Yesterday, I wrote something about my easy stroll along a beautiful lakeside footpath on the shore of Lake Kivu. The trail was paved by Ishara Beach Hotel, the establishment responsible for the creation of the equally beautiful man-made sandy beach on the picturesque piece of land.

I walked past the beach and the paved walkway. Farther ahead, I was swallowed by a canopy of trees and thick shrubs. At this point, the trail looks like a tunnel. This freakish segment is a subject of another post.

It all began as a coffee break on the terrace of Ishara Beach Hotel in Kagano Sector, Nyamasheke District. From the hotel, the view of the lake and the jagged edge shoreline took my breath away.

On the other side, I saw Nyabitekeri Peninsula. One of these days, I will visit the area and trace the base of the famed troops commanded by King Kigeli IV Rwabugiri in the 19th Century.

From the terrace, I also saw the southern flank of Idjwi Island which happens to be in the neighboring DR Congo. Idjwi is the biggest island in Lake Kivu and the second biggest lake island in Africa.

There is a fascinating story behind the triangle connecting the King’s court, Nyabitekeri base and Idjwi Island. The story dates back to the era in which the area was shaken by warfare of biblical proportions. A detailed account of this story will be included in my upcoming book covering Nyamasheke exclusively.

Back to the terrace, the coffee I consumed is grown by Kivu Belt Coffee. This Arabica specialty product is exported to North America, Europe and Asia.

The combination of humid equatorial mist and the volcanic soil create a conducive environment for the production of coffee. During my ongoing tour of Nyamasheke, I will learn more about this iconic cash crop and its supply chain.

The author is visiting all 30 districts of Rwanda. His tour of Nyamasheke is sponsored by Nyamasheke District, The Click Creations, Tec Global Ltd, Elimo Real Estate and Exposure.