Lake Bunyonyi, locally meaning a Place of many little birds is found in South Western Uganda between Kisoro and Kabale near the Rwandan boarder, 450 Km from Kampala, that is a drive of 7 hours and 100 km from Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda.

Lake Bunyonyi is a Holiday destination for travelers who are going for gorilla trekking tours in the nearby Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga National Parks for some Uganda Safari activities. A Spectacular View of Lake Bunyonyi Located at 1,962 metres above the sea level, the 25 km long and 7 km wide lake covering an area of 61 square kilometres is believed to be the deepest lake in Africa with varying length of between 44 m to 900 metres. This bilharzia-free lake is safe for swimming. The lake featuring on the 5,000 Ugandan shilling notes has 29 islands that include Punishment Island and Bushara Island which are all concentrated in the central part.

Located seven kilometres west from Kabale Town, south-western Uganda, and Bunyonyi is surrounded by hills that are 2,200 to 2,478 metres high and intensely cultivated. Its unique beauty and a number of accommodation facilities make it a visitation darling of many foreign and domestic tourists. The temperature on the surface of Lake Bunyonyi rises to 25 degrees Celsius.

In the beginning of the 20th century, fish were introduced to the lake and in the 1930s fishing became profitable. Unfortunately in the 1960s the fish died massively as a result of a violent shallow mixing, likely caused by wind. Subsistence fishing prevailed in the lake, people mostly caught clarias species – the lake’s depth and stratification makes it difficult for the breeding of the common Ugandan species Nile Perch and Tilapia. Nevertheless, 300,000 Nile Tilapias and Clarias fish were released in the lake at the end of 2002. Also present in the lake are Mud fish, Cray fish and Mirrowcarp plus a plenty of their predators, otters.

About 200 bird species have been recorded at the lake area since “Bunyonyi” also means “the place of many little birds”. The bird species include the White tailed Blue Monard, grey crowned cranes, the African Harrier Hawk, Herons and egrets, the Levillant cuckoo, the Cardinal Woodpecker and the Refocus-breasted wryneck. Weavers nesting on the Island, include the large golden, slender-billed Baglafetch, as well as the yellow-backed and spectacled weavers. The lake’s main centre is Bufuka Village. The area’s inhabitants are from the Bakiga and the Batwa tribes.

Lake Bunyonyi islands are some of the most beautiful parts of Uganda. Located at high altitude (6,500 feet above sea level), the beautiful, scenic, erratically shaped lake shares its shores with Rwanda. Besides its charming green surrounding intensively cultivated terraced-hillsides, there are opportunities for caving, exploring the Islands of Akampene, Bushara, Bwama, Sharp’s Island, etc.  The islands’ rich history will be unveiled to you by the local guides.

Honeymooners get extra care with surprises like the free fruit basket, chocolates, roses, wine and special meals. Out on a tour, the tour guides are attentive to your needs.

The guided trench canoe trip is a famous activity as you visit the Islands around and the beautiful hills. You may enjoy Cray Fishing and photography. Lake Bunyonyi is bilharzia – free and is one of the clearest water bodies in Uganda. And it is the deepest Crater Lake in the country with around 6,500 feet above sea level. A canoe ride at night thrilling given the loud chorus of crickets, frogs, nocturnal birds magically in sync with the rippling water that makes the ride extremely interesting.