Rubondo IslandNational Park

Rubondo Island National Park is a forested island sanctuary in the south-west of Lake Victoria, far from any safari crowds. It protects a population of chimpanzees, shy sitatunga antelope that move through the papyrus swamps, and superb birdlife on the lakeshore. Guided chimpanzee tracking, boat trips and walks make Rubondo a peaceful, off-the-beaten-track extension to a Serengeti safari.

The park covers Rubondo Island and several smaller islets. Around a third of the area is water, and the island itself is cloaked in moist forest, open grassland and papyrus swamp.

Chimpanzees were introduced to Rubondo in the 1960s, and a project to habituate them to visitors now makes guided tracking possible. Sitatunga — a semi-aquatic antelope that is hard to see elsewhere — are relatively easy to spot, along with bushbuck, hippos and crocodiles. The lakeshore attracts fish eagles, kingfishers, herons and storks, and the island is a well-known birding destination.

Boat excursions, forest walks and catch-and-release sport fishing for Nile perch are all possible, and because visitor numbers are tiny, Rubondo feels truly wild.