Safari activities at Lake Bunyonyi after visiting Rushaga gorillas

Safari activities at Lake Bunyonyi after visiting Rushaga gorillas- There are so many things travelers can do after a successful gorilla trekking experience in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park located in the southwestern part of the country in Kabale district. In this article, we shall show you some of the things you can do after gorilla trekking in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and how you can get to Lake Bunyonyi.

About Lake Bunyonyi

Lake Bunyonyi is located in the southwestern part of Uganda in Kabale district on the birders with Rwanda. The lake is the deepest in Uganda and the second biggest in Africa. Lake Bunyonyi is one of the most visited lakes in Africa attracting thousands of honeymooners, and tourists who want to have relaxation and enjoy the cool breeze on the beautiful islands. Lake Bunyonyi is referred to as a place of small birds with over 200 bird species recorded in the area. The lake is composed of 29 islands among which include Akempene which according to Bakiga if a girl got pregnant before marriage, they were taken to this island and left to die there because of hunger.

Lake Bunyonyi can be accessed by road transport from Kampala via Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale. From Kabale to Lake Bunyonyi it takes 1.5 hours by road via bubale – Nyakabungo – Mubusechera then Lake Bunyonyi. Travelers from Rwanda can access Lake Bunyonyi through Katuna border to Kabale then to Lake Bunyonyi. By air transport, Lake Bunyonyi can be accessed using chattered flights from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kisoro airstrip after which use road transport for a short distance to the lake.

About Ruhija region in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park.

Ruhija sector is one of the 4 sectors of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park that is located in the southwestern part of the country. Gorilla trekking in the Ruhija sector can be done among the 4 habituated gorilla families that are in this sector. Ruhija sector is located on the eastern side of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park neighbored by Nkuringo and Rushaga in the south and Buhoma in the north.

Ruhija sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park has 4 habituated mountain gorilla families and these are Orugozo gorilla family, Kyaguriro gorilla family, and Mukiza gorilla family. All the gorilla families in the Ruhija sector are open for trekking at any time of the year but if you are planning to visit this sector in the dry season, you are advised to book your trekking permit from the Uganda wildlife authority or from a trusted tour operator in advance of 3-4 months in order to avoid disappointments.

Ruhija sector can be accessed by road transport from Kampala via Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale to the sector in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. The sector can also be accessed by road transport from Kigali using the Cyanika border or Katuna border to the park. By air transport, the Ruhija sector can be accessed using chattered flights from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kihihi airstrip inside Bwindi impenetrable forest national park or Kisoro airstrip. The following are the safari activities at Lake Bunyonyi after visiting Rushaga mountain gorillas;

Batwa cultural experience

Batwa group of people initially lived in the dense forest of Mgahinga national park and Bwindi impenetrable forest national park but later were evicted out when the government wanted to gazette land to protect the remaining species of mountain gorillas and other wild animals. The Batwa group of people were hunters and fruit gathers but when they were evicted out of the forest they had to learn how to live like other people. A visit to the Batwa group of people will give you an opportunity to enjoy traditional dances, listen to stories of how they used to live in the forest, buy some of their crafts, and much more.

Nature and community walk

The nature and community walk in Lake Bunyonyi are done around the lake and some of the 29 islands. The walks take you around different communities around the lake, seeing rolling hills, meeting different people, and visiting schools and orphanages.

Swimming

For the people who know how to swim, a visit to Lake Bunyonyi will give you an opportunity to freshen up in the lake waters that are bilharzia-free and have no crocodiles or hippos in them.  The lake is the deepest in Uganda therefore you have to be extra care full and good at swimming in order to swim at Lake Bunyonyi.

Birding

Lake Bunyonyi is one of the best birding destinations in Africa.  Lake Bunyonyi  is home to over 205 different bird species among which include egrets, African kingfisher, weaverbirds, slender ball fetch, leveling cuckoo, mountain yellow warbler, herons, grey shrike, golden-backed weaver, African harrier hawk, olive pigeon, red-chested owlet, cardinal woodpeckers, pied wagtail, handsome francolin, grey crested crane, malachite kingfisher, yellow-ramped tinker bird, slender-billed ball fetch, and white-tailed blue Monard among others

Accommodation in Lake Bunyonyi

There are several accommodation facilities in Lake Bunyonyi where one can stay after their gorilla trekking safari in the Rujiha sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. The accommodation facilities around Lake Bunyinyo range from budget to mid-range to luxury options such as Lake Bunyonyi rock resort, Bird’s Nest Bunyonyi Resort, Arcadia Cottages, Bunyonyi Overland Resort, Gorilla View Backpackers, Paradise Eco Hub, Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort, Lake Bunyonyi View Resort, Bayona Amagara, Bushara Island Camp, Heritage Lodge Habuharo, and Overland Camp among others.

What is the best time to visit Lake Bunyoyi in southwestern Uganda?

Lake Bunyonyi can be visited at any time of the year but the best time to visit the country is the dry season when there is little or no rainfall. The dry season happens from June to September and December to February. During the dry season, the water levels are very low, the roads leading to the lake are passable.

Accessing Lake Bunyonyo from the Ruhija sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

After finding out safari activities at Lake Bunyonyi after visiting Rushaga gorillas, you need to know how to access lake Bunyonyi in Kabale western Uganda. One can access Lake Bunyonyi from the Ruhija sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park by raid transport from the park to Kabale to Kisoro and then to the lake. The journey from the Ruhija sector in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park to Lake Bunyonyi takes about 1-2 hours driving.