Lake Kivu - Rwanda

Considered to be one of Africa's Great Lakes, Lake Kivu lies in the Albertine Rift Valley on the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  The lake is surrounded by mountains lies in a rift valley that is being pulled apart making the lake one of the deepest in Africa.

We stayed in the small lakeside resort town of Gisenyi, a very relaxed and laid back town approximately three hours drive from Rwanda's capital Kigali.  Gisenyi is a trading hub between Goma in the DRC and Gisenyi in Rwanda and boats can be seen all day crossing the lake with fresh produce heading for the markets.

Lake Kivu has several fish species of fish and every night fisherman take to the lake for the local delicacy "Isambaza" a small fish introduced to the lake, more widely known as the Tanganika sardine which are cooked and eaten whole.  We witnessed as fisherman went out on their boats at dusk using a system of three large wooden boats connected together with walkways between them.  Large poles extend off the bow and stern which support nets that catch the fish and lanterns attract the fish.  In the morning the fisherman paddle back to shore singing in rejoice for their catch and offload them at the lakeside market from where they are sold to eager buyers.

Recently Lake Kivu was found to contain high levels of dissolved methane gas at depths of 300 metres and beyond.  Initially the gas was harvested for energy on a small scale but is now being extracted on a large scale using offshore barge platforms which will boost energy development for Rwanda and long term, will allow them to sell it to neighboring countries.

Lake Kivu is a tropical paradise that offers so many beach side resorts that are sure to melt your tension and stress while enjoying the heart of Africa.

Tree Climbing Lions of Ishasha

In the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park lies the Ishasha sector. For many years we have wanted to visit for the main purpose of seeing the most famous residents, tree climbing lions.  It is completely unknown why the lions of this area climb up into giant fig and acacia tree's to hang around.  The lions of Ishasha have been climbing the trees for decades and have passed the adaptation down from generation to generation. Whether they are still climbing for the same reason as when they started, again no one knows.

It was along the Fig Tree Track that we rounded a bend in the road and on the right was a huge fig tree with two lionesses draped over its large thick limbs. We parked under the tree to observe them in this rare scene, they periodically gazed down at us and then back out over the horizon. In the heat of the day and with stomachs swollen full of food they occasionally repositioned themselves in the tree.  It was truly an amazing sight to behold!

Ishasha is renowned for tree climbing lions but we were pleasantly surprised that there is more to this area of Queen Elizabeth National Park than the lions.  The landscape of Ishasha is made up of riverine forests and savannah grasslands and has a real feeling of remoteness.  Ishasha is home to the only Topi found in QENP as well as many other savannah animals. The Ishasha River to the west forms the border to the Democratic Republic of Congo and is where you will find hippos.  The Ishasha sector of QENP should not be missed, it offers a superb and unforgettable safari experience!

Tree Climbing Lions of Ishasha - Photo Gallery

View from under the tree

An Epic Road Trip Concludes

After 21 days on the road and approximately 3000 km/1865 miles travelled, our epic journey through Uganda and Rwanda has concluded.  We have seen a vast amount which has created long lasting memories.  As with any journey, naturally there are highlights, here are a few.

	Tracking Mountain Gorillas The opportunity to come face to face with a group of mountain gorillas in their natural habitat is simply magical.  It is difficult to describe what a special experience it is and we will never forget the time that we spent with the Susa group in the Virunga Mountain Range of Rwanda.
	Tree Climbing Lions of Ishasha It has long been a dream to see the tree climbing lions of Ishasha.  We had plans to visit 4 years ago but had to cancel due to instability in the nearby Democratic Republic of Congo resulting in the area being considered unsafe to visit.  We were excited to visit the area on this trip and on our second day in the Ishasha sector of QENP we rounded a corner to see 2 lionesses draped in a large fig tree, we were so happy to realize a dream!
	Lake Kivu A previously unknown part of the world to us, Lake Kivu is an impressive place.  The lake lies in the East Albertine Rift Valley and is surrounded by mountains.  The area is very peaceful, relaxing and is a perfect place to chill out and unwind while gazing across to the Democratic Republic of Congo while wondering what mysteries it holds.
	Ugandan Back-Roads We used to spend our weekends in Canada discovering back-roads and 4x4 tracks.  We prefer the road less travelled and getting off the highways so winding through the mountains of Uganda from Buhoma to Lake Bunyonyi was an experience to remember.
	Lake Bunyonyi Crayfish Lake Bunyonyi is the deepest crater lake in Uganda and is known for it's freshwater crayfish.  We bought a bucket full of live crayfish from a local fisherman and cooked them up at our camp.  We feasted on the local delicacy, peeling and eating every morsel of their delicious meat.