Lake Mutanda, Kisoro’s Radiance

The heavens opened up, and splendor flooded the Kisoro mountains! The magnificence and vast design of this section of the globe hint at what paradise may look like. It truly is gorgeous, attractive, and soul-nourishing. It’s a candidate for the Biblical Garden of Eden. A slew of superlatives would be insufficient to adequately describe this location. It’s breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly fantastic! I’m referring about Lake Mutanda and the breathtaking views it offers.

Lake Mutanda lies roughly 20 kilometers north of Kisoro and spans an area of around 22 square kilometers. This tranquil lake is delightfully adorned by 15 islets that nature has ingeniously dispersed amid its clear waters. The natural beauty of the lake on its different banks is crowned by luxuriant foliage and plants. Lake Mutanda, located in the foothills of the huge Virunga Ranges, is solely drained by the River Rutshuru, which flows northward via the Albertine Rift to Lake Edward.

This tranquil lake is home to a variety of avian, aquatic, and semi-aquatic animals. Avid birdwatchers can spot big cormorants, pied kingfishers, grey-crowned crested cranes, numerous sunbird species, Ibis, and Malachite Kingfishers, among others. Snakes, chameleons, monitor lizards, many frog species, and the African Clawless Otter are among the permanent occupants. Hippos were last sighted in this lake in the early 1990s, according to records.

Using Chameleon Hill Lodge as a vantage point, one may take in the amazing trio-ranges; the volcanoes! Muhabura 4127m (the guide), Gahinga 3474m (Pile of Stones), and Sabyinyo 3645m (Old Man’s Teeth) are the three mythical volcanoes. It’s the story of three enormous cloud-scrapers who rule both the skies and the landscape. They can be bashful at times, hiding under cotton-like layers of clouds, only to reveal their brightness when the clouds lift. They may vanish in layers of fog and mist, and only the patient can see them in their entire beauty. The blue sky sprinkled with white clouds, the dispersed island of Lake Mutanda, and the vegetation over the hills all work together to provide one of the most breathtaking sights on the planet.

A traditional dug-out canoe trip and a powered boat ride provide an exploring platform for this wonderful but underappreciated lake. A trip to Python Island may sound frightening, but it is such a pleasant experience to be immersed in a completely natural ambience on an untouched island. The python is seldom seen, but it is worth seeing since birds nest on the trees and there are other animal species that nature provides.

The history of man is one of intrigue, violence, and treachery; a visit to Prison Island transports one to the days of the Bafumbira people. The earth testifies of barbaric activities on Prison Island, where the elderly, criminals, social misfits, and females who conceived out of wedlock were dumped to die in a horrific manner. A simple trip to a cave reveals the horrifying image of the victims’ corpses. This is not an exercise for the faint of heart.

The indigenous Bafumbira people live on Mutanda, the major island. The lake gets its name from the Island, which is home to a close-knit population that lives a basic life of subsistence gardening and fishing. This includes a few fish species such as mudfish and catfish. These folks have a distinct scent of friendliness. One expensive aspect of this town that any visitor might want to experience is the contagious and innocent grins of the youngsters.

To get to Lake Mutanda, take a 10-hour journey from Kampala to Kisoro, then another two-hour ride on a winding or serpentine highway to the Mutanda region. Aerolink operates scheduled flights to Kisoro for individuals who cannot tolerate long travels. L. Mutanda’s proximity to Bwindi makes it an ideal location for gorilla trekking and Bwindi Forest Nature-walks.