Escape from the city to Lake Muhazi

Going out of town is a great way to escape noisy, urban life. Lake Muhazi, located in Rwanda’s Eastern Province, offers the perfect spot to get away.

We decided to visit the lake recently as I had not been there before. It is just 30km from Kigali. However, when we got there we were disappointed to find that Jambo Beach, a popular bar and restaurant on the shore, was closed.

The restaurant’s prime location on the lakeshore gives visitors a great view of the lake that is 60 km long and 5 km wide. We opted to go to another place nearby called Seeds of Peace.

Seeds of Peace is a guest house that offers a lake view with a beautiful garden, and is quiet and serene. It is a perfect spot for picnics. The waitress told us that it is owned by the Anglican Church, and as such they do not serve alcohol.

The food was great, but the fish order is not guaranteed; the restaurant has to place an order in advance with the fishermen who make the deliveries.

There is no beach or swimming area at Seeds of Peace; we were told such activities are available at Jambo Beach. We went on a ride on the lake and spotted some boats cruising at high speed, which could belong to the marines.

There are several bird species in the area, making it ideal for birders.

Lake Muhazi is well known because the president has a house nearby and a farm where he sometimes hosts his guests.

A newly married couple was using the beautiful grounds to take pictures of their wedding day.

If you visit Seeds of Peace, be sure to go into the traditional king hut. It is a grass house, fashioned after the king's hut in Rwandan monarchy.

We went inside and were served milk in traditional cups called ibyansi.