Lake Bunyonyi

It is well worth a visit but probably best if you are staying at the camp there as there is a landing fee otherwise and you don’t such a good experience as say visiting nearby Kyahugye Island where, whilst there is also a landing fee, you can go trekking in search of zebras and Impala as well as other wildlife. Visitors to Bushara Island will enjoy its dense forestry as well as activities such as swimming and renting out canoes and sail boats. It’s also an excellent place to stay for those who enjoy bird watching as it’s a natural haven for birds not least because it’s so quiet and peaceful.

Akampene Island on Lake Bunyonyi is better known as “Punishment Island” given its history of unmarried pregnant girls being abandoned to their fate there by scandalized family members and villagers of the local Bakiga known as people of the mountains who lived in the area having arrived from Rwanda in the 17th and 18th centuries, though, as ever, the lads who get the girls pregnant in the first place went unpunished themselves.

The island is little more than a 215 square foot raised muddy platform that protrudes from the lake and is currently being eroded by the gentle lapping waves that float across Bunyonyi. It is home to just two trees, one of which is long dead. Those expecting to see an island strewn with bones and skeletons of lost girls will find none. In reality whilst girls were ritually humiliated and left there to die, many attempted to swim back to the mainland but perished in their attempts as few Ugandans can actually swim.

Others were saved by men without worldly goods looking for a wife without a “bride price, whilst on other occasions the young man who got the girl pregnant in the first place would row out to save her and they would escape together setting up a new life far from the community that punished the girl in the first place. The practice ended in the mid-twentieth century as missionaries moved into the area however there are still survivors alive today to tell their stories.

Kyahugye Island is the most popular island and it’s just a few minutes by boat to the mainland but more importantly, a short trek around the island where you will come across zebras, impala and waterbucks amongst other wildlife.

Kahugye Island is well maintained and has kept its original integrity with overgrown pathways among others that give a real sense of adventure when tracking down the friendly animals which you can get up close to. For one to access this side of the island you need to go through the Eco Resort and pay a small entrance fee but for that you are provided with a guide who will ensure you come across the animals and its worth paying for.

Lake Bunyonyi is so beautiful and magical framed by lush, green-terraced hills but it’s the 29 islands of various shapes and sizes scattered across the water that make it most magical one can them all day. It’s a sight that reinvents itself every hour or two with the ever-changing climate and direction of the sun. In the early morning, the islands weave through cotton candy-like streams of mist and, in the afternoon, they’re bathed in the warm glow of the sun. Sometimes the islands vanish from sight completely especially when its approaching evening amidst a dim sky, hidden under a blanket of clouds, but it only takes an hour to see them emerge once more.

Lake Bunyonyi is known as one of the few lakes in Uganda free of bilharzia making its waters safe for swimming. Sometimes the weather is warm enough so refrained from taking a dip. It’s also free of dangerous wildlife like hippos and crocodiles. The only warning for visitors is the depth inexperienced swimmers should take caution.

Lake Bunyonyi is one of the most stunning places with in the country that provides a breath-taking atmosphere to the tourists or the visitors. Meaning “the place of little birds”, Lake Bunyonyi takes its name from the abundant birdlife that call it home. Over 200 bird species are found here and some of these include; the grey crowned crane, the white tailed blue monard, the herons, the African Harrier Hawk, the egrets, slender-billed baglafetch, levillant cuckoo, levillant cuckoo, and the cardinal woodpecker, and many more. There are many bird lovers that are loving this place because these many birds fly about the whole area and can easily be viewed. As compared to many other birding destinations within the country, Lake Bunyonyi is the most convenient place for the visitors since one gets to sit and relax on the lake shores as you view the bird species in the sky.

The most common mode of transportation on these waters is the dugout canoe, which offers a completely different perspective of the lake. You can rent your own to explore the islands or select a guided tour.

Hire a local guide to lead you along the best hiking trails on the islands or through the terraces of the Kigezi highlands to be rewarded with spectacular views of the landscapes and even some wildlife. Forest and tree plantations can be found on some of the islands, as well as monkeys and zebras. Otters can also be spotted in the waters.

This is a pleasant experience, which brings you in close interaction with the local people in their homes, gardens and businesses, which make a safari surely wonderful.

Explore the settlements along the shores to experience everyday life among playful children, farmers and women wrapped in multi-colored kangas. The Batwa in this region, one of the original inhabitants of the country, were dispossessed of their ancestral lands by the government to build the Echuya Forest Reserve with tragic consequences and today their community suffers from rampant social problems. To survive, they invite tourists to their community, where they perform song and dance as well as introduce them to their norms and culture.