Rubondo Island National Park

In the southwestern corner of Lake Victoria, a 240-square-kilometre forested island rises from the water in a low green silhouette. Rubondo Island National Park is one of Tanzania’s most unusual parks and, in the opinion of anglers, ecologists and slow travellers, one of its most rewarding. It was gazetted in 1977 following a series of controversial wildlife reintroductions in the 1960s that brought chimpanzees, elephants, giraffes, African grey parrots and colobus monkeys from European zoos and other African countries to repopulate an island that had been largely cleared by human settlement.

The experiment worked. The island’s chimps have established a self-sustaining population and are now partially habituated for trekking. The elephants have bred successfully. The sitatunga — a semi-aquatic antelope rarely seen anywhere in Tanzania — thrives in the island’s papyrus marshes. And the surrounding lake waters offer what many sport anglers consider the finest Nile perch fishing in East Africa.

Where is Rubondo Island?

The island sits in the southwestern corner of Lake Victoria in Tanzania’s Geita Region. Access is by light aircraft from Mwanza (30 minutes, with an airstrip on the island) or by boat from Nkome or Muganza on the mainland shore. The only permanent tourist camp is Rubondo Island Camp, operated on a fully-inclusive basis.

Chimpanzee trekking

Rubondo’s chimpanzees are only partially habituated — which means the trekking experience is less predictable than at Mahale or Gombe, but when you do make contact, the encounter feels genuinely wild. Groups are small and the forest is quiet. Daily treks are offered from the camp with a limit of four visitors per group.

Sitatunga

The sitatunga is a medium-sized antelope that has evolved for life in papyrus swamps: spreading hooves that prevent sinking, a slightly hunched posture adapted to pushing through reeds, and the ability to swim between reed beds. They are rarely seen in most Tanzania parks — but Rubondo’s papyrus marshes are prime habitat and patient observation from the camp’s hide or from a slow boat along the shore will usually produce sightings.

Sport fishing

Lake Victoria’s Nile perch grow to extraordinary size — fish over 100 kg have been caught, and the lake regularly produces specimens in the 40–80 kg range. Rubondo’s isolated waters, relatively undisturbed by commercial fishing, are among the best in the entire lake for trophy Nile perch on lures and flies. The camp runs dedicated fishing programmes with specialist guides and catch-and-release encouraged.

Combine Rubondo with…

• Mwanza — the flight gateway, worth a half-day for Bismarck Rock and the fish market.
• Serengeti — the western corridor is accessible from Mwanza; a direct Western Tanzania circuit.
• Lake Victoria — the Sukuma Museum and Saanane Island add cultural and urban dimensions.

Frequently asked questions about Rubondo Island

Is Rubondo suitable for non-anglers?

Yes — the chimpanzee trekking, sitatunga watching, forest walks and lake swimming are all excellent. The camp caters equally to wildlife and fishing guests.

Is the water safe to swim in at Rubondo?

The camp has a designated swimming area where bilharzia risk is considered low. Avoid swimming in papyrus reed areas or river mouths where the risk is higher.

Why were animals reintroduced to Rubondo Island?

In the 1960s, the Frankfurt Zoological Society and TANAPA identified Rubondo as a suitable sanctuary island for animals displaced by habitat loss elsewhere in Africa and zoo surplus populations. The project was controversial but is now widely considered a conservation success.