LAKESIDE STORY

LAKE KIVU LOOKS LIKE A TRANQUIL PARADISE AT FIRST GLANCE. HOWEVER, IT HIDES A VOLATILE MYSTERY IN ITS EMERALD GREEN DEPTHS

- KALPANA SUNDER

DRIVING THROUGH WINDING ROADS, PAST women in colourful kitenge dresses, tin-roofed houses and hillsides of red earth covered with pine, eucalyptus trees, and banana plantations, we catch our first glimpse of the mirror-like Lake Kivu from a distance.

Situated in the African Rift Valley, Lake Kivu, shared by both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), stretches for 89 km and is Rwanda's largest lake. Millions of years old, it looks more like an inland sea. A deep shade of green, with clumps of volcanic islands, it's surrounded by terraced hill slopes with macadamia, coffee and banana plantations.

Though the lake looks idyllic, it hides a secret in its depths. Not many people know that due to tectonic activity in the area, the lake contains a volatile mix of dissolved carbon dioxide and methane laced with toxic hydrogen sulfide. At its bottom, an earthquake or a volcanic eruption could trigger a gas release known as a limbic eruption. The lake, however, is considered safe for swimming as there are no animals like hippos or crocodiles lurking in its waters.

Resort towns with beaches and a laid-back vibe line the shores of the lake and it is a popular getaway destination for the locals of this landlocked country. Many come here to hike or cycle on the surrounding trails, kayak or explore a part of the legendary Congo Nile trail-a 227 km stretch that takes ten days to complete on foot.

Our first stop on the lake is the small town of Karongi, which comes alive in August with thousands of yellow-billed kites as they migrate. Today, seeing the tranquil town, it's hard to believe that it witnessed one of the worst massacres of 1994 when more than 10,000 Tutsis were killed. The sombre Genocide Memorial Church with stained glass windows stands on a hill, in testimony of this tragedy.