Self drive around Lake Victoria through Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania & Kenya.
Looking to drive around lake Victoria by passing through Kenya , Tanzania , Rwanda & Uganda? Self drive East Africa is a well known car rental department under self drive Uganda that offers ultimate Safari Experiences to visit all the countries in East Africa.
Self Drive East Africa offers practical guide on how to self drive through Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi , Tanzania & Kenya with a rented car from experts.
Lake Victoria – drive Around Lake Victoria.
Renamed after Queen Victoria by the explorer John Hanning Speke, Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. Stretching over an area of approximately 59,947 square kilometers, the lake stands as the largest in Africa by area, the world’s largest tropical lake and the world’s second largest fresh water after Lake Superior in North America. The mighty lake’s area is divided among three counties – Kenya with 6%, Uganda with 45% and Tanzania with 49%. In volume, Lake Victoria is the world’s ninth largest continental lake comprising of about 2,424 km3 of water.
The lake encompasses the source of the longest world’s river – River Nile and it is the only outflow river on it. The lake also consists of the Victoria Nile which leaves at Ripon falls near Jinja and flows in the northern direction for about 500 kilometers. After it falls over Murchison falls, it flows into Lake Albert and onto the Albert Nile and this forms the last part of the river in Uganda. River Kagera is the largest river flowing on Lake Victoria with its mouth on its western shore.
Lake Victoria is made up of numerous islands that are shared among the three countries – Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The largest of these is Rubondo Island National park which is also the largest island national park in Africa with 456.8 square kilometers. It is the preeminent island together with Ssese Island which is made up of other 84 small islands.
History of Lake Victoria
The first recorded information about Lake Victoria comes from Arab traders who passed through the inland routes in search of ivory, gold, slaves and other precious commodities. The lake was already in existence and known to a number of Africans who were in the area. The lake was discovered by a European in 1858 when the British explorer John Hanning Speke reached its southern shore while on journey with Richard Francis Burton to explore central Africa and also locate the Great lakes. On seeing the high volumes open water; Speke claimed that he had found the source of the Nile and thus naming the lake after Queen Victoria, the reigning queen of England. This claim was not agreed upon by any of the explorers including Burton thus triggering the interest of other explorers so as to very Speke’s claim.
Among the explorers who traveled for confirmation include David Livingstone but in his explorations, he travelled to far west and then entered the river system of Congo. The confirmation about the claims of Lake Victoria being the source of River Nile was made by Morton Stanley, a Welsh American explorer who circumnavigated the late.
Islands of Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria encompasses various Islands which mainly attract the tourists. There are a number of activities that take place on these islands including hiking, boat cruising, bird watching, fishing, mountain biking, and wildlife viewing.
Ssese Islands
This is the most known island on Lake Victoria comprising of 84 beautiful islands located in the northwestern shores of the lake. The beautiful waters of the Lake Victoria provide a variety of tourism attractions which attract a number of travelers worldwide. Among the activities on the island include boating and fishing.
Rubondo Island National Park
This is the second most popular and most visited island on Lake Victoria due to abundance of wildlife. Situated in the south western part of lake in Tanzania, the national park consists of Rubondo Island as the main island and other 11 smaller islands. It is the largest island park in Africa with an area of approximately 456 square kilometers.
The island protects a number of rare and endangered species including birds, primates and wildlife. Among these include the chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, elephants, bush pigs, bushbucks, giraffes, suni and others. The outdoor activities at the island are bird watching, hiking, canoeing and others.
Bugala Island
Stretching over an area of approximately 270 square kilometers, Bugala Island is the largest island in the island of Ssese. The main town on the island is Kalangala and has two ferries that transport people to and from the island.
Ngamba Island
Located on Lake Victoria, the island covers 100 acres where the 98 acres are occupied by rain forested. The island is 23km from Entebbe town and is known for Chimpanzee feeding since it consist a chimpanzee orphanage. The chimps at the Island can be viewed at a close range during their feeding times.
