Visit Cyangugu, Rwanda

Cyangugu is the most southerly of Lake Kivu's ports. It sprawls along a road through the green hills that run down to the lake shore.

The upper town is a lively business centre and aside from the views of the lake and a couple of flaking colonial era buildings it lacks a little in character.

The lower town of Cyangugu

Far more intriguing however, is the lower town — Cyangugu proper. It is situated on the lake shore, alongside a bridge across the Rusizi River, which is also the main border crossing between southern Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In years gone by the town must have been rather grand and prosperous, today however, it is more of a ghost town with many of the buildings dilapidated.

That said, it does have an atmospheric feel to it and almost resembles an old film set of a movie about some colonial West African trading back water. The lakeside setting is lovely and there are some good hotels from which to explore more off the beaten track destinations such as the Bugarama Hot Springs, Cyamudongo Forest and Nyungwe.