Lake Kivu Fishing Tour: A Unique Night Experience You Shouldn’t Miss
A Lake Kivu fishing tour is a special experience! I recently went with my mom, sister, and husband and we all loved it.
If you only have one night in the Lake Kivu area, I suggest doing a Lake Kivu fishing tour in the evening and then a full day boat tour the next morning. These experiences complement each other really well.
I went on my tour with Kivu Dream Boat Tours with Fidel and English-speaking tour guide, Aimable. Fidel is very responsive and well organized.
Lake Kivu Fishing Tour Logistics
- Time: 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Experience: Sunset views combined with a Lake Kivu fishing tour and cultural explanations
- Includes: Motorboat ride and time on traditional fishing boats
- Contact: Fidel via WhatsApp at +250785 855765
- Pick up location: Kibuye (but other locations like Kisenyi, Rutsiro, and Rusizi can be arranged)
- Price: USD 50/pp
Starting the Tour
The Lake Kivu fishing tour started at 5:00 p.m., and we were picked up directly from our accommodation, Cormoran Lodge. (If you need advice on where to stay around Lake Kivu, check out my suggestions).
Fidel and Aimable arrived about 10 minutes early, which was perfect because we were ready to go! We got on the boat and started with some background information about the Lake Kivu area as we headed out.
The First Stop
Our first stop was near the shore where the fishermen depart. The traditional fishing boats are called pirogues, and they are long, narrow wooden boats with slim logs on either side that are used for the nets.
We followed the boats as the fishermen began singing. Three boats always travel together, which is part of how they catch the fish. The men were singing traditional fishing songs in Kinyarwanda, and it was amazing!
Even though it was a cloudy evening, we still caught a glimpse of the sunset, which made the experience even better.
Joining the Fishermen
After the fishermen decided on their fishing spot, we joined them on their boat around 5:50 p.m. This was one of the most memorable parts of the Lake Kivu fishing tour.
In Rwanda, it gets dark quickly. Night starts to fall around 6:15 p.m., and by 6:30 p.m., it was completely dark. We watched the fishermen prepare.
Our guide, Aimable, came with us, and there was also a student fisherman who spoke English, which made it easy to ask questions and really understand what was happening.
The captain oversees all three boats. Early in the evening, the fishermen connect the boats together using logs and set up the nets.
Then, the captain sets up lights on either side of the boats to attract insects in the water, which in turn attract the fish.
After that, it became a waiting game. The fishermen organized their equipment, rested, and chatted, while waiting for the fish to gather.
Catching the Fish
Two hours went by quickly as we were asking questions constantly to our tour guide. Around 8:00 p.m., the fishermen began pulling in the nets. The process of fishing on Lake Kivu is more complex than it looks!
As the nets are spread between the three boats, each boat begins to pull the next up and to trap the fish.
Then the net is dragged from one side to the other and all the fish are pulled up. It’ll make sense when you go on the tour…
Most of what we saw were small fish called sambaza. Be sure to order a sambaza dish at a restaurant in the area (or at your hotel). The tiny fish are delicious when freshly fried and served with tartar sauce. Wilhelm even helped pull part of the net, which was a fun moment. We saw a small portion of the catch, but the full process continues.
Heading Back
At around 8:15 p.m., while the fishermen were still working, we got back onto the motorboat and headed back to Cormoran Lodge.
We had pre-ordered dinner, so everything was ready for us when we arrived around 8:30 p.m., which was the perfect way to end the evening.
Overall Experience and Expectations from a Lake Kivu Fishing Tour
I absolutely loved this Lake Kivu fishing tour. Experiencing firsthand what the fishermen do out on the lake at night was beautiful.
I did not really know what to expect going into it, but I ended up learning so much. It felt like a very authentic and unique experience while on Lake Kivu.