Lake Bunyonyi earns the nickname ‘Switzerland of Africa’ from its setting rather than any real resemblance: steep, terraced hillsides drop straight into water that runs close to 900 metres deep in places, making it Africa’s second-deepest lake after Tanganyika. What matters more to most visitors is what the lake lacks — hippos and crocodiles — which makes it one of the few East African lakes genuinely safe for swimming.
Twenty-nine islands dot the water, several with their own small histories: Punishment Island, where unmarried pregnant women were once abandoned, and Bushara Island, now a low-key retreat reachable by dugout canoe. Canoeing is the main way to explore, paddled the traditional way or with a guide doing the work, alongside kayaking, hiking the surrounding hills and birdwatching for the herons, weavers and kingfishers that give the lake its name — Bunyonyi means ‘place of many little birds.’
At close to 1,962 metres elevation, Bunyonyi sits among Africa’s highest lakes, which keeps evenings cool even when the day has been warm. It sits about eight kilometres from Kabale town and roughly two hours from Bwindi, making it a natural rest stop after or before gorilla trekking.
One to two nights works well, usually as a decompression point either side of Bwindi rather than a standalone destination — somewhere to swim, paddle and do very little after several hours in the forest.
Park entry fees and gorilla and chimp permits in Uganda are set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
