The pleasantly open-plan Lake Kivu Serena Hotel is located on the white sandy shores of Lake Kivu. The hotel is surrounded by extensive tropical gardens and features a large pool and direct access to the private beach.

The hotel offers 66 standard rooms (25m2) with balconies, six suites (40m2) with lounge and large terrace, a panoramic restaurant, indoor and beachside bars, a large swimming pool, and the ‘Maisha' Health Centre offering treatments, boating, swimming, volley ball, tennis, fishing.

The hotel stands on the shores of Lake Kivu, just outside the small town of Gisenyi, which is 160km or a 3-hour drive from Kigali and minutes from the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo and the city of Goma.

Gisenyi is the ultimate beach paradise for Kigali families. The quality of the beach is not comparable to the Seychelles, but if you are keen on having a swim in Africa's sixth largest lake, this is a good place to tick if off your list.

Two border crossings, the 'Grand Barrière' and the 'Petite Barrière', connect Gisenyi with neighbouring Goma in Democratic Republic of Congo. The two towns are pretty much grown together and lots of heavy traffic moves goods from one side to the other. As long as everything is clean and neat, you are still in Rwanda. Once the radios start playing loud music and street scenes become more chaotic, you know you are in DRC.

Tennis, volleyball, boating, swimming in Lake Kivu or in the large swimmingpool.

Volcanoes National Park is just an hour-drive away and if you get up early you can reach Ruhengeri in time for the gorilla trekking.

Visits to Virunga National Park in DRC usually start from here.

SwissAfrican Travel Service
Dammstrasse 27
8702 Zollikon
Zurich, Switzerland


Telephone: +41 (0)44 451 40 51