Lake Kivu Serena Hotel

Lake Kivu is the largest of Rwanda’s many freshwater lakes, emptying into the Ruzizi River, which flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika. On the border of Rwanda and the DRC, the lake lies in the Albertine (western) Rift, and is therefore an integral part of the Great Rift Valley. Due to its position on the rift, it is slowly being pulled apart, which causes considerable volcanic activity, as evidenced by the many hot springs that encircle its shores. Its position in the Rift also makes it exceptionally deep (480m), ranking as the 15th deepest lake in the world. It is also home to the world’s tenth-largest inland island, Idjwi, while settlements on its shore include Bukavu, Kabare, Kalehe, Sake and Goma in Congo and Gisenyi, Kibuye and Cyangugu in Rwanda.