A Little R&R on Lake Kivu at Palm Garden Resort

Not far from the town of Gisenyi, on the shores of Lake Kivu you will find Palm Garden Resort, a quiet, relaxing oasis with manicured gardens along with comfortable accommodation.  Lake Kivu is considered to be one of Africa’s great lakes, and lies in the Albertine Rift Valley sharing the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  The lake is surrounded by hundreds of hills and mountains and the Palm Garden Resort is situated on one of them.

We arrive at Palm Garden Resort and are surrounded by beautiful plants and shrubs.  We follow a path that leads us to the main lodge and restaurant.  It has a very relaxed feel with fishing nets draped from the ceiling and gourd light fixtures hanging between them.  Mountain bikes hang from the back wall, plants are climbing up the columns and brightly colored cloths cover the tables.  There are lounge chairs as well as dining tables so whether you are having a meal or just relaxing, there is a comfortable place to sit.  The area is terraced so no matter where you sit, you can see out through the giant palm trees providing a great panoramic view of Lake Kivu.  The covered open air structure allows the gentle lakeside breezes to flow through and the mood is very relaxing with a mix of classic rock and blues playing in the background.  The bar is fully stocked with local beers, sodas and spirits.  In the evening, the area is softly lit and a fire crackles nearby, which provides for a comfortable gathering place with great ambiance.

Just outside the main lodge, large steps lead down the hill into the garden full of palm trees and rolling green grass.  Off to one side of the large garden and near the lake is our room, a round volcanic stone bungalow with glass paned double doors and windows that look out through the garden and across the lake.  The room décor reminds us that we are on a tropical beach but with an African twist.  Vibrant curtains frame the windows and painted multicolored geometric shapes decorate the closet.  African print lampshades rest on top of clay lamp stands on either side of the king size bed which is truly fit for a king.  The bed has been built quite high off the ground which gives a very palatial feel.   The floor is scattered with mats and underneath the large picture window are gourds of various shapes and sizes.  The décor is simple yet makes a statement.  



The bathroom is stunning.  Whenever I get into a room, I take a quick look around and then head straight for the bathroom; I assume it’s probably a girl thing.  My jaw drops and I say to my husband, “you have to see this!”  Off the side of the bungalow accessed through a door is a large open air bathroom with a shower, toilet and sink.  The large showerhead has great pressure and is nothing short of luxury either for a cool down in the heat of the midday sun or a hot shower under the midnight stars.

Palm Garden Resort offers a number of different accommodation options ranging from bungalows, double and single rooms as well as a campsite which is high up on the hill providing brilliant views.  If you feel like camping closer to the water, you can camp on the sand underneath the shade of palm trees.

Lake Kivu has several species of fish and every night the fishermen take to the lake for a local delicacy "Isambaza".  At dusk fisherman head out to work on the lake, using a system of three large wooden boats spaced several metres apart that are tethered together with makeshift walkways.  The boats are equipped with long poles that extended off the bow and stern of each boat, that suspend lanterns and nets.  The nets are slung below into the water and the Isambaza are attracted to the light from the lanterns dangling above.  In the morning the fisherman paddle their way home singing in rejoice about their catch and hard work.  Their songs also announce to the buyers and brokers to get ready to trade.



We watch as the fishermen of the night head straight to the market landing site and sell to the eager buyers and brokers.  While listening to the singing fisherman, we sit on the grass at the water’s edge under a thatched umbrella sipping Rwandan coffee grown and harvested from the shores of Lake Kivu served in beautiful handmade pottery from a local co-operative.  The waiter came to take our breakfast order however he didn’t have a menu which created some confusion as to what was available for breakfast resulting mostly from a language barrier since we don’t speak French or the local language.  Once he brought a menu, we were able to point and make an order for omelets which came to our garden table quickly accompanied with toast, preserves and juice.  We did notice that this confusion was not a reflection of poor service as many others around us who were able to order in the local language had no problems.  This is a good reason for us to brush up on our French for our next trip there.

