natural wonder
Lake Bunyonyi
A deep, bilharzia-free crater lake in the Kigezi highlands scattered with 29 islands and ringed by terraced hills. The steep murram road up from Kabale delivers the whole view at once.
53 km · about 60 min drive
AfricaDemocratic Republic of the CongoNorth Kivu
Rutshuru
North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo · Africa
About Rutshuru
Rutshuru sits on the route: 25 minutes from Kirumba, 53km from Lake Bunyonyi.
Rutshuru is in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, with about 83,000 people. The nearest town is Kirumba, about 20 km away.
Rutshuru is a town located in the North Kivu province of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is headquarters of an administrative district, the Rutshuru Territory. The town lies in the western branch of the Albertine Rift between Lakes Edward and Kivu. The Ugandan border is 15 km (9.3 mi) east and theRead more
Rwandan border is 30 km (19 mi) south-east.
Lava flows from the Nyamuragira volcano, 40 km (25 mi) south-west, have come within 7 km (4.3 mi) of the town in recent years. The town has over 800,000 inhabitants from many tribal backgrounds Nande, hunde and Pygmee.
It was the largest town controlled by the former National Congress for the Defence of the People rebel group. By November 2012, the town had become a stronghold of the March 23 Movement in their conflict with the Congolese government. After the defeat of the M23 rebellion the town was retaken by the Congolese army, and President Joseph Kabila paid a visit to the town in November 2013 after driving from Kisangani.
As part of M23's resurgence the group recaptured Rutshuru in October 2022.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Rutshuru?
Within an hour or so of Rutshuru: Lake Bunyonyi (53 km).
Where is Rutshuru?
Rutshuru is in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, about 20 km from Kirumba.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 82,680
- Continent
- Africa
- Country
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Region
- North Kivu
- Timezone
- Africa/Lubumbashi
- Coordinates
- -1.1867, 29.4467
Tags
Worth the detour from Rutshuru
1 notable place within an hour's drive.
When to drive here
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
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