Cycling or biking tours around Lake Bunyonyi are one of the best adventures you will experience here. This expedition offers an immense opportunity of using a mountain bike to ride on the lush hills around Lake Bunyonyi. Cycling or biking tours around Lake Bunyonyi offers great chances of getting close to the beautiful wildlife species, local people and the picturesque landscape.
Guided biking tours at Lake Bunyonyi cost between $20 – $40 per person per experience. You can enjoy a biking tour at Lake Bunyonyi with a reputable tour operator. At Standard Safaris, we possess the experience in tours and travel throughout Uganda and East Africa. We are also locally based, with experienced biking guides around Lake Bunyonyi to make your cycling/biking tour experience convenient.
Some facts about Lake Bunyonyi that you should know?
Lake Bunyonyi is Uganda’s deepest lake with an average depth of 40m and covering an area of around 56 km2. The average altitude of Lake Bunyonyi is about 1,973 m above sea level. Lake Bunyonyi is a fresh water lake situated in southwestern Uganda in the districts of Kabale and Rubanda. Lake Bunyonyi is found within geographical coordinates of latitude 1.2953oS and longitude 29.9133oN.
Lake Bunyonyi experiences warm and temperate climatic conditions. With bimodal rainfall patterns. At Lake Bunyonyi long rains run from March to May and long rains run from October to November. Mean annual rainfall patterns received around Lake Bunyonyi range between 800 to 1000 mm. Temperature patterns are mostly uniform throughout the year with March experiencing around 23.7oC and around 24.8oC in August.
What to see around Lake Bunyonyi during your cycling tour?
The beautiful scenery
The areas around Lake Bunyonyi have smooth undulating hills, with deep valleys and steep slopes. In Lake Bunyonyi, there are 29 islands, e.g. Bushara, Akampene, Kyahugye, Bacuranuka, Njuyeera, and Bwama. Lake Bunyonyi is mainly fed by the rivers Nyombe and Kagoma. Lake Bunyonyi was formed as a result of volcanic activity and has volcanic soils around it. Key habitats include swamp, open water, grassland, woodlot, and tropical forest, etc.
Abundant fauna and flora
Mammals to see at Lake Bunyonyi include the Congo clawless otter, impalas, waterbucks, zebras, sitatunga, and De Brazza’s monkeys, etc. Recorded bird species are around 200, including the grey crowned crane, cattle egret, red-necked dove, spectacled weaver, African crowned eagle, African firefinch, black and white mannikin, fan-tailed widowbird, brown snake eagle, collared sunbird, grey-headed sparrow and fork-tailed drongo.
Amphibians that reside at Lake Bunyonyi include the reed frog, flat-backed toad and African common toad. Fish species found here include the Louisiana crayfish, mudfish, tilapia, mirror carp, and haplochromides, etc. There are no crocodiles in Lake Bunyonyi but you will encounter lizards. Butterflies are also common in many areas around Lake Bunyonyi. Vegetation found in areas around Lake Bunyonyi is varied and dominated by sedges, grass, herbs, and trees, etc.
Unique cultures
The Bakiga are the main tribe living in and around Lake Bunyonyi. There are other tribes as well and the most notable are the Twa. These communities have distinct cultures and languages. They engage in various economic activities, especially crop farming on the lovely terraced hills. They also have various ways of entertaining visitors on biking tours. They offer distinct melodies of music and unique dances. Unique tales are also provided by the elders around.
How to get to Lake Bunyonyi for biking tours?
You can get to Lake Bunyonyi in southwestern Uganda using road transport or domestic flights. Use private means to enjoy a scenic road trip from Kampala/Entebbe via Masaka, Mbarara, Ntungamo and Kabale. The distance covered from Kampala is almost 430 km on a 4X4 safari vehicle. Dependable car hires and experienced driver guides are offered by reputable tour operators like Standard Safaris. We also offer drones, minivans, saloon cars and buses etc.
Domestic flights are often preferred for faster travels and also enjoying aerial views of Uganda. We can reserve a flight ticket on your behalf with AeroLink. This is a reliable company that offers daily domestic flights. Your flight will start from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro Airstrip. This takes 1 hour and 15 minutes. The rest of the journey to Lake Bunyonyi will be on road transport, which is about 1.5 to 2 hours journey.
Which is the best time to travel to Lake Bunyonyi for biking tours?
Nothing should stop you from traveling to Lake Bunyonyi for biking tours on any day of the year. But, less challenging biking/cycling tour experiences around Lake Bunyonyi are done during the dry months of the year. June and July are the driest months of the year around Lake Bunyonyi. August, December, January, and February also experience dry weather conditions around Lake Bunyonyi.
During the dry months, the landscape is mostly dry, making cycling more comfortable with few risks of accidents due to slipping. During the dry months, the areas around Lake Bunyonyi tend to experience low chances of rainfall. This is an opportunity to have uninterrupted biking/cycling tour experiences around Lake Bunyonyi. The atmospheric temperatures are also comfortable since they are warmer during the day, unlike the wet season.
