Tourism Activities Done at Tchegera island
What tourism activities are done at Tchegera island in Virunga national park of DR Congo? Tchegera island is located off the northern shores of Lake Kivu giving stunning views of the lake and Virunga volcano namely Mount Nyiragongo and Mount Nyamuragira. The island is a perfect place to visit and relax after a safari in Virunga national park. The island is one of the best places to visit after gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, or Nyiragongo hiking in Virunga national park.
A safari to DR Congo should include taking a visit to Tchegera island after all activities on the itinerary have been done. This is done to enable visitors have some relaxation as they enjoy the cool breeze from the freshwater lake. The island is home to small wildlife species and a number of birds of which some are endemic to the Albertine region.
During the campfire in the evening, Tchegera highland gives amazing views of the red-lit sky by the lava from Mountain Nyamuragira and Nyiragongo both located in Virunga national park. The island is a great place for those looking for honeymoon places after visiting Virunga national park. Travelers to Tchegera island use boats and on arrival at the island, the stuff is always ready to welcome in the area.
Below is a list of tourism activities done at Tchegera island;
Birding: Bird watching is one of the most done activities by the people who come to relax on Tchegera island. The birding activities on Tchegera island are guided and some of the birds that can be seen here include African Pied Wagtail, Tropical Boubou, common kestrel, Common Waxbill, Speckled Pigeons, Chin-spot Batis, Ashy Flycatcher, spotted Yellow-throated Greenbul, Cardinal Woodpecker, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Bronzed Sunbirds, African Pied Wagtail, and Spectacled Weaver among others.
Also, the shores of Lake Kivu offer opportunities of spotting the colorful Red-chested sunbirds, Southern Red Bishop, Hadada Ibis, Striated Heron, Yellow-fronted Canary, Common Waxbill, Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Black-headed Heron, African fish eagle, Sacred Ibis, Little bee-eater, Yellow-bellied Waxbill Holub’s Golden Weaver, Angola swallow, Bronzed Manakin, Variable Sunbird, Black-headed Weaver, and many others.
Boat cruise: Boat cruise is another activity done mostly by tourists who visit Tchegea island. The boat cruise is done in the morning or afternoon hours and it takes you around the lake as you encounter different fish species, birds, and surrounding areas such as mountains and islands.
Kayaking and paddle boarding: Kayaking and paddle boarding are some of the activities travelers at Tchegera island engage in. The activity enables the participants to explore the islands, the lake as they enjoy the cool breeze from the fresh waters.
Nature walks: Nature walks are other activities done by travelers that visit Tchegera island. The nature walks are done around the area to explore more of the vegetation, the lake, waters, birds, and its surroundings. Another activity that can be done on this island is sunset viewing.
How to get to Tchegera island
Getting to Tchegera island is done using a boat which can be got from Goma harbour or Kituku port. You can use the Virunga boat or hire your own private boat which takes about 20 minutes.
Where to stay on Tchegera island?
There is only one accommodation facility on Tchegera island where tourists can stay for a night or more and the place is called Tchegerea island camp. The lodge is a luxury one with the best tents that have en-suite bathrooms, warm showers, free Wi-Fi, hand hair driers, and private balconies that give spectacular views of Lake Kivu. They do cook local and international foods and they have well-trained staff.
What is the best time to visit Tchegera island?
Tchegera island can be visited at any time of the year but there are months that are better than the rest. The dry months of June to September and December to February are the best to visit this island because they are characterized by little or no rainfall and this doesn’t affect the activities done on the island. Due to little or no rainfall, the water levels on Lake Kivu are down and this does not affect the movement of the boats to and from the island.
Travelers can still visit Tchegera island for relaxation and different activities most especially birding in the rainy season of March to May and October to November but during these months, there is plenty of rainfall that makes the walking trails muddy and slippery, the skies are cloudy with unclear views of the surrounding and the water levels are high which might affect moving of the boats. The rainy season is the best time for birders because there are so many birds in this area that migrate to look for food.
