The 9 Best Boat Trips in Rwanda

1.Lake Kivu Boat Trips & Experiences

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · from $50Our pick

Set out on a private Lake Kivu boat ride with guides such as Josiane, Shema, or Patrick. Expect island views, local stories, and flexible stops. Add a coffee tour, Nyamyumba Hot Springs with a local massage, sunset hiking, the Congo night trail, or night fishing for an extra fee.

“The lake is beautiful with some islands and birds. The captain and the tour guide miss Giselle was wonderful, very friendly and experienced, her passionate commentary was so impressive”

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2.Full-Day Akagera Safari + Optional Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 27 reviews · 1 day · from $200

Leave Kigali early for a full-day Akagera safari in a 4x4 vehicle. Guides such as Paul, Elvis, Mico, and Egide Alex focus on wildlife, local life, and safe driving. Expect six hours of game viewing, a picnic lunch, lakeside scenery, and an optional Lake Ihema boat ride.

“Really great, we didn’t get to see lions, but thats just the way it is. We saw a lot of different animals though. Out guide was really really nice and forthcoming. We booked three tours during our stay in Rwanda, all of them amazing. The guides all went above and beyond, my wife wanted a special cover, so the guides took us to a local market. Overall really great experience. Thank you Paul!”

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3.Cool Share Day Akagera Game Drive, Daily Depart, Boat Ride, Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 25 reviews · from $220

Leave Kigali at 5:00 a.m. for a shared 4WD trip to Akagera National Park. With a driver-guide, picnic lunch, wildlife drive, and one-hour Lake Ihema boat ride, you can see elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions, hippos, birds, and more in one long day.

“My driver was exceptional. He knew all the names of the birds and the trees. He stopped whenever I was interested in anything and I was interested in everything. What struck me most was the abundance of birds and butterflies. The boat ride was exceptional also. A young Read more”

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4.Full Day Akagera National Park Game Drive and Boat Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $430

Leave Kigali at 5:00 am for a private Akagera safari with a professional driver-guide, a six-hour game drive, and a one-hour Lake Ihema boat ride. Expect rhinos, lions, elephants, hippos, giraffes, and antelopes, plus an Imigongo art stop. Pickup is available in Kigali or at the airport.

“Long drive on dirt roads and heavy traffic Water was not available as promised Xx man f hi j e f c,!(/!(.,!,,!,,!”

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5.2-Day Akagera National Park Game Drive, Ihema boat trip with a Choice 4×4

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · from $400

Travel from Kigali to Akagera National Park for a private 2-day safari with a driver-guide, an Ihema Lake boat trip, and a full-day game drive. Choose transport only or add lodging at Akagera Game Lodge or Ruzizi Tented Lodge. A pop-up roof 4x4 gives you a better view of wildlife.

“Went on this safari experience with a group of 11! We had such an awesome time and our guides were so friendly and knowledgeable. Plus saw every kind of big 5 animal up close :)”

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6.Boat cruise and adventures -Karongi

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews

From Kibuye, Patrick and the Rwanda Travel Experts team take you by boat across Lake Kivu for island visits, bird watching, monkey encounters, swimming, and sunset views. Trips last about 1 to 12 hours, with pickup available and room to tailor the route to your interests.

“We had a great time with Patrick in lake Kivu. He picked us up on time and took a tour visiting 4 islands. He shared with us a lot of interesting things about the nature around the people living around. The lake and places we stopped where beautiful. An amazing peacefRead more”

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7.1-Day Lake Kivu Karongi Boat Cruise & Coffee farming with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · from $380

Leave Kigali at 6 a.m. for Ndaba Rock and Karongi, then cruise Lake Kivu to Amahoro and Napoleon islands. You’ll hike, eat lunch by the water, and choose an Environmental Museum visit or coffee-farming tour. Guide Augustine may lead the day, with hotel and airport transfers included.

“Beautiful Lodge on the edge of Lake Kivu, Stunning views, I was staying with my Daughter and family in Rubengera, so we went a for dinner at this venue three times. Food was good, although the menu is rather limited, but considering the remoteness, I’m not surprised, Pretty Rustic Hotel.”

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8.8 Hour Day-trip Lake Kivu Cruise Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · from $306

Leave Kigali at 7:00 AM in a luxury 4x4 Toyota Landcruiser for Lake Kivu. Enjoy lunch at a local hotel, cruise past islands and terraced hillsides, hike Napoleon Island to see fruit bats, then return to Kigali with sightseeing and souvenir stops.

“Loved that our guide had so much knowledge and was willing to share it all . We saw so many animals that day that it was magical”

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9.Boat cruise in Twin lakes and Lake Kivu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $90

Spend about three hours on Rwanda’s Twin Lakes with a boat cruise, a short stop at historic Ntaruka Electrical Station, lunch, and bottled water. Guides such as Vincent and John have led this outing, which may include island walks and local activities. Pickup is offered, but private transport is not included.

“I recently had an exceptional experience with Beyond the Gorillas tours. My guide was John. There was a switch in guides the morning of because the first tour guide was running late. This was swiftly corrected by providing a different guide for Read more”

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