Rivers of Uganda

Rivers of Uganda : Uganda Rwanda Safari guests will have a chance to take a cruise on the mighty Rivers of Uganda, most commonly, on the Longest river in the world – River Nile. This with other major rivers form the drainage features of Uganda, supporting farming and cattle keeping in the pearl of Africa. Some of the great rivers in Uganda are:

The Rivers of Uganda

Nile River

The Nile River is a total of 4,258 miles  about 6,853 kilometers in length, making it the second-longest river in the world. The Nile flows through the eleven different countries, including Uganda, Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Tanzania. The Nile River’s source is from the Blue Nile and White Nile river who converge near Khartoum in Sudan, with the river’s mouth going into the Mediterranean Sea in northern Egypt. The Nile River’s length in full also includes the White Nile and Blue Nile River’s, so the part of the Nile that goes through Uganda Safari is the same section as the White Nile River.

Sezibwa River

The Sezibwa River is a total of 93 miles  around 150 kilometers in length and is the third longest river that is completely within Uganda. The river’s source starts by the municipality of Ngogwe in the Buikwe District and then proceeds to flow in a northerly direction until it reaches its mouth at Lake Kyoga in the Kayunga District. The Sezibwa Falls are a Heritage Site of the Buganda sub-national kingdom in Uganda that are 23 feet (7 meters) high, that are part of the river. The site is a nice place for tourists to do Uganda bird watching Safaris , rock climbing and experience the sights and sounds. The surrounding forest that is along the river and falls has a variety of primates and bird species.

Kafu River

The Kafu River is a total of 112 miles about 180 kilometers in length and is the second longest river that is completely in Uganda. The river’s source starts by the Kitoma Swamp in the Kibaale District and then it starts to flow east before it turns north where it reaches its mouth at the Victorian Nile River near the town of Masindi Port in the Masindi District. Since the river comes out of the Kitoma Swamp, it helps to provide a source for wildlife and varies animals in the swamp and along its path thus Rivers of Uganda.

Semliki River

The Semliki River is a total of 87 miles around 140 kilometers in length and flows through the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and Uganda. The river’s source starts at Lake Edward, near the sub-station of Ishango on the DR Congo side of the border and then proceeds to snake south crisscrossing and even forming part of the border of the DR Congo and Uganda, until it reaches its mouth at Lake Albert near the city of Bunia in the DR Congo. The River goes through the Rwenzori Mountains National Park and the Semuliki National Park in Uganda, helping to give a habitat to the tropical trees and swamp flora that grows in the Uganda Safari parks. The river also helps many different animals thrive in these parks, including more then 400 different bird species and various mammals like elephants and buffalo.The River is also the home to various ethnic groups of people in the general region, including the Amba, Bakonjo, Batuku and Batwa peoples.

Katonga River

Katonga River

The Katonga River is a total of 137 miles about 220 kilometers in length and is the longest river that is completely in Uganda which tourists can visit while on Uganda Safaris Tours. The river’s watershed is now the swampy region that is found southwest of Lake Wamala due to regional uplifting of the land in the Albertine Rift that is part of the great East African Rift system. From this swampy region the Katonga River then mostly flows in an eastern direction until it reaches its mouth of Lake Victoria, although it is supplemented by a few tributaries along the way. During the wet seasons in Uganda, the water levels can rise enough that the watershed of the river will send some water west in Lake George.

Turkwel River / Suam River

The Turkwel River is a total of 211 miles around 340 kilometers in length and flows through Kenya and Uganda. The river’s source starts at the Mount Elgon, which is an extinct shield volcano that sits on the border of Uganda and Kenya. From this source the river flow east words into Kenya until it reaches its mouth at Lake Turkana in northern Kenya. The portion of the river that is located in Uganda is called the Suam River. The river’s flow can change seasonally and can be impacted by flash floods during the rainy season, thus Rivers of Uganda.

Victoria Nile

The mighty Lake Victoria was thought for a long time to be the source of the Nile. It is in a sense. Waters from the large lake leave by the Victoria Nile to head north to join the Albert Nile in northern Uganda. When the water leaves the massive Lake Victoria, it does so in a spectacular fashion. The water pours out of the lake at the Ripon Falls, also known as Owen Falls Dam, in Uganda. It then goes by the Victoria Nile to Lake Kyoga before joining the Albert Nile. The lake itself is shared by three countries: Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. The headwaters for the streams that feed the lake, however, originate from the mountains of Rwanda and Burundi.

Kazinga Channel

The Kazinga Channel in Uganda is a wide, 32-kilometre about 20 miles long natural channel that links Lake Edward and Lake George, and a dominant feature of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The channel attracts a varied range of animals and birds, with one of the world’s largest concentrations of hippos and numerous Nile crocodiles. Lake George is a small lake with an average depth of only 2.4 metres (7.9 Ft.) and which is fed by streams from the Rwenzori Mountains. Its outflow is through the Kazinga Channel which drains into Lake Edward, water levels fluctuating very little.