Byoona Amagara

We spent four nights here, just relaxing. It's our favourite place in Uganda: simple and beautiful, though not fancy. Bring a book and enjoy the peace and nature. The unique open rooms have wonderful views and somehow felt safe at night; waking up to birds was lovely. The food was delicious. You can rent a wooden boat for 20.000 shilings, though you may find one cheaper if you know people. They kindly advise against visiting zebra island. Believe them, it's a scam.

I've been returning to Byoona Amagara since 2016, and it feels like a little piece of heaven. The food is very good, especially anything with crayfish, and I'd try the Byoona paradise. Deluxe geodomes are worth paying extra for, though the regular geodomes are a great experience too. The outdoor shower is heated by solar panels and looks out over a peaceful lake. The community owns the hotel, and profits support community programs. Prices haven't gone up since 2016, so it's a great deal. They're careful about the environment: no generator or gasoline, free filtered water to cut down on plastic bottles, and they discourage unsustainable trips to the zebra island. It isn't the animals' natural habitat, and a zebra has died from the stress of being on the small island. The island is away from the big hotels, without car or crowd noise. At night it's quiet and dark, with only four small lights visible from the village across the lake, and stars above. For me, it's the best place to experience Lake Bunyonyi.

You need a boat to reach the island. There's one free boat from the harbour at 17:00 each day, and you can contact them on WhatsApp for details. The food was fantastic, and I loved the staff, the quiet, the place, and the view. I highly recommend it. Cheers from France 🙏

The island is spacious and peaceful, and not too far from the mainland. There's a free boat once a day. The staff were super lovely, and the food was amazing with lots of vegetarian options. The place is run sustainably, and the money goes back to the community.