Lake Bunyonyi
Uganda · Southwestern Uganda · 1962 m
Description
Lake Bunyonyi fills a drowned valley system in the southwestern highlands and is where most travellers rest after the gorillas, a deep still lake scattered with twenty-nine islands and ringed by hills terraced to their summits. The name means place of many little birds. The water carries no crocodiles, hippos or bilharzia, which makes it one of the very few lakes in the region safe to swim in. Dugout canoes cross to the islands, one of which was once used to abandon unmarried pregnant girls. Lodges line the steep shore. Nothing here is organised around wildlife, which is the point.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 4 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: June – September or December – February
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Dugout canoe trips between the islands
- Swimming in a bilharzia-free lake
- Punishment Island and its story
- Terraced hills and shoreline walks
- Birdwatching on the shore and papyrus
- Batwa and Bakiga community visits
- Lakeside lodges and camping
- Kabale town market(Day trip)
- Sunrise mist over the water