Lake Mutanda and Kisoro

Lake Mutanda lies near Kisoro town in the far south-west of Uganda, below the cones of the Virunga volcanoes: Muhabura, Mgahinga and Sabinyo. On a clear morning the peaks rise straight up behind the water, one of the finest views in the country.

Why go

Mutanda is a calm base for the big primate days. It is about 30 to 40 minutes from Bwindi’s southern trekking sectors, Rushaga and Nkuringo, and close to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Many guests say this quiet lake is where their trip finally slowed down enough for them to take it all in.

What you can do

• Paddle a dugout canoe past small islands and fishing families.
• Walk to nearby villages, or visit the busy market in Kisoro.
• Short crater lake walks in the area.
• From here: gorilla trekking in southern Bwindi or Mgahinga, golden monkey tracking and volcano hikes in Mgahinga.

The people side

The hills around the lake are home to Bafumbira and Bakiga farming families, who grow their crops on rich volcanic soil. A village walk shows how they farm the steep slopes and live close to the lake. Near Mgahinga, the Batwa Trail, led by Batwa guides, ends in Garama Cave, a lava tunnel where the guides share their songs and the story of their forest life.

Best time to visit

The lake is lovely all year. June to August and December to February are drier, which makes trekking trails less slippery.

Getting there

Allow 9 to 10 hours by road from Kampala, and about 1 hour more from Entebbe; most guests break the journey at Lake Mburo or Lake Bunyonyi. Flights from Entebbe to the Kisoro airstrip take about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Good to know

Nights are cool at this height, so bring a warm layer. Canoeing on the lake is relaxed, Level 1, while gorilla trekking from here is Level 4, Challenging. Lodges and community camps around the lake cover several budgets. Echuya Forest, between Kisoro and Lake Bunyonyi, is worth a stop for birders.