By Pamela Amia

Kalangala Island on Lake Victoria is known for its gorgeous fresh air, flora and fauna, and over a million palm oil trees.

There are plenty of fabulous lodges as well on the Island but one of them, Victoria Forest Resort stands out.

Constructed about two years ago, the beautiful luxury resort with cozy environment has made quite a name for itself mostly as the mother of honeymoon getaway spots in the area.

Last weekend l had the opportunity to check it out and here is what l loved about it.

First, l was impressed by their customer care right from the ferry where we were welcomed by a smartly dressed lady with a smile from ear to ear.

She welcomed us, introduced her self and showed us to the car that was taking us to the lodge and even though we were tired from the 3-hour journey from Entebbe to Bugala island, her smile was infectious enough to make us smile as well.

It’s a few minutes from 5:00PM and we are at the gates of Victoria Forest Resort, one can quickly notice that this is mostly a high-end spot.

And perhaps it’s so popular because of its efficient cleanliness and easy accessibility from the docking point of the ferry in Bugala.

The resort has 42 rooms which include 11 cottages, 30 deluxe rooms and one family suit.

They have a vast garden with beautiful palm trees, the longest beach on the island with white sand, an open air restaurant,spa, sauna and a swimming pool

Victoria Forest Resort is definitely an intimate setting; an awesome spot for honeymooners looking for exclusive privacy.

When l finally got to my room, l was welcomed by a beautiful view of sunset and the blue waters of Lake Victoria.

Food

After freshening up, I and my friends headed to the warm open dinning space over looking the Swimming pool.

While here we were served by a jolly lady whose name was Eunice. She first served me a plate of chips and vegetables; then later brought a whole deep fried Tilapia that filled the whole place with aromas.

A foodie like me was ready to do justice to anything yummy. I must say, this was one of the unforgettable finger licking experiences in my life.

When l asked her what else they can serve, Eunice mentioned fish fingers, Posho which the guys immediately asked for then soups, chicken wings adding that they can also serve local food like Matooke, fresh fish, G nut stew, cassava, yams, sweet potatoes and many more.

Activities to do while at the Resort

According to Moses Andama, the Manager, they have a lot of out door activities such as trekking in the Lutoboka Forest Reserve, sunset boat cruise to the Virgin Island, where one can see crocodiles, butterflies and monkeys.

Andama said that at the Virgin Island, one can also enjoy activities like camping by the lake side, bird watching,quad bike riding, island drive and play football among other games.

“When you are our guest, you can trek to Lutoboka forest reserve which offers visitors a chance to trace john Speke’s foot stepsand also see his unfinished house which was constructed in 1863. In fact, it’s said that Speke once set a camp near the Victoria Forest Resort,” Andama says.

He added that guests can also go bird watching where they will spot various bird species like the Slender Billed Weaver, Little Green bull, Paradise Fly catcher, Grey backed Camaroptera and many more.

For those interested in the history of the island, the resort can get you a guide to show you the cultural and historical land marks mostly for the Baganda culture.

How to get there

If you wish to visit Victoria Forest Resort,it’s advisable that you use the Entebbe Route because it is nearer the resort.

From Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe, the ferry leaves at 2:00PM and arrives at Bugala at 5:30PM, some times earlier. A one-way ticket costs Shs 10,000.

For those that are not good at keeping time, be sure to use the Masaka route since the ferry is free of charge and leaves every after 30 minutes.