Rutsiro district is preparing for one of its most anticipated tourism events of the year. The Lake Kivu Beach Expo and Festival is scheduled to take place from 9 to 15 of December, 2025 at Boneza Public Beach along the shores of Lake Kivu in Western Province. The festival offers an excellent opportunity for local businesses to showcase their products and services.
It will also be used to promote tourism in and Lake Kivu, where during the expo people can learn about the diverse attractions and activities available in the area. A hiking competition will be held to allow hikers both men and women, to explore the spectacular scenery of Rutsiro district. In addition, the expo will also feature entertainment including a boat party, performances from cultural troops, international and local artists.
Rutsiro district is 126 km (3-hour) west of Kigali capital city. Located on the shores of Lake Kivu along the Congo Nile Divide ridge in the Albertine rift valley, Rutsiro is an off-the-beaten path adventure destination in Rwanda. Although not well known, it offers a wide range of things to do. The Congo Nile Trail, a 227 km adventure route in Rwanda that winds through Rutsiro district and along the shores of Lake Kivu. Which offers opportunities for hiking, biking, and kayaking experiences.
Gishwati Mukura national park, the newest protected area of Rwanda is also found in Rutsiro district. The park was created in 2015 following amalgamation of degraded natural forests into a protected area with buffer zones. Despite its small size of 34 sq. km, the park is rich in biodiversity including over 6 primate species which include golden monkeys, chimpanzees, blue monkeys, and L’hoes monkeys; 235 species of birds of which some are Albertine rift endemics including the Grauer’s swamp warbler, and over 60 tree species including Prunus Africana, Macaranga kilimandscharica, and highland bamboo (Yushania alpina).
Rutsiro is also famous for supporting the growing of high quality Arabica coffee due to the rich volcanic fertile soils and favorable climate. Coffee is grown mostly by small-holder farmers and is processed through washing stations including the Mushonyi washing station which won the Cup of Excellence Award for specialty coffee in 2014.
With such a diversity, the Rutsiro beach expo intends to bring to light the untapped tourism potential and also open up opportunities for local economic development and the tourism wider value chain.
Also in the vicinity of Rutsiro is Nyungwe forest national park located 125 km (2-hour drive) south of the district. Covering 1,019 sq. km, Nyungwe contains an Afromontane tropical forest rich in biodiversity including 1,000 plant species; 12 primate species including chimpanzees; 345 species of birds of which 16 are Albertine rift endemics.
With such spectacular scenery, rich biodiversity, and cultural heritage, the Rwanda Lake Kivu Beach Expo aims to promote the untapped tourism potential of Rutsiro as an emerging lakeside destination and encourage more investment in its tourism sector in among other districts neighboring Lake Kivu including Rubavu and Karongi.
Those intending to attend the festival can take advantage of the nearby attractions and be able to take day trips to Nyungwe for chimpanzee trekking safari or to Volcanoes national park a gorilla safari.