Lake Bunyonyi

Lake Bunyonyi is the name derived from being known with many species little birds. It is such a unique lake because of many overwhelming features found on it and various activities that can be carried within and around the lake.

It is known mostly for having great eco-friendly natural vegetation, tall green trees which hover around its shores hence attracting many different types of birds and the clear crystal water in the lake all are favorable factors which attract tourists for various activities.

Lake Bunyonyi is also known for having one of the best and beautiful sceneries in the world hence tourists all over the world folk to this place to enjoy beautiful eye sighting of the mother nature of the lake which is term as the face of the beautiful nature.

Location of lake Bunyonyi

The lake is situated southern Uganda between two districts of kabale and Kisoro close to the boarder of Rwanda. For our international tourists who get off from Entebbe international airport lake Bunyonyi is approximately 89 hours away covering a distance of almost 496 km along Entebbe-Masaka road, Masaka –Mbarara road, Mbarara –kabale road away

Lake Bunyonyi is water body of approximately 25 kilometers long and just 7 kilometers wide west of Kabale town yet heavily cultivated with hilly scenery, covering area of 61 square kilometers (23 sq.miles)

Treasures of lake Bunyonyi

Lake Bunyonyi is a body of water in southwestern Uganda near the Rwandan border, and one of the country’s top natural treasures. And, at 1,962m above sea level, the lake enjoys moderate temperatures year round, cool in both the mornings and evenings. Lake Bunyonyi is framed by lush, green-terraced hills that reach a height of 2,200-2,478m, but it’s the 29 islands of various shapes and sizes scattered across the water that make it most magical. These islands are 29 and dotted in and out the lake each with varying depth though it range from 44 meters to 900 meters. The largest of all being the Bwama Island commonly referred to as the “lepers colony”, while the smallest island is Akampene Island also known as the “punishment island”, the punishment was given to the girls who got pregnant before marriage and were abandoned there to starve to death.

Lake bunyonyi harbors around 200 different species of birds which makes the most destination for birds in Uganda, these species of bird’s catergorised in three types of occasional, endemic, and migratory birds. The commonly seen species of birds around lake bunyonyi are, : Pied wagtail, Streaky seed eater, Swamp – fly – catcher, Black clake, Fan-tailed widow bird, stone chat, Pied kingfisher, Black headed weaver, Malachite kingfisher, Bronze manikin, Cinnamon-chested bee eater, Pin tailed whyder, Bronzy sun bird, Speckled – mouse bird and the Knobbed coot, Black heron, Grey crowned crested crane and the Hadada ibis.

Bwama and Njuyeera (Sharp’s Island)

Bwama Island undoubtedly hides the dark past, a story which began when a British missionary known as Dr Leonard Sharp that came to Uganda in 1920s to spread Christianity.

In 1920s leprosy was one of the deadly diseases in Uganda; the disease was often surrounded by negative stigmas and tales of leprosy patients being shunned as outcasts. In 1921 Dr Leonard sharp travelled to this part of the lake Bwama Island and he realized and found that no population was occupying this Island, after one year he then decided to build a treatment facility for the leprosy patients as well as isolation center, not only did he construct a hospital but also church and school for the patients and in doing so he reduced the infection from spreading widely to the community, as years went on the community was established on this Island from the leprosy patients

Presently, the old hospital structure is being as dormitories for the secondary school, many international tourists’ folk this island to pay their respects to the late Dr. Sharp efforts in evolving the community in this Island.

Akampene (Punishment Island)

Akampene Island is probably the most exciting and interesting Islands in lake Bunyonyi. It is a place where girls were taken to and abandoned there as form of punishment for getting pregnant before marriage. In this Island the girls face one or two possibilities, any man who did not own sufficient cattle to pay bride price to attain a wife would be granted permission to go and choose one of the disgraced girls on this Island and make her his wife, other girls who didn’t meet this fate would starve to death or die trying to swim ashore.

In southwestern Uganda for a girl to become pregnant before marriage was considered as a disgrace hence this practice but it was abandoned long ago although at present day you will be able to find some women who were actually picked from this very punishment island.

Accommodation at Lake Bunyonyi

Accommodations at lake Bunyonyi well affordable, with wide range of luxury, midrange cottages and several resorts for instance, Bird Net Bunyonyi Resort, Paradise Eco Hub, Amasiko Home stay, Arcadia Lodge, Crater Bay Cottages, Bunyonyi Overland Resort, Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort, Jajama Panorama Resort, Bushara Island Camp, Entusi Resort and Retreat Center.

These accommodation facilities offer quality services and amenities such as comfortable beds with en-suite bathrooms, seating lounge, restaurants which prepare both local and international dishes, free Wi-Fi, gardens for relaxation, swimming pools, well stocked bars, great scenic views with great and friendly personnel to serve you which makes our tourists to feel at home.