Exploring Uganda’s Stunning Lakes: Uganda is a part of the African great lake’s region, and almost a fifth of its surface area is covered by open water or swamp land. Uganda’s lakes are critical to the nation’s biodiversity and economy, but their future is threatened by environmental issues. Located in the heart of central Africa bordering a number of amazing countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Tanzania. Uganda is home to a startling array of natural wonders including Africa’s tallest mountain range, the source of the Nile, the world’s longest river and Africa’s largest lake as well as a home to the largest lake in Africa is part-located in Uganda. – Lake Victoria, also called Victoria Nyanza, has an area of about 69,484 sq km (26,828 sq mi). Uganda is also the world’s second-largest freshwater lake after Lake Superior in North America. The country is home to the longest world river known as River Nile and is known as the father of African rivers, it flows for 6,650km (4,132mi) and passes through 10 countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.
The African Great Lakes region includes a number of countries that surround the African Great Lakes, including Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Of the African Great Lakes, Lake Victoria, lake Edward and lake Albert are partly located in Uganda. These captivating lakes all drain into the White Nile, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile. Almost all of Uganda’s surface area lies within the Nile basin.
Exploring Uganda’s Stunning Lakes: List of Lakes
Lake Victoria
Lake Victora is a natural wonder with a rich history and ecological significance. Lake Victoria is the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the second largest in the world, with a surface area of about 68,800 sq. km shared between Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The catchment area of the lake covers 180,959 km2, and 15.9% of this is constituted by Uganda. The lake was earlier called Queen Victoria by the British explorer John Hanning Speke in 1858. The lake was known by various local names, such as ‘Nam Lolwe’ in Dholuo and ‘Nnalubaale’ in Luganda. Lake Victoria, where the source of the Nile River, the world’s longest river, begins to meander its way from Jinga to the Mediterranean Sea, the lake contains over 84 beautiful islands, including Sese Island in Uganda, which is a famous tourist destination. Lake Victoria is home to a diverse range of species, including the famous Lake Victoria Cichlids, which are known for their incredible variety and adaptability. This magnificent freshwater body plays a crucial role in the economies of the surrounding countries by providing resources for irrigation, transportation, and hydroelectric power.
Lake Bunyonyi
Lake Bunyonyi is found in the south-western part of Uganda near the border with Rwanda in Kabale District Lake Bunyonyi, also known as the place of little birds, is a fascinating and relaxing freshwater body. It is believed to be the second-deepest lake in Africa after the magnificent Lake Tanganyika, with an uncertain depth of 40 to 900 meters in different parts of the lake. The water temperatures range from 24-250 °C, and it is one of the few lakes that are free from bilharzia, therefore safe to swim in. It is surrounded by green hills and is the ideal location for a getaway. Lake Bunyonyi is the ideal birder paradise, with over 200 bird species, including the grey-crowned crane. In addition, the lake has over 29 islands, all found at the heart of the lake. These islands include Akampene, Bushara, Bwama, Bacuranuka, and many more, each with a mind-blowing legend behind them. The beautiful lake is also home to a variety of fish, such as crayfish. Mud also offers sailing on the calm and quiet waters in a canoe. The canoe rides are done during the day as well as at night, listening to the melodies of the frogs, crickets, and nocturnal birds. This experience is rather exciting and worthwhile. While on your safari at Lake Bunyonyi, you will be amazed by a variety of activities such as swimming, birding, nature walks, Batwa, and Bakiga community visits.
Lake Albert
Lake Albert, originally known as lake Mwitanziga by Banyoro, Nam Ovoyo Bongo by the Alur, this fascinating lake is located in Uganda and shares some part with the democratic republic of Congo. It is the northernmost of the chain of lakes in the Albertine Rift Valley, the western branch of the East African rift. The lake is ranked as Africa’s seventh largest lake as well as the second biggest of Uganda’s Great Lakes. This fascinating lake covers an area of about 160 kilometers long and 30 kilometers across at its widest, with a maximum depth of 51 meters (167 ft), and a surface elevation of 619 meters (2,031 ft) above sea level. Lake Albert is home to many aquatic and semi-aquatic wildlife species such as the river hippos, Nile crocodiles, central African mud turtle, Uganda Kobs, giant African bullfrog, bird species like goliath heron, African fish eagle, hamerkop, rare shoebill storks, open- billed and over 55 fish species can be caught here such as Nile tilapia, Niger barb, giraffe catfish, among others.
