Location & Facilities

Mfangano Island Camp is situated on the unspoilt island of Mfangano in Lake Victoria and occupies an entire secluded bay on the western shores of the island. This great lake has romantic associations as the source of the River Nile, ever since explorers such as Speke and Burton came to the area at the end of the last century.

Mfangano Island Camp, a small remote hideaway, is a perfect place to combine with your safari. It is only 40 minutes charter flight from the Masai Mara followed by a relaxing 20 minutes boat

Lapped by the waters of Lake Victoria shaded by giant fig trees, and lost to the world, Mfangano Island Camp is an oasis of tranquility, an ideal retreat from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

Your first view is of beautiful tropical gardens set on a secluded bay. Lawns hug the waterline, flowerbeds and rock gardens surround the camp. Enormous boulders sit at the water’s edge, a perch for cormorants or giant monitor lizards to sun themselves.

If all you desire is to laze in the sunshine, each room has it’s own private veranda with sun beds. Or there are plenty of activities to keep you occupied. The food’s as fresh as can be, fished from the lake (hopefully by you!) or picked fresh from the island’s vegetable gardens and orchards.

Accommodation & Rates

Mfangano Island Camp has six double-bedded cottages situated right on the lakeshore. Each room has been built in the Luo tribal style, with banana thatch and natural clay, and has been recently redecorated.

All offer spectacular vistas across the lake with picturesque dhows sailing by. The rooms are light and airy with four-poster beds. From the dining and lounge area, sit and enjoy the life of the lake as it goes by. There is now also a " horizon " swimming pool located right on the lakeshore

Mfangano Island Camp has a stunning honeymoon suite if you are looking for something very special. From your bed you have almost a 360 degree view of Lake Victoria.

The meals at Mfangano Island Camp are superb. Fresh salads and the daily catch of Nile Perch are served overlooking the lake with freshly made crusty bread and chilled wine. Birds sing all day on Mfangano Island. The Cormorants dive for fish nearby or spread their wings to dry in the sun and Fish Eagles call from the treetops.

Location: On the western shoreline of Mfangano Island in Lake Victoria, Kenya
Number of beds: 6 rondavels (12 beds)
Double & Twins: 4 Double rondavels and 2 twin rondavels
Facilities: En-suite bathroom with bath, shower, basin, flush toilet, hot and cold running water
Rondavels: Very tastefully decorated thatched rooms, each with private verandah overlooking Lake Victoria (recently renovated to a very high standard)
Swimming Pool: Small Swimming Pool made of natural stone overlooking the lake
Electricity: 24 hours generator (220/240 volts UK plugs)
Bar / Restaurant: Open sitting room with bar and dining room, decorated in ethnic style with panoramic views over the lake
Room service: Room service on request. Tea and coffee is served in the rooms with the morning wake up call
Laundry: Daily at no extra cost
Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Eurocard, American Express and Traveller Cheques are accepted
Communication: Radio contact with other camps and Nairobi office and a VSAT telephone
Mfangano Airstrip: Length 1.200 m, grass airstrip, Coordinates: S 0027.99 E 0340384
   
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Seasons: Open throughout the year, with the exception of April and May. Peak season months August and September and 15th – 31st December.  High season months January – March inclusive and June, July, October, November and 1st – 14th December. 
Children: Of all ages are welcome and catered for
Rate includes: Airstrip transfers, accommodation, meals, activities and laundry
Rate excludes: Flights, drinks and personal expenses
Health: Preventative Malaria medication is recommended
Luggage restriction: Maximum 15 kg luggage per person in small air craft including hand luggage

Rates:
High Season / From: USD445 per person sharing per night
Children under 12 – USD289 per child per night
(16 July – 31 Oct; 15 Dec – 31 December)

Mid Season / From: USD394 per person sharing per night
Children under 12 – USD256 per child per night
(01 Jan – 31 March; 01 June – 15 July;  01 Nov – 14 Dec)

Green Season: Camp Closed
(1 Apr – 31 May)

Single Room rates / from USD528 to USD596 per night

Rates include full board accommodation, 3 meals per person per night, bottled water, laundry, applicable VAT, and transportation of tourists. Transportation of tourists will be by custom built boat to / from the lodge, to the local village and school, and to principal points of interest around the island. The amounts invoiced for transportation of tourists are shown separately on each client invoice.

