The world's second largest fresh-water lake, with 68,000 sq. km . Lake Victoria lies at an altidue of 1133m and is widely accepted to be the main source of the Nile, as it receives more water as rainfall than all its combined tributaries provide.

  

Rivers from large areas of Western Kenya, Northern Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda gather in this shallow (only 80m deep) lake and begin, as Victoria Nile, their 6000km journey to the Mediterranean Sea. The lake's high rate of evaporation due to its location on the Equator makes this immense body of water a major factor in the local climate. 

 

In the morning the area is usually cloudy, but during the day the sky clears up. The northern, Ugandan shore is characterized by countless small and larger islands and long, finger-like peninsulas. . In between, swampy bays reach deep into the mainland, their Papyrus-swamps providing a preferred habitat for the Sitatunga-Antelope.

Small fishing villages along the shore signify the importance of this trade, with the huge Nile perches, the tasty Tilapia and the tiny Omena being the main catches. The imported Water-Hyacint has become a major menace to the fishermen - it spreads quickly across the lake, blocks jettys and beaches and damages the nets. Bilharzia is a problem too: swimming is only recommended far from any reeds.

The lake shore is highly indented, and there are many isles in the lake, some of which, especially the Sesse Group, are known for their beautiful landscape for that perfect lake holiday health resorts and sightseeing places.

 

Abundant prehistoric remains found around the lake indicate the early development of agriculture. There are a number of coastal towns such as Kisumu (Kenya), Entebbe (Uganda), Bukoba, Muwanza and Musoma (Tanzania), connected with each other by ship routes. Also a new rail service will soon be starting in Uganda covering the whole country and connecting to Keyna and Tanzania.

 

 

 

The Kenyan side of the lake is the home of the Luo people, who migrated here from Uganda and Southern Sudan in the 16th century.  Over the centuries a unique society has developed, with about 40 different groups.  Land ownership was vital, and, to repel raids, the Luo built stone fortresses 50 years ago, and the ruins of one Thimlich Ohinga  can still be seen.  Traditional Luo villages feature family homesteads enclosed by hedges.  Kit Mikaye, a huge sacred stone believed to have supernatural powers was once used for animal sacrifices. 

 

The Ssese Islands back on the Uganda side had always seemed the most improbable of tropical island idylls a few miles south of the equator in Lake Victoria. They are part of Uganda, a country better known for trouble and Amin than tourism. And you certainly won't find them advertised by any high street travel agent in the UK

The Ssese were once a bit of a backpackers' secret, but even these intrepid souls stopped coming when the ferry linking the islands to Kampala stopped more than 10 years ago  now a new daily ferry, from Entebbe to Bugala, the largest of the 84 islands.

 

Nile Rafting

 

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Located in East Africa, Lake Victoria locally known as Lake Nyanza is the source of the of the Nile RIver,. Despite its huge size, quite shallow - only 100 metres at its deepest. As the world's largest tropical lake, Lake Victoria lies within an elevated plateau in the western part of Africa's Great Rift Valley. Lake Victoria facts , it's shoreline is 3,440 km long and has more than 3,000 islets,most of which are inhabited. At the Nalubaale (Owen Falls) and Kiira dams on the Victoria Nile the lake's waters are used to generate hydroelectricity Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are the countries border lake victoria.The ugandan cities of kampala and Entebbe lie along or near the nothern coast At the lakes most southern corner lies Speke Gulf