Chegera Island; a tranquil tourist and birder’s haven in DR Congo

“Is this beautiful place in Congo,” asked Jemmima Nalumansi, about a month ago, when I posted a photo of Chegera Island on my WhatsApp status. She could not believe that there were places to  go for holiday in Congo. 

Like Nalumansi, from what I have been watching and reading in the news, I have always imagined that the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was characterised by war, a country where gun shots are the order of the day. 

This kind of picture was repainted on one of the evenings in the first week of June, when I set foot on Chegera Island.

I realised that beyond what I hear about Congo, there is not only life to enjoy, but also a tranquil island suitable for a weekend getaway.

Chegera is one of the smallest islands on Lake Kivu that is part of Virunga National Park. It lies in the North East of Goma City, which is approximately a 40-minute- drive from Goma City to Lake Kivu shores.

It will take you 10 to 15 minutes on a speed engine boat to get there from the shore to the island. 

The island has no wild animals, except three non-endemic monkeys that were rescued from poachers.

From 1998, during the second liberation war, locals in Congo had occupied the island and had started destroying its natural habitat for human settlement. 

In 2014, the island was reclaimed by park authorities, who embarked on the journey of restoration and opened it to tourists the same year. 

Activities 
Patient Namegabe, the camp manager says the three square kilometre island is home to a variety of more than 200 bird species.

This makes it a haven for birders.

However, it is during the walk on the trail that goes around the island that you are able to watch these birds playing and hanging on tree branches. 

It is advisable not to throw stones at the birds as this scares them away. Apart from birding, in the afternoon and evening, the lake water is calm, making it suitable for swimming, kayaking and paddling.

At sunset, the island is cool where you could engage in sports such as football and volleyball on the provided courts. 

Accommodation 
Apart from Chegera’s tranquility, the highlight of the visit to the island was the sight of Nyamuragira and Nyiragongo volcanic mountains and a chain of other smaller mountains such as Shahero, Mikeno and Karisimbi mountains while lying on my cottage bed. 

The scary bit of my night at Chegera was the windy heavy downpour at approximately 2am that woke me and my roommate, Freddie Ruterana who had gone to bed, tipsy.

Set up three metres from the lake, what saved the cottage we slept in from being washed into the lake and hit by strong water waves, was that its edge was raised with a thin layer of stones to avoid water intrusion and tightly tied to the metallic pillars.

The bamboo trees and other vegetation around the cottages also serve as wind breakers. 

“I almost ran out of the cottage last night. I was worried that we were going to die in Congo. I did not catch sleep again until it stopped raining,” said Rutrerana over breakfast. 

The strong and thick-walled cottage, whose floor has finishes of shiny and soft plastic, is a complete home, with a bigger and small bed, only that it has no kitchen.

You can only order food from the island kitchen or have packed snacks and of hot water. It gets cold in the evening. 

Rates 
Namegabe says accommodation on Chegera Island is in two categories; day trip guests and overnight guests. For day trips, where you are picked from the shore to the island at 9am and you will part with Shs126,000, which is equivalent to $35 per person. 

This includes a barbecue lunch, consisting of roasted beef, roasted Irish potatoes, salads, fruits, sardine fish, locally known as sambaza- a local delicacy from Lake Kivu.

It is prepared by deep frying or roasting and other dishes. Your staycation at the island ends at 4pm, when you are taken back to the mainland, en route Goma.  

The rates for overnight sleepovers is Shs648,000 ($180) for a couple and Shs432,000 for singles. This also includes transport from the mainland to the island, breakfast and fun activities on the island. These costs apply to all nationals. 

It is advisable to visit the web portal www.virunga.org and book your visit to the island two days before you travel. Physically, you can book your visit to the island at Goma City at the border of Congo and Rwanda. 

200 
The three square kilometre island is home to a variety of more than 200 bird species. This makes it a haven for birders.

It is during the walk on the trail that goes around the island that you are able to watch the birds.  

Apart from birding, the lake water is calm, making it suitable for swimming, kayaking and paddling. 

Sights to behold  
Volcanoes
Apart from Chegera’s tranquility, the highlight of the visit to the island was the sight of Nyamuragira and Nyiragongo volcanic mountains and a chain of other smaller mountains such as Shahero, Mikeno and Karisimbi mountains while lying on my cottage bed.