Lake Victoria Region

The immense body of water that is Lake Victoria, at nearly the size of Ireland by far the largest lake in Africa, is a major factor in the local climate in the three countries that surround it – Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. It’s also a bountiful source of economic survival for the diverse tribal groups, comprising 30 million people, that inhabit its shores. A busy network of waterways criss-crosses the lake between the trading towns and villages that lie along its shores. Passenger boats and small cargo vessels ply daily from Kisumu in Kenya to Mwanza in Tanzania and north to Entebbe in Uganda. Nestled in the lake’s waters, Rubondo Island provides an unusual and beautiful sanctuary for vulnerable wildlife. Small fishing villages along the lake’s shores rely on fishing for their livelihood, with their fragile-looking outrigger canoes taking to the glassy waters in search of the huge Nile (or Lake Victoria) perch, the tasty Tilapia and the tiny Omena. In Mwanza, a relaxed vibe prevails, the rhythm of daily life punctuated by the comings and goings of the vessels in the town’s lake port.