Adding Lake Bunyonyi to Your Gorilla Trekking Trip
Adding Lake Bunyonyi to your gorilla trekking itinerary balances the physical demands of trekking with a few days of genuine relaxation. Your trip starts with a gorilla permit for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, then continues to the lake once your trek is complete.
Gorilla Hurly Burly can build Lake Bunyonyi into your itinerary alongside your gorilla trekking permit and accommodation.
Getting from Bwindi or Mgahinga to Lake Bunyonyi
After your gorilla trek, you travel to Lake Bunyonyi, a journey taking about 2 to 3 hours depending on which sector of the park you’re coming from. Lake Bunyonyi ranks as Africa’s second deepest lake, reaching depths of up to 900 meters, and is often called the “Switzerland of Africa” thanks to its terraced hills, 29 islands, including the well-known Punishment Island, and generally peaceful setting.
Activities at Lake Bunyonyi
The lake offers activities that complement gorilla trekking well, giving your body a break from hiking while still keeping you active. Canoeing lets you explore several of the 29 islands at your own pace, while swimming is safe here since the lake is bilharzia-free with clear water throughout.
Bird watching draws its own following at Lake Bunyonyi, with over 200 species recorded around the shoreline, including African harrier hawks, pied kingfishers, and white-tailed blue flycatchers.
Where to Stay
Accommodation around Lake Bunyonyi ranges from eco-friendly lodges to more comfortable resort-style properties, covering a range of budgets. Options include Bunyonyi Overland Resort, Bird’s Nest Resort, Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort, and Arcadia Lodges, each offering different levels of comfort and lake access.
How to Structure Your Itinerary
Many safari operators, including Gorilla Hurly Burly, package gorilla trekking and a Lake Bunyonyi stay together into one itinerary. A typical structure has you arriving at Bwindi on day one, trekking gorillas on day two, then transferring to Lake Bunyonyi for one or two days of relaxation before returning to Kampala or continuing on to other parts of Uganda.
Best Time to Visit
The best time for this combined trip falls during the dry seasons, June to September and December to February, when trails stay firmer for trekking and travel between Bwindi and the lake goes more smoothly.
Book Your Gorilla Trekking and Lake Bunyonyi Trip
Lake Bunyonyi gives you a genuinely relaxing follow-up to a physically demanding gorilla trek, with canoeing, swimming, and birdwatching all available in one peaceful setting.
Book your gorilla trekking safari with Lake Bunyonyi included with Gorilla Hurly Burly today. Contact our team to build this combination into your Uganda itinerary.
