South-Western UgandaField Guide
Lake Bunyonyi
One of Africa's few genuinely safe swimming lakes, set among terraced hills near the Rwandan border.
- Region
- South-Western Uganda
- Best time
- Year-round
- Wildlife
- Otters, over 200 bird species, no bilharzia or crocodiles
- Safaris here
- 3 itineraries
Lake Bunyonyi lies in a landscape of steep, terraced hills near Uganda’s border with Rwanda, and is one of very few lakes on the continent considered free of both crocodiles and bilharzia, which makes it safe for swimming. It is the usual place to rest after a Bwindi gorilla trek, a short and scenic transfer away.
The lake is dotted with small islands, several of which can be visited by dugout canoe, and the surrounding hills are terraced with subsistence farms. It is a quiet, restorative stop rather than a wildlife destination in its own right.
Photographs
Safari Packages
Trips that visit Lake Bunyonyi
Each is a fully costed starting point, and every one can be reshaped around your dates, pace and budget.
