Safari to Lake Bunyonyi

a pretty lake dotted with islands

Set in the southwest of Uganda, Lake Bunyonyi is a very scenic rural area.

The 20 km long lake was created around 8000 years ago, when a river valley was blocked by a lava flow. The surrounding area features pretty hills, intensely terraced with small-scale agriculture. The lake itself features many pretty little islands, most of which are also farmed.

The lake is reportedly clear of crocodiles, hippos and bilharzia, so is theoretically safe for swimming, but we would take that with a pinch of salt.

The majority of visitors to the lake are on budget overland tours, which tend to use the simple lodges here as a cheap stop on longer routes through the Rift Valley.

Whilst it is theoretically possible for us to include Lake Bunyonyi in trips, notably when driving between Bwindi Forest to the north and Virunga Mountains over the border in Rwanda, the attractions of the area are rarely sufficient to warrant the diversion.

rarely included in trips, not connected by air