Canoeing and Kayaking Destinations in Uganda
- August 4, 2024
- Posted by: chosen@202q
- Category: Prepare To Travel Tips
Canoeing and Kayaking Destinations in Uganda
Discover the serene waterways of Uganda and the amazing wildlife that resides in and around its waves. Approximately eighteen percent of the country’s land surface is made up of diverse lakes, rivers, and marshes. The longest river in the world, the Nile, and Lake Victoria, one of the continent’s largest freshwater lakes, are two of the most prominent.
The Best Places in Uganda to Go Kayaking and Canoeing for a Safari
Bunyonyi Lake
The little birds that live there gave the lake its name. It is situated in the Kabale area in southwest Uganda. This lake is the deepest in Uganda and is stable all year round due to the presence of a few waves. The floating island and the punishment island, where young women who got pregnant before marriage were abandoned and allowed to die, are two of the 29 islands that can be navigated by canoe only in this lake.
Every island has a unique history, which you will learn about during a two-hour canoe trip with the best guide. Around Lake Bunyonyi, there are also a variety of things to choose from, including nature walks, birdwatching expeditions, hiking hills, house stays, and cultural excursions to see real bakiga homes.
One of the most breathtaking experiences in Uganda is taking a canoe trip on the stunning Lake Bunyonyi, located in southwest Uganda. Many visitors come here to relax and decompress following a day of hiking with gorillas, climbing a volcano, or spending the day before embarking on an African safari.
Mutanda Lake
You have to visit Lake Mutanda and go canoeing or kayaking on it to really appreciate its beauty and the rich culture of the people who live there. Renting dugout canoes will allow you to explore the lake’s fascinating islands alone. Alternatively, you can go on a trip with a local guide who will show you how the locals live.
It will be an amazing trip to take a dugout canoe excursion around this beautiful lake! Select between going on a sail in the evening or at sunset and going on a canoe trip early in the morning or at daybreak.
Islands of Ssese
The sea surrounding the Sese islands is perfect for boat trips, kayaking, and canoeing. The water is clear and pristine. Although the boats and canoes are not free, many of the resorts and hotels surrounding the islands are in charge of planning kayak and canoe excursions. In exchange for using their equipment for a predetermined amount of time, visitors pay a small fee. These islands are therefore some of Uganda’s top locations for kayaking and canoeing.
Mabamba Swamp
The Mabamba swamp is the natural habitat of the elusive Shoebill Stork in Uganda. The majority of birdwatching trips include canoeing through canals lined with papyrus marsh and lily pads.
Mabamba Swamp is a vast marsh that stretches across a long, narrow bay and is encircled by papyrus as it approaches the western border of Lake Victoria. Following that, you will be taken to the marsh by a local guide in a canoe or fishing boat. There can only be three birders per canoe (not including the guide and boat driver). First, in their small office, you have to pay a community fee of about $35, which goes toward paying for the guide and the boat.
You have to maneuver wearing a life jacket or ask for one because many of the boats are not equipped with them. Locals run both the birding excursion guides and these boats. By using their services, you help the neighborhood and the wildlife of the wetland remain intact.
Semiliki Wildlife Reserve
Nestled between Lake Albert, the Kijura escarpment, and the Rwenzori Mountains, the Reserve is situated in a stunning rift valley. With splotches of Borassus palm forest, the predominant plant types are grassy savannah and open acacia-combretum woodland.
There are patches of sizable wetlands toward Lake Albert and extensive belts of riparian forest alongside the main watercourses.
These offer Uganda’s best canoeing and kayaking experiences, especially around Lake Albert. Views of uncommon species, including African Pygmy Goose, Blue-breasted and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, Blue-headed Coucals, and Shoebills, are possible.
Katonga Reserve and other locations along the shores of Lake Victoria
Uganda’s Katonga Wildlife Reserve is one of the nation’s most cherished and diminutive parks, possessing unique attributes. Even though Katonga Wildlife Reserve is one of Uganda’s smaller reserves, it might provide you with an experience you won’t soon forget.
The wildlife reserve was added to Uganda’s list of protected wildlife areas very recently—it was founded in 1998. There are about 150 different bird species and over 40 different animal species in the reserve, which is best explored by boat or on foot. Numerous types of plants, animals, and birds found in the reserve are exclusive to wetlands.
Lake Victoria is the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the second largest in the world, behind Lake Baikal. Another name for the lake is “Victoria Nyanza.” The lake was dubbed Lake Victoria in honor of Queen Victoria by John Hanning Speke, the first British explorer.
This vast body of water, which is shared by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, seems more like a sea than a lake and stretches into the distance. Popular activities on the shores of Lake Victoria include kayaking and canoeing. Think about trying these on the largest lake in Africa. You may paddle around Lake Victoria for a while, taking in the stunning coastline and its astounding diversity of birdlife.
What time of year is ideal for canoeing in Uganda?
Uganda experiences several distinct seasons all year long. March through May and October through December are the months with the most rain. The months of June through August and late December through February are considered the dry season. Nonetheless, the dry season is the best time to go canoeing in Uganda.
The best spots in Uganda for canoeing and kayaking during a safari are those indicated above.