This is one of the most beautiful lakes in Africa, a place that is NOT to be missed when you come to Uganda, here at TTOSA we will make sure of that, it is a place of mystical magical beauty, a place of rest, of solace, of quiet, of peace, you will simply be delighted, restored and rested, it is a place where after that long safari, you finally relax and take in all of the beauty and amazement you have had.
There are things that you can do here like swim in the Lake – it is one of the few lakes in Uganda that is Bilharzia Free. You can paddle from island to island – be amazed what is transported by boat by the inhabitants of the islands, see some of the little birds and not so little ones. Take walks on the Islands; visit the Monday or Friday market in Rutinda.
It is found in south western Uganda between Kabale and Kisoro, it is located at 1,962 m above sea level, and it is about 25 km long and 7 km wide. It is believed to be the second deepest lake in Africa with a depth that is rumored to vary between 44meters and 900 meters.
The lake has 29 islands which are concentrated in the central part. The most prominent of these include the Akampene Island which is also known as the punishment island, the Bakiga used to leave unmarried pregnant girls on this island with a lone tree to die of hunger or while trying to swim back to the main land, his was to teach others not to do the same, A man without cows to pay the bride wealth could go to the island and pick up a girl. The practice got abandoned in the first half of the 20th century. Although this practice has been abandoned, it is still possible to find women who were picked up from Punishment Island today. The others are Bushara, Kyahugye, Bwama and Njuyeera, and Bucuranuka