Visit Lake Bunyonyi

A bird haven located in southwestern Uganda is Lake Bunyonyi the deepest lake in Uganda 40m to 900m deep, 7 km wide elevated at 1962m above sea level having over 29 islands. These islands include Bushama, Njuyera, Bwama and the famous Akampena island also known as the punishment island.

In the past years, when a girl used to get pregnant before marriage, she was taken to this island to die of hunger as punishment. This was used as a sign to show others that it was an abomination to get pregnant before marriage because no man would pay a bride price for you.

Some of the lucky girls on this island were rescued by either the man who impregnated them or by the poor bachelors who would afford to pay a bride price. The Bwama island secures a dark past and was regarded as uninhabited by leopards who were in Uganda in the year 1921.

This place acts as a relaxing haven, especially for the people who usually come to do gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national game park or Mgahinga gorilla national park in the southwest part of Uganda.

Lake Bunyonyi is found in the southwestern part of Uganda, Kabale district bordering Rwanda. The lake which was formed due to a volcanic eruption that occurred years ago. This is one of the excellent physical features that Uganda has to offer. For lovers on their vacation, this will be the best destination for a honeymoon with calm weather and stunning islands for people to relax and meditate.

The name Bunyonyi simply means a place with small birds and for that fact, the lake is a collection of stunning small different bird species.

Explore Uganda Safaris

WHAT TO DO ON LAKE BUNYONYI

Commonly known as a birder’s paradise or haven, lake Bunyonyi hosts over 250 different bird species that one is able to spot on the lake. Small islands on the lake also act as breeding places for these birds and one of the bird spots is Nyombi swamp.  Some of the different birds that can easily be spotted are weaver birds, levaillant’s cuckoo, herons, baglafecht, cinnamon chested bee-eater, streaky seedeater, Hadada ibis, pied wagtail, swamp flycatcher, pied kingfisher, speckled mouse bird, fan-tailed widowbird, bronze manikin, grey crowned crested carne, weaver and golden black weaver, slender-billed and the rare egrets.

Lake Bunyonyi is a fresh and clean water body that acts as a swimming area due to the fact that there are no fishing sites. This water is also completely free from hippos, crocodiles and bilharzia. If you are not good at swimming, you are advised not to swim in this lake because the lake is too deep.

Canoes are made by the locals by digging in the large trees creating depressions. They can be rented or hired at an average fee of 60,000ugx and the best time to enjoy this activity is during the morning hours when the lake is still covered with lots of mist. You can also arrange a night canoe enabling you to enjoy  night breezes accompanied by the sounds and sights of birds and frogs.

Lake Bunyonyi is a combination of cool and calm weather and excellent landscapes and the cool day breezes that come from the lake making it one of the best places to chill and relax after the tiresome hike trails on getting to find the mountain gorillas in Bwindi forest or Mgahinga national parks. You can as well enjoy the stunning views of the sunsets.

BEST TIME TO VISIT LAKE BUNYONYI

The best time is during the dry season and the longest period occurs between June to September while a shorter dry season is between December to February. However, the park is open for visitors throughout the year.

F.A.Q.

There is no standard price for Uganda, Rwanda or Congo gorilla permit –each country has its rates. In Uganda, the charges vary depending on the visitor category. The foreign non-residents are charged USD 700 to have their gorilla permits booked, USD 600 for foreign residents and Ugandans (East Africa citizens) pay shs. 250,000 per person. To have a gorilla permit secured/booked, you need USD 1500 for Rwanda and this is most ideal for luxury/high-end travelers interested in visiting the endangered mountain gorillas.

When booking a gorilla permit, it is also a good thing to have a destination of your desire in mind. The key places to consider a must-visit on gorilla tour include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park –these are gorilla trekking destinations for tourists on a tour in Uganda. In Rwanda, Volcanoes National Park is where you can locate habituated mountain gorilla families and crossing the D.R. Congo, you can explore Virunga National Park.

It is a good thing to also understand when best to book your gorilla permits to avoid having issues on actual date of gorilla trekking. Considering our experience, we always recommend our clients to have their permits booked early enough at least 2-4 months. This can save you from last minute stress, especially if you plan to travel during the dry season also considered to be the peak season. The peak months of the year fall around June, July, August to September, and December, January to February.

Gorilla permits are among the relevant documents visitors must have to be allowed to track gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Not any gorilla permit should be presented on actual gorilla trekking adventure but a valid one. Booking gorilla permits is part of making the entire gorilla trip complete and should be done early enough before the actual visit to see mountain gorillas or eastern lowland gorillas.

To have your gorilla permit booked, there is a process one should undergo through and is generally tedious. Considering your tight schedule back home, you may wonder how easier you can have your permit booked in advance to avoid last minute stress.

The easiest way to secure your gorilla permit in Uganda or Rwanda is by dealing with a recognized tour operator/company on the ground. This is where our reservation team comes in. As part of your gorilla safari requirement, our team being on ground will ensure that your permit is booked early enough and everything else that is needed for gorilla trekking is put together.

The beauty about dealing with local safari company such as ours is that we have knowledge on the different gorilla groups and surrounding communities plus various accommodation facilities for your night stay. This is in addition to making the entire gorilla permit booking process easier on behalf of our clients.

There is also an option of booking the permit directly through the reservation team of respective park authorities. But the challenge is that you must undergo through the long process to have your permit booked and this may not favor you depending on your schedule. Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is an organ in charge not only for conservation of wildlife in the Pearl of Africa but also sets prices for tourism activities in the parks including gorilla permits. In Rwanda, you can contact Rwanda Tourism Board/Rwanda Development Board to have your permit booked.

The East African tourist visa is a joint visa that permits one to travel to specific countries within East Africa, namely Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda only. A joint tourist visa can be used several times for various purposes as long as it’s not overdue. 

Tourists should therefore find it important to always remember that the tourist visa lasts for only 90 days.  Processing the tourist visa takes a maximum period of two working days. It is also important to note that the tourist visa prohibits employment.

The process of applying for a tourist visa has been made easier since it can be done with the help of a tour operator or by the individual themselves online through the Ministry of Internal Affairs immigration portal. Visitors are required to log in to the portal, go ahead and accept the terms and conditions for the tourist visa, select the Visa / permit type, the subcategory and category, complete the application form and upload the required documents. 

A reference number will be generated and sent to you through your email, submit it and proceed to payment. It’s important to note that the payment can be made using Visa cards.  An approval letter will be sent to your email after the above process.

Report at the immigration office or border post for the biometric capture with all the necessary documents, receipt of payment, approval letter and your passport. Visitors should regard it as important to enter through the home country issuing the visa.

The East African tourist visa costs a fee of $100 only, meaning that it can be obtained by all travelers ranging from the budget to luxurious ones.

  • Persons aged 15 years and above are allowed to trek gorillas.
  • Avoid sneezing in the presence of gorillas.
  • Always stay away from gorillas by observing distance
  • Do not try to feed gorillas
  • Do not chew in the presence of gorillas
  • Do not take photos with flash light on.