Best lodges for gorilla trekking overnight stay around Lake Bunyonyi

Lake Bunyonyi is the deepest lake in Uganda and it is found in the western part of Uganda between two districts Kabale and Kisoro. It is the second biggest lake and also the second deepest lake in Africa. The word Bunyonyi means birds, and that’s why Lake Bunyonyi is said to be the lake of many birds in Uganda. It has a variety of many bird species favouring bird watching that include herons, sunbirds, grey crowned cranes, Flycatchers, Abyssinian ground hornbills, nightjars, African harrier hawks, white-tailed cuckoo, egrets, levillant cuckoos, weavers and slender-billed Baglafecht among others.

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Lake Bunyonyi comprises 29 historical islands with its famous island known as Akampene Island. Akampene Island was known to be the island of punishing girls who got pregnant before marriage. Girls would be taken there and left to starve and die because of hunger.  Other main islands on Lake Bunyonyi are Bwama Island, Bucuranuka Island, Bushara Island, Njuyeera Island ( Sharpest Island), and Kahungye Island. Lake Bunyonyi is also found near the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest famous for Gorilla trekking. During the gorilla trekking, you will need the best lodges for your accommodation for the overnight stay.

Lodges give the best experience where you get to experience the comfort of your home. They are accommodated with many rooms ranging from single, double, triple, and so on depending on what you would want to use during the stay. Lodges are rated into mid-range lodges, semi-luxury, and luxury lodges whereby each provides relatively close but different services. They are also great and fun places for honeymoons, weddings, birthdays, and picnics accorded with great hospitality.

Budget for accommodation: You can decide on where you would want to stay according to your budget whether a hotel, lodge, guesthouse, or camping in camp tents. Expenses are not that high since most of the services are free according to the package you have paid for.

Luxury Lodges: These are usually accommodated with private butlers, swimming pools, steam baths, masseurs, and art galleries. They provide fully equipped luxurious accommodation that is more spacious and more comfortable.

Mid-range lodges: They can be one of your best options for a self-contained and comfortable experience during your stay. They are normally in stunning locations that are not that expensive.They are almost the same as the mid-range lodges though the semi-luxury lodges have better and more luxurious accommodations and most of them usually have swimming pools.

Below is a list of the best accommodation facilities you can use for gorilla trekking overnight stay around Lake Bunyonyi.

Heritage Lodge Lake Bunyonyi

It is a mid-ranged lodge found on an island in Lake Bunyonyi that provides a nice accommodation to its visitors. It is self-contained with safari tents on high pillars with each having a private balcony. It has many eucalyptus trees that provide a cool atmosphere and provide shade to the people.

The Heritage Lodge seated on 7 acres of wooded island which is one of the 29 islands of Lake Bunyonyi has 1 family cottage and 11 self-contained tents offering comfortable accommodation to tourists gorilla trekking in Bwindi.

Accessing the heritage lodge is an adventure as it requires crossing the lake using a boat. The Lodge has a standby motor boat available to always take guests to and from the lodge. The beautiful scenery that you get to see while crossing the lake includes several bird species, the punishment island where girls who got pregnant before marriage were abandoned after being chased from their village, locals gardening along the steep slopes and so much more.

Their warm and friendly staff is always available to help with the luggage as you check into your rooms. The rooms are family-sized tents that are raised on a platform with 2 bedrooms, and a living room and they offer much-needed privacy for all their guests. These were constructed using local materials to give the rooms an African touch and appearance. Some of the facilities that are offered in the rooms include bathrooms with cold and warm water, solar, flush toilets, comfortable beds,

The main building has a restaurant that serves continental and local dishes using organically grown fresh vegetables from the garden, and fish from the lake. The Lodge also has a well-stocked bar with both hard and soft drinks and guests also get to enjoy a campfire in the lounge area.

The main amenities and facilities offered at the lodge include daily housekeeping, free parking, multilingual staff, laundry services, room service, free bicycles for the hike, rollaway beds, a garden, free Wi-Fi, and many more others.

Bird Nest Lodge

This is a luxury accommodation facility that is located in the south-western part of Uganda along the shores of Lake Bunyonyi. It offers 20 self-contained elegant rooms that were built in the traditional African style setting using local raw materials like grass for thatching the roofs.

Birdnest Bunyonyi offers different services and facilities some of which include:

• A swimming pool where you can relax and enjoy the great views of the surrounding areas around the lake.
• A restaurant that serves a variety of food including local and continental dishes prepared by a well-trained staff. You can request to have your meals indoors or outdoors.
• A well-stocked bar with hard and soft drinks including water, spirits, wines, sodas, and beer.
• Wi-Fi for the guests to keep in touch with their relatives back home.
• Health centre facilities like steam baths, gyms, and saunas.
• Business centres for wedding meetings, honeymoon packages, and conference halls.
• Laundry services are available at the lodge
• Free parking for all the guests
• A craft shop for all your souvenir shopping.

Some activities that are offered at the Lodge include fishing, hiking, swimming, trekking, and boat rides among others.

