Lake Bunyonyi

Located 7kms from Kabale Town, Lake Bunyonyi is a young lake created about 10,000 years ago by a volcanic eruption that blocked a river exit. It is surrounded by intensely cultivated terraced hills, while two volcanoes loom on the horizon, on the boarder between Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo- Muhavura (4,127m) and Sabinyo (3,634m). Different sources cite different depth numbers; some suggesting that Bunyonyi is the second deepest lake in Africa.

The lake is free from bilharzias and safe for swimming 9but for only seniors, NOT amateurs. Strangely, it is also almost fish-free! At the beginning of the 20th century fish were introduced and in the 1930s fishing became profitable. In the 1960s the fish died massively, perhaps as a result of a violent shallow mixing or a volcanic gas emission. In 2002, 300,000 Nile Tilapias and clarias fish were reportedly released into the lake. Also present are the Mud fish, Cray fish and Mirrowcarp- and plenty of their enemies- the otters.
Over 200 bird species have been recorded around the lake. In fact “Bunyonyi” is a local language word meaning “Many Birds”.