Rubondo Island

A Unique Wildlife Sanctuary on Africa's High-altitude Lake

Located in the southwestern corner of Lake Victoria - a high altitude lake that is also Africa’s largest lake - Rubondo Island is a mostly uninhabited island, which makes it a perfect sanctuary for wildlife.

As an island national park, Rubondo is a rare occurrence; there are very few of these in Africa. The island is mostly equatorial forest with an undergrowth of lush green wooded vines. It was first declared a national park in the 1960s, and ongoing conservation efforts since then have proven fruitful, especially for local chimpanzee populations that have thrived in this environment.

Travel to Rubondo Island National Park is principally about visiting the chimpanzees on the island, which can be observed together with other wildlife species such as elephant, sitatunga and spot-necked otters also found in small numbers. There are chimpanzee habituation experiences on offer together with boating safaris and fishing on Lake Victoria, birding, forest drives and walks.

There is only 1 lodge on offer on Rubondo island, that being Rubondo Island Camp. This exclusivity allows for an un-crowded and uninterrupted experience in nature, which we like.