Ssese Islands

This group of 84 islands lies off the northwestern shores of Lake Victoria. The islands escaped the ravages of Uganda's civil wars and remain largely unspoiled. Their inhabitants, known as the Basese, form a distinct tribal group, with their own language, culture and folklore. They live primarily by catching fish and farming coffee, sweet potato, cassava, yams and bananas.

The main islands of Buggala, Bufumira, Bukasa, Bubeke and Khome are hilly and, where not cultivated, forested with a wide variety of trees. Animals you're likely to come across include monkey, hippo, crocodile and many different types of bird. Other than wildlife viewing, the Ssese Islands are a good place to fish, swim or just lie back in the sun.

The islands, which lie just south of Kampala, are connected to the mainland by ferries that run from Bukakata - about 80km (50mi) southwest of Kampala via Masaka - to Buggala Island, and by fishing boats from Port Bell (immediately southeast of Kampala) to Buggala.