The sandy shores
Boats on the sand.
Jiame Josh — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jiame Josh — CC BY-SA 4.0 · AlindaRS — CC BY-SA 4.0 · A.Hannz 1996 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · A.Hannz 1996 — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Ssese Islands are an archipelago of 84 islands in the north-west corner of Lake Victoria, the world's second-largest freshwater lake. Together they make up all of Kalangala District, which has no land on the mainland. It is a place to rest, with sandy shores and green forest, far from the crowds of Kampala. The largest island, Bugala, makes up more than half the land area, and its town of Kalangala is the district headquarters. Most places to stay and most of the roads are on Bugala. The other islands are smaller and quieter, and most of their people live from fishing. Fishing villages line the shores, and the lake is their main source of living. The shores could belong to a sea, with short waves, wooden boats on the sand and thick trees behind the beach. Monkeys move through the branches and birds fly over the water. At sunset the lake's surface turns gold, and a rainbow can appear after rain, as the sky here changes quickly. It is about 57 km from Entebbe in a straight line, and visitors arrive by ferry from near Entebbe or from the lake's west side, so check the timetable. Places to stay are simple, so book ahead. Ask where you stay about swimming, as bilharzia is known in parts of the lake. Bring protection against mosquitoes.
Boats on the sand.
Water turned gold.
Largest and easiest.
North-west Lake Victoria, Uganda
Bugala is easiest, with most lodging and the ferry, while smaller islands are quieter.
Ask where you stay, as bilharzia is known in parts of the lake.