Here’s why travellers love to stay at Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda

Lake Bunyonyi is a picturesque region in southwest Uganda, and popular with adventure travellers

A significant number of Uganda’s international tourists make their way to Lake Bunyonyi. This fact might seem surprising, as Lake Bunyonyi isn’t a place with great name recognition, not like Bwindi Forest, Lake Victoria, or Murchison Falls. But there are good reasons why this particular destination receives more than its fair share of visitors.

Partly, it’s because Lake Bunyonyi is so nicely positioned to serve as a base for mountain gorilla trekking in one of the nearby mountain parks. It has more accommodation options to offer, and is a great place for relaxing after a gorilla trek.

The other part of the equation is that Lake Bunyonyi is a very pretty region, with lots to do. The lake itself is surrounded by steep hills covered in terraced farms, forests, and rural villages. Its islands are rich in history and home to some tantalising wildlife. And its waters – typically around 20°C (68°F) – are very inviting on hot days.

Consequently, Lake Bunyonyi is popular with the adventure tourism crowd. You can enjoy canoeing, island picnics, swimming, hiking, quadbiking, birdwatching, and more.

A high-altitude lake that’s safe for swimming

Lake Bunyonyi is long and narrow, with a frenetic sort of coastline. It vaguely resembles a stretched-out, three-armed starfish.

The lake lies within the Kigezi Highlands, and is nearly 2,000 m (6,600 ft) above sea level. Its steep hills plunge far below the water’s surface, making for a very deep lake – possibly the deepest in Uganda.

Bunyonyi is one of the few places in Uganda where you can actually enjoy wild swimming. Not because the country is short on water (far from it), but because it’s a rarity for waters here to be safe from bilharzia as well as devoid of any dangerous animals (like hippos and crocs). In fact, the only notable animal besides fish that you might encounter in Lake Bunyonyi is the otter.

Canoeing on the lake and exploring its islands

A favourite activity with tourists is paddling out onto the waters of Lake Bunyonyi in a traditional dugout canoe and exploring some of its 29 islands. You can also do an island-hopping boat tour.

I recommend hiring a local guide when exploring the lake if you’re keen to support local tourism efforts. It’s also a great way to learn the stories behind each island. And stories there are!

There’s Akampene (Punishment Island), for instance, where unmarried pregnant girls were once abandoned. Sharp’s Island was the location of a leprosy treatment centre. And Kyahugye Island has wildlife like zebras, waterbucks, and impalas.

Some of the islands are inhabited by Batwa communities. The Batwa are a local pygmy people who have a history of being marginalised. So if you’d like to visit and learn about their lives, please be sure to pay for a cultural visit organised by the Batwa themselves. In this way you can ensure they’re the ones benefitting from your visit.

Other popular Lake Bunyonyi activities

The other main adventure activities on offer at Lake Bunyonyi are quadbiking, hiking, and horse riding. You can also enjoy fishing, with the possibility of catching species like crayfish, tilapia, and mudfish.

Besides this, you might enjoy visiting some of the local villages. There are cultural tours on offer where you can learn about Bakiga culture through dance, music, and storytelling. You could take part in a crafts workshop to practise a traditional craft like basketmaking or Batik painting. Or you could opt to learn about local farming traditions and medicinal herbs.

There really is so much on offer.

The birds of Lake Bunyonyi

Finally, but very far from least, let’s talk birds.

The name Bunyonyi means “place of many little birds” in the local Rukiga language. Over 200 bird species have been recorded across the lake’s wetlands, islands, and surrounding forests, farms, and gardens.

Commonly sighted raptors include African harrier-hawks, augur buzzards, and African fish eagles. Grey crowned cranes are also seen quite often. And there are many weavers and sunbirds to be spotted, including golden-backed weavers and red-chested sunbirds.

The wetlands are alive with waterbirds, particularly at Nyombi Swamp. Take your binos and look for papyrus gonoleks, white-winged swamp warblers, papyrus yellow warblers, pied kingfishers, Goliath herons, and swamp flycatchers, among others.

Uganda was made for adventure

Uganda has so much to offer the adventure-seeker, wildlife enthusiast, and general lover of life. From the rapids of the Victoria Nile to lions lurking in trees in Murchison Park and gorillas sitting in misty mountains, there’s something for everyone.

Check out these Ugandan overlanding adventures on offer from African Overland Tours to see more of the wonderful experiences on offer in this beautiful East African nation.