Mfangano Island Camp (previously managed by the prestigious Governors’ Camp Collection of properties) – is the ultimate island hideaway lodge where you can relax and enjoy the views and activities of Lake Victoria. The camp is perfect to include after an exhilarating safari in the Masai Mara.
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 its own private veranda with sun beds. Or there are plenty of activities to keep you occupied. The food is as fresh as can be, including fish from the lake or produce from the island’s vegetable gardens and orchards.
Accommodation
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. All offer spectacular vistas across the lake with picturesque dhows sailing by. The rooms are light and airy with four-poster beds. 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.
From the dining and lounge area, sit and enjoy the life of the lake as it goes by. There is also a “horizon” swimming pool located right on the lakeshore.
Meals at Mfangano Island Camp include fresh salads and the daily catch of Nile Perch are served overlooking the lake with freshly made crusty bread and chilled wine.
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.
Various excursions are available from Mfangano Island Camp (payable locally) including:
Fishing
The fishing in Lake Victoria is exciting, and both Nile Perch and Tilapia can be caught. At Mfangano Island Camp there are a number of fishing boats which are 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 to eat.
Bird Watching
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 the 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.
Cultural Walks
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.
Relaxing
Mfangano Island Camp is a perfect place to relax and unwind at the end of your safari holiday around Kenya. There are no roads on the island and the pace of life here is governed by the rhythms of day and night. During the day you can relax by the pool and enjoy the spectacle of the colourful fishing boats passing by.
Rock Art at Mfangano Island Camp
You can join a trek to see the Ancient Rock Art on Mfangano Island. There are two ancient rock art sites with some historically important cave art.
