- Biking on Kalangala Island
You can rent a bike from your hotel on Kalangala Island and go on a guided or self-guided cycling trip. Taking a guided bike tour will cost around UGX50,000 per person including bike rental fees.
If cycling ain’t your thing, then you may consider renting a quad bike. Quabike rentals charge about $30 – 50 per person. Quad bikes are a quick and fun way to explore the island, including beaches, forests, fishing villages, and landing sites. Some resorts in Bugala Island offer quad bike rentals.
- Hike in the forests of the Ssese Islands
The nature at Ssese (or Sese) Islands is grandiose and its forests are particularly spectacular. You will see very lush vegetation and very old trees with atypical shapes. Having visited the 3 largest forests east of Kalangala, I preferred Lutoboka (where the Speke ruins are located).
- Visit the ruins of John Speke’s Fort
John Speke is the British explorer who discovered one of the most important sources of the Nile (in Jinja, Uganda). He later settled in the Lutoboka Forest in 1863 and built his house there. Today there are the ruins of his stone dwelling in the middle of this enormous forest.
- Visit Kiwumulo Cave
The Kiwumulo cave on Kalangala Island is located after the village of Mweena, where an ancestral cult takes place. In the past, ancient spirits incarnated and gave life on the Ssese Islands. The spirits were gigantic and capable of taking human or animal forms. Today, these spirits are believed to rest in the famous Kiwumulo cave. The cave remains sacred and some locals only practice this endemic/cultural religion.
Good to Know: On your visit to Kiwumulo Caves on Kalangala Island, please observe and respect the following:
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- All visitors to the cave must be barefoot.
- Women in their menstrual cycle are discouraged from visiting the caves.
