Lake Bunyonyi

The enchanted resort area of Lake Bunyonyi is located in Kabale, southwest Uganda. The lake is bordered by the Virunga mountains, steep terraced hills, and unique agricultural landscapes. It is also sprinkled with at least twenty small islands. It is becoming more and more well-liked for day visits from Kabale because there are so many entertainment, dining, and hotel options near the lake. Rutinda, also called Kyabahinga, is a little fishing community with lots of inexpensive bungalows, campgrounds, and resorts floating around it and the adjacent islands.

The local name Bunyonyi, which means “little birds,” alludes to the numerous weaver colonies that sag along the coast. There are also larger birds present, including African harrier hawks, grey-crowned cranes, herons, and egrets. Levillant cuckoo, white-tailed monad, slender-billed baglafetch, cardinal woodpecker, and African kingfisher are among the other birds that are frequently sighted.

Bunyonyi Lake
The surrounding slopes and the vast, irregularly shaped lake are wonderfully cultivated by the inhabitants, resembling sections of Nepal. The lake itself has many islets. With activities like hiking, cycling, and canoeing, the area is lively.

Its high altitude location, which guarantees a mild climate (that frequently gets very chilly at night) and a comparatively low prevalence of malaria, is another benefit. According to dependable reports from health authorities, there are no hippos, crocodiles, or bilharzia in the lake, making swimming extremely safe.

The easy access to canoes, kayaks, mountain bikes for hire, and an abundance of possible excursions to occupy one’s time for several days will thrill active travelers.

Activities near Lake Bunyonyi
Adventure visitors love Lake Bunyonyi because of the region’s limitless recreational opportunities. A canoe journey on the lake can be easily arranged thanks to the many guesthouses, campgrounds, and locals that offer canoes for rent.

A favorite sport is canoeing, and most of the camps rent out dugouts for this purpose. Prices are fair, but before embarking on an ambitious tour of the islands, practice for a bit. Many tourists perform the “mzungu,” or corkscrew, as they loop about.

Nature hikes with guides near the lake
The area offers countless options for hiking in the natural world. In and around Lake Bunyonyi, guided walking safaris are a popular activity that visitors typically book through campgrounds or the venerable Nkuringo Walking Safaris operator.

If you’re up for a challenge, take a boat across the lake and walk the remaining 40 kilometers (29 miles) to Kisoro. It is easy enough to find your own way, though, if you would rather a leisurely stroll along the lake’s edges.

A fantastic method to travel around the lakeshore is to rent a mountain bike from Bunyoni Overland Camp for 30k shillings per day ($10). But reaching Kabale would take an effort akin to the Tour de France, akin to a king of the mountains.

Kyenvu open markets are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays, attracting locals from all around the region. Traveling there by dugout boat takes three hours and is rather distant from all the camps surrounding the lake. Still, most bases may hire a speedboat or arrange for a rower to assist. Since most people here are quite shy, use caution when using a camera.

In this area, there are also a number of Batwa communities. They can set up a tour to a Batwa community if you can find a gregarious guide at the market.

Punishment Island, which lies halfway between Bushara and Njuyera Islands and got its name from the practice of dunking unmarried pregnant women there to death, is closer to the camps. Sadly, the majority of them perished while attempting to swim towards land since they typically lacked the endurance to survive. With just one little tree in the middle, it is simple to identify.

How to Get to Bunyonyi Lake
Kabale is connected to Rutinda, the hub of tourism activities on Lake Bunyonyi, via an all-weather dirt road. If you’re driving yourself, go 500 meters out of Kabale and onto the Kisoro road. Soon after passing a Kobil gas station, make a left turn at a junction where multiple signposts indicate the different lakefront resorts. The road ends at a five-way intersection atop the hill above Bunyonyi, approximately 5 kilometers away. After 2km, turn left towards Acacia Cottages, or continue straight ahead to Rutinda.

After about 20 kilometers, the road that branches off to the right at this intersection provides breathtaking views across the lake and emerges at Muko on the main Kabale—Kisoro road.

Vehicles traveling to Bushara Island can be securely parked in the Rutinda parking compound on the island. Lake Bunyonyi Overland Camp offers safe mainland parking for a nominal fee.

The Lake Bunyonyi Overland Camp offers a twice-daily shuttle to Rutinda for individuals without access to private transportation. The van departs Kabale in front of the Highland Inn at 09.30 and 16.30 every day. Each participant must pay 5K shillings for it. It won’t make the trip for one person, but it will take a few, depending on demand.

On market days (Monday and Friday), regular pick-up trucks and minibus taxis (costing 5k shillings) go between Kabale and Rutinda; on other days, the service is a little bit unpredictable. A boda-boda should cost roughly half of what a particular hire to Rutinda should cost.

The route mentioned above can also be used to walk to the lake, albeit there’s a risk you’ll get picked up. Heading west from the town center, a more tranquil and picturesque route traces the line of local footpaths along Butambuka Road. There are lots of locals in the area that can help direct you.

In any case, the exit is interesting in all of itself, taking you past historic homesteads and areas of forest teeming with wildlife. It involves a steep climb to the hill above the lake and should take no more than two hours.

Among the things you should avoid doing is renting a push bike to get to Bunyonyi. You will probably spend more time dragging the bike up steep hills than cycling unless you are very fit.

You can rent a dugout or motorboat from Rutinda Jetty if you wish to venture out on the lake or spend a night or two at one of the islands. Prices can be negotiated, but be prepared to spend approximately 20,000 Shillings per person for a 30- to 45-minute voyage in a dugout canoe, or 10,000 Shillings per person for a ten- to fifteen-minute motorboat excursion to either Byoona Amagara or Bushara Island. While Bushara Island is more costly than Byoona Amagara, it is closer.