Explore Lake Muhazi in Rwanda : Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills, has preserved its beauty and mastered the art of keeping it remarkable. The serenity and gracefulness of the green terraces, as well as the stunning scenery of the hills, are outstanding symbols of this country. Rwanda is argued to be a country offering the best that Africa has to offer. We should not underestimate the influence of water in shaping Rwanda’s landscape and providing its inhabitants with refreshment. Rwandans build most of their towns and the best rest spots on the shores of water bodies. All the rivers, inland deltas, and lakes passing through mountains on their way to the rivers Kagera, Nyabarongo, Akagera, and Muvumba form an important source of freshwater and a habitat for a rich variety of wildlife.
One of the rest spots built in the mountainous region of Rwanda is the beautiful Lake Muhazi, which is visible for several kilometres when approaching the eastern town of Rwamagana. The one hundred-twenty-kilometer drive from Kigali to Kibungo descends and then climbs gently towards the town, giving visitors an incredibly enchanting image of the gorgeous lake. This large, veritable inland sea attracts many who are interested in having a boat ride and/or water sport experience, as well as relaxation seekers who just want to lie on the sandy beaches, bask in the sun, and take a refreshing swim. Lake Muhazi provides the ideal vacation and weekend break for the people of Kigali, as it is only a forty-minute drive away. The locals have traditionally turned to fish to satisfy their dietary requirements, and the benefits of Lake Muhazi have come to the fore. Fish sellers always leave the beaches with a good share of the day’s catch available at affordable prices.
Lake Muhazi is a freshwater lake located about 12 kilometers from Rwamagana, an eastern city. It is a long and thin lake, up to 1000 meters in width and about 28 kilometers long. Much of the way, nature has endowed its shoreline with white sandy beaches and towering, proliferating lush green shrubs. These plants serve as bird sanctuaries because they attract a wide variety of bird species. The lake’s width varies considerably, and in some places, Lake Muhazi is little more than a canal. The shrubs and the nearby wetland harbor a wide variety of species. The lake has provided the rural population in the area with a variety of activities, including fish pond management, fishing management, and crop cultivation in wetlands.
The lake is fed by the Ingaramboko river and the Nyabagogo swamp, while the Akagera River exits from the north. Overflow and drainage from the catchment area begin at the onset of the rains (in September), and their input increases with rainfall. There are no rivers flowing east into Lake Muhazi. Instead, colonies of the internationally endangered species of the rare Ephedra striata plant line the shores in this area, providing grass and seed production, which is an income-generating activity for the community.
The 82 km2 catchment area is made up of wet and marshy, hilly, and clay soils, with residential settlements alternating with stands of tea, banana plantations, and some other food crop farming throughout the hilly area. Reports indicate a growing prevalence of tea planting, with nearly all the hills’ suitable land now adorned with tea plants. Above all, Lake Muhazi provides a variety of activities for visitors, some of which we can list below:
Bird WatchingÂ
The lake has a variety of bird species, including the malachite kingfishers, pied kingfishers, the African fish eagles, arrow-marked, black-lured swamp flycatchers, village weavers, the African paradise flycatchers, bronze, scarlet-chested, white-breasted cormorants, yellow-fronted canaries, yellow-billed storks, open-billed cattle egrets, and the grey-crowned cranes.
Fishing & Beach Camping
There are also numerous fish species, such as marbled lungfish and tilapia. This lake is also famous for tourism because it features two main resorts, including the Seeds of Peace Centre, which offers accommodation facilities and a beach. Tourists who travel to Rwanda use these as stopovers to and from Akagera National Park, which is famous for wildlife viewing. It also offers bird watching, fishing, as well as amazing boat safaris.
How to get to Lake Muhazi, Rwanda
You can travel to Lake Muhazi by bus or private car, as it is only approximately 100 km away from Kigali, the main capital. The road is well-maintained and clear, leading directly to the entrance of Muhazi beach, which serves as the lake’s entrance.
