Lake Kivu
Swimming, boats out to the islands, and the fishermen rowing home at dusk.
The royal court at Nyanza, thatched as it stood, with the long-horned Inyambo cattle.
A reconstruction of the traditional royal residence, the King's Palace is a beautifully-crafted thatched dwelling shaped like a beehive.
In olden times, Nyanza was the heart of Rwanda. According to oral tradition, it was the site of battles and power struggles. For a long time the monarchy was mobile, moving the court between various locations; when it eventually settled in one place, Nyanza was the obvious choice. The capital of the kingdom had as many as 2,000 inhabitants, in huts built by the same methods as the one you can walk into here.
At the back live a few long-horned Inyambo cattle, descended from the king's herd, whose keepers carefully tend and sing to them, keeping alive a unique tradition. The elegant cows, derived from the wider Ankole breed, played an important role during ceremonies in honour of the king: they were decorated with rich jewellery, and were taught to listen to a trainer's songs and follow his movements in a stately parade.
Rwanda ceased to be a monarchy in 1962, when it gained independence from colonial rule. The breeding and grooming of Inyambo is still carried out under the Rwanda Agriculture Board.
The nearby Ethnographic Museum in Huye houses one of Africa's finest ethnographic collections, and makes a good combination with the King's Palace.
Words and photographs on this page: Visit Rwanda · credits
Swimming, boats out to the islands, and the fishermen rowing home at dusk.
Gorilla and golden-monkey trekking in the Virungas. Permits go months ahead.
227 km of lakeshore track. Walk a morning of it or ride the lot in five days.
Rainforest, chimpanzees and a canopy walkway sixty metres above the valley.
Stay on the lake and drive out from here — most of this is a day trip from your room.