Extraordinary Africa>Tanzania>Rubondo Island>Rubondo Island Camp
Beautiful Rubondo Island Camp is an incredibly charming lakeside lodge in the middle of Lake Victoria. It’s the only lodge in this very special spot, and its very much a place that guests fall in love with. Not least because of the delightful staff, who do their absolute best to spoil you.
What’s Rubondo really like?
There are just 8 waterfront cottages on the lawns going down to the lake. Each has a king-sized bed, ensuite bathroom and a verandah looking out towards the lake. There is also one family cottage that has a second bedroom with double or twin beds.
Over in the main area of the lodge there’s a pool, and a relaxing sitting and dining area. Rubondo Island Camp does have wifi, but it’s a bit spotty, so this is a great place to come to really relax and switch off.
What can I do at Rubondo?
Activities at Rubondo include taking game drives around the island and beautiful forest walks. Remarkably, there are elephants on the island, as well as giraffes, hippos and fantastic bird watching. An especially lovely thing to do is take a boat safari out on the lake.
There is plenty to reward keen fishermen- Rubondo is one of the best places you can go to catch Nile Perch and visitors have caught (and released!) several fish weighing in at 50kgs. Basic fishing equipment is supplied, and you are welcome to bring your own kit for fly-fishing.
One of Rubondo’s most unique and special activities is taking part in the habituation of the island’s chimpanzees. The chimps are still quite wild and move surprisingly fast, so we’d advise this for guests with a good level of fitness, and realistic expectations. The chimps are wild and not every expedition results in a sighting. Guests must be over 15 for chimp trekking.
For a small extra fee, we can arrange for you to take a boat ride to a nearby village, either Muganza village where you can see the market and the veggie garden sponsored by the camp, or over on Maisome island to see the fishermen bring their catch in early in the morning.
Giving back at Rubondo:
The very presence of the lodge on the island is doing a huge amount to protect the chimpanzees and help ensure their survival in the long term. The camp is also involved in protecting the waters around the island, removing illegal nets and long lines. They support two local primary schools and a farm-to-table veggie garden.
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