Distance from Lake Bunyonyi to Bwindi
Distance from Lake Bunyonyi to Bwindi: North of Kabale district in the southwestern part of Uganda is where you find the deepest water lake in the country named Bunyonyi. The lake is 25km long and 7km wide covering a total area of 61 square km with over 29 islands. On the other hand, Bwindi is located in the southwestern part of Uganda sharing Kisoro, Kabale, and Kanungu district on the borders with DR Congo. Bwindi covers a total area of 331 sq. km full of tropical rainforest.
Distance from Lake Bunyonyi to Bwindi
The distance from Lake Bunyonyi to Bwindi is just 59km which is 1-2 hours drive depending on the nature of the road. The road connecting Bwindi to Lake Bunyonyi is marram and there are times when it’s passable even though with some dusty and there are days it’s bumpy and muddy, especially in the rainy season. Because of the nature of the road, travelers are advised to use 4×4 safari vehicles if they are visiting Lake Bunyonyi and Bwindi gorilla park.
A lot of travelers ask about the distance from Lake Bunyonyi to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park to see if they can visit the two places. Well, the places are so close to each other to the extent that even travelers can sleep in Lake Bunyonyi and then make it to the gorilla trekking briefing the next day. The distance is 59km and it takes only 1 hour 30 minutes to get to Ruhija sector which is the closest region to the lake.
There are lots of travelers that prefer staying at Lake Bunyonyi or visiting the lake before and after gorilla trekking to refresh their minds. Lake Bunyonyi is the best place to rest before or after visiting Bwindi and travelers who visit the area can be part of activities such as canoeing where they visit different islands, and swimming since the lake is bilharzia free and has no dangerous aquatic animals.
What are those activities to do in Bwindi from Lake Bunyonyi?
See mountain gorillas in Bwindi forest
Encountering mountain gorillas: Gorilla trekking is the most done activity that is done in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park since it’s home to the highest number of gorillas. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi from Lake Bunyonyi can be done in Ruhija sector because it’s the closest region. Ruhija is a home to mountain gorilla families which include Bitukura, Mukiza, Kyaguliro, and Oruzogo.
All the mountain gorilla families in Ruhija are available for trekking activities and the experience starts with a briefing at the sector offices. Here the park wardens do teach trekkers about the dos and don’ts of gorilla trekking activity. Wardens also group trekkers according to age and physical ability and also assign armed ranger guides to lead the groups.
Armed ranger guides lead the trekkers through different trekking trails searching for mountain gorillas. The search for mountain gorillas can take 2-7 hours and these depend on the location of the gorilla family as well as the speed of trekkers. When the mountain gorillas are spotted, trekkers are given 1 hour to be around the apes.
Birding : Ruhija is said to be one of the best birding regions in Bwindi after Buhoma. Different birding trails have been constructed in this region and they do lead you to the best birding spots. The birding exercise in Bwindi is led by professional guides who know very where the best birding spots are. There are over 350 bird species to spot in Ruhija among which 14 are endemic to the Albertine region.
Birds to encounter in Ruhija sector of Bwindi include African hobby, black crake, eurasin hobby, bat hawk, shikra, cassins hawk eagle, African jacana, great blue turaco, common cuckoo, red-eyed dove, horus swift, scarce swift, crowned hornbill, scarce swift, crowned hornbill, fine banded woodpecker, greater honeyguide, grey wagtail, rock martin, forest robin, cape robin chat, and grey crowned crane among others.
Batwa cultural experience: Bwindi sectors including Ruhija used to be home to Batwa people until 1991 when they were asked by the government to move out so that they conserve the forest as well as mountain gorillas. When the Batwa left the forest, they never went so far but they decided to settle around the park boundaries and this is where travelers that are interested in knowing more about the African culture can find them.
A visit to the Batwa is always led by the local people from the Batwa communities and these first take you around the jungle to show you how they used to survive here. They later take you to their communities where you meet local people, take part in activities such as cooking, listen to stories of long ago, get entertained by the traditional dancers, visit schools, visit hospitals, and support community projects.
Where to stay while in Ruhija
Travelers that are visiting Ruhija sector from Lake Bunyonyi and would love to spend a night in the park don’t have to worry about where they will stay. There are several accommodation facilities in Bwindi where travelers coming from Lake Bunyonyi can stay and these range from luxury to mid-range to budget options with where to stay depending on your budget.
Accommodation in Ruhija sector of Bwindi includes Ruhija Community Rest Camp, Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge, Ecomarvels Gorilla Lodge, Bakiga Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp, Agandi Lodge, Gift of Nature Lodge, Trekkers Tavern Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort, Broadbill Forest Camp, Chameleon Hill Lodge, and Cuckoo Land Tented Lodge among others.
Where to stay at Lake Bunyonyi
Superb views of Lake Bunyonyi from Bunyonyi Eco Resort
Travelers visiting Lake Nunyonyi have a wide range of accommodations to stay at depending on their budget. Some of the accommodation facilities here include Birdnest Bunyonyi, Arcadia Cottages, Hawk’s Eye Lodge Bunyonyi, Heritage Lodge, Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort, Paradise Eco Hub Bunyonyi View Resort, Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort, Bushara Island Camp, and Bunyonyi Overland Resort among others.
When to visit Lake Bunyonyi and Bwindi
The dry months are arguably the best to visit Lake Bunyonyi and Bwindi and these months happen from June to September and December to February. This is the best period because the months are characterized by little or no rainfall and this leaves the water levels at Lake Bunyonyi favoring canoeing, the vegetation in Bwindi is short with good views of the mountain gorillas, and the roads connecting to the park and Lake Bunyonyi are passable.
Travelers can still visit Bwindi and Lake Bunyonyi in the rainy season of March to May and October to November to benefit from the huge discounts on accommodation facilities since the prices are reduced to attract a few travelers to the area. The rainy season is however characterized by little or no rainfall that makes the roads connecting to the areas impassable, the vegetation in the park is tall and thin with unclear views of the park animals, and the trekking trails are muddy and slippery
