Lake Bunyonyi is a hidden paradise of its own. With 29 charming islands dotted all over, Lake Bunyonyi is a great place to explore in southwestern Uganda. It has many things to see, including birds. Tucked in southwestern Uganda, the charming Lake Bunyonyi is most popular as a place for many little birds. It is also Uganda’s deepest lake, and in all entire East Africa, it comes second just after Lake Tanganyika.
Lake Bunyonyi holds spectacular islands including Bucuranuka, Bushara, the Punishment Island (Akampene), Kahungye, Bwana, Njuyeera, and more. A visit to any of the islands on this charming Lake Bunyonyi guarantees you great stories.
On the Islands of Lake Bunyonyi, there are Batwa people, who used to stay in Echuya Forest. Tourists go there to visit their cultures and see their way of life after being evicted from their original land.
Lake Bunyonyi Islands
Lake Bunyonyi (“Place of many little birds”) is in south-western Uganda between Kisoro and Kabale, and it is close to the border with Rwanda. Scientific literature generally quote a maximum depth of 40 m but some tourist guides and locals insist that it much deeper, about 900 m , which would make it the second-deepest lake in Africa. Towns on its shores include Kyevu and Muko, while its 29 islands include Punishment Island and Bushara Island.
Punishment Island
The Bakiga used to leave unmarried pregnant girls on this small island with – to die of hunger or while trying to swim to the mainland (swimming skills were rare). This was to intimidate the rest, to show them not to do the same. A man without cows to pay the bride price could go to the island and pick up a girl. The practice got abandoned in the first half of the 20th century.
Bwama and Njuyeera (Sharp’s Island)
In 1921, English missionary Leonard Sharp came to this part of Uganda and in 1931 established a leprosy treatment center on the then uninhabited Bwama island. A church, patient quarters (model villages), and a medical facility were built, while Sharp settled on Njuyeera Island (probably meaning “white cottage” after the similarity of the doctor’s small white house to Sharp’s father’s house in Shanklin, now The White House Hotel). The rationale of the leprosy colony was that of “voluntary segregation’”, where the provision of a happy community to live in would attract leprosy sufferers, so removing them from the communities where they might infect others.
What to see besides the islands
Except for water birds, few aquatic animal species are naturally present in this isolated highland lake, which is near but not quite connected to the greater Nile basin. Its water is highly stratified with the oxygen limit placed at a depth of about 7 m.
Native vertebrates include the De Witte’s clawed frog, Lake Victoria clawed frog African clawless otter and spotted-necked otter, but only the first frog is still common in the lake. Four endemic species of Caridina shrimp are found in the lake; there are indications that they might also occur in Lake Mutanda. Originally, there were no fish or crayfish in the lake, but the catfish, Nile tilapia, Singida tilapia, haplochromine ciclids of Lake Victoria origin and red swamp crayfish have been introduced.
Birds
A total of about 200 species of birds reside in the various parts of Lake Bunyonyi. They include the pied kingfishers, grey-crowned cranes, malachite kingfishers, red-eyed dove, blue-headed coucal, black-lored babbler, Chubb’s cisticola, great cormorants, red-throated wryneck, and more. The lake features a diverse ecosystem comprising wetlands, forests, where a range of avian species reside.
Wildlife
Surprisingly, Lake Bunyonyi protects some of the amazing wildlife. On the Kahungye Island, there exists a number of wildlife including Kobs, Waterbucks, Impalas, and Zebras. The aquatic species include different fish species, including the red swamp crayfish and cichlids.
What to Do in Bwindi
Lake Bunyonyi offers great experiences, including canoeing, boat rides, birding, and community visits/tours.
Canoeing
Visitors can embark on a canoe ride using traditional canoes. You navigate through the lake, and rowing sticks are used to move canoes. The locally made canoes offer a great experience on Lake Bunyonyi. Visitors can embark on a morning canoeing excursion or an afternoon excursion. A canoeing tour involves exploring one of the magnificent islands.
Community tours
Lake Bunyonyi is surrounded by great communities. During the guided community walks, expect to witness locals as they go about their daily activities. The surrounding communities include the Batwa and Bakiga. Community visits offer authentic experiences as you witness everything yourself, as raw as it is.
Speedboat rides
Visitors can also take boat rides in modern boats and visit one of the islands. Using a modern boat, you can embark on a morning, afternoon, or sunset boat ride. Some of the sessions, like sunset, comes with drinks like champagne or meals depending on the arrangements that you desire.
Nature Walks
Nature walks offer a great opportunity for you to have a close interaction with nature. A visitor can be accompanied on a guided nature walk along the established trails. During the nature walk, expect to enjoy the breathtaking views of the terraced hills and more.
Bird Watching
Lake Bunyonyi is an ideal spot for birding tours. The charming islands serve as breeding grounds for most aquatic species of birds. During the birding excursion, expect to search for birds such as weaver birds, slender-billed baglafetch, egrets, and levaillant’s cuckoos, etc.
Zip lining
Visitors who may desire a little bit of adventure can opt for zip-lining excursions. During the zip lining, expect to glide across the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi waters while appreciating its tranquility.
When is the Best Time to visit Lake Bunyonyi
Lake Bunyonyi welcomes visitors at any time of the year. But the ideal time is during the dry months of the year when there is little or no rainfall received in the area. The dry months are characterized by drier routes, thus easing connectivity to Lake Bunyonyi. The long dry season starts from June, July, August to September. The shortest dry months fall in the month of December, January, and February. It is also possible to arrange a tour around the wet months of the year, also described as the off-months/low season. This can be from March to May or from October to November. The challenge with the low months is that heavy rains are recorded, with the likelihood of the routes turning slippery or muddy.
How to Get There
Access to Lake Bunyonyi can be by road, where you can spend between 7 and 8 hours driving starting from the heart of Entebbe or Kampala. Starting from Kabale town, expect to take about half an hour, and you can be at Lake Bunyonyi. Visitors can also connect to Lake Bunyonyi from Kigali via the Katuna border to Kabale. Within Uganda, you can transfer from Kibale National Park or Queen Elizabeth National Park to Lake Bunyonyi.
What to carry for your Lake Bunyonyi Tour
The essentials you may consider packing include a sweater, insect repellent, a long-sleeved shirt, a safari hat, a daypack, a camera, an extra camera battery, snacks, a first aid kit, and others.
Accommodation options in and around Lake Bunyonyi
Choosing the right place to stay is a way to go when planning a memorable tour to Lake Bunyonyi. The available accommodation options to book include Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort, Birdnest @Bunyonyi Resort, Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort, Arcadia Cottages Lake Bunyonyi, Bushara Camp, Kansiima Backpackers, Byoona Amagara Island Retreat, Bunyonyi Safari Resort, and more.
Some of the accommodation around the lake, Budget, Midrange and Luxury include. Arcadia Cottages, Bunyonyi Overland, Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort, Byona bya magara,