Cyangugu

Cyangugu is a city of about 64,000 people (2015) in Rusizi District in Western Province of Rwanda.

Understand

View of Lake Kivu from Cyangugu

Pronounced something like "Tchangugu", this is a city right on the southern tip of Lake Kivu, as well as Changugu proper the term also refers to Kamembe, a town a few km away just up a hill overlooking the lake. Cyangugu itself is the low-density district on the lake shore, while Kamembe, the higher density industrial and transport centre is further inland and to the north.

Primarily this town is used as a stopover to or from Bukavu in southern DRC, however it is a pleasant place to spend a few days.

Get in

There are regular buses and minibuses to Butare and Kigali in Rwanda. The town is right on the border with Bukavu and DRC. There is also a road south to Bugarama and from there to either DRC or Burundi. This is less frequented than the route east to Butare but it should be possible to arrange transport.

Rusizi District is about 141 km south-west of Kigali. From Kigali Nyabugogo there are buses like Omega Bus, and Ritico Bus.

Take a boat on Lake Kivu from Kibuye/Karongi or from Gisenyi/Rubavu.

Kamembe International Airport is the nearest airport. RwandAir flies from Kigali International Airport 11 times a week.

Get around

Taxi-moto (motorbike taxis) are the main form of transport within Cyangugu (and between Cyangugu and Kamembe).

See

The southern end of Lake Kivu is Kamembe and Rusizi is one of the three lake ports of Lake Kivu along with Karongi and Rubavu.

Do

Nyungwe National Park is 54 km along the Butare road (not 20 km as the sign in town says). The western half of Nyungwe National Park is a place for chimpanzee, Columbus Monkey, bird watching, waterfalls, hiking and villages.

Buy

Cyangugu is a useful place to stock up if you're heading to Nyungwe national park.

Eat

All the usual Rwandan fayer is easily available from lunchtime buffets to brochettes.

Sleep

Kivu Marina Bay Hotel

There is a range of guest houses and hotels from around 3'000Francs upwards.

• 1 Emeraude Kivu Resort, ☏ +250 787 010 900. (updated Aug 2016)
• Hotel Du Lac, ☏ +250 7 88300518. single/double rooms from FRw8,000. (updated Sep 2015)
• 2 Peace Guesthouse, ☏ +250 7 88 52 27 27. Run by the Anglican Church. A quiet place on a green patch above the lake where you can watch the fishermen going out at night and coming back in the morning. Basic rooms with lakeview are FRw20000. Breakfast is included and the restaurant serves cheap meals for lunch and dinner. from FRw10,000. (updated May 2015)
• Moriah Hill Resort
• Kivu Marina Bay Hotel