Lake Victoria

Formed about 400,000 years ago, the mighty Lake Victoria covers a surface area of 59,947 km² and it is Africa’s largest lake and one of the African great lakes. Victoria lies 1,134-meters above sea level. Lake Victoria is the chief reservoir of the river Nile and lies mainly in Tanzania and Uganda bordering Kenya. The lake is endowed with an average depth of 40 meters and ninth largest continental lake in the World.

While the magnificent lake touches the equator on its northern side, it is the world’s largest tropical lake.  It is also the second biggest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Superior.  In all the three countries that share Lake Victoria, Tanzania shares the biggest part of the lake about 49% of it. Kenya shares just a portion of it at only 6% while Uganda takes up to 45% part of Victoria.

Attractions and Activities in Lake Victoria. 

Lake Victoria is enormous enough and favors a wide range of geographical wonders and economic activities. Some of the tourist activities carried out at the lake and its surroundings include hiking, bird watching, canoeing, boat cruising, sport fishing, to mention but a few.

The lake harbors three island shores that visitors enjoy to explore and these include Bugala Island, Banda Island, and Bukasa Island. The Lake’s shores also harbor busy towns, cultural sites, caves, rock paintings and all make the East African region one of the most dynamic in the entire world. The African safari tour is absolutely incomplete without visiting this region and the great lake of Victoria.

There is just so much to do at the great lake, Lake Victoria also enables beach and holiday safari tours especially on its shores.

Several luxury hotels, lodges and fun sports centers where visitors can spend a few days for a remarkable experience and a feeling of African weather while learning about African culture and history.

The lake also favors agricultural activities and several big plantations of various crops can be sighted in the surroundings of the lake in all the three countries that take a share on the fresh waters of Lake Victoria.

Visitors, especially those on the East African safari tours get to learn the African ways of farming, local methods used when fishing, and various crop and plant species. This explains why the settlements around the lake are mostly dominated by farmers and fishermen. Some of the settlements around Lake Victoria include Kisumu in Kenya, Mwanza in Tanzania and Jinja in the Eastern part of Uganda.

Wildlife in Lake Victoria.

A variety of rare and migratory bird species can be sighted mostly on the shores of Lake Victoria especially during the cruising activities. Apart from the chimpanzees, there are also some mammal species including elephants, buffaloes, antelopes protected by most of the national parks around the Lake.

Musoma Town, Tanzania.

This is one of the famous tourist attractions situated on the shores of Lake Victoria, the town lies in the northern part of Tanzania in proximity with the Kenyan border. Musoma town is home for informative cultural history of the inhabitants around the lake and the visitors get a chance to blend in and learn about African history and their unique way of living.

Village tours and fish market visits are a must while in town. Visitors can learn the local fishing methods, several fish species and way of doing business by the locals of Musoma. The town also shelters an old Germany building that is currently used as the government office paving way for other cultural tour sites.

Kisumu Town, Kenya. 

Famous Kisumu carries pride as the largest city on Lake Victoria. One of the first most eye-catching activities once a visitor bumps into Kisumu town is the busiest streets and small towns with a large population of people engaged in several economic activities.

The fact that initially the town was established to serve the railway and lake port influences Kisumu town’s most of the tourism and economic activities. The town’s major market is one of the largest in the region.

Best Time to visit Lake Victoria.

All Lake Victoria tourist activities on and around the mighty lake can be carried out smoothly during the dry season of the year. This is the best time to visit Lake Victoria as the dry months of June, July, August and December to February favor smooth nature walks around the lake, this is where the trails are dry and passable, unlike during the rainy season when all trails are muddy and slippery.