Kibuye

Kibuye is a city in Karongi district on the shores of lake Kivu and it’s the headquarters of the western province in Rwanda.

The fact that it is on the shores of lake Kivu, it offers the city some stunning views of the lake.

From Kigali to kibuye, it is 80km distance of 124km which takes approximately 2hrs and 15minutes to get there.

Kibuye has various attractions which include; lake Kivu, Bisesero genocide memorial, museum of environment, Kivu boat tours, kibuye blue monkey tours and boat trip and Kivu sunrise safaris among others.

The museum of the environment is one of the eight museums that make up the institution of National museums of Rwanda. It is found near lake Kivu has two floors with a traditional herbal medicine garden on its rooftop.

It looks at both renewable and non renewable sources of energy. It is a well designed center for both education and for visitors. It helps people to understand the usefulness of their environment and how they can safeguard it ensuring sustainable development.

It is found southeast 30km from kibuye. More than 50,000 Tutsi fled here in the hope of evading interahamwe. It is known as the memorial of resistance.

In more than one month time, that’s between may and June brave individuals were able to defend themselves and fighting back due to resistance against the massacres by interahamwe.

The big fight that will never be forgotten of 13^th may where people gathered on top of muyira hill with stones and other local weapons ready to defend themselves.

Many survived until the French invaded on 13^th  June and they reached Bisesero on 27^th  June who later left claiming to be back in 3 days. The moment they left, interahamwe started killing l, and slaughtering human kind like nothing.

30^th June that’s when they came back but thousands of people were killed, others badly wounded.

Bisesero memorial site is now home for 50,000 genocide victims where graves to rest bodies are constructed and buildings full of history.

There are 22 places to stay in kibuye that provide accommodation services well suited to the requirements including; Home saint jean, Rebero Kivu resort , Rwiza village, Kivu lodge, Moriah hill resort, spa shallum, macheo Eco lodge camping, Rushel Kivu lodge, karongi lake view retreat.

All the above are perfect places for a weekend retreat.