WHAT ACTIVITIES TO DO AT LAKE BUNYONYI
Lake Bunyonyi is located in Kabale and Rubanda districts, in South-Western Uganda. It is located only 7 km to the west of Kabale Town. It is the most beautiful lake in all countries and the second deepest in Africa. The lake is embossed with 29 islands, the lake is nearly 25 km long, 35000 feet deep, and seven (7) km wide.
The lake is neighboring the Kigezi steeply terraced hills, and luxuriant green flora and is commodiously located in a remote area that contributes to the beautiful view with a quiet atmosphere to spend leisure, relax, hermitage and feel the spoils of the flawless climate of South Western Uganda.
It is historically trusted that it was formed 10,000 years ago having been created as a result of the blockage of River Ndego by lava moving from one of the volcanic ‘Virunga Mountains’ closing up the valley in this area forming a stagnated water body. Later after many years, this has successfully turned into a beautiful island congregate Lake with fresh waters and fish.
Still, on what activities to do at Lake Bunyoyi, a lot is there to perform while in the tranquil West, the major thing is relaxing for all period spent there. The view is comforting with experiencing activities. Below are some activities to participate in on your safari with Kisoro Tours Uganda.
- Boat cruises/canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi
You shouldn’t visit any lake and fail to go on a boat. At Lake Bunyonyi, there are plenty of boats for hire that are ready to sail you inland all time of the day one wishes.
With Kisoro Tours Uganda, you sail with a local experienced guide, and you learn a lot about the 29 islands (some are inhabited and others are uninhabited), different tribes, and cultures of people that live near the lake.
- Community walks/Hikes Around Lake Bunyonyi
Leisurely at the interesting resorts is chilling enough but also experiencing the famous Switzerland of Africa, and hiking the neighboring hills is breathtaking, exciting, and refreshing. Walks alongside the terraces, plantations, and superabundant vegetation give a clear view of all the 29 islands. This enables quite a great picture and perfect view from all angles.
At Kisoro Tours Uganda, for a more enriched experience, we operate walks within the local communities which enlighten you about the daily traditional way of living, traditional and cultural beliefs, historical myths, and stories that have moved with generations. The local people are very welcoming.
- Bird watching/viewing.
Lake Bunyonyi is known as a Place of many little birds for a vital reason of what activities to do at Lake Bunyoyi. It habits more than 200 species of birds, and some of these are; the grey-crowned cranes, weavers, egrets flycatchers, red-chested sunbirds, white-tailed blue Monard, slender-billed ball fetch, herons, woodpeckers, many others surrounding the banks of the lakes. Lake Bunyonyi is a perfect place to experience a birdwatching safari with Kisoro Tours Uganda for your lifetime experience.
- Swimming in the lake.
Lake Bunyonyi is filled with Bilharzia-free fresh waters. Though there are no shores, to allow easy deep dives into the open waters safe structures have been constructed.
Lake Bunyonyi is dully open for all day time allowing you to take time to relax and chill on the banks of the lake, have a sunbathe and keep deep diving for all the times you want.
- Local market experience.
This is something interesting you shouldn’t fail to experience. A local market is one of the places where individuals converge to interact with others. The people switch and rotate around the sellers as they search for relatively cheaper prices. With Kisoro Tours Uganda, we can organize for our clients to move around, witness and experience how day-to-day activities are run.
- Canoe/boat riding.
This is the regular transport mode on Lake Bunyonyi. The local people continuously make trips across the lake from one island to another and unlike sides of the hills to do individual business.
The Kisoro Tours Uganda guide narrates that ‘to experience what it implies to live the way they do, a canoe/boat ride is a perfect decision’, since it provides extra moments on the lake, an opportunity to stop in the center for a calmness and scenic view. With Kisoro Tours Uganda, one can either be paddled or even do the paddling yourself with an experienced tour guide with you.
- Visiting Batwa culture (pygmies).
This is a very small group of people living on the border of Kisoro and Kabale in the Echuya Forest Reserve they are believed to have originated from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Batwa are originally hunters who lived in the DRC rain forests up to when they shifted and migrated to South Western Uganda after being pushed away from their original land and this resulted from industrialization. From statistics, it is believed that there are nearly 4,000 Batwa residing in this area.
They have an interesting history amongst which is their own creation story, the distinctive relationship with the forest which has been depreciated for quite a long time.
- Mountain biking
This is due to the presence of several roads/tracks along the Lake and uphill on the neighboring hills. For the whole ride, you are provided with a clear view of all the magical islands and provides you with the chance to get up close to the local people for one on one interaction. Bikes for hire are provided with some of the lodging areas around. At Kisoro Tours Uganda, this can be well arranged by your tour guide in order to make sure that everything is well organized for a lifetime experience.
- Discovering the 29 islands of Lake Bunyonyi.
There are 29 islands each of these more enchanting from the other. With your most liked transport modes, you can get an opportunity to visit all the 29 islands on the lake and have maximum exploration. These are the most commonly visited islands;
- Akampene/the Punishment Island.
Among the popular on the list are what activities to do at Lake Bunyoyi, despite the fact that this is the smallest island on the lake, it is one of the most hunted. This island has a gruesome traditional history that was practiced for a long period of time by the indigenous people. The young girls who could get pregnant before engaging themselves in marriage were brought to Akampene, tied to a tree that sits directly on the islands to regret their delinquency. This traditional belief was later dismissed.
- Kyahugye Island.
This island is termed as the most one of the most amazing islands, here there is a variety of wildlife you can view. They include Impalas, Zebras, Waterbucks, and many others.
- Bushara Island.
This island is most interesting to visitors interested in birding, for birding around Lake Bunyonyi, one has to check out Bushara Island. Here move with your binoculars together with long-lens cameras to be able to get the best view and experience.
- Bwama Island.
This is considered the largest of the 29 islands and it provides home to a few families. Here a sanctuary for people suffering from leprosy was established at this place between 1920 and 1931 by Dr. Leonard Sharp who was a Scottish missionary in Uganda. People would go for treatment without feeling ignored, mistreated, and neglected. This is strongly implanted in the history of this island. For now, the hospital no longer exists but these buildings are used as schools for the island inhibitors.
- Bacuranuka Island.
The legendary stories of this island are quite an account. In the past, about 20 men were local brew (obushera) producers and that was when one old woman approached them requesting for a sip of their drink. The men ignored and refused to respond to the same. And then the very old lady asked them to help her with a ride to the shores of the mainland and they accepted and responded with ease as they wanted her out of their way. The old woman rudely cursed the island and made it turn upside down and swallowed the ‘bushera’ men producers on the island.
Conclusion of what activities to do at Lake Bunyoyi?
Lake Bunyonyi being located in the Kigezi highlands, makes it perfect for chilling and relaxing before or after taking a gorilla trekking safari. The magnificent history and incredibly attractive environment make it ideal for relaxing on holidays.
Provided the activities mentioned above, one can still be engaged in the more interesting things like zip-lining which is elegant. In case you want to visit Lake Bunyonyi and participate in some of these fun and amazing activities, organize with Kisoro Tours Uganda for a lifetime experience.
At Kisoro Tours Uganda, our Safari schedules are flexible and they can be changed to fit your desired interests. This implies that we can fix and add Bunyonyi for you on any schedule at any time and enable participation in the activities you are interested in.
We are interested in knowing what activities to do at Lake Bunyoyi, you can reach out and let us know which activity you would wish to participate in, you can let us know via email: infor@kisorotoursuganda.com or WhatsApp at +256785790925 or on our other social media and tagging us.
