Crater lakes in Uganda : Crater lakes are among the many attractions that are seen during tours across Uganda and they are formed because of volcanic activity. Uganda has over 50 crater lakes and most of the craters are in the western part of the country. Some of the crater lakes include the following;
Ndali Kasenda Crater Lake
Ndali Kasenda Crater Lake is among the crater lakes in Uganda and it is located in Fort Portal.
This Crater Lake stretches about 10 km and can be trekked on foot during tours around Kibale forest national park. The Ndali Kasenda crater lake is also among the densest crater fields in Uganda.
Mountain biking is among the activities to do around the Ndali Kasenda craters. Tourists can also enjoy taking guides nature walks and follow the top of the world trail. It takes about 3 hours to take part in these nature walk to the top of the world and enjoy views of the mountains of the moon or the Rwenzori mountains as well as the tree plantations and also the Kibale forest.
Other lakes found in the Ndali Kasenda lake area include Lake Nkuruba, Lake Nyabikere, Lake Nyinambuga, Lake Nyamasagari, Lake Ntambi, Lake Mubiro, Lake Nyansigwa among others. Tours to Kibale forest national park for chimpanzee trekking can also be done when visiting the Ndali Kasenda crater lakes.
Lake Nkuruba is found south of Fort Portal and it is surrounded by forest where primates like black and white colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, red tailed monkeys among others can be seen and another carter lake which is found nearby is Lake Nyinambuga. The closest of the lakes to Fort Portal town is Lake Nyabikere.
About 25 km south of Fort Portal is where the Ndali Kasenda Crater Lake is found.
Katwe crater
The Katwe crater is found north of the Mweya peninsular and the crater lakes can be seen during tours to Queen Elizabeth national park.
Lake Katwe is about 996 meters deep and it is found at the highest point of Queen Elizabeth national park. The Katwe crater lakes also offer scenic views of Queen Elizabeth national park, the Rwenzori mountains, the western rift valley escarpment as well as the hills.
Salt is got from Lake Katwe and it is about 3265 feet deep. Salt mining is an activity, which is done by the locals who live in the neighboring areas around the lake. The dry season is the time when the salt solution of Lake Katwe is concentrated because of evaporation.
During a tour around the Katwe crater area, lakes such as Lake George and Lake Albert can also be seen. These two lakes also form the Kazinga channel which is known for its boat rides. Craft shops can also be visited around the Katwe crater area and walks around the lake can also be carried out during the tours.
Wildlife species like elephants, buffalos, antelopes, hippos, warthogs among others can also be seen when driving through the national park on the way to the Katwe lake area during tours in Uganda.
Bunyaruguru crater
Another crater lake to visit in Uganda is the Bunyaruguru crater, which is found south of Lake George.
The Bunyaruguru craters are found in the western side of Queen Elizabeth national park which is among the savannah parks of Uganda known for the famous tree climbing lions among other attractions. The locals also know the Bunyaruguru crater as the Kichwamba crater.
There are over 20 craters found in the neighboring areas around the Bunyaruguru and also in the Kichwamba escarpment which is part of the western rift valley of Uganda. Among the lakes found in the Bunyaruguru crater area, include Lake Nkugute, Lake Kyema and Lake Kamweru which are twin lakes, Lake Mirambi, Lake Katinda, Lake Nyungu, Lake Rwizongo, Lake Nkuruba, Lake Mafuro, Lake Kamweru among others.
Some of the crater lakes in Uganda are saline in nature while others are freshwater lakes with beautiful scenery surrounding them. These crater lakes can be visited during half day tours in Uganda or as part of a wildlife safari in Uganda.
Apart from crater lakes, other features which are formed as a result of volcanic activity include the volcanic mountains. Lava, ash and rocks are produced by these mountains which also have basins that with time get filled with water forming the crater lakes.
Some of the activities to do around the craters include hiking; nature walks, bird watching, primate tours, cycling, canoeing, community tours as well as photography. At some of the crater lakes in Uganda, you can visit the neighboring communities and engage in tours around the attractions.
The tours to the crater lakes in Uganda are carried out at any time of the year and the best time to visit them is during the dry season (June to October) which is also the best time for safaris around the country.