Lake Bunyonyi accommodation: An honest review of Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort
Waking up to the sounds of singing birds and feasting my eyes on the calm lake, I realize I am at a secluded place that only the lucky ones get to enjoy – on the beautiful resort of Lake Bunyonyi Overland.
Surrounded by numerous trees of different species, with Lake Bunyonyi right in front of it lies Lake Bunyonyi overland resort, a large and tranquil resort where stunning views of the lake and well – terraced hills welcome you from the moment you enter this little paradise.
For my short getaway to Lake Bunyonyi (rather a place of many little birds), I opted to stay at Lake Bunyonyi overland resort to experience one of Uganda’s most beautiful places.
With a number of beautiful resorts at the lake, it can be hard to narrow down which one to stay at but I hope this review of Lake Bunyonyi Overland resort will help you find your perfect getaway as I had an incredible stay with them.
In this honest review, I will tell you what I liked about it, the prices, what you can expect and what you can do at the Jewel of Western Uganda.
For a wonderful stay at Bunyonyi overland resort, make sure you book your room in advance. You can book directly at the resort’s website or from Booking.com – a top hotel booking website in the world.
Disclaimer: My 3 nights stay at Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort were sponsored by the resort. However, all the views and opinions in this review are my own and unbiased in any way.
An Honest Review of Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort
Overview of Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort
Nestled along the shores of the serene Lake Bunyonyi approximately 18km from Kabale town, Bunyonyi Overland resort is a home away from home in Bunyonyi. The 7 hours drive from Kampala to this southwest Ugandan dreamy destination keeps you longing to experience the 29 islands scattered around the Lake.
But as soon as you set your eyes on the rather breathtaking view of the second deepest lake in Africa, it all makes sense as to why you had to make that long journey.
Location
While being located just right at the shores of Lake Bunyonyi is good enough, the resort’s location in proximity to a number of attractions add to its value.
The resort is just directly opposite the Supreme adventure park (a few minutes boat cruise), where all fun activities like zip-lining across the lake, and rope challenges take place and it is quite near the hiking trails to the viewpoints that give you a bird’s view of a number of islands at the lake.
First impressions about Bunyonyi overland resort
Before this exact stay, I had been to Bunyonyi Overland before – but just as an afternoon trip. And even though to some this means that you already know what to expect – it was different for me. It’s like the beauty I had left a year ago had multiplied to something that took my breath away for the second time.
On contrary to other resorts at the lake, Bunyonyo Overland is extremely big in that you’ll still have a sense of privacy even when the resort has a number of guests. And no, they’re not yet done, by the time I left, there were still numerous constructions going on at the side to expand the resort to better serve their guests. However, this caused some noise, (as you would imagine) especially near the restaurant area. But hopefully, the next time I go back, it will all be set.
Reaching the resort, the staff welcomed me very well, gave me all the information I needed to have the best time of my life at the resort and the check-in was pretty easy and fast.
And no, I had no idea about the kind of room I was getting. And boy oh boy, after a couple of minutes doing a detour of the resort, I was welcomed to my Cave cottage!
Was I surprised? You bet I was! I had mixed feelings at first but every minute that passed by, I kept falling in love with the room more and by the time I left the resort, I knew I had had the best room ever!
My cave cottage
The resort has a number of different rooms that can easily accommodate any kind of traveler from budget travelers, mid-range to campers. As I told you earlier on, I was given a private Cave cottage.
The cave cottage blew my mind away on how they were able to give it a feel of a real cave but with a modern touch. I had never slept in a cave but after this experience, I can confidently say I’ve stayed in one before – even though mine had hot water and everything else. Think traditional with a touch of modern.
Despite being a cave cottage with its interior walls painted to advance the illusion of a cave, it had all the amenities you can find in a hotel:
- The bathroom and toilet with a traditionally woven bathroom curtain to fully bring out the traditional touch. Don’t forget to carry your toiletries though as they’re not provided.
- A table and chair to get some work done.
- A balcony to get the views of the lake and the well-grown palm trees that accentuate the resort feel. However, due to the presence of the fully grown and beautiful palm trees, some of the views were obstructed. But don’t let that scare you away because you can get the unobstructed views by just taking a few steps down.
- The only downside to the room is that it needed more cleaning and proper maintenance as some of the amenities are starting to look a bit dated.
