Islands & Forest Retreat
Lake Victoria’s forested island and the turquoise shallows of Zanzibar — wild water at both ends.
From $2,180 per person
View ItineraryLake Victoria
Rubondo Island
Island National Park
One of Tanzania’s most unusual parks — a forested green jewel in Lake Victoria where elephants, giraffes and sitatunga share the shoreline with hippos, otters and fish eagles.
Lake Victoria · Wild & Nature Safaris
Discover
An Introduction
to Rubondo Island
Rubondo Island rises from the waters of Lake Victoria like a green promise: some 457 square kilometres of park, four-fifths of it under a dense canopy of wild palm, fig and hardwood forest, ringed by eleven smaller islets. It was gazetted in 1977, and its relative inaccessibility has kept it among the least-visited parks in Tanzania.
The island’s wildlife story is as unusual as its setting. Chimpanzees introduced to the forest in the 1960s now roam the interior; elephants, giraffes and the swamp-dwelling sitatunga graze the clearings; hippos crowd the channels at Chato Bay; and spot-necked otters and Nile perch inhabit the shoreline. There are no crowds here, no traffic — only forest, water and a silence broken by fish eagles.
- Location
- Lake Victoria, North-Western Tanzania
- Area
- 457 km² · 80% forest cover
- Known For
- Chimpanzees, sitatunga & still water
- Visitors
- One of Tanzania’s least-visited parks
Wildlife & Natural Highlights
What You Will
Find Here
Every destination has its own rhythm and its own icons. These are the encounters, landscapes and moments that define Rubondo Island.
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Chimpanzee Trekking
A small population of chimpanzees, introduced to the island in the 1960s, is tracked through the forest by specialist guides.
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Sitatunga Antelope
The elusive, swamp-dwelling sitatunga — one of Africa’s most secretive antelopes — is found here in good numbers.
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Hippos & Otters
Enormous hippo pods fill the channels and bays, and spot-necked otters fish the shoreline at dawn and dusk.
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Birds of the Lake
Over 300 species, including African grey parrots, fish eagles, malachite kingfishers and the papyrus gonolek of the wetlands.
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Nile Perch Fishing
Lake Victoria’s legendary Nile perch and tilapia — catch-and-release fishing with the island’s guides.
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Forest & Water
Walk the forest interior in the morning and kayak the still channels in the afternoon — a safari measured in tranquillity.
Best Time to Visit
When to
Travel
June to October for comfortable forest and water safaris · November to March for birding and calm water.
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June – October
Dry Season
The driest and most comfortable months — forest walking is easier and the wildlife concentrates along the shorelines.
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December – February
Calm Season
Warm, mostly dry and beautifully still. Excellent for fishing, birding and boat safaris.
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March – May
Long Rains
Lush and dramatic — the forest is at its most vivid and the island almost empty of travellers.
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November – March
Birding Season
Migrants join the resident birdlife and the wetlands are alive with colour.
Safari Experiences
Things to
Do Here
From first light on the plains to the last glow on the water — the experiences that make Rubondo Island unforgettable.
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Chimpanzee Tracking
Walk the forest with specialist guides in search of the island’s chimpanzees — wild, unpredictable and deeply rewarding.
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Boat Safaris
Explore the shoreline, channels and islets by boat — hippos, otters, crocodiles and fish eagles.
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Walking Safaris
Guided forest walks through the interior — palms, figs, butterflies and the quietest safari in Tanzania.
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Fishing
Nile perch and tilapia in the lake’s waters — a day on the water with the island’s fishing guides.
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Kayaking
Paddle the still inlets and channels at dawn — the most peaceful way to see Rubondo’s shoreline.
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Island Picnics
Boat out to one of the eleven islets for a picnic on a deserted beach in the middle of Africa’s largest lake.
Recommended Journeys
Safaris That Include
Rubondo Island
Hand-crafted itineraries built around this destination — each one shaped, paced and priced for the way you want to travel.
Southern Wilderness Circuit
The wild south — baobab valleys of Ruaha, the rivers and lakes of Nyerere and almost no other vehicles.
From $3,480 per person
View Itinerary
Honeymoon in the Wild
Private camps, balloon dawns over the plains and barefoot evenings on the white sand of Zanzibar.
From $4,120 per person
View ItineraryTravel Information
Before You
Set Out
- Getting There
- Charter flights from Arusha, Mwanza or the Serengeti land on the island’s airstrip; by boat, Rubondo is reached from Kasenyi on the Mwanza shore.
- Length of Stay
- Two to three nights — enough for forest walks, boat safaris and a day’s fishing.
- Nearby Parks
- The western Serengeti lies to the east, Mwanza makes a useful gateway, and the Speke Gulf’s islands reward exploration.
- Good to Know
- Rubondo is remote and intimate — accommodation is limited, so early booking is essential. Bring binoculars, reef shoes and insect repellent, and expect the unexpected.
Good to Know
Rubondo Island
FAQs
The questions travellers ask us most often about Rubondo Island.
— Lake Victoria
Are the chimpanzees wild?
They live free in the forest and behave as wild chimpanzees. They descend from individuals introduced to the island in the 1960s, and sightings depend on where the groups are ranging — never guaranteed, always special.
What else is there to do on Rubondo?
Boat safaris, forest walks, kayaking, fishing for Nile perch, island picnics and some of the most peaceful birding in Tanzania — Rubondo is a place to slow down.
How do I get to Rubondo Island?
By light aircraft from Arusha, Mwanza or the Serengeti to the island airstrip, or by boat from Kasenyi near Mwanza. We arrange every transfer.
Is Rubondo suitable for families?
Yes — children who enjoy nature, fishing and gentle adventure tend to love it. Activities are flexible and the pace is unhurried.
When is the best time to visit?
June to October offers the most comfortable conditions for walking and boating, while the December to March window brings calm water, warm weather and excellent birding.