Boat ride in Uganda | The top spots to do boat cruising in Uganda
BOAT RIDE IN UGANDA
Uganda is in East Africa with Kampala as its capital city. Uganda “the Pearl of Africa” embraces many ecosystems, from the tall volcanic mountains of the Eastern and Western regions to the densely forested swamps of the Albert Nile River and the rainforests of the country’s central plateau. Uganda is bordered by South Sudan to the North, Kenya to the East, Tanzania and Rwanda to the South, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the West. The capital city, Kampala, is built around seven hills not far from the shores of Lake Victoria, which forms part of the frontier with Kenya and Tanzania.
Uganda’s Lake Victoria in the South Eastern part of the country is the world’s second largest inland freshwater lake by size after Lake Superior in North America. Victoria is also one of the sources of the Nile River. Five other major lakes exist in the country: Edward and George to the South West in Queen Elizabeth National Park; Albert to the West; Bunyonyi and Mutanda in South Western Uganda; Kyoga in Central Uganda; and Bisina in the East. Together with the lakes, there are eight major rivers. These are the Victoria Nile in Western Uganda in Murchison Falls National Park; the Achwa, Okok, and Pager in the north; the Albert Nile in the North West; and the Kafu, Katonga, and Mpongo in the West.
All the above lakes offer opportunities for boat rides. Below are the places where great boat tours in Uganda are usually done;
Kazinga channel: This is a 40-kilometre-long water body in Queen Elizabeth National Park and joins Lake George to Lake Edward. The cruises usually take from 2-5 hours and tourists get opportunities to explore the water and the abundant wildlife on the shores. Some of the animals around the shores include; Hippos, Buffalo, Elephant, Waterbucks, Crocodile, Monitor Lizard among others as well as various water bird species like; African Spoonbills, African Skimmers, Cormorants, Martial Eagles, Pelicans, Papyrus Gonoleks and many more.
The Ssese islands: Ssese island is made up of 84 islands in the north western part of Lake Victoria in Uganda. tourists are treated to incredible sights and sounds in form of tropical rainforests, several bird species, Chimpanzees, and Monkeys among others while on a trip to the islands. These trips are also characterized by snack foods, beverages and entertainment, making them wholesome.
Lake Victoria: Lake Victoria Sunset cruises are conducted on the lake are so exciting and offer beautiful views of the sun over the lake. These cruises usually begin from Entebbe as tourists head out by boat towards the Equator line or local islands to view the sun set over the horizon. Tourists on this cruise can also expect to see several bird and primate species along the shores of Lake Victoria as well as enjoy the snacks, beverages and entertainment provided on the boat. Boat cruises offer tourists with a wholesome relaxing experience because on top of the usual wildlife sights and sounds, as they enjoy the cool breeze from the water body.
Victoria Nile: the Victoria Nile is in Murchison Falls National Park and starts from the bottom of the falls to the point where it joins Lake Albert. A boat cruise on this water body has a lot to offer. Participants shall expect to spot wildlife along the shores like Elephant, Buffalo, Crocodile, Hippos, and some antelope species living in the park as well as various water birds like Marabou Stork, African Fish Eagle, Cormorants, African Jacana, Pied Kingfishers, Pelican, Hadada Ibis among many more. Some cruises go up to the bottom of the magnificent Murchison Falls, it offers great scenery views and great spot for photography.
Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mutanda: These lakes are in South West region of the country. They have several islands on them and with great history that is interesting to learn about. The cruise on these lakes offer great birding opportunities.
River Nile: The boat cruise on the river Nile in Uganda is done in Jinja. This cruise takes from 1-2 hours and leads to the source of the river. The cruise also offers great birding opportunities, you get to spot some of the bird species that live in the vegetation around the riverbanks.
Enjoy your stay in Uganda and take relaxed boat trips on any of the above lakes depending on the region you are at.