A magnificent scenic 227 km route stretching along the shores of lake Kivu in the western province from Rubavu district through Rutsiro, Karongi, Nyamasheke to Rusizi districts.
This spectacular route is known as the Congo –Nile Trail takes 8-days by foot, 5-days by mountain bike and 3-days by vehicle. This route combines number tourism attractions along the way, as it curves along the shores of the lake. Some of the targeted attractions along the trail include coffee and tea experiences, several isles and bays on lake Kivu as well as camping sites on top of Mugonero high in Karongi district as well as a number of community tourism initiatives.
Also, planned for development as a major stop for tourists is the Congo-Nile divide water shed in Rutsiro district-a high point where the Nile basin separates from the Congo basin. The site offers a magnificent view of Lake Kivu positioned in the western rift valley mountain range.
This initiative is being developed by RDB in collaboration with United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and SNV Rwanda. It is being marketed to tourists in a bid encourage local communities to fight poverty by developing tourism initiates while at the same time allowing the country to diversify from gorilla tourism. The route is only suitable for patient 4×4 drives as the maximum speed, due to eroded road condition 25 km per hour.