Lake Victoria

Straddling the borders of three countries - Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda - Lake Victoria is the second largest freshwater lake in the world.

Lake Victoria is one of many lakes within the African Great Rift Valley system and lies high on an elevated plateau. The lake and its surrounds are well protected and attract only a limited number of tourists.

Though Kenya's share of Lake Victoria's 70,000 square kilometre surface area is comparatively small (about six percent of the lake is within Kenya), it is the Kenyan section of Lake Victoria that offers the best lodges and the most varied activities.

Lake Victoria is home to around 3,000 islands, many of which are populated, and some of which contain private lodges. This makes Lake Victoria an ideal location for water sports, fishing and island boating trips.

In and around Lake Victoria, Kenya
Water sports are one of the main attractions of Lake Victoria, with a huge variety on offer from water skiing to tubing. Boat trips are an ideal way to see the various islands, some of which are home to ancient rock art sites.

Ruma, a small National Park located on the western side of the Lake, can easily be visited. This is a quiet, often-overlooked safari park. The game in Ruma is very limited in quantity, but the park does have the advantage of housing a number of severely endangered species, including black rhinoceros, Rothschild's giraffe and roan antelope.

There are a number of lovely private island lodges on Lake Victoria, such as Rusinga and Mfangano. While most travellers prefer to head to Kenya's coast or to Zanzibar for a relaxing end to a safari, Lake Victoria's lake lodges provide a great alternative. They are quiet, relaxed, and offer lots of activities, including some of the best fishing in Kenya!