Other types of accommodation at Bunyonyi overland resort
The resort has a number of accommodations that suit everyone’s budget. From comfortable safari tents, rooms, private cottages, and family cottages. You can also choose to do self camping in the green lush gardens of the resort.
Prices of different rooms at Bunyonyi Overland resort
Please note that these prices were accurate by the time of publishing this post but they’re subject to change at any time.
The restaurant
Unlike some resorts in such secluded places, Bunyonyi Overland has a pretty big restaurant with a long menu that serves almost all kinds of foods. From the local Ugandan food, Indian food, fast food, to a number of mouth-watering dishes.
A huge plus is that you don’t have to preorder your meal, just drop in when you’re hungry and make your own order like in a “proper” restaurant. Yes, I am mentioning this because in some other resorts at Bunyonyi, you literally don’t have a choice about what you eat. You’re given 2-3 choices of dishes prepared for the day and you choose from those ones.
I am the kind of person who in most cases thinks of what to eat when I am hungry and I like to just show up at the restaurant and make an order compared to pre-ordering before I am even hungry. So this is exactly why I think Bunyonyi Overland is a step higher compared to other resorts when it comes to dining.
Breakfast at Bunyonyi Overland resort
Breakfast is served as early or as late as you want it as long as it’s between 7 am and 10 am. The huge plus is that they keep changing what they serve for breakfast every day so you can expect a good one.
Some of what is served for breakfast includes; Bread, sausages, bacon, eggs (tell the waiter how you like them), cereal, hot chocolate, Back tea, to fresh fruits, etc… Now that’s what they call a healthy breakfast – and coupled with the morning views of the lake, it becomes even tastier.
Other facilities at the resort
A massage parlour
I didn’t get a chance to go for a massage but according to how it looked like, I bet its amazing. The massage parlour is located right on the lake! I can imagine how relaxing and incredible it is to relax your muscles as you take in the fresh breeze from the lake.
Edirisa craft shop
If you want to buy souvenirs, you can buy them right from the resort at the Edirisa craft shop. You won’t only be buying Ugandan crafted souvenirs, but you’ll also be making a difference in someone’s life as the proceeds go to taking care of the orphans in the neighborhood.
Things to do at Bunyonyi overland resort
In addition to taking in the breathtaking views of Lake Bunyonyi, there are a number of things you can do. Below are a few.
Go on a boat cruise along Lake Bunyonyi
Enjoy the fresh breeze of Lake Bunyonyi by going for a boat cruise and get a glimpse of some of the islands on the lake. Some of the most notable islands include; Punishment island and Bwama Island.
Play chess or at least try
The resort has a huge chessboard marked on the ground next to the restaurant. This a good way of making friends or even doing something fun with your friends! Enjoy the game as you enjoy the breathtaking views.
Warm-up at the Bond fire
Since Kabale is a cold region, you’ll need to warm up on some nights and there is no better way to do that than on a bond fire as you chat away with other people. No, you don’t need to make the fire yourself, the staff always make one every time night falls.
Swimming
Lake Bunyonyi is a freshwater body which means that it is free from dangerous aquatic animals and Bilharzia which makes it perfectly safe to swim in.
But since it is the 2nd deepest lake in Africa after Lake Tanganyika, you have to make sure that you absolutely know how to swim as its possible to easily drown.
What I liked the most about Bunyoyi overland resort
Apart from being right on the water, It has a beautiful large garden and flowers dotted along the properly built walkways throughout the resort making it a perfect place to unwind.
The resort also has a well-built deck right on the lake which makes it a perfect place to gaze at the lake as you sip on a cold beer (or juice).
Should we even talk about the sunset!!! The resort is perfectly situated to give some of the best sunsets at Lake Bunyonyi and the reflection of the sun on the calm lake is the ultimate photo shot.
Conclusion
I enjoyed my stay with Bunyonyi Overland resort and I generally enjoyed my short getaway to the place of many small birds. Would I recommend it to others, absolutely! It is exactly why I wrote this review of Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort in the first place – to inspire you to stay at this beautiful resort as I enjoyed every bit of it.
So if you’re ready to escape the ordinary and enjoy absolute serenity at Lake Bunyonyi, then book your stay at Bunyonyi overland resort from here or contact the resort management by using the contact details below.
Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort
P.O Box 710, Kabale, Uganda
TEl. +256 (0)793 930006
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