Ruhengeri

Ruhengeri

The bustling market town of Ruhengeri is set in a memorable setting at the foot of the Virunga Mountains. It is the third largest city in Rwanda and the capital of Musanze District. On the edge of the town of Ruhengeri, Musanze's natural bridge, a solidified lava flow, is a stunning monument to the volcanic activity that shaped this picturesque area. The town itself is quite pleasant, with a network of small potholed roads in the center and a bustling central market. Ruhengeri is close to the twin lakes, Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo, and is the gateway to the Volcanoes National Park in the northwest of the country, and the famous Mountain Gorillas. Lake Ruhondo is one of two lakes formed by volcanic activity on the Sabyinyo Volcanic Mountain. Lake Ruhondo is divided from Lake Burera by a 1 km stretch of land. Lake Burera lies northeast of its twin sister, Lake Ruhondo, into which it flows via a stream called Ntaruka. It is almost twice the size of Lake Ruhondo, and despite being separated by only 600 meters, the two lakes are separated by a dramatic 100-meter difference in elevation.