Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(camping per adult/child US$30/5, r per adult/child aged 5-15yr US$35/15) The nine total
rooms facing the beach at Kageye on Rubondo's eastern shore are very good. Resthouse
rooms are smaller (except for the VIP room) but have TVs. All rooms have electricity in
the mornings and evenings and hot water all day. There are fully equipped kitchens for
cooking, and staff can be hired to cook for you; a free meal for them should be payment
enough. A tiny shop 10 minutes' walk north of the
bandas
sells a few basics, like rice, eggs
and potatoes, and there's a cool little bar on the rocky shore right by the
bandas
.
Rubondo Island Camp
TENTED CAMP $$$
( 0785-557720; ; s/d full board incl airstrip transfers US$630/784; ) A wonderful
lakeside perch and a large lovely lounge set a highly relaxing ambience at the park's only
lodge, but the tents with private bathroomare far too basic to justify these luxury prices.
Wildlife drives cost US$100 per vehicle.
INFORMATION
Park entry fees are US$20/5 per adult/child aged five to 15 years. Book accommodation
and transportation through
park headquarters
( 028-252 0720; rubondois-
land@yahoo.co.uk). If the phones are down, staff at the Saa Nane/Tanapa office (
Click
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Air
Auric Air
( 0783-233334;
www.auricair.com
) will make a Rubondo (US$325 return)
diversion on its Mwanza-Bukoba flights. This would require a two-night stay if flying re-
turn out of Mwanza since arrival would be in the late afternoon and departure in the early
morning. A straight charter flight with Auric costs around US$3000.
Boat
There are two ways to reach Rubondo by park boat (up to seven passengers); both should
be arranged in advance. Because of a habit of scamming tourists, fishermen are now pro-
hibited from delivering people to the island.
The park recommends using Kasenda, a small port about 5km from Muganza (Tsh1000 on
a motorcycle taxi and Tsh3500 in a taxi), from where it's 20 to 30 minutes by boat to Ru-
bondo Island and another 15 minutes by park vehicle to drive across the island to Kageye.
This costs US$100 return per boat. Public transport to Muganza is fairly frequent; more so
in the morning than the afternoon. All buses between Bukoba (Tsh10,000, two hours) and
