Rubondo Island
Description: A peaceful paradise with untouched beaches, bird-rich marshes and rare animal species. Here you can go on foot or by boat. This is the only good place in Tanzania to find sitatunga, East Africa’s only truly amphibious antelope.
There are also other antelopes, vervet monkeys, small carnivores, hippos, crocodiles, reptiles and at least 200 bird species. There are also chimpanzees (unhabituated), elephant, colobus monkeys and giraffe, but you are less likely to see them.
It is also possible to go fishing for the Nile Perch!
Location: Island in Lake Victoria, reachable by flight from Arusha, Serengeti or Mwanza
Things 2 Do: Nature Walks, Fishing, Boat Excursions
Time: At least 3 nights
Animals: Sitatunga, Antelopes, Vervet Monkeys, Small Carnivores, Hippos, Crocodiles, Reptiles, Chimpanzees, Bushbucks and at least 200 bird species.
Accommodations
$$$$
Rubondo Island Camp
“Every detail was meticulously planned and perfectly suited to our needs. It was obvious that Karen paid careful attention to how we prefer to experience travel and matched us with a guide who perfectly suited our style. Barney was incredibly professional and let us set the tone and pace. He is an outstanding guide in so many ways; he quickly read us and we bonded immediately. Throughout the journey it was obvious that Barney is well respected by the other guides and they often follow his lead because he knows where to go and how to find the animals. He is also an incredible photographer–I got to a point where I just handed him my phone and he meticulously captured our trip. With no exaggeration, our 8 days with Barney were life changing and we think of him each and every day.
While we requested clean and comfortable accommodations with private baths, every place we stayed far exceeded our expectations. Nyikani and Mara Mara were the standout favorites. I have spoken with folks who were unsure and had reservations about the food that would be provided. We ate incredibly well–food was more than plentiful, very good to extremely delicious, and the soups were the best I have ever eaten. Service was consistently exceptional.
Honestly, we can’t say enough positive things about our experience and have been recommending Access 2 Tanzania and Barney to all we can.”