Uganda > Lake Bunyonyi

When I step into the shower, there is no water. I wash myself with some water from my bottle at the fountain. At nine o’clock, I depart for Lake Bunyonyi, a large lake nearby. This lake is free of bilharzia, and there are no hippos or crocodiles here. This makes it the only lake in Uganda where swimming is relatively safe. I drive back to Kisoro via the hilly road and then turn onto the asphalt road toward Kabale. I pass the roadworks again. Just past the construction site, I turn right toward Lake Bunyonyi. I reach the lakeside village in just under an hour. From there, I take a boat to the Kyahugye Island Resort, located on an island in the lake.

Uganda - A local market on the shore of Lake Bunyonyi

Right at the departure point, there is a weekly market. The narrow road is crowded, and the minibuses can barely pass the stalls laid out on the ground. Halfway through the market, I get out at a shoe stall and quickly take the luggage to the boat. We are ferried to the island in two shifts. On the island, there are cottages and safari tents. I sleep tonight in a safari tent. I reach the platform where the tent is located via a wooden staircase. A thatched roof is built above the tent. The toilet and shower are downstairs in a separate building. After lunch, I take a short walk around the island. It doesn’t take much time, as it is a small island with not much to do. The cloudy weather makes the water of Lake Bunyonyi less appealing. Kayaks are available for rent, but I’m not in the mood—it's too chilly.

Uganda - A nice safari tent with a view over Lake Bunyonyi

Lake Bunyonyi sits at 1,800 meters above sea level, making it cooler here than elsewhere in Uganda. In the open-air restaurant, I have a beer and snack on some peanuts and popcorn. I’m not impressed with the location. A rest day is normally nice, but I already had a rest day at the previous lake. Tomorrow is a travel day to Masaka, and the following day I’ll continue to Entebbe. It already feels a bit like I’m on my way home. I will stay on the island until tomorrow morning. There is an option to leave earlier for an extra game walk in Lake Mburo National Park, the only park in Uganda where a walking safari is possible. It’s also the only park where zebras and impalas can be found—the impala giving its name to the capital, Kampala. To make this excursion feasible, either everyone must go, or exactly half the group, so that one minibus can go ahead. Unfortunately, only four people are interested, so the excursion cannot take place. At the moment, I’m a bit frustrated to be so dependent on the travel group. Slightly disappointed, I crawl into bed. I can have a later breakfast tomorrow and plan to depart between ten and eleven o’clock.