Bukavu is a large, but pleasant city on several land tongues jutting out into Lake Kivu. On the southwestern side the city is bordered by a steep mountainside and Rwanda.

Bukavu can be divided into two parts. One along Avenue des Martyrs de la Révolution, where the main market and many of the cheaper hotels can be found. The other part is along the avenue that runs westwards to Rwanda. That part of the city is the business district, where all the government offices, consulates and the huge cathedral are situated.

In the north of Bukavu, on a peninsula stretching out into Lake Kivu, sits the Geology Museum.

Most hotels are situated around Avenue des Martyrs de la Révolution. There are frequent blackouts so don't forget a flashlight. Restaurants and bars are scattered all over the city. There are two truck parks in Bukavu, one at the main market in the southwest of town and one at the northern end of Avenue des Martyrs de la Révolution.

Not far from Bukavu, on the road towards Kavumu, is Kahuzi-Biéga National Park. The park is home to the eastern lowland gorilla and it is a UNESCO world heritage site. The park headquarters is located at Tshivanga, 31 km from Bukavu.

Bukavu is 1,520 km east of Kinshasa, separated from Cyangugu in Rwanda to the west by the Ruzizi River.