Lake Victoria Safari | Mwanza To Rubondo Island Tour

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Itinerary
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Tour Details

Rubondo Island is the largest of one of only 2 island National Parks in Tanzania and is located on the south-west corner of Lake Victoria, 150 km (95 miles) from Geita Town. The 2nd island park is Saa Nane Island NP, which is nearby and which you will also visit during your stay. Lake Victoria is one of Africa’s Great Lakes and is the source of the River Nile (the world’s longest river), Africa’s largest lake and the second largest freshwater lake in the world. Rubondo national park is 456.8 km2 of which 236.8 km2 is dry land and 220 km2 is water comprising of 11 small islets. The park offers a vast variety of habitats for wildlife including: velvet monkeys, genet cats, spotted necked otters, hippopotamus, crocodiles, chimpanzees, elephants and giraffes. Only here can visitors to Tanzania be sure of seeing Sitatunga (marsh bucks). It is also a paradise for bird-lovers with nearly 400 species documented on the island. Fisherman also loves the challenge of coming face to face with the iconic Nile Perch!

Itinerary

Day 1

Walking Safari, Hippo pools & Campfires

Depart from Mwanza to start of this unique Lake Victoria Safari will drive direct to Kasenda to take a 30 minute boat ride across Lake Victoria to the magical Rubondo Island. On arrival you will take a 25 minute drive through the forest to your accommodation – you may spot your first game on route! You can then check in your room/banda while registration and confirming your activity plan is done by the park administration. After lunch, you will go on a 3 hour walking safari (guided) in the natural forest/along the beach. While hiking, you can enjoy viewing animals like sitatunga, bushbucks, suni, mongoose, bush pigs, genet cats and monkeys. There are many forest birds and butterflies on the lake and its shores. In the evening after dinner you can enjoy the quiet of the island around a campfire – a good time for a local beer or wine and reflect on an amazing day!

Day 2:

Rubondo Island Lake Victoria Safari

After breakfast for boat riding in Lake Victoria (depending on weather you may opt to go in the morning or late afternoon). This is the best experience for game viewing in Lake Victoria as we will be able to reach very remote parts of Lake Victoria. Explore an uncountable number of Nile crocodiles, stopover at the breeding site for birds and observe schools of hippos. Rubondo Island offers an extraordinary experience you can't imagine. Rubondo is another destination in Tanzania where you can also track chimpanzee a part from Gombe and Mahale. We will walk back to the Bandas for our sumptuous meals while enjoying the cool breeze from the Great View of Lake Victoria as well sounds of hippos close to the Bandas. (We can also arrange for you to fish on the lake (Sport fishing-for an additional charge)

Day 3:

Rubondo Island to Mwanza

After enjoying a buffet breakfast, collect your picnic lunch, check out and continue driving to Mwanza. On our way stop Geita town for Lunch. Later after having your lunch continue heading to Mwanza and drop at your hotel or else arrange a flight direct from the island to Mwanza.