Discover The Beauty Of Lake Bunyonyi : Lake Bunyonyi is in the Kigezi Highlands, which are in the south-western part of Uganda. It is between the Kabale and Kisoro districts. “Place of Many Little Birds” is another name for Lake Bunyonyi. It is about 25 km (15.5 mi) long and 7 km (1.35 mi) wide, and it is 1,962 m (6,437 ft) above sea level. This lake is second only to Lake Tanganyika in Africa in terms of depth. It doesn’t have bilharzia and is safe to swim in. While you’re in Uganda, check out Lake Bunyonyi and all the things you can do and see around it.
The lake has 29 islands and is surrounded by terraced, rolling farms in the Kigezi highlands, where there aren’t many people living. From the top of the highlands, you can get amazing views of the lake and the green islands. The word “Lake Bunyonyi and terraces” is written on the 2,000 Ugandan shilling note that shows the lake.
Lake Bunyonyi is a popular place for water sports, and the terraced hills around it are well-known. It is also known as a place where people from all over the world (both domestic and foreign tourists) like to go. If you haven’t been here yet, you should think about making it your next big trip.
It is a very beautiful lake with great views, and it is a quiet, peaceful place where you can rest, relax, and think. In fact, many tourists come here to relax after a trip, and people on their honeymoons also like it. Tourists can do many things around and on the lake, such as:
The Kahunye Island
This is the first island you see when you leave the shore, and it is the only island on Lake Bunyonyi where you can see wild animals. Impalas, Zebras, Water bucks, Kobs, and the only Debrasa Monkey, which is called the “President of this Island,” are some of these wild animals. Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort was also there. On this rock, you can also watch birds. Our expert tour guides can also take you on a hike through the old Echuya Forest.
Birdwatching
we already know that the name Bunyonyi means “many little birds” Because of this, this lake is a great place to watch birds. Over 200 different kinds of birds have been seen on this lake, which makes it the best place in Uganda for bird watching trips. If you sail through the Nyombi swamp, you can see many different kinds of birds. These include species that live in the country as well as those that have come from other countries, especially during the winter in those countries. Some of the birds you can see are herons, weaver birds, grey-crowned cranes, egrets, levaillant’s cuckoo, slender-billed baglafetch, and many more.
Boat Cruises:
You can do these things with either a boat with a motor or a water boat. The canoe ride is fun for tourists who like to try new things because they get to row their boats with the help of trained guides. Depending on your interests, these rides can take you to different islands where you can learn about the people, their culture, and their past.
Black Smith Sites:
Visit the skilled Abaheesi, who use a process called “black smithing” to make beautiful and useful items like hoes, knives, machetes, and gifts by melting metals together. When you order the gift you want to buy as a memory, they make it right there in front of you, which is very cool and teaches you a lot. People here do this as their job, which is how they make money to live.
You can also go to the Bakiga Cultural Museum while you are on the Island. It is a copy of a full Bakiga homestead that was made in 2002 by Festo Karwemera, a well-known elder from Kabale and a famous fighter for the Bakiga language and culture. There is also a town called Bufuka where visitors can learn about the Bakiga and Batwa cultures. When they are there, they can join in with the locals’ activities like spinning, dancing, and singing. On the hills of Kagalama, there are also chapels and medicine men who can tell you more about how the people there have believed in the past. All of these things are done to help local tourists in the area.
Akampene Island is also known as “Punishment Island.”
This island was used to punish women who had babies without being married. They would throw girls here without food as a punishment. Many of them died of starvation or drowned trying to swim back to the shore. They used to do this to teach the other young girls and to show them what would happen to anyone who got pregnant before getting married. As you enjoy the beauty of Lake Bunyonyi, you will find out more about its past.
Young guys who couldn’t afford the bride price sometimes went to the Island to choose a wife. But this backwards way of doing things stopped in the first half of the 20th century, and we still have wives who were taken from Punishment Island and can tell us what really happened there.
Community Walks
Around Lake Bunyonyi, there are two tribes. People who are called Bakigas and Batwa. After being kicked out of the Bwindi, Echuya, and Mgahinga woods, the Batwa people moved to the area. These people now make a living by showing tourists around their village and entertaining them. They also teach tourists how they used to live in the forest, what they ate, and how they took care of themselves. Most of the time, they do great work. The Bakiga are Bantu people who have lived on the hills of Kigezi for hundreds of years. People often talk about how strong they are and how hard they work when it comes to farming. They also have a lot of customs that are worth learning about. They also have a lot to offer, like their lively dance, and you can learn more about them by reading about their past.
The Sceneries. lake bunyonyi in Uganda
Lake Bunyonyi is surrounded by the beautiful green hills of Kigezi, which have slopes that rise to a height of 2,200–2,478m. The 29 islands that are spread out across the water of this beautiful lake make it one of the best places to see in the world. Because of sudden weather changes and the way the sun shines, the beautiful view looks new for most of the day. Most mornings, beautiful mist covers the many islands, while the warm tropical sun covers the islands in the afternoon. As evening comes, the sky gets darker. Layers of clouds can sometimes hide the whole group of islands, but it only takes a short time for them to come back out, which is very beautiful. There are so many beautiful places to take pictures.
Swimming
As you’ve read, Lake Bunyonyi is safe for experienced swimmers because it doesn’t have crocodiles, hippos, or bilhazia. However, you should keep in mind that it’s very deep—it’s the second deepest lake in Africa. You can swim in Lake Bunyonyi as you look at its beauty.
Biking, Jogging and Mountain Hiking
This is one way to get around and see more of the area while getting your body in shape. The weather is great for all of these things.
Bushara Island.
The Lake Bunyonyi Development Company, which is part of the Church of Uganda, is based on this island. They use money from tourism to pay for a number of projects to improve the area around Bunyonyi. The island’s forest is the most noticeable thing about it. It shows the most appealing thing about the eucalyptus tree, which is that it grows very quickly. There used to be a lot of trees on the hills around Bunyonyi, but because there were too many people, they were cut down to make room for farming. Eucalyptus trees have been brought in to make things better. But eucalyptus plants may also have bad effects, like soaking up all the useful things in the soil and leaving it more or less empty.
Bwama and Njuyeera (Sharp’s Island).
In 1921, an English missionary named Dr. Leonard Sharp came to this part of Uganda for trips. In 1931, he set up a leprosy treatment center on Bwama Island, which had no people on it at the time. Sharp moved to Njuyeera Island, which probably means “white cottage” because the doctor’s small white house looked a lot like his father’s house in Shanklin, which is now the White House Hotel. The idea behind the leprosy settlement was “voluntary segregation,” which meant that providing a happy place to live would attract people with leprosy, taking them away from places where they could infect others. The old hospital buildings are now used by a boarding high school that draws kids from all over the area. On the island, there is also a primary school, but there is no town.