Lunch and dinner is a la carte. The menu isn’t overly large but does offer a nice variety and what is on offer is done very well.  We tried several dishes including the goat brochette, beef brochette, chips, steak with mushroom sauce and the whole grilled tilapia which was by far our favorite.  We have eaten whole tilapia many times before, but have never had it prepared like this.  We would go back again just for that dish alone.  The food is grilled over a fire and the resulting flavor is outstanding.  African dishes are also available such as ugali, fufu and the local delicacy Isambaza.  The staff is not always overly attentive however they are never far away and ready to serve, you may just need to ask or give a simple wave to get their attention.

Palm Garden Resort caters for a variety of activities for every level of ambition.  If you are looking to relax and unwind, the thatch umbrellas next to the lake are for you.  The main lodge is also a great place to relax.  We spent an entire afternoon on the lounge chairs enjoying the breeze and the gentle sounds of the music drifting from the speakers while gazing out onto Lake Kivu wondering what mysteries it holds.

For those looking to get out and about to explore the local sites, the resort has a boat that can take you to nearby hot springs which claim to have healing properties however the local people often use it for cooking food.  You can also arrange for scenic trips on the lake to enjoy the abundant bird life in the area.  The Primus brewery is just down the road from the resort within walking distance and offers tours.  

The owner of the lodge is a bike enthusiast and has a great selection of good quality mountain bikes that are available for guests to explore the surrounding area.  The trail head for the newly opened Congo Nile Trail is in Gisenyi, not far from the Palm Garden Resort so if you’re planning to hike or bike the trail, the resort is a great starting point.

Palm Garden Resort is only a few kilometers from the DRC border and outdoor enthusiasts may want to take the opportunity to hike Nyiragongo volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in Africa with a lava lake in the summit crater.  If a big hike, isn’t something you are interested in you can still experience Nyiragongo in a different way.  On a clear night you can walk to the top of the hill near the resort and see the glow from the lava lake.  Unfortunately the weather conditions did not allow for this during our visit.
Palm Garden Resort is one of the easiest going places that we have ever stayed.  Everything about the place is relaxing and comfortable with friendly staff and great food.  For your next holiday consider this tropical paradise that is sure to melt your tension and stress away while enjoying the heart of Africa.

Getting There
Palm Garden Resort is easily accessible from Kigali by either road (2 ½ to 3 hour drive) or by air (30 minute flight) as well as from Volcanoes National Park (1 hour drive), so whether you are looking for a weekend getaway or a place to relax after seeing the gorillas, you don’t have far to travel to get to Palm Garden Resort.

Booking Information
+250 788306830 / +250 788834800
info@mercatorassistance.rw or vedaste@mercatorassistance.rw

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.

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.

Christmas with Gorillas

Growing up on the west coast of Canada Christmas has always been about lights, the smell of a fresh pine tree in the house, turkey dinner and the dream of a white Christmas.  Since moving to Africa, Christmas is very different in the equatorial climate far away from family and loved ones.  This year, to make our African Christmas special , we travelled to Rwanda to track mountain gorillas in the Virunga mountains, a volcanic range in Central Africa.

After a restless sleep waking up every couple of hours to check that we hadn't slept through our alarm, it finally broke the silence of night.  We both got out from under the covers immediately full of anticipation.  The day that we had been looking forward to for so many months was here.  It felt like Christmas in the sense that we were excited beyond words for the day which felt similar to the anticipation of opening up a gift from a loved one.  We bundled up in several layers and stepped out into the cool crisp morning to a beautiful clear sky just as the sun was starting to cast it's rays onto the Virunga mountains.

It was a short drive to the park headquarters where we were welcomed by friendly park rangers and a hot cup of coffee.  While enjoying the breathtaking scenery more people arrived and gathered around which created an exciting vibe.  We were approached by a ranger who asked us to follow him, unsure whether this meant trouble or triumph we followed him and were asked to wait "right here".  Soon we were joined by two British girls, Kate and Lizzie and we realized that our group of 8 people was forming.  As the four of us stood together and got acquainted the ranger returned and informed us that we would begin the orientation.  Where were the others?  Could we be so lucky to be in such a small group?  Yes indeed!  Unsure of how exactly this could happen we shrugged our shoulders and began listening to our guide named Patience tell us where we would be tracking and what what we could expect.