Musambwa Islands
This is a group of three rocky islands located 5km offshore from Kasensero landing site in Rakai district off the shores of Sango Bay region on Lake Victoria.
Ukerewe Island
This is the largest island in Lake Victoria characterized by 27 smaller islands. While at the island, the tourists get spectacular views of Entebbe in Uganda, Mwanza city in Tanzania and Nairobi in Kenya. It is surrounded by a number of locals with Nansio people as the largest community. For the cultural lovers, the island offers many historical sites to visit including Kangunguli, an old Roman church built in 1895 and a chief’s palace built in 1922.
Activities on the island include fishing, canoeing, cultural tour, cycling, hiking and many others.
Rusinga Island
Situated on the eastern corner of Lake Victoria, Rusinga Island is 16 kilometers long and 5 kilometers wide. It is popular for its rich and important fossil beds of extinct Miocene mammals that date back to 18 million years. Activities at the island include fishing, primate watching, boat cruising, mountain biking and many others.
Others Islands in the lake include Mfangano Island, and Banda island.
Best time to visit Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria can be visited any time all year round since it is mostly warm throughout the year. It has a long rainy season starting from the middle of March to early June with some rain falling in November and December. The best time to visit the lake is during the dry season which starts around in the middle of December, January and February, June and July.
Where to stay in Lake Victoria
Bordering the three countries – Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, Lake Victoria has a wide range of accommodations where a tourist can stay from budget, midrange and luxury. Among these include Victoria Forest Resort, Mirembe Resort Beach Hotel, Brovad Sands Lodge, Rubondo Island Camp, Rusinga Island Lodge, Mfangano Island Camp, Malaika Beach Resort, Hotel Tilapia Ltd, Serenity on the Lake, Waghill lodge and many others.
Detailed Drive Around Lake Victoria
Self drive in Uganda- Independent Travelers
Uganda is known as the pearl of Africa that hosts the mountain gorillas , Chimpanzee & Golden monkeys as the key primates that are available for your self drive safari in Uganda , Yet the watching of the big five in kidepo valley national park.
Recommended Places to visit on Self Drive Safari.
1. Entebbe town
Most self drive Safaris in Uganda start from Entebbe town which is located near Entebbe International Airport and Self Drive East Africa offers free airport Pick and drop of your rental Vehicle at no extra Charge.
Entebbe town is the entry point to Uganda, generally because it is where the international airport is located. Just on the peninsular of Lake Victoria. Entebbe is proving to be an unbeatable urban destination in Uganda for tourism.
Explore the Uganda wildlife Education center which is a zoo with activities like wildlife viewing, behind the scenes program, keeper for the day, chimpanzee viewing, among others. When leaving Entebbe, join the roadside markets popularly on days like Tuesday in Kitoro town for some little shopping before proceeding to Kampala.
2. Kampala city
Just about 40 kilometers north of Entebbe is Kampala city, the capital city of Uganda which is located in the central region of Uganda. Kampala is a perfect place to have a road trip because the city is absolutely rich when it comes to city tours. The city has variety of sites that any visitor can enjoy during a road trip in Uganda.
Anyone who has heard of river Nile has obviously heard of Lake Victoria somewhere in the middle of the same conversation. However this does not mean that Lake Victoria is all about river Nile; there is more to experience and learn about the biggest fresh water lake in Africa.
Your experience of this lake will much be determined from which location you approach it from; in case you are in Entebbe, it will be a gate away point to some of the most amazing islands in Uganda.
4. Queen Elizabeth National park
Located in the south west of Uganda is Queen Elizabeth national park. This is the best next destination after Lake Mburo national park during a road trip in Uganda.
This park offers the best wildlife safaris in Uganda due to its diversity with wildlife. Visitors having a road trip can visit Queen Elizabeth national for some of the amazing safari activities like game viewing. Animals include, elephants, lions, and buffaloes, Uganda Kobs, among others.