Rates exclude all drinks, personal expenses and gratuities. . There are no park fees applicable to visits to Mfangano Island

Fishing: Boat rides on Lake Victoria for fishing with full equipment (Nile Perch, Tilapia)
(included in the price)

Activities

Mfangano Island Camp is a tranquil retreat on an island with no vehicles, where transport is by colourful local canoes. It offers a perfect place to relax and unwind, either at the beginning or the end of your safari.
The following excursions are available at Mfangano Island Camp:
Bird watching on Lake Victoria
The bird life around Lake Victoria and Mfangano Island is spectacular, and over 350 different birds have been identified around Mfangano Island and Lake Victoria. Guests can join our resident ornithologist on bird watching trips both on foot and by boat around the island. It is possible to see the majestic Fish Eagles nesting in the giant fig trees along the lakeshore. Colourful Kingfishers, Bee-Eaters, Weavers and Swallows are also resident around the Camp.

Bird watching around the Lake is exciting for both keen ornithologists and beginners as there is such a wide variety of different birds to see.

Guests at all Governors’ Camp properties are provided with our own comprehensive bird list which will help you to keep a record of all of the wonderful birds that you have seen.

Fishing on Lake Victoria
The fishing in Lake Victoria is exciting, and both Nile Perch and Tilapia can be caught.

At Mfangano Island Camp we have a number of fishing boats, which have been well equipped for trawling for Nile Perch. The Nile Perch is the king of the lake’s fish. It can grow to 1.8 metres (6 feet) long, and weigh 140 kilograms (300 pounds). Fish of 5 to 15 kilos are regularly caught, and are delicious eating.

We have all of the necessary fishing tackle that you require, and our well-trained boatman will give you all the help that you need.

In the shallows there are Tilapia, which can be caught either amongst the reeds from one of our boats, or off the jetty. Casting for Tilapia at sunset, with a glass of chilled white wine, is a pleasant way to spend an evening.

Whilst you are fishing you can enjoy the bird-life resident along the lake shore, the families of otters amongst the rocks and colourful Luo fishing villages along the shore. You can then savour your freshly caught fish for lunch or dinner, prepared by our expert local chefs.

Cultural Walks around Lake Victoria
The Luo culture and traditions are very different from those of other parts of Kenya, and staying at Mfangano Island Camp there is the possibility to sample this colourful culture.

Villages dot the shores of Lake Victoria, and the main activities are fishing and trading in Nile Perch and Tilapia. We would be delighted to arrange a trip to see our local village accompanied by a guide.

The walk to the village takes half an hour, along the picturesque lakeshore. The residents here are very friendly and will happily show you around their village.

It is also possible to visit the local school, which has been re-built with the help of Mfangano Island Camp and our generous guests.
If guests feel like exploring, on a nearby island and deep in the interior are hidden caves decorated with prehistoric rock art.

Water Sports on Lake Victoria
Together with the fishing and bird watching trips that we offer there is also the opportunity to enjoy a variety of water sports from Mfangano Island Camp. We have a well-equipped ski boat with both mono and twin skis. During the early morning and lake afternoon the Lake is traditionally calm. This is a perfect opportunity to enjoy a water-ski on the lake. We are also equipped with ski biscuits and bananas. These are perfect for families to enjoy

Bird watching: Stunning Birdwatching. Various walking trails or boat excursions along the lake shore for bird watching (Black headed gonolek, Double toothed barbet) (included in the price)
Boat rides: Traditional excursions in a ‘long boat’ for sun downers (included in the price)
Culture: Visits to nearby Luo villages and school (included in the price)
Watersports: Waterskiing, watersports and swimming either in the lake or pool
Active:  Trail walking or jogging on Island paths, visit prehistoric cave paintings

How to get there

Charter flight: Daily, Duration approx. 40 minutes from any Camp in the Masai Mara followed by a boat transfer to the camp (approx. 20 minutes)

Scheduled flight: Daily from Nairobi to Kisumu on Kenya Airways (45 minutes). Onwards by either charter flight (approx. 10 minutes) or road & boat transfer (approx. 3 hours)

Road: Drive to Mbita on Lake Victoria (approx. 6 hours from Nairobi) and be picked up there for a boat ride to camp (approx. 45 minutes)