A combination of visiting Mutanda Lake and gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga Gorilla National park is among the best’s safaris to be done by every visitor to Uganda.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest National Park in Uganda found in the southwestern parts of the country bordering Democratic Republic of Congo to the west and Rwanda to the north.
The park has got extinct volcanoes that are spread around the Virunga ranges with a tropical type of rainfall with additional wildlife including black and white Colobus monkeys, forest elephants, leopards and the famous gentle giants being the gorillas which forms the largest tourist attraction within the park.
Before going for this safari, one is advised to first book with Nature Adventure Africa Safaris limited and permits prices depends on the citizenship of the visitor $700 for Foreign Non-Residents, $500 for Foreign Residents and UGX 250000 for Ugandan nationals and the East African Citizen and trekking may last for two to eight hours depending on where the gorillas spent the previous night.
All these activities are done under the guidance of the park rangers and every group of trekkers is allowed eight people who spend only 1hours in the presence of the gorillas.
Lake Mutanda is hidden in the mountainous landscape in the southwestern parts of Uganda in Kisoro district, the lake is located in the backdrops of rolling hills with a dramatic landscape.
The lake is shared with around 15 islands with shrubs and trees with the surrounding of rolling highlands spread with green vegetation with numerous terrace gardens for the local people.
Around the lake one is able to see the chains of volcanoes in the Virunga ranges around the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and the DR. Congo including Mt. Muhavura, Mt. Gahinga and Mt. Sabyinyo.
The white fluffing clouds are always seen over the peaks of these mountains; thick clouds of mist floats around the lush highlands and create mystic scenery over Lake Mutanda and such an awe-inspiring view.
Out of the 15 Islands within Lake Mutanda, one is the only inhabited island by the local people and others have been farmed with gardens of crops.
The biggest island is the one known as Mutanda and it is occupied by the Abagesera Clan, at this island is a chance that was constructed on its top and the surrounding local people from the different communities’ canoe to this island to attend the church masses.
The best activities to be performed at this lake include,
Canoeing, rowing your canoe on the calm waters of the lake is one of the best stress relieving activity around Lake Mutanda and it’s an interesting activity, experiencing the morning cold breezes and the enthusiastic environment is another amazing memorable experience done here. You will be experiencing different wildlife including a number of birds.
Touring the islands, one of the most interesting and scaring island is the python island with a number of pythons that are mostly seen well during the hot time of the day, also to visit is the punishment island where those who committed offenses were tied and left at the island to starve, young girls who got pregnant before marriage, thieves and all wrong doers with the community were thrown at these islands to decay.
Also to see are the caves with numerous skeletons of those who were punished to death though the local people fear touring this island as they believe that its hauled by ghosts of those who were killed on them.