We were going to track the Susa group, a large gorilla group that live on the slopes of Mount Karisimbi 4,507 metres (14,787 ft) which is the highest of the eight major mountains within the range.  Patience shared his knowledge of the Susa, the largest group having 33 gorillas, five silverbacks and two sets of twins, the youngest set having been born in June, just six months earlier. The Susa were one of the original groups Dian Fossey spent her time researching.

We drove for approximately an hour to the trailhead at the base of Mount Karisimbi.  Once out of the car we chose a walking stick, met our porter and began our assent.  We found the group after 2 1/2 hours of traversing the constant uphill slopes of the mountain.  The first 1 1/2 hours were through farmland and given the beautiful sunny day the layers of clothes were coming off quickly until we were down to our t-shirts.  We reached the four foot volcanic stone wall that marked the Volcanoes National Park boundry and entered the park into a shady cool bamboo forest.  Once through the bamboo, we entered into dense bush speckled with giant lobelias.  Not long afer entering this thick vegetation we were told that the gorillas were near.  We abandoned our backpacks and walking sticks and carrying only our cameras we proceeded to meet these gentle giants.

The first gorilla we saw was a female resting in the dense vegetation.  Our reaction was awe.  Neither of us could believe what we were looking at just metres away.  A little further into the forest we met Kurira the dominant silverback.  His size was overwhelming and he lay on his back with several females and a baby playing nearby. Two more females were chasing each other around a tree, periodically beating on their chests and baring their teeth.  As the gorillas moved through the forest playing with each other, eating, climbing vines and resting, we moved with them.  The climax of our visit came as we were watching several females including one of the sets of twins relaxing and playing when suddenly we heard a great noise behind us.  Kiki the silverback second in command to Kurira emerged from the bushes and onto the path just above where we were standing.  As Kiki lumbered down the trail towards us, we quickly got out of his way as he brushed past us only inches away.  It was exhilarating to be so close to such an amazing creature.  We encountered 17 members of the group and could hear the the remainder rustling, farting, and cracking their way through the forest.  They were all around us and our hour with the gorillas was magical!

We said goodbye and starting our journey back down the mountain.  All of us including Patience who has been guiding for years were on a high after this special Christmas Day. We laughed and talked all the way back down to the car recalling with each other how incredible the day was and how lucky we were to have spent Christmas with gorillas.

An Epic Road Trip Begins!

A little over 18 months ago I sat down in front of my computer with my steaming cup of freshly brewed Ugandan coffee in my kung fu grip and began to read through my Facebook news feed.  I came across something interesting posted by The Far Horizons.  A census of mountain gorilla's was taking place in the Virunga range and they were offering 2 permits to trek the mountain gorilla's in Rwanda to the person who could estimate the census results to the nearest number.  As a result, my morning became all about finding out the breeding habits, gestation period and life expectancy of mountain gorillas.  The previous census to the one conducted in 2010 was in 2003, so there were a lot of factors to consider to estimate the population.  After extensive reading, I submitted the estimate of 454.  After this several months passed and I completely forgot that I had ever even entered a competition.

On the morning of December 8, 2010 I sat down at my computer with the ritual cup of morning coffee.  I opened up my emails and began reading, ugh, more spam, more software updates to do, and then my eyes fell on the subject line:

The Far Horizons Competition for 2 Gorilla Permits in Rwanda - Winner!

I couldn't open the mail fast enough.  I proceeded to read the following:

Dear Michelle

I am delighted to inform you, that you are the winner of our competition to win 2 gorilla tracking permits for Rwanda worth $1,000 - congratulations!

The results of the census are now in and revealed a total population of 480 mountain gorillas in the Virunga chain. This brings the total world population to 786 individuals - an encouraging increase indeed. Your estimate of 454 was the closest we received to this result.


I nearly spat the delicious dark roast from my mouth.  I screamed with excitement, could it be true?!  It was, and what has entailed is months of planning a road trip centred around mountain gorilla tracking in Rwanda.


So today, with great excitement, the journey to explore another country in Africa and come face to face with gorilla's begins.  The most exciting part is the anticipation of travelling to new places, not knowing what to expect and experiencing it all unfold.