Lake Kyoga
Lake Kyoga is Uganda’s largest swampy lake situated in central Uganda north of Lake Victoria, and it covers a land area of about 1,720 square kilometers and stands at an altitude of about 1,033 meters above sea level. The famous Lake Victoria flows through the lake on its way from Lake Victoria to lake Albert. More so the waters from Mount Elgon region flow through the lake, making it to be among the important African Great Lakes system. This captivating lake reaches uncurtained depths of about 5.7 meters, and most of it is less than 4 meters deep, whereby the areas less than 3 meters deep are completely covered by water lilies, while much of the swampy shorelines are covered with Papyrus and the extensive water Hyacinth. Papyrus is so many to the extent that forms islands around the lake and also always blocks the Victoria Nile from its way to access lake Albert. This captivating lake is an extension of lake Kwania, lake Bisina, lake Bugondo and lake Opeta.
The lake is also a dwell of over 46 fish species with the most famous Nile perch which was later introduced to boast fish production and processing on lake Kyoga. Lake Kyoga is surrounded by vast wetlands that are fed by a complex system of streams and rivers that all offer habitats to wide range of fish species, and the flora species here include the water Lettuce, Hyppo grass, water lilies, Cyperus Papyrus and Cattail among others. other fish species include Tilapia, Mudfish within the shallow swamps, Catfish, lungfish and silverfish among others while the deeper shorelines are habitats to numerous crocodiles
Lake Edward
Lake Edward is one of the smallest African great lakes, situated in the Albertine rift along the western part of the East African rift sitting at the border between Uganda and the democratic republic of Congo with its northern shores lying a few kilometres south of the equator. This fascinating lake lies at an altitude of about 3,020 ft and is 77 km long by 40 kilometers wide at its maximum points. lake Edward covers an area of approximately 2,325 square kilometers, making it the 15th largest lake in Africa. Lake Edward is home to many species of fish, including populations of Bagrus docmak, Oreochromis niloticus, Oreochromis leucostictus and over 50 species of Haplochromis and other Haplochromine species, of which only 25 are formally described including a variety of mammal species like lions, chimpanzees, elephants, crocodile as well as a home to numerous resident and migratory bird species
Lake gorge
Lake George is one of the numerous Lakes in Uganda covering a Total Surface Area of 250 square kilometers (97 square miles) and extending for an altitude of 914 meters above sea level, and is part of Africa’s vast Great Lakes system much as it is not regarded a Great Lake. Lying within the Queen Elizabeth National Park, it drains south-westwards into Lake Edward through the narrow Kazinga Channel and can be seen within the western part of the East African Rift Valley showing its main catchment area within the Rwenzori Mountain ranges. This fascinating lake dwells in a variety of fish species such as including the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), cyclopoid copepod, Haplochromis nigripinnis and Thermocyclops hyalinus among others. The lake is home to a variety of hyalines wildlife species such as buffaloes, elephants, Uganda Kobs, crocodiles, and hippos as well as several aquatic bird species
Besides the mentioned lake, Uganda is home to other lakes that visitors can explore while on a Uganda safari such as Lake Nabugabo, Lake Katwe, Lake Wamala, Lake Mutanda, Lake Bisina, Lake Opeta, Lake Nkuruba, Lake Mburo, Lake Ruhondo, Lake Dweru, Lake Nkugute, Lake Nakivali and The Kabaka’s Lake (largest and commonest man-made Lake in Kampala and Uganda in general) among others.
