We took a half-day boat trip (🎟️15 USD + 23 USD conservation fee) to the famous Prison Island, or Changuu Island. It has a history rooted in controlling and isolating people. Initially, a holding ground for rebellious slaves by Arab traders, it became a quarantine station for infectious...
Our next stop was the relaxed lakeside town of Karongi (commonly known by its old name, Kibuye), another good place to enjoy Lake Kivu. We hired a boat (50 USD / 4 hours) and visited the lake’s islands. Most famous is Napoleon Island, named for its resemblance to the pint-sized French...
Rwanda may be landlocked, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying a day at the beach. Kivu’s gently lapping waters and soft sands do the trick – throw in a few beach bars and palm trees to add that tropical feel. Rubavu (which most locals still call Gisenyi) is a sprawling town...
Late afternoon, we arrived at Elsa Gate of the dry, dusty, but infinitely peaceful Hell’s Gate National Park. It is a rare Kenyan park made for bicycles and walking. Large carnivores are rare, so we rented bikes (800 KES) and paid a cycling fee (250 KES) and a park entrance fee (28...