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Rubondo Island Safari

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  • Tanzania
  • Rubondo Island Safari

Rubondo Island

Travellers looking for a unique twist to an East African tour have a new experience to savour: a Rubondo Island safari. Set in the southern reaches of Lake Victoria and accessible from Tanzania, Rubondo Island is a poignant reminder of the fauna and flora that used to dominate here – thick rainforest ringing to the calls of parrots and home to elephants, antelope and chimpanzees.

Limited accommodation (there is only one lodge on the island) and fly-in logistics means it is both an exclusive and somewhat expensive experience: there is a price to being so far off the beaten track. But what an experience: virtually untouched by tourism, Rubondo offers its visitors a chance to explore Africa’s largest island national park by 4X4, on foot and by boat – a world of forest and grassland, sandy beaches and papyrus swamps.

Decades of conservation have resulted in breeding populations of chimpanzees, giraffes and elephants on the island though these animals are rare sightings. More commonly seen are hippopotamus, crocodile and the bizarrely semi-aquatic sitatunga antelope, perfectly at home in flooded wetlands. And with hundreds of resident and migratory bird species recorded on the island, Rubondo offers excellent, easy bird watching.

The best time to go to Rubondo Island is during its dry season – early June to late October – when the climate is at its mildest and driest (great to combine with the Serengeti Migration River Crossing). For bird watchers however, the best time to visit is during the November to May rainy season when migratory birds arrive. It’s not especially hot or cold on Rubondo – the average annual temperature ranges between 19 – 26°C (66 – 79°F) – and it’s important to note that the rainy season has two distinct wetter periods: December, and then April and May.

Recommended for adventurers and wildlife-lovers, a Rubondo Island safari is your chance to combine the great herds and predators of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater with the primates, butterflies and orchids of Rubondo’s rainforests. View our recommended itineraries or simply contact Safari Online and we’ll tailor-make a tour for you based on your requirements and budget.

Combine your Tanzania safari with Rubondo Island & search for chimpanzees & elephants in an unspoilt rainforest paradise. Enquire Now

TOP RUBONDO ISLAND EXPERIENCES

Explore Africa’s largest Island NP

1. TREK FOR CHIMPANZEES

There’s no guarantee you’ll see Rubondo’s wild chimps but trekking into the forest often reveals their nests & feeding grounds.

2. RUBONDO’S HEAVYWEIGHTS

Take a safari deep into the island’s interior to search for elephant & giraffe while a boat trip will reveal hippos & crocodiles.

3. RUBONDO BIRD WATCHING

A multitude of unspoilt natural habitats means an astonishing diversity of birds on the island, easily seen from a vehicle, on foot & by boat.

4. Motor Boat Safaris

Motor boat safaris offer you the chance to visit bird nesting sites, crocodile-strewn sandbanks & the aquatic home of the elusive sitatunga antelope.

5. CAST A LINE

With Nile perch weighing in at over 100kgs (220lbs), Lake Victoria has long been a destination for sport anglers – try your skills against the mighty perch!

Be An Explorer

Combine your Tanzania safari with Rubondo Island & search for chimpanzees & elephants in an unspoilt rainforest paradise.

Enquire Now

ACCOMMODATION

The only accommodation on the Island

RUBONDO ISLAND CAMP
RUBONDO ISLAND CAMP
In Short: Intimate & the only accommodation on Rubondo.
Location: Rubondo Island, Western Tanzania
Blending the adventure of a remote safari camp with the comfort of a beach retreat on Rubondo. Local guides lead game drives, chimpanzee treks, birding trips, nature walks & boating safaris to deliver a comprehensive & unforgettable wildlife experience.
FROM:
USD675pps
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Hands-on Expertise

  • We’re based in Africa
  • Consultants Travel in Africa
  • Knowledgeable team
  • Expect great customer service

Accredited & Bonded

  • SATSA – Bonded Membership (2061)
  • Travel Save Compliant Certificate
  • Fully Independent & Owner Run
  • Travel Support from Start to Finish

Reviews

Walter has always been an excellent communicator and has supported us fully

We have been to Africa for 24 of the last 27 years so know a bit about what is involved. Walter has arranged the details for the last couple of years, and has done a superb job. He is always quick to respond and comes up with answers immediately……..no evasive tactics, always head-on!

Roger (UK)
Very helpful good suggestions for holiday ideas always available for questions good organising

Excellent service and they supplied good suggestions for our holiday they also organised all internal flights and arranged check in for us so we had no worries while on holiday. We have had a most memorable holiday staying at wonderful places thanks to Sabrina and Safari Online. Would recommend Safari Online to organise your holiday.

Lorraine (UK)
Safari Online were extremely efficient and absolutely charming to work with.

Our 28-day itinerary took us to South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana. A magnificent and unforgettable adventure. Everything ran smoothly and efficiently from the flights, transfers, rides, connections, etc. Absolutely wonderful! Can’t thank them enough!

Ann and Mario (Canada)
An incredibly well organised tour with no hassles whatsoever.

Safari Online understood our needs and was able to present us with sensible options to choose from. It was evident that this tour operator has knowledgable and experienced agents who can arrange a seemless tour. We were provided with a professional online itinary which was comprehensive and easy to use, knew exactely what to expect, and encountered no stumble blocks along the way.

Gwen (AU)
Professional, quick and top of the edge service!!!

From the very first contact we’re very happy about the respond time and quality of information from safari-online.com. Based on the received first tailor-made quote, which is a weblink with all the details about the flights, photos of the lodges etc. we knew that this is “our” partner for this trip. Our expectations were excelled!!!

Lukas (Germany)
Professional, patient, efficient and responsive. Met all our travel needs and requirements spot on

Communication was excellent – I asked A LOT of questions and did a ton of research myself and Walter was extremely patient with me and very responsive. he was straight forward and extremely professional. Tour itself was excellent – an incredible experience and one never to be forgotten. Everything was spot on.

Neena
Best trip I have ever been on. Highly recommend.

Would highly recommend. Safari online asked questions when booking and were efficient and knew exactly what we were looking for in terms of accommodation and animals were wanted to see. Gave advice on a few little extras with no pressure, which we did and am very grateful which make trip even more exciting. Would definitely recommend booking with them.

Karina was absolutely instrumental to our safari success.

Our experience with Safari Online was excellent. After becoming very frustrated trying to search for a safari destination on our own, we turned to Karina for help and she was a lifesaver.  We had an amazing safari adventure at the lodge–the experience of a lifetime–and are so grateful for her help. We literally couldn’t have done it without her!

Chris (USA)
Safari Online made our fantastic family holiday dream come true!!

Safari Online have been nothing but professional and incredible from the time we made our first enquiry to the last day of our stunning holiday. Nothing was too much trouble for Walter. We are now starting to plan our next family Safari for 2019. Guess who we will be booking with??? Safari Online we hope you are ready!!!!!

Penni (AU)
It was a safari of a lifetime and exceeded all of our expectations!

Our mom grew up in Central and South Africa so we had visited the continent many times. My sister and I wanted to take our teens and husbands to Africa to experience the magic. We had a limited budget but big and specific expectations and by some miracle Walter was able to manage both.

Heather (USA)