A Lake Bunyonyi Adventure
Cathy Ricciardone chronicles Fellows’ excursion after the first week of the Fellowship.
Our excursion to Lake Bunyonyi occurred after the first week of our teaching program. It had been a rough and tiring week with the program not working out like it had been planned to. So the excursion really did come at the perfect time!
All 19 of us packed the two vans endearingly named Crane and Gorilla and headed on our way! The journey was stunning but not without incident. Vehicles breaking down is a usual occurrence in Uganda and this trip was not different. Thanks to our experienced drivers, one overheating Gorilla eventually made it to the lake and we were able to pile into the boats waiting for us!
We stayed at Nature’s Pride Island, a stunning but unique resort that had been booked out entirely for us. We brought tents: some stayed in these and others opted to pay a bit extra and stay in the chalets.
After settling in, we were greeted by our legendary guide Nicholas. He explained to us some of the quirks of the Lake: it’s the third-deepest lake in the world, plunging nearly a kilometre at its deepest point. No dangerous wildlife live in it and it has more than 29 islands. A pygmy tribe still lives on one of them. After our welcome we were treated to a buffet dinner, saw the moon rise over the horizon and danced the night away next to the bar’s mesmerising fire place. Oh , and we relished the first hot showers for a whole week!
Day One
The next day presented a myriad of activities. Some chose to take a boat-ride tour of some of the islands including a walk on Leprosy Island and take a drive on Punishment Island. Others sun-baked on the jetty, while the more adventurous canoed around or did the high ropes/ zip line course. The stress and exhaustion from the previous week quickly subsided.
The perfect day ended with a stunning dinner at the ritzy Bird’s Nest restaurant, a super-fancy hotel with sweeping views of the entire lake. We relished cocktails and delicious food. The place were breathtaking and allowed for many Instagrammable pictures to be taken!
Day Two
The second day at the lake saw a morning filled of what can only be explained as an experience like no other! A journey to Pygmy Island. After a rather long trip across the lake we met by a joyful mob of children at the island’s jetty. Very quickly each of us had a child hand in each of ours and we were being led up the steep incline to the top. The children, who were barefoot didn’t falter on the rocky or prickly tracks, soldiering on looking at our shoes like we were the silly ones!
With sweaty, dusty and hot faces,we reached the island’s summit and met its people. They welcomed us and asked for us to sit down on some makeshift benches. Without a word of warning, the whole tribe suddenly began the most beautiful song and dance. Children, toddlers, elders, men and women were filling the clouds with a melodic and rhythmic tune. Dancing among them was a moment I won’t quickly forget. Thanks to our guide and translator, we learnt about the culture, saw their homes and learnt their hunting techniques. Taking the cue from the kids, we ditched our shoes and walked down to the boat. Without their support, holding us up each time we slipped, fell or lost our footing, we would not have made it down unscathed.
So, after two nights of pure relaxation, we were ready for the week ahead which would turn out to be the best week of the program! The trip home was not without its challenges but each time the vans broke down we took the chance to turn it into great opportunities with dancing or pure mischief.
The sheer beauty and tranquility of Lake Bunyonyi blew us all away. We had no idea that such an amazing place would be in Uganda.
This post is Part Four of this feature:
- Part One: From the White Nile to Paradise Among The Trees
- Part Two: Life in the Lodge
- Part Three: Uganda Fellowship Fun
- Part Four: A Lake Bunyonyi Adventure
- Part Five: At 43, 000ft, Farewell to the Pearl of Africa
Cathy Ricciardone is a primary school teacher from Perth, Australia. She was an LRTT Uganda January 2017 Fellow.
