Rubondo Island National Park

Overview

Rubondo Island National Park is located in the south-western corner of Lake Victoria, is about 150 km west of Mwanza and covering an area of 456.8 square kilometers and rising 1,134 meters above sea level. The main island measures 28 kilometers from north to south and is 3–10 kilometers wide. Rubondo Island is on a rift in the lake. Consists of a partially submerged rift of four volcanically formed hills, linked by three flatter isthmuses, the soil is volcanic and habitat is mixed evergreen and semi deciduous forest, which covers about 80% of the island’s surface area with a dense understory woody. The forest is interspersed with patches of open grassland and acacia woodland. The eastern lakeshore is characterized by rocky areas and sandy beaches whilst the western shore supports extensive papyrus swamps, lined with date palms.

The chimps of Rubondo Island National Park in Lake Victoria were introduced from European zoos in between 1966–1969 by Professor Bernhard Grzimek of the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS).

In addition to chimpanzees, seven other species were introduced to the island; Roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) and rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) both now extinct, Suni antelope (Neotragus moschatus), elephants (Loxodonta africana), twelve giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis), 20 black and white colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza), and African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus).

Rubondo offers a variety of attractions for visitors, from tracking wild habituated chimpanzees, game viewing, snorkeling, fishing, and relaxing on pristine, white, sandy beaches of Lake Victoria also you the Clawless Otter to the lake.

How To Get There

Rubondo Island can be reached by Air Chatters and then boats to the park.

Aircraft landing at Rubondo Airstrip- Kageye

(A)By Air: Rubondo Island can be reached both by charter/air. Visitors who prefer to travel by air should in advance check with the tour operators in Bukoba, Mwanza, Arusha and Dar es Salaam for flight schedules.

Boat trip from Kasenda to Mlaga entry and exit point

(B) By public transport and Boat: By public transport leads you from Mwanza to Nkome via Geita town which is approximately 3-4 hours (164km) drive, 100km through a tarmac and 64 rough road. At Nkome Rangers post you can be picked by park boat and will take 1 hour to the park. Another route is Mwanza to Mganza through Bukoba road (270km – 5hrs), Biharamulo to Mganza through Chato – Bukoba road and from Bukoba to Mganza through Bukoba – Chato road. At Muganza you can take a taxi or motorcycle (5min) to Kasenda where Park boats are parking and there you will be picked-up by park boat and will take about 20-25 min to the park.

Best Time To Visit Park

The best time is from June through September and wet season from November to March when wild flowers are flourishing and plentiful of butterflies

For bird watchers is from December to February when most migratory birds are nesting

PARK ATTRACTIONS

The park is bestowed with magnificent attractions that tourist can enjoy these include diversity of wild life including elephants, giraffes, bushbucks, hippos, yellow-spotted otters, crocodiles, chimpanzee, sitatunga and offers best fish breeding sites. other attractions are birds diversity with more than 400 species of nesting birds resides the park. The grey parrot, introduced in 2000 when 34 birds were rescued from illegal trade, is a spectacular newcomer. Another noisy specimen is the African fish eagle.

Chimpanzees – currently being habituated – few Chimps are now used for tourism Habituation Experience (CHEX). One can travel by car to Chimps’ areas and joining chimps’ habituation crew and be a part of habituators.

Other mammals: Other mammals that are frequently seen are Giraffes, Hippopotamus, Sported necked Otter, Bushbucks and Velvet Monkeys. Colobous monkeys, Genet Cats, Marsh Mongoose, Suni and Elephants.

Magnificent view of evergreen dense primary lowland Congolese forest-More than 80% of Rubondo Island National Park is covered by an intense primary lowland Congolese forest. Thus providing a variety of wildlife habitats sharing the similar ecological niches such as elephants, giraffes, chimpanzees, black & white colobous monkeys, Suni, African grey parrots etc.

Variety of water birds at Birds’ Island: RINP is one of the sites with highest density and concentration of Birds in Tanzania. Also RINP provides best habitat for birds migrating between southern and northern hemispheres.

REPTILES

Variety of Reptiles: Reptiles such as snakes (pythons), monitor lizards and crocodiles: These are reptiles that found in the park but some are rarely seen. Most reptiles maintain their body temperature by absorbing heat from their surrounding and have bodies that change accordingly to local atmosphere that means they cannot control their own body temperature

CULTURAL SITES

There are three main cultural sites Maji matakatifu, Ntungamirwe, and Alutare.

The famous Maji Matakatifu was historically used as ritual areas by Native Zinza who lived in Rubondo before the area was upgraded as a National Park. One example of rituals was to make women and men who did not have children to have children.

Sacred Site Ntungamirwe

Near Kageye area, just beneath Pongo Viewpoint along the tourist trail, there is still visible and intact a sacrificial site, one of the most popular sacred site use by Native Zinza tribe for traditional and spiritual beliefs. The rock can be delineated from the surrounding rocks due to its white coloration.

Alutare

This is an important historical site, used during wars with enemies of the Banyarubondo. Enemies included Baganda people from Uganda, who attacked them especially after the harvest season to steal cereals. The natives hid in karobhela caves at Alutare during the wars. The natives like to compare this entrance with an entrance into a cathedral. This is why the whole area was named “Alutare”, which means “altar”.

FOREST AND BEACHES

Magnificent view of evergreen dense primary lowland Congolese forest-More than 80% of Rubondo Island National Park is covered by an intense primary lowland Congolese forest. Thus providing a variety of wildlife habitats sharing the similar ecological niches such as elephants, giraffes, chimpanzees, black & white colobous monkeys, Suni, African grey parrots etc.

Beautiful beaches such as Michungwani and Michikoko:The Island has every type of imaginable beaches; white sand, gravel and stones and shorelines popular for visitors watching wildlife and enjoying the Lake breeze. Also beaches are frequently visited and inhabited by wildlife such as hippos, crocodiles and elephants, white necked Otters etc

Other attractions includes a variety of colorful frogs and insects such as dragonfly and dung beetles.

Tourism Activities

Sport Fishing

It is the most exciting recreational activity in which there is great possibility of getting a big catch to make a wonderful and challenging record of catches among others.

Boat Excursions

one can view a spectacular beauty of the island, beaches, variety of water birds, crocodiles, amongst the deepest point in the Lake Victoria “Irumo”, hippos, otters, plants species along the shores as well as enjoying the cool lake breeze.

Walking Safaris

(Short and long) up to 4 hrs and above depending on the requests – One can enjoy seeing animals such as suni, mongoose, genet cats, monkeys, bush pigs, sitatunga, bush bucks etc. Also, reptiles, orest birds, viewing the lake & shores etc.

Game Viewing

There is a possibility of watching big game such as elephants, giraffes and other mammals, reptiles, amphibious and variety of forest birds.

Chimps Habituation Experience(CHEX)

One can join Chimps habituation crew to experience how chimps are habituated in their nature state without using any artificial means of attracting them to humans (e.g. feeding, playbacks, etc.)

Canoeing

Canoeing is one among recreational activity on Lake Victoria with aim of diversifying activities in park. The activity involves  paddling  a  canoe  and is done as or as a part of a sport.

ACCOMODATION

Inside the Park

The park owns self catering and self contained visitor 5 bandas and a rest house but not exclusive for families, while at times providing camping site for visitors with tents or offering tents.