Tag: Lake Mutanda /Uganda/
altitude: 1,792 m/5,879 ft
max length – width: 10 km/6 mi – 3 km/2 mi
depth: 56 m/184 ft
Lake Mutanda and Lake Mulehe north of Kisoro are a set of twin lakes in southwestern Uganda. An otter habitat, Lake Mutanda used to harbour hippos as well, however, extensive hunting made them completely disappear by the 1990s.
Mutanda boasts six bigger islands; most notorious among them is Kyangushu that used to be a burial site to avoid bringing bad luck to the mainland -– bones remain visible from the lake surface. As it is common in the Gorilla Highlands region, one of the islands, Gahiza, traditionally served as a punishment island for pregnant unmarried girls.
Our Stories:
-
Smaller Twins Are Handsome Too
Three pretty sets of twin lakes can be found nestled on the Rwandan and Ugandan side of the Virungas, and we usually spin tales about the bigger siblings only — Lakes Burera, Kayumbu and Mutanda. The reason is that these lie directly on our trekking routes … But today we are correcting this omission with…
-
5 Historical and Cultural Curiosities of Lake Mutanda
Lying in between Uganda’s Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks, Lake Mutanda is a handy spot to relax after your gorilla tracking. There is much more on offer here, however, than its awesome views of the Virungas and many water sports … 1. Island of the Dead, Kyangushu The island was traditionally used as a burial…
-
The Joys & Trials of Visiting 14 Kisoro Accommodations
Imagine enjoying breakfast on a little island bathed in gorgeous morning sunshine — who wouldn’t love that? The tasty eats on Gahiza Island were the absolute highlight of our familiarisation trip in Uganda’s Kisoro District last week. Sasha, our 22-year-old Rwandan team member, and Maani, a 17-year-old Slovenian/Ugandan, had a blast. As our tour arrangers…
-
Why Choose Uganda and Rwanda over Tanzania and Kenya?
70mm, f/8.0, 1/400s, ISO125 Every place has its charms and attractions, and Kenya and Tanzania certainly received their fair share. For sheer volume of large mammals, the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem is probably unmatched anywhere in the world. Still, Rwanda and Uganda — even if we limit ourselves to Uganda’s southwest as pictured here — are something…
-
Not Malaria
24mm, f/2.8, 1/125, ISO1600 Last week I shared my own malaria scare, but since I happened to be staying at a wildlife sanctuary with a full veterinary clinic it is perhaps understandable that I was able to receive help so quickly. Not everyone might be so lucky, right? Well, perhaps not, but the truth is…
-
Little-Known Hiking Overnights in Southwestern Uganda
I am Levi Ayebare, 28, and I have been working with Gorilla Highlands Experts on the Ugandan side of the region as a tecnico. This means that I am providing technical support to hiking groups on the Gorilla Highlands Trails. I take care of setting up camps, allowing tired trekkers to hit the mattresses as…
-
Our Gorilla Trek Well Beyond Gorillas
Strange enough, it all started in Prague. It was summer 2009, my wife Marta and I were in town for our vacations, and decided to pay a visit to the local zoo. That was the first time we had the chance to meet face to face with the gorillas, and we spent more than an hour…
-
Slapped by a Gorilla: 30 Ultimate Hiking Images
We are back into lockdowns and travel restrictions throughout the Gorilla Highlands region, so we remember last month especially fondly. May 2021 was the go-time for nine eager Dutch boys to fy into Uganda, tired of the one-year wait for their Ultimate Hike — a combination of Volcano Quest and Parks Reunited — to finally…
-
Top 5 Prettiest Lakes of the Gorilla Highlands Region
From the ice-cold waters between Rwanda and Uganda atop Mt Muhabura to the colourful bays of Bukavu, the Gorilla Highlands region is blessed with numerous bodies of water. You can safely swim in all of them — but which lakes are the most beautiful? 1. Lake Bunyonyi This giraffe-shaped lake is made exceptionally gorgeous by the heavily terraced hills that…
Wish to move on to another category?