Our Guide to Hiking the Congo Nile Trail - Northern Section (5 Days)

If you're seeking an off-the-beaten-path hike that meanders through rolling hills, offers incredible views, and immerses you in local culture, the Congo Nile Trail is ideal. It is important to note that it is a physical challenge even for adventurous travellers. 

This hike will surpass all of your expectations whilst highlighting Rwanda’s natural beauty and vibrant culture. This is one of Rwanda’s best kept secrets and one that we highly recommend discovering.

Overview

Nestled along the shores of Lake Kivu in Rwanda's Western Province, the Congo Nile Trail offers a remarkable blend of adventure, scenic beauty, and cultural immersion. Spanning about 141 miles (227 km), the trail takes its name from its location along the divide between the Congo and Nile River basins. Winding through diverse landscapes, including terraced hills, lush rainforests, and fertile farmland, the route is an unknown haven for hikers and bikers alike. Travellers are rewarded with stunning lake views, serene beaches, and encounters with rich wildlife, particularly bird species unique to the region.

Beyond the natural beauty, the trail provides a window into Rwanda's rural life and cultural heritage. Passing through the small villages, adventurers have the opportunity to engage with local communities, explore traditional crafts, and experience Rwanda's warm hospitality. Accommodations along the trail range from simple guesthouses - open to hosting camping as well - to more comfortable lodgings, making the journey accessible to all levels of explorers. 

As we were incorporating this hike into a longer holiday, we decided that we would do the northern section of the hike (finishing in Kibuye). Some hikers complete this in 4 days (blending stage 3 and 4 of our hike), but we decided to take it easy, enjoy the local communities and opt for completing the hike in 5 days. This decision is one that we are glad to have chosen because of optional excursions - for more information read stage 3 of this blog. 

Stage 1 - Rubavu to Cyimbiri

Day one can be a bit of a shock to the system, the terrain is varied and learning to deal with the attention of the locals will go a long way when walking in the remote areas later in the trip. Depending on where you have stayed the night before, you will need to walk along the main highway for a time before getting to the official start. This is quite easy to find and is situated on the left side of the main highway just after a very obvious Heineken Brewery and a methane plant. 

Once you have found the start point, you will head up the route for a short distance, and then you will see your first brown route sign point left and uphill (start as you mean to go on).

This day has 2 big hills to conquer. Due to being the first day, these can be quite difficult. The heat and the need for water were two noticeable things for me. Yet the view looking out onto Lake Kivu makes these worthwhile. 

After walking through many villages, we finish the day with some lake hiking before arriving at Cyimbiri guest house. This is set in a beautiful location, behind a school and on a sandy beach, with a beautiful garden. 

Stage 2 - Cyimbiri to Kinunu

Day two started by leaving the guesthouse and following the shores of the lake for a few kms. Having read a few other blogs, apparently this was called a shortcut, but we found this was the main hiking trail to follow. 

From here, we were joined by 2 girls who walked with us until the next village. They never asked for anything or spoke with us but kept looking and smiling. They left us when we reached the next village of Nkora. This was a lovely village, with a large coffee washing station. After this, you head gently uphill and away from the village life. Once at the top, there are great views out onto Lake Kivu, as well as the shores you have just meandered around. 

Despite having got the heaviest day of village life out of the way, you still have many to pass through. On today’s leg, you pass right through a bustling fishing village, and it is amazing to see the whole community working together to put this together. Most fishermen return in the mornings. Therefore you may witness them selling their catches from the night, as well as women sewing fishing nets and children playing together.

The path then crosses two bridges, one more built up than the other, before becoming an undulating path. Today’s final descent is a steep one. It was pure slippery gravel, at what felt like a straight vertical drop down. We were put to shame by 5 men who were carrying resources on their heads and skipping down like gazelles. About 15 minutes later (5 of which were spent climbing down the hill), we arrived at Kinunu Guest House, got checked in and headed for a well-earned drink. 

