Point 10: Shangi to Kamembe
The final stage of the Congo Nile Trail stretches for 18.3 km from Shangi to Kamembe Town in Rusizi District. Rusizi is the largest town on the shores of Lake Kivu, located approximately an hour’s drive from Nyungwe National Park and home to Kamembe Airport. This final trail from Shangi to Kamembe offers you one more opportunity to witness the beauty of this part of Rwanda. There are also various community-based tourism activities that you can engage in while here, such as; night fishing, boat rides to the inhabited islands, and other cultural experiences.
Estimate hiking Duration: 5 hours
Distance to be covered: 18.3 km
End of the Congo Nile trail