Western · Uganda
Lake Bunyonyi
A deep, island-strewn lake in the terraced hills of south-west Uganda - and no bilharzia or crocodiles.
Overview
Lake Bunyonyi lies at 1,962 metres among the steep terraced hills of Kigezi, and it is one of the most photographed places in Uganda for good reason: twenty-nine islands scattered across dark, still water, with hillsides cultivated in contour strips right down to the shoreline. Its name means place of many little birds. Unusually for an East African lake it has no bilharzia, no crocodiles and no hippos, so swimming is safe - which makes it the natural place to spend two or three days recovering after gorilla trekking in Bwindi or Mgahinga, an hour and a half away. The islands each have a story: Akampene, or Punishment Island, is where unmarried pregnant girls were once abandoned; Bwama housed a leprosy treatment centre founded by a Scottish missionary in the 1920s. Dugout canoe trips, island hopping, hillside walks to Kigezi villages and birdwatching are what people come for.
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Where these are, around Lake Bunyonyi
1 listings with a mapped location.
Map of 1 listings
- Listed
When to visit Lake Bunyonyi
Month by month: wildlife, weather and how busy it gets.
October
Long rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices.
- Wildlife
- —
- Weather
- Weather: 2 / 5
- Crowds
- Crowds: 2 / 5
- Rainfall
- 160 mm
- Temperature
- 12–23 °C
Show all twelve monthsHide the full table
| Best time to visit | Wildlife | Weather | Crowds | Rainfall | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors. | — | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 70 mm | 12–25 °C |
| FebruaryShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors. | — | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 80 mm | 12–25 °C |
| MarchWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country. | — | Weather: 3 / 5 | Crowds: 2 / 5 | 130 mm | 12–24 °C |
| AprilLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | — | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 2 / 5 | 180 mm | 12–23 °C |
| MayLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | — | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 2 / 5 | 150 mm | 12–23 °C |
| JuneShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors. | — | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 60 mm | 11–24 °C |
| JulyPeak seasonThe usual stop to rest after gorilla trekking — bilharzia-free swimming. | — | Weather: 5 / 5 | Crowds: 4 / 5 | 60 mm | 11–24 °C |
| AugustPeak seasonShort rains — brief afternoon storms, green landscapes, fewer visitors. | — | Weather: 4 / 5 | Crowds: 4 / 5 | 90 mm | 11–24 °C |
| SeptemberWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country. | — | Weather: 3 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 130 mm | 12–24 °C |
| OctoberLong rains — some tracks impassable and some camps closed. Lowest prices. | — | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 2 / 5 | 160 mm | 12–23 °C |
| NovemberWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country. | — | Weather: 2 / 5 | Crowds: 2 / 5 | 140 mm | 12–23 °C |
| DecemberPeak seasonWet month — expect rain most days, and lush, difficult country. | — | Weather: 3 / 5 | Crowds: 3 / 5 | 100 mm | 12–24 °C |