Today, we had our earliest arrival time of 12:30pm, and Blase and the other staff were extremely accommodating and got us checked in early and made us feel comfortable at the restaurant.

Stage 3 - Kinunu to Musasa

Knowing that we were splitting the next section up, to add in a night in Musasa. We decided to use our time this morning and learn about the local coffee washing station and have a tour. Kinunu is one of three coffee farms in Rwanda that cater from the farmer to the cup. Seeing as we had passed through other coffee farms, we decided that this was the best use of our time. We were right.

Our tour was with Blase and he was extremely informative and answered any questions we had. We learned about all stages of coffee making, before tasting what they had to offer. Both of us appreciated understanding how the popular drink was made and imported, and would highly recommend it. To top everything off, during our tasting we got to see the infamous swimming cows!

Due to the tour, we set off later today. The walk to Musasa consists of some more hills (it is the land of 1000 after all), some more villages, but also very green lake shore walks.

Our issue today was the delay to our start meant walking in the heat of the day, with very little shade. We were also quite naive in thinking that this shorter day meant it would be easier, but don’t be fooled, the hills are equally as challenging. 

The road to Musasa leaves the main hiking trail at a rest stop hut and joins the biking trail, up to the left. We found that it was important here to have offline maps downloaded. The route climbs higher and higher as you pass through your final village of the day. Here we found the children to be very persistent and some followed us, despite us saying no. Eventually, a local adult helped us out and told them to leave us alone. 

Once it was just the two of us again, we meandered and climbed up further until we reached the hilltop village of Musasa. To get to the Guest House, you pass the local school and a genocide memorial. 

The host, Yvette, made us feel extremely welcome and settled us in straight away. She also provided some warm water for a shower. Dinner this evening was probably one of our favourites from the whole trip. Yvette informed us that she loved to cook and this definitely came across in the meal.

Stage 4 - Musasa to Bumba

What a day!

River crossings. Heat. Impressive views. Community efforts. And one very, big, 4-mile long hill. Half way up this beast, we were happy to have had the additional day and took our time. 

Today started by losing our elevation from the previous day and walking through banana plantations, local farmland and down towards our first river crossing. We were followed here by local children. Some of which did not leave us alone, but were finally told when a local adult came past and helped translate. 

It became clear that we were walking down towards our first river crossing and that with these most children want to be around you to assist and possibly get a donation. Once at the river, we saw lots of agricultural work and very quickly we were a focus point for locals. We decided to walk through the river with shoes and socks on as we thought that this way we kept our bags on our backs, and we had acquired quite a crowd. Thankfully about 5 minutes later, we found a secluded spot a little climb up the hill, where we could change into dry socks. 

Afterwards we admired our climb (one that would later be seen as pathetic) and looked out into where the river met the lake. From here we could see a fishing group return and the whole community coming together to work.

From here, we climbed. And then climbed some more. Thankfully, this was mostly a gradual climb, but by the time we arrived at Bumba Base Camp, we were feeling the last 4 miles on our knees and glad to be greeted by Benoit, and then Ernest. 

Please note: Bumba Base Camp is quite difficult to find. Either phone Ernest for help or ask those around to help you in the right direction.

Stage 5 - Bumba to Kibuye

Final day!

Similar to the day before, you start today by losing all the elevation you gained from the previous day. This day seems to perfectly incorporate all landscapes seen on the previous days, as well as still being its own unique stretch. 

Along the way, you'll encounter several river crossings, some of which are bridged while others require wading through. Similar to the day before, we took both of these with our socks and shoes on. The first one is relatively shallow, and you’ll find that with the heat, you can comfortably walk with wet feet until the next one, which is slightly deeper.

When you approach the end of the walk you have two options. You can walk along the highway, which will take you all the way to Kibuye (you may choose to flag down a moto taxi). Alternatively, you can continue along the hiking trail where you will reach the official end of the northern section. From here, you need to take a boat to get to Kibuye, we arranged ours with Ernest that morning for about 30,000 RWF but you can take the risk and hope a local boat will come along, which is about 10,000 - 15,000 RWF.