Crater Bay Cottages Lake Bunyonyi

It is a mid-ranged cottage on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi that offers opportunities to explore the refreshing surrounding nature and enjoyable activities around and on the lake. It is a nice place for relaxing and enjoying the good landscape most especially the small docks right of Lake Bunyonyi. The cottages have private bathrooms and toilet rooms and beautiful gardens that are perfect for picnics, parties, listening to the sound of nature, and reading books.

The different rooms at the cottage include 10 twin rooms and 10 triple rooms, camping is 5 per head, and double self-contained rooms.

The Crater Bay Cottages offer the best views of the surrounding areas, it is found on spacious ground and has a series of thatched double cottages that have single, double, and triple rooms. All the rooms have different amenities that include DSTV, flush toilets, en-suite bathrooms, comfortable beds, private terraces, and many more.

Other amenities include a well-stocked bar and restaurant, spacious room for seminars, and parking. The different activities that are offered at the cottages include swimming, bird watching, boat rides, bird watching, guided nature walks to the Bujora caves, and hiking among others.

Arcadia cottages

The Acardia cottages at Lake Bunyonyi are sitting on 14 acres of land and have clear views of at least 26 Islands around Lake Bunyonyi offering 11 well-maintained and equipped cottages as a form of accommodation to its guests.

It is a mid-range lodge with over 25 self–contained cottages with private bathrooms, and toilets and has large balconies made out of wood. It is one of the best lodges with a perfect view over the lake and has a lot of fun activities that include zip lining, birding, motorboat trips, and boat canoeing.

The Acardia cottages were constructed using local material and below is a list of the cottages that you can use around Lake Bunyonyi.

The Timber cottages offer comfortable king-sized beds, a private en-suite bathroom that is equipped with a shower and bathtub with both cold and hot running water, a balcony and some of the cottages have a Jacuzzi for relaxation purposes. They also have private balconies where you can relax as you watch the different bird species.

The grass-thatched cottages offer an authentic and unique experience for tourists looking for a quiet getaway after gorilla trekking. Surrounded by the Lake, the grass-thatched cottages easily blend in with nature giving guests the best experience. The bedrooms in the grass thatched cottages are furnished with en-suite bathrooms with cold and hot running water, plush and comfortable beddings, and a large and intimate living area with large windows giving you panoramic views and viewing area.

The brick cottages will make you feel like you are home away from home with the cozy and friendly inviting ambiance. The bedroom is fitted with plush and comfortable beddings to ensure that the guests have a good night’s rest, an intimate living area, a private deck, large windows with a great view of the Lake below and the solid brick provides a sense of security.

Bunyonyi Overland Resort

This is one of the best lodges that tourists coming for gorilla trekking in Uganda can use around Lake Bunyonyi. The Overland resort has a great scenic view of Lake Bunyonyi and offers accommodation to all types of travelers that are from budget to those who wish to have a luxurious stay during the gorilla trekking safari. Accommodation at the hotel is offered in the form of tented rooms, cottages, and family cottages.

The furnished safari tents: 10 furnished safari tents at the hotel are on raised platforms giving stunning views of the Lake and the surrounding areas. Each of the tents has a private terrace, offers privacy to the guests, has electric lighting, furnished with twin beds, a hammock, a writing table, and shared toilets and bathrooms.

The terraced rooms: These are 4 in total and are found on a long terraced block however they are not self-contained but have power points available for charging and electric lighting.

Self-camping: travelers who wish to try out for the camping season are catered for as well and if you want to go camping, you have to carry your camping gear. The camping grounds are in the gardens and camping area at the hotel, they are safe and the best option for tourists traveling on a budget.

Cottages: The Overland Resort has 12 cottages that are found on a two-terraced block offering guests great views of the surrounding areas.

The Overland accommodation facility offers some of the best facilities and amenities some of which include self-camping, conference rooms and space, a first aid kit and emergency, a restaurant where different meals are served including continental and local food, a satellite television set in the rooms, laundry services, Wi-Fi, transport to and from the lodge, a fully stocked bar with both hard and soft drinks, a craft shop where you get to enjoy souvenir shopping, private bathrooms, and travel information among others.

Bushara Island Camp

This is one of the most beautiful spots along Lake Bunyonyi that offers accommodation to tourists for gorilla trekking in Uganda. The camp offers comfortable accommodations such as cottages, tree cottages, and furnished safari tents. The camp is located about 9 kilometres on a private island in the middle of Lake Bunyonyi and you will need a motorboat to get to the Bushara Island Camp. The safari tents are grass thatched, thick bricks were used for construction and offer private verandas for guests where you can view the bird species and other wildlife surrounding the camp.

Facilities and amenities that are offered at the lodge include en-suite bathrooms, flush toilets, a fireplace used for the cool evenings, all rooms have clear views of the terraced hills, and meals are prepared by experienced chefs, a well-stocked bar with soft drinks and hard drinks and welcoming staff among others.

Activities that are offered at the camp include boat rides along the Lake, bird watching, and many more others. The camp is owned and run by the local communities around Lake Bunyonyi and all the benefits/proceeds from the camp are used to benefit the communities.

These are some of the best lodges that are used for gorilla trekking overnight stay in Lake Bunyonyi and for more information about accommodation, get in touch with us through our website.