Explore Nkombo Island
Explore Nkombo Island: Rwanda‘s Secret Retreat Nkombo Island in the Rusizi Region of Rwanda‘s western province is the perfect place to relax after going chimpanzee tracking in the Nyungwe Forest National Park. The island, which lies in Lake Kivu, is 36 kilometers from Kitabi, the park’s western entrance gate, and is reachable by boat from Cyangugu town in 28 minutes. Cyangugu is the eighth and last section of the Congo-Nile bike trail. Visitors can take dirt bike rides along the shoreline, explore tea estates near Gisakura, and traverse the island on bicycles.
With a land area of 23 square kilometers, Nkombo is home to about 18,000 Mashi speakers. The Mashi dialect is uniquely linked to the Masi people of Southern Africa, namely Zambia and Namibia. It differs from Kinyarwanda in both vocabulary and sound.
Rwanda is now available to visitors who wish to experience its hospitality, peace, unity, and patriotism after surviving the horrifying genocide of 1994. Due to Kigali’s present reputation as one of the world’s safest and cleanest cities, a lot of people visit the Land of a thousand Hills. On Nkombo Island, the authentic and rustic side of Rwanda that you hardly see on TV has survived.
Tourism and welfare initiatives on the island of Nkombo
The international handwashing campaign and national hygiene initiative shifted its attention to Nkombo Island in 2014. The main objective was to teach the community how to alleviate poverty, create food security, enhance wellness, and improve cleanliness, since cholera and typhoid are diseases that are caused by inadequate sanitation.
Both locals and visitors now find the island to be a better place to live after that. Others have provided consolation and hope by building churches and schools, like the Church of the Holy Spirit. As a visitor to Rwanda, you still have time and opportunity to make a positive impact on the inhabitants. Nkombo Island may be included in a Rwandan wildlife tour that also visits the national parks of Nyungwe, Akagera, and Volcanoes.
Tourism development involves renovating Nkombo Island and improving people’s quality of life in tandem with preparing it to receive high-end safari visitors to Rwanda.
Advice for Nkombo Island Visitors
On Nkombo Island, you may engage in a variety of water sports, including boat rides, stand-up paddling, and kayaking.
Explore the Water Sports on Nkombo Island.
Visitors must take a boat, which is an experience in and of itself, to get to the island. A tour operator or guide can rent out kayaks, paddle boards, and boat cruises.
Make a donation.
If you tour the local villages, farms, or schools, you’ll undoubtedly run meet old people and kids. Make a plan in advance and provide it to them through your tour guide. Asking will reveal which places and products are in demand among the populace. Along with helping out local businesses that sell everything from food and drink to crafts and art, you may also donate cash, stationery, water purifiers and filters, or bar soap by hand. For instance, pottery made by Rwanda‘s Batwa minority may be found everywhere, from Kigali’s retail outlets to the town of Cyangugu’s marketplaces.
Tours of Coffee and Tea
Two significant commercial crops that are depicted on the national coat of arms are coffee and sorghum. Near Nyungwe Forest National Park, one of the beautiful tea estates is the Gisakura tea estate. In rural areas, practically every home grows coffee. Visit a farm or a farmer’s cooperative group to learn more about the coffee experience. Take a coffee tour to learn about the entire process, from planting to harvesting to the final preparation for consumption in a cup, and how it may benefit Rwanda’s small-scale farmers.
Trekking with Lowland Gorillas
Nkombo Island is the perfect island retreat for those who intend to explore Kahuzi Beiga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is well-known for being home to lowland gorillas. Near the Rwandan-DR Congo border, on the banks of the Rusizi River, is the town of Cyangugu. Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu Province, is connected to the other country by a bridge and is situated directly across the border. The only option available for the DR Congo Gorilla Trip is to trek lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega. This is not to be done from Goma City, but rather from Cyangugu Town in the North Kivu Province.
The Congo Nile Trail by bicycle
Cyangugu Town, on the eighth and last leg of the Congo-Nile Path, is a great place from Nkombo Island to ride. You can rent a bike and tour the island or the lakeside dirt paths with a local guide. Starting near the northern edge of Lake Kivu, the Congo-Nile Path begins at the tourist town of Gisenyi.
Trekking with Chimpanzees
After chimpanzee trekking, Nyungwe Forest National Park is the perfect island retreat. It is situated 55 km (about an hour’s drive) east of Cyangugu town. The park offers more than ten nature trails and a canopy walk for visitors to further explore the rich biodiversity of the area, which includes over 1,000 plants, 350 birds—16 of which are Albertine Rift Endemics—and 13 species of primates, including chimpanzees, Hamlyn’s monkeys, red colobus monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, and blue monkeys. Nyungwe lies 220 kilometers (5 hours) southwest of Kigali, the country’s capital. Nyungwe air travel is served by Kamembe Airport.
Tourism has made it possible to access remote areas and revitalize the economy, particularly in the Western province. Given the relatively smaller territory, the country doesn’t appear to have as many remote places. She’s witnessed a quick growth curve.