The boat ride offers stunning views of the lake and you feel the sense of accomplishment as you look out on the land you have spent the past 5 days walking over. 

Once in Kibuye, we had about an additional 2 miles to walk to our accommodation (Kivu Macheo Eco Lodge). This would be our home for the next 2 nights.

Extra night in Gisenyi/Kibuye / Boat trip on Lake Kivu

As mentioned in the previous section, we opted for a second night in the peaceful town of Kibuye. We decided to use our extra (rest) day to explore the local area and take a boat trip around the islands on Lake Kivu. This was a trip with Honours Tours, and was booked through our accommodation. We would highly recommend looking into a “rest” day if you have the time and head out onto the lake. 

Our trip went to Napoleon Island, Monkey Island and Peace Island. 

• Napoleon Island is one of the largest islands on Lake Kivu, it is known for its distinctive shape resembling Napoleon Bonaparte’s hat. The island is famous for its colony of thousands of fruit bats that inhabit the dense forests, which you walk through on the hike up to the summit. From here you get incredible panoramic views of Lake Kivu and the surrounding islands. Honour, our guide, was also kind enough to point out key locations from the Congo Nile Trail.

• Monkey Island is a small, lush island on Lake Kivu, known for its population of playful vervet monkeys. The boat trip allows you to observe these monkeys in their natural habitat. Despite not being able to leave the boat and explore, it was great to see the island's peaceful atmosphere, as well as monkeys enjoying their natural space.

• Peace Island is a secluded island which is known for its calm atmosphere and stunning natural beauty. This island is a great spot for swimming in the lake or, as we did, a walk along its shoreline. Peace Island is also a popular spot for locals to come and celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and other significant events.

• On the boat trip we also got to see King and Queen Islands, Punishment Island and Amahoro Island.

Accommodation 

FIrstly, you need to decide what accommodation you would like to stay in. If travelling on a budget, being fully immersed in the culture and supporting local communities, is your speed then you may choose to camp or stay in Guest Houses. The more comfortable and up market alternative is to stay in resorts along the way. This is possible in all but 2 of the 6 overnight stops you will likely need to complete the hike comfortably. Below is a breakdown of where we stayed with alternatives and booking options.

Rubavu/Gisenyi - Day 0 (The night before you intend to start the trail) 

If you are planning to use public transport, or as we would recommend, you want to get an early start to walk before the heat, staying close to the start point is critical. In Rubavu, there are plenty of options available on Booking.com or Google.

Night 1 - Cyimbiri Guest House

Due to the remoteness of this stop, the only real option is a lovely guesthouse situated practically on the beach of Lake Kivu. Owned by the local Church, the proceeds are used in local projects. 

Booking: Whatsapp is the only known method with the Manager, Jean-Paul - +250 788 214 900.

Food: Food is basic but hearty and definitely needed after the first day on trail.

Pricing:

• Double Room, 35’000 RWF

• Dinner (Per Person), 5’000 RWF

• Breakfast (Per Person), 3’000 RWF

  
  

Night 2 - Kinunu Guest House

Although termed a guest house this is really a small hotel situated in a small courtyard with a beautiful view over the bay. Next door there is a small restaurant with an even better view, looking North across the bay back towards the Gisenyi. The view here is lovely and if you have come from the North, it is the first real road you will see since you left the Tarmac roads on Stage 1. 

Booking: Whatsapp, contact Blase on +250 784 616 845.

Food: Breakfast is included in the room price but other meals and snacks are priced individually in the restaurant. These vary in price from 6000 - 30’000 RWF.

Pricing: Double room with ensuite is $45 USD or 58’500 RWF.

Night 3 - Musasa Guest House

Those who choose to complete the Northern Half of the trail in 4 days instead of 5 will sadly miss this stop, A HUGE MISTAKE IN OUR EYES! Although we enjoyed all of our stops, this was by far our favourite. The guest House is ran by a lovely lady named Yvette, she is incredibly accommodating, cares about every visitor she receives and does everything in her power to make sure you are as well looked after as possible. She is also an incredible chef.

