Lakes in Kibale Crater
The western rift valley region, often referred to as the Ndali Kasenda Crater Region, is home to Kibale Crater Lakes. About 350 kilometers from Kampala, in southwest Uganda, are the Kibale Crater Lakes. Near the border of Kibale National Park, the Fort Portal-Kasese Road leads to the crater lakes. There are several craters in the area, including crater lakes and explosive craters. For those seeking a truly untamed African experience, the craters offer a breathtaking and beautiful vista as well as a place to camp. It should be noted that the crater lakes are located on the grounds of Kibale National Park, but not inside it.
The glistening tropical rainforest of Kibale National Park is situated in Uganda’s far southwest. The large population of primates that live in Kibale National Park is noteworthy, particularly the endangered chimpanzee species. Because it is home to the largest primate community in Africa, if not the entire world, Kibale National Park is even known as the primate capital of the world. There are approximately 1500 chimpanzees that swing in the trees within the forest, and some of them are accustomed to being visited year-round.
Along with chimpanzees, Kibale National Park is home to roughly 13 other primate species, including night primates like pottos, bush infants, pangolins, elephants, and warthogs, as well as black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and blue colobus monkeys. Additionally, Kibale National Park is a bird lover’s paradise. There are roughly 350 bird species there. A great place to satisfy any birder’s thirst is Kibale National Park.
Kibale National Park’s craters offer a completely different experience for any primate safari, even though the park’s wildlife is impressive. The greatest location for your crater lake excursions in Uganda is located between Fort Portal and the Kasese Highway and Kibale Forest, not far from the popular tourist town of Fort Portal.
Kibale Crater Lake Formation
Many millions of years ago, a process known as vulcanicity created the craters at Kibale National Park. Volcanicity is characterized by a forceful and violent volcanic eruption that blasts off the surface and pours back the ash, lava, and debris surrounding the depression, forming an explosion crater surrounded by a realm of ash and lava. This is in contrast to volcanicity, which results in the creation of volcanic cones or mountains. However, crater lakes, like Katwe in Queen Elizabeth National Park and others in Uganda’s volcanic regions, form when the craters fill with water.
Lake Nyabikere, also known as the “lake of frogs” in the local dialect, is the most well-known Crater Lake in Kibale National Park. The closest location to Kibale National Park is Lake Nyabikere, which is about three minutes’ drive from Fort Portal Town and only 100 meters off the main road. Walking from Nyabikere Crater Lake to Nkuruba, via Nyinabulitwa to Nyamirima Crater Lake, is feasible. In Kibale National Park, Nyabikere Crater Lake is a well-known starting point for chimpanzee trekking.
Another crater lake is known as Nyinambuga Crater Lake, which is notable in Uganda since it can be seen on the country’s twenty thousand shilling note. Blue-green water in Nyinambuga Crater offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. The well-known Ndali Logde, which offers a stunning view of the lake around 100 meters below, is located on the crest of Nyinambuga Crater Lake.
Another beautiful crater lake in Kibale is Nkuruba Crater Lake, which has served as a natural reserve and provided financing for the local community’s access to advanced education. Beautiful camping grounds with a peaceful setting may be found at Nkuruba Crater Lake. Nkuruba is also a starting place for the trek to the top of the globe, where you may witness a lot of explosion craters and locate the Mahoma Falls.
Nyamasagani, Ntambi, Mubiro, Lyantonde, and Nyanswiga are among the other easily accessible crater lakes. The Arabic coffee variety has flourished in the region thanks to the lush soils surrounding Lake Kasenda, which are linked to the lake. Here, you can take advantage of agrotourism by visiting coffee plantations.
The crater lakes’ related activities
The Ndali Kasenda regions close to Kibale National Park are home to several crater lakes. The Ndali–Kasenda region is peppered with a variety of craters and crater lakes that vary in size and personality and offer quaint, well-developed beautiful vistas of the surrounding landscapes. Some of Kibale’s crater lakes are genuinely safe for swimming and free of bilharzia, while others are excellent for fishing and stunning for cycling and nature excursions, among other activities. The crater lakes area of Kibale National Park offers an excellent opportunity for intense bird watching; it is home to a variety of stunning bird species that are endemic to the park, including the olive long-tailed cuckoo, western tinker bird, pittas, grey parrot, ground thursting, and many more.
