Lake Bunyonyi | A relaxing stop on safari

Safari Sights beyond the national parks

Many of our longer safaris or short gorilla trekking trips includes a night or two by the beautiful Lake Bunyonyi in the south-west of Uganda. To reach Lake Bunyonyi you turn off from the main road in the town of Kabale on to a small road that will take you up the hills around the lake. The first sight of the lake from the top of the hill always take my breath away, you have a beautiful view of the island dotted lake surrounded by hills and the Virunga Volcanoes in the distance.

Lake Bunyonyi is free from hippos, crocodiles and bilharzia so it is safe to take a swim. With this said the lake is located at an altitude of 1 840 m and it is at its deepest around 900 m so the water is a bit chilly. If a refreshing swim doesn’t tempt you there are other options such as canoeing, birding, hiking or just sitting with a good book enjoying the view.

Bunyonyi actually means “place of many little birds” and when being woken by the sound of birds singing there is no doubt that the name is suitable. If you choose to do birding by Lake Bunyonyi you might for example be able to see Papyrus yellow warbler, Cassin’s hawk eagle and Olive thrush.