Lake Bunyoni & Mgahinga

Lake Bunyoni is one of the jewels of the lovely south-west corner of Uganda. This region is both beautiful and fascinating, and you can enjoy a more leisured itinerary. Hike through local villages, or paddle a traditional canoe. Perhaps meet the ancient Batwa people of the forest?

Stay at one of the lovely lakeside lodges at Lake Bunyoni, where you can soak up the charms of this exceptionally scenic location. Bunyoni, meaning 'little birds', is dotted with little islands which play host to the numerous bird species.

Mgahinga National Park

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is one of Uganda's smallest forest reserves and is part of the Virunga Volcanoes mountain range which straddles Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC. So yes, it is home to mountain gorillas! But they have an unfortunate tendency to range far across the border into the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo). So gorilla tracking is quite unpredictable here. Thankfully, the park offers lots of other worthwhile activities. These include hikes up the volcanoes, tracking Golden Monkeys and the Batwa Trail.

The Batwa Trail

The Batwa are the former dwellers in the high mountain forests. For millennia, they have co-existed peacefully with the mountain gorillas and other forest inhabitants. But their hunter-gatherer lifestyle has been devastatingly impacted by 20th century development and conservation.

So in an attempt to establish an income and find a new way to remain the 'keepers of the forest' the Batwa have introduced the Batwa Trail. Here they explain, demonstrate and share their low-impact culture and heritage with visitors. The Batwa Trail in Mgahinga National Park is both moving and enlightening.