The Guest house itself sits atop a hill beside the local school, in its own walled compound. Basic but comfortable, it has a shared bathroom and about 4 rooms of varying sizes.

Booking: Whatsapp is the only method we know of but there are 2 contact options available.

The owner - +250 788 219 495

Yvette, Caretaker and chef - +250 784 651 522

Food: Food is not only available but is incredibly well cooked by Yvette. Dinner is served in a buffet style and you will be asked when booking if you have any dietary requirements. Bottled water as well as a limited assortment of soft and alcoholic drinks are also available at an additional charge.

Pricing:

• Room, 13’000 RWF

• Breakfast, 4000 RWF

• Lunch or Dinner, 7000 RWF

  
  

Night 4 - Bumba Base Camp

Bumba guest house is run by a family and is overseen by Ernest. The profits for which are used for community projects, the main one being the Motherland School which Ernest is the Head Teacher of, this website explains more about Ernest’s vision and includes information on where to find the guest house (as with many other bits of accommodation on the walk, they are sometimes called basecamps). When walking in, it can be a little hard to find as it is situated back from the main road, the locals will help point you in the right direction.

Ernest is an extremely passionate and caring man, who ensured our stay was comfortable and that we always had everything we needed. When talking with him, you could see how much our hospitality meant to him and how by staying there it was beneficial for his project. We enjoyed hearing about his project and we hope that with more visitors his vision can become a reality. 

Booking: Whatsapp, contact Earnest on +250 783 171 757.

Food: Food is served in a real community sense, it is eaten as a group under a verandah, usually with a fire pit lit nearby, it is a comprehensive buffet style and there are different options depending on your dietary needs.

Pricing:

• Room (Double bed with an “African Ensuite”, breakfast included, 45’000 RWF)

• Dinner, 10’000 RWF per person.

• Boat Booking for the finish, 30’000 RWF. If you speak to Earnest, he will be able to book a boat for you from the official finish of the Northern Sector across to Kibuye, from there you can easily walk to a vast range of accommodation or the Bus Park, if you don’t want to hang around.

  
  

Night 5 - Kibuye 

Kibuye is a common tourist area for many Rwandans in the high season but it is surprisingly quiet. Whether you've got a boat from the finish of the Northern half of the trail, or you have walked the detour to the highway to get into town; there will be accommodation options in abundance. We decided to book an eco lodge for 2 nights, allowing us to explore a bit of Kibuye, relax and take a boat cruise around part of Lake Kivu. There are really too many options to talk about here so being aware of your route into town and then searching online is the easiest way to find somewhere to stay that will suit your needs and budget.

Why we chose this trail

Ever since I went to Southern and Eastern Africa in 2018 and 2019, Uganda and Rwanda were high on my list of countries to visit. I felt like once these countries were ticked off, then my African holidays would have been accomplished (spoiler alert: this is not the case). When I met Luke it was clear he was most at home, hiking and being outdoors, and I thought this was a perfect opportunity for us to put our two dreams together. 

After researching long-distance hikes in Africa, the Congo Nile Trail was one of the hikes that stood out to both of us (along with the Fish River Canyon and Otter Trail). It was then that my dream of visiting Rwanda came back and all that was left was to convince Luke... Outdoors? Check. Hiking? Check. Incredible views? Check. Opportunity for outdoor shopping? Check. I knew this wasn't going to be hard. 

Weather

It’s not difficult to know that Rwanda sits just south of the equator, which means that it is common to experience hot temperatures and humidity. However, the high altitudes means that it can add a cooling breeze to a day, which is highly appreciated when hiking. 

Rwanda has 2 seasons, a dry and a wet season. Their dry seasons run from June to September and December to February. Speaking from experience, this doesn’t, however, mean it will be dry the whole time. Out of 6 nights on the trail, we had a thunderstorm through 3 of them. These were some of the loudest and heaviest storms that we have heard and each time we made sure that we didn’t use the electrics. Mostly, the night time rain had dried up by the time morning came around, but it did mean some of the rivers and streams were faster flowing then usual. 

