Lake Kivu

While Lake Kivu isn't a single destination, it's worth mentioning because of the vast number of attractions and activities it provides visitors to Rwanda from its location on the country's far western border. It stretches from Gisenyi in the north to the cosmopolitan island of Ishwa in the south, covering more than 2,700 square kilometers.

Visitors will be able to see traditional fishing communities on stilts, clusters of characteristic catamaran skiffs on the water, a sprinkling of lovely tropical islands, and possibly even the more contemporary outlines of busy natural gas extractors above the lake along the way of Lake Kivu. Geologists discovered evidence of significant local extinctions every thousand years around the lake, likely triggered by outgassing episodes.

• Location: Rwanda
• Timing: Open all day
• Famous for: one of three known to have limnic eruptions
• Entry Fee: Free
• Best Time To Visit: If you want to spend your holiday at Lake Kivu, the dry seasons are the best time to go.