One of the African Great Lakes, the 60,000-square-kilometre Lake Victoria is the world's largest tropical lake and the largest lake in Africa by surface area. Double the size of Wales, this sprawling lake is a popular outdoor recreation area that lures many keen anglers in with the hopes of catching Nile perch.
Love seeing unique wildlife? Lake Victoria is blessed with a wealth of animals, including Nile crocodiles, African helmeted turtles, hippopotamuses, African clawless otters and mongoose. You’ll also see numerous local fisherman venturing out in small vessels, as this lake supports Africa’s largest inland fishery.
Exploring the shoreline of Lake Victoria can take weeks, if not months, depending on how many stops you make. There are various lakeside towns and cities to explore, such as Mwanza, a port city with unique rock formations and ancient colonial buildings. You can also visit Musoma, Bukoba and Kisumu while entering different African countries along the way.
Getting there
If you’re based in Kenya, Kisumu is your best gateway to Lake Victoria. The port city is about 15 minutes’ drive from Kisumu International Airport and also has the Kisumu Railway Station. You can explore the lake off the shores of Kisumu or hire a car and travel around its shoreline.