Choosing to hike in August meant that most days were around 30°C (86°F) and around 50-60% humidity (the maximum we had was 75%). At times the sun and heat did completely destroy our energy, especially when walking up the bigger hills, but we found that it was manageable if you set off earlier in the morning. This way most of the hiking was out of the way before the heat of the day came around.

Locals

Walking the Congo Nile Trail, inevitably means passing through local villages. This is something that definitely takes some getting used to, and if you are unfamiliar with East African villages, their attitude may seem rude or intrusive. But you will quickly learn that this is just their way of life and in reality, they are just fascinated. 

One thing to expect from this trail is lots of attention! 

People, especially children, will be very curious about you and will undoubtedly call you “mzungu”. This is a term you will quickly understand to mean ‘white person’. The word derives from Swahili, but was quickly adopted by other East African countries. It is not used in a derogatory way, but you will more than likely hear this phrase hundreds of times in a day.

Along with this term, lots of locals will say “hello” and “good morning” to you - no matter the time of day. Lots will carry on a conversation and ask your name or “how are you”, otherwise will continue to ask for money, water or food. Their go to phrase of “give me money” (sometimes confused with “good morning”) was frequent amongst children. We found a firm ‘no’ was sufficient - most of the time - but others did get enjoyment out of continuing.

We were unsure if each child knew what they were asking for or whether it was just a learned phrase for amusement and you do feel slightly horrible to leave them empty handed - but you can’t give something to one and nothing to others. This is a mentality that is important on the walk. 

Some children will choose to walk with you. Some will wave and call out from a distance or even follow in silence or try to provide directions, however this came with a request for a donation. We had one boy with us for a couple of miles who just wanted a conversation. 

It is important to note that you shouldn’t give out money, food or water out to the children. We spoke with the hosts at each of the guesthouses and found that donating a little extra to them meant that something went back into the community. 

Waymarks

On the whole, this path is well waymarked. From the arrow directions, to the brown ‘road’ signs, you will mostly find your way on the trail. If for any reason you miss a sign, locals are quick to make sure you get back on track, but bear in mind this may come with a request for money afterwards. 

Despite the path being well marked, you may find yourself walking for a while having not seen one or come to a cross road that isn’t marked. We found it helpful to have downloaded offline maps. Luke used WikiLocs and I used Maps.me, both are easy to install. This was mostly for reassurance, but at times they were needed. 

Guide

A guide is definitely not essential for this hike. Along with the signs and offline maps, we found the trail easy enough to navigate. 

Having a guide would allow you to have a better understanding of the culture and community and, with your direction, they could take you off the main trail into some of the local villages. Guides could also be helpful when locals are becoming tiring and can communicate better with them, in order for you to be left alone. 

We found that not having a guide allowed for us to explore at our own pace, but also keep costs down. Any questions that we had along the trail were usually answered by our hosts at the guesthouse.

If a guide is more your speed, we did see a few advertised online when looking into options or when booking accommodation, the hosts may be able to help you out as well. 

Camping

Camping is an option along the route and most guest houses will let you pitch up inside their grounds for a small fee. We would recommend this because it will give you access to water and cooked meals if you are willing to pay for them. It will also give you some privacy and a degree of security to your belongings. It is worth contacting the individual guest houses whilst planning your trip to see what is possible.

Other Hikers/Bikers 

As mentioned previously, this trail isn’t the most well-known. Within the 5 days of being on the trail, we only saw other hikers/bikers in 2 sets of accommodation. The first encounter was in Kinunu where we were also staying with 2 couples who were cycling some sections of the trail. The next time was in Bumba, where we met a family and a solo traveller, both who were hiking. 

We never met other hikers/bikers whilst on the trail, but that is not to say it doesn’t happen. The lack of other tourists does add to the secrecy of the walk, but don’t worry the locals will ensure that you’re not on your own.