Congo Nile Trail

The Congo Nile Trail is a 227-kilometre hiking and cycling route that runs along the western shore of Lake Kivu from Gisenyi in the north to Rusizi at the southern end. It winds through small villages, tea and coffee plantations, and ridge-top viewpoints above the lake — passing through country that very few tourists ever see.

The trail is well-marked and serviced by a network of guesthouses and community lodges built for the route. It can be cycled in three to four days by fit riders on mountain bikes; on foot it takes six to eight days. Day hikes from Gisenyi covering the northern section are excellent for anyone with limited time — the views north toward the Congolese volcano country are the best on the trail.

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The trail takes its name from the geological divide it follows: Lake Kivu drains north into the Congo River basin, while streams just to the east drain south toward the Kagera and ultimately the Nile. The watershed runs along the ridge above the lake, and the trail passes through country where a raindrop falling a few metres to the west ends up in the Atlantic and one falling to the east ends up in the Mediterranean.

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