5 Days Cycling along the Congo Nile Trail

While on your Rwanda safari, you can choose to indulge in Rwanda cycling tour on the famous Congo-Nile trail. This Cycling tour will take you on the much coveted Congo-Nile trail which runs in western Rwanda partly along the Lake Kivu with beautiful views of the lake. It takes you through beautiful scenery and villages with locals going about their life. The tour is for 5 days if camping in villages and for 6 days if staying at Guesthouses spread throughout the trail. However one can choose to take on only a few days choosing to join in or exit at any point.

Itinerary for Rwanda Cycling tour

The Congo-Nile trail is well-marked with several stopovers in villages which offer camping sites, shops and guesthouses for those who prefer this. The trail primarily follows rocky, dirt roads that wind up and around the numerous hills between Gisenyi and Kamembe. Do not expect a pleasant rural single track – you will be sharing the road with motorcycle traffic and the occasional beer delivery trucks or minibus. There are a few long climbs, you will be ascending and descending between intervals of 1450 and 1800 meters.

Food and Water – Both are available throughout the entire trail. You are never more than 5-10 km from a village with a drink shop.

Distance covered per day on the Congo-Nile trail

Day 1: Gisenyi to Kinunu – 41 km – ride takes 5 to 6 hours. The first day features the steepest elevation climb. Do remember that you are allowed to pace yourself.

Day 2: Kinunu to Kibuye – 50 km and takes about 5 to 8 hours. Day 2 on the road to Kibuye has the most hills spread out – definitely the most taxing day.

Day 3: Kibuye to Mugonero – 35km, about 3 to 5 hours. Day 3 to Mugonero is short, but incorporates the highest climb of the trip to 1,887 meters.

Day 4: Mugonero to Kibogora – 35 km about 4 to 5 hours. Day 4, you rapidly descend to 1,440 meters (Lake Kivu level) and climb back up to 1,750 meters over 10+ kilometers.

Day 5: Kibogora to Kamembe – 54 km about 5 to 6 hours. Day 5 is easy – you’re on beautiful new tarmac road and there are only minor rolling hills.

Below is a list of some of the guesthouses where you can stay while cycling the Congo-Nile trail. If you stay at guesthouse, the tour will take 6 days because of the location of the guesthouses.