Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera are Rwanda’s beautiful twin lakes found at the base of volcano Muhabura. These twin lakes Ruhondo and Burera are just so close to the border of Rwanda and Uganda at the edges of volcanoes national park. Volcanoes national park is famous for mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera are called twin lakes because they are very close to each other and one lake feds into the other. The twin lakes Ruhondo and Burera are separated by a 1km stretch of land which was formed after the eruption of Mountain Sabyinyo.

Twin lakes Ruhondo and Burera were formed as a result of volcanicity, where River Nyabarongo the largest river in Rwanda used to flow north wards to Ndorwa many years ago. Due to volcanic eruption that took place in the volcanic region in north of Rwanda, precisely because of eruption of Muhabura volcano which is now a dormant volcano, the lava flows from the volcanoes blocked river Nyabarongo’s channel thus leading to the formation of Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera.

Taking a boat cruise at Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera gives you a chance to explore 5 out of 8 Virunga Mountains namely Mountain Muhabura, Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Sabyinyo, Mountain Karisimbi and Mountain Bisoke. The boat cruise makes you see aquatic animals in the lakes such as fish, birds among which include yellow bill storks, sacred ibis, yellow bill ducks, African fish eagle, African crown crane, black sawing, cormorant, weaver and hadaba ibis among others. While at Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera, you will see people transporting goods using sampan and others will be fishing on the lakes.

When you visit Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera, you will have a chance of meeting the local community living around the lakes. The people around the lakes will rush the lake side, singing and dancing happily to the island. You can as well proceeds and go visit the villages around the twin lakes. Get entertained as you get off the boat, to traditional dances and songs together with them.

These beautiful lakes Ruhondo and Burera together with their swamp Rugezi are outstanding, calm and scenic places not only boat cruise and bird watching but also sightseeing as one of the best places in East Africa.

Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera are located about 30 minutes’ drive from volcanoes national park headquarters with less than a mile passing through small villages. The lakes are surrounded by steep rolling hills and waterfalls from volcanic mountains. Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera are separated by a 1km wide strip of land which is was a lava flow from Mountain Sabyinyo now a dormant volcano. The views of the twin lakes Ruhondo and Burera from the hillside are amazing.

Tourists can combine gorilla tracking or golden monkey trekking in volcanoes national park Rwanda with a visit to Lake Ruhondo and Burera in the afternoon. There are so many lodges in Musanze town where you can stay and visit the twin lakes. The lodges include Bisate Lodge by wilderness safaris, Singita Kwitonda lodge and One and Only Gorilla Nest, these are luxury lodges for luxury travelers. Other lodges include Five Volcanoes, Bishops House, Da Vinci and Mountain Gorilla View Lodge all offering comfortable accommodation to the guests who sleep there while visiting Volcanoes National Park, Musanze town and Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera.

If you happen to visit the twin Lake Ruhondo and Burera you can also visit Lake Ihema found in Akagera national park and Lake Rwanyakazinga where you find hippos, buffaloes, elephants, Nile crocodiles and a number of different bird species.