Lakes

Africa’s largest lake is nestled between Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Uganda is home to 45% of Lake Victoria’s 68,800 km² surface area, and Entebbe is located on a peninsula. As well as being an attraction for adventurers, Lake Victoria is integral to the livelihoods of millions of East Africans.

Named after Queen Victoria by the explorer John Hanning Speke, the lake had been a part of local legend long before Speke’s discovery of it in 1858. Lake Victoria’s wildlife, archipelagos, and sheer vastness make it an integral part of any Ugandan adventure.

Lake Victoria is home to a plethora of wildlife. The region of Lake Victoria is inhabited by many mammal species, including the hippopotamus, the marsh mongoose, and the giant otter shrew.

The lake contains reptiles such as the Nile crocodile and the African helmeted turtle, and many crustaceans, including 4 different species of freshwater crab.

Lake Victoria contains over 200 species of fish and the haplochromine cichlid is the main endemic group. However, many species have become extinct in the last 50 years and scientists estimate that Lake Victoria’s indigenous fish species have decreased by 80%. The Nile perch is Lake Victoria’s most notorious invasive species.

Located on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lake Albert is the second largest lake in Uganda and the seventh largest in Africa. The lake has a surface area of 5,300km² with a maximum length of 160km and a maximum width of 30km.

Lake Albert is home to a wide range of wildlife, from African softshell turtles to Uganda kob antelopes. The lake is home to 55 fish species, including the native Nile perch which is an invasive species in Lake Victoria.

Albert is also inhabited by various water birds, including the elusive Shoebill.

Prior to being renamed by the explorer Samuel Baker in 1864, the lake was known to locals as ‘Mwitanzige’ (locusts’ killer).

Lake Albert is a great option to break up the journey between Murchison Falls National Park and Kampala or Entebbe. Travelers can visit the local fishing village, take in the stunning views, or visit the nearby Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve for game drives and fossil hunting.

Located in southwestern Uganda, Lake George is a shallow lake with an average depth of around 2.4 metres. The lake is in the western part of the Great Rift Valley and the explorer Henry M. Stanley named it after King George V.

Lake George has a surface area of 250km², and it is fed by various rivers and streams which flow down from the Rwenzori Mountains.

Lake George drains into its larger neighbour, Lake Edward, via the Kazinga Channel. This 32-kilometre-long freshwater channel is a key feature of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of hippos (around 2,000).

Lake George is surrounded by wetland grass and this wetland habitat is home to a plethora of wildlife, including over 150 bird species. Several mammals reside around the wetlands, including Sitatunga antelope and elephant.

Lake George is inhabited by many fish species, including the Nile tilapia and the Haplochromis, and it supports several fishing villages.