The launch cruise allows travelers to float along the 40 kilo meter Kazinga channel while watching the abundance of bird species flying over, the water thirsty animals like the crocodiles, hippos, and monitor lizards, Buffaloes on the channel.
Later, join the Ishasha sector for the tree climbing lions. The most amazing secrets of this park are the multiple crater lakes like Lake Katwe where salt is mined traditionally.
Queen Elizabeth is the park to watch for with no worries when it comes to accommodation because there are varieties of accommodation facilities ranging from luxury, midrange and budget like Mweya safari lodge, Ihamba lodge, katara lodge, mazike safari lodge, Kyambura game lodge, Bush Lodge, Simba safari Camp and various camp sites at Mweya peninsular
5. Kibale forest national park
It is one of the most attractive national parks of Uganda. It also doubles as one of the rewarding destinations that one can explore on foot. Found in the outskirts of Fort Portal, this park is the capital of primates in the entire world with up to 13 species of primates including the Chimpanzees, Black and white Colubus Monkeys, Red Colubus and L’Hoest monkeys. The major attractions in Kibale forest national park are the Chimpanzee and over 300 bird species. The park is best for activities like chimp trekking, day and night nature walks and birding in the Bigodi wetlands with variety of bird species.
6. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
This is a home to half of the world’s last remaining population of the endangered mountain gorillas in the World. Today, the park has over 15 habituated gorilla group available for tracking. Gorilla Tracking and habituation experience is the main tourist activities to this park. Other tour attractions include bird watching, batwa community tour and Forest walks.
Gorilla tracking permits are on high demand throughout the year, and each costs US$700, and US$1500 for gorilla habituation experience! You must book and secure your permit in advance through Travel Agents and tour operators. No more selling of gorilla permits at the park headquarters!
Among the popular safari lodges and campsites in Bwindi Forest include Clouds Mountain gorilla lodge, Nkuringo gorilla camp, Lake Mutanda resort, Rushaga gorilla Camp, Gorilla Mist Camp, Havens Gorilla Lodge, Bakiga Lodge, Buhoma Community Rest Camp and many others.
Rwanda – Self Drive Safari
Rwanda is known as a charming country of countless hills and natural beauty. The capital Kigali is no exception. Kigali has a population of over one million people and is built right at the centre of the country making it easy to access by road from all of Rwanda’s neighboring countries. Kigali has become known as one of the quietest, safest, cleanest and most organized cities in Africa. It is the centre of arts, transportation and culture in Rwanda.
Rwanda has four national parks, they are all protected by wildlife reserves and ecosystems. And these include the Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Gishwati – Mukura National Park and the Volcanoes National Park. Gishwati- Mukura was created in 2015 and is hence the youngest national park created.
After this Gorilla experience in Uganda , your advised to cross into Rwanda visiting the magical Volcanoes national park.
While most African hinterlands away from the Great Rift Valley are forced to compete with the likes of Kruger and Maasai Mara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, when it comes to the wild, mist-topped back country of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, all bets are off! Yep, this truly breathtaking conservation area – contiguous with Virunga across the border – is topped by the once-smoking calderas of mighty mounts like Karisimbi and serrated Sabyinyo.
All around these craggy volcanic peaks, visitors discover lush montane forests and thick groves of African redwoods. And within those there’s another treasure: the uber-rare mountain gorilla.
Akagera National Park is the same savannah and riparian swamp mosaic you’d expect to find in the super-famous game parks of the East African Rift.
That’s because its 1,200 square kilometers of land abut right up to the border with Tanzania, giving rise to roaming herds of giraffes, antelopes, jackals and more.
Safaris are slowly becoming popular, with outfitters now organizing game drives and game walks from the smattering of lodges that exist.
And the environments are beautiful too, with the meanders of the Kagera River giving way to shimmering Lake Shakani, oodles of papyrus swamps and protected birding areas aplenty.
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