Crater Lakes in Kibale
Crater Lakes in Kibale National Park are magnificent natural features that were formed by volcanic processes and attract a lot of travelers. Kibale National Park is a tropical rain forest situated in south western region near Fort Portal and Kasese in Uganda. It is located about 350km from Kampala and takes 6hours drive to reach the park and it is known for its primate species that inhabit the forests including the chimpanzees and other animals like Elephants, Warthogs, Bushbabies, Pottos, Pangolins and various bird species among others. Kibale national park has a collection of several crater lakes found within the park premises in the area within the rift valley region which is known as the Ndali-Kasenda crater region which provide great scenic views and camping grounds for the visitors on a safari in Kibale national park.
Ndali-Kasenda crater lakes are located near the Kibale national park and Queen Elizabeth national park approximately 25km south of Fort Portal. Some Crater lakes in Ndali-Kasenda are flooded with clear water, others with sulphuric water which are green in color because of the continuity of the volcanic activity below the lake and other lakes with toxic and smelly waters. Ndali-Kasenda crater lakes are the natural paradise in Kibale national park with viewpoint on an elevated area that is higher than the surrounding landscape therefore known as the Top of the World, this area is between Kibale, Kamwenge and Ndali roads which provide great scenic views of kibale national park, the Crater Lakes, Rwenzori Mountains, Lake George, tea plantations, Kichwamba escarpment in the rift valley among others.
Ndali-Kasenda crater lakes harbor fertile soils used for agriculture by the local communities surrounding the water bodies to grow Arab coffee which has supported agro-tourism in Kibale national park and in Uganda.
Formation of Kibale Ndali-Kasenda Crater Lakes
Ndali-Kasenda crater lakes are very old volcanic features which were formed many years ago about 10000 by a process called vulcanicity which involves the violent volcanic eruption which lead to blowing off the surface, pouring back the ash, lava and debris around the depression hence creating an explosion crater bounded by a realm of ash and lava hence good hiking areas. When the depressions were filled with rainwater, they become crater lakes like Lake Katwe which is the most famous in Queen Elizabeth national park while others stayed as depressions.
Crater Lakes in Ndali-Kasenda Kibale National Park
Lake Nkuruba, this is one of the ancient and great crater lakes in Kibale national park located 25km south of Fort Portal town in western Uganda lying around the beautiful landscape of the Rwenzori Mountains and Kibale national park. Lake Nkuruba is surrounded by the indigenous forest which supports an abundance of wildlife and its surrounding has not been affected by deforestation hence making it a unique area. Lake Nkuruba has a nature reserve that acts as a community conservation project to help the local community have progressive education through funding the schools in the community. The beautiful lake offers walking safaris to the forests and neighboring lakes by use of local boats because they are the only transport means on the lake, visit Mahoma falls, see various explosion crater and the visitors will be able to take great photos, enjoy the primate species including Red colobus monkeys, Black and White monkeys, Red tailed monkeys, Vervet monkeys, and Chimpanzees which are seen on a few occasions among others, view different bird species and other animals like banded mongoose, squirrels among others. Lake Nkuruba natural reserve provides a ground for camping which is surrounded by beautiful views for visitors to relax while on the safari.
Lake Nyabikere also translated as the lake of the frogs in the local language is located 11km and 100meters distance off Fort Portal main road and 18km to Kibale national park, 30minutes drive on Kamwenge road and the closest lake to Fort Portal town therefore possible to walk from lake Nyabikere to lake Nkuruba passing via Nyamirima crater lake or use the local fishing boats to transfer you from one lake to another. Lake Nyabikere is a famous area base for chimpanzee tracking in Kibale national park since its foundation in the area near the park. It also offers beautiful scenery of the area, take part in bird watching through the walking trail around the lake, guided community walks through the nearby villages where the visitors will have an encounter with the village people, taste their different dishes, fruits among others. Nyabikere has a friendly lodge-like Rweteera safari lodge where the visitors on a safari will stay, relax and have a great scenic view of the lake.
Lake Nyinambuga, is a crater lake in the Kibale Ndali-Kasenda located in a short distance south of lake Nkuruba. Nyinambuga Lake has the most spectacular water bodies which are blue and green in color surrounded by the forests in the park which gives stunning views of nature. Lake Nyinambuga also appears at the back of the twenty thousand shillings note of Uganda which makes it a unique and beautiful lake in Kibale national park because of its clean waters covered by the forests which harbor primate species, birds, butterflies, and animal species. On Lake Nyinambuga ridge it’s where you find the popular Ndali lodge which is the best lodge in the area that offers great scenic views, comfortable beds, quality services inform of meals and drinks for the visitors to feel at home while on the safari.
Lake Lyantonde, this Crater Lake is situated west of Lake Nyinambuga and the most convenient Crater Lake in Kibale Ndali-Kasenda craters. Lake Lyantonde offers activities like hiking which gives you a wonderful experience that supplements the chimpanzee tracking activity while on the safari in Kibale national park. The crater lake features the papaya lodge which offers a wide range of activities to the visitors who want to explore Kibale national park including chimpanzee tracking, chimpanzee habituation experience, birding among others and the papaya lodge provides you with a guide who will take you around while carrying out different activities in Kibale, this helps you to gain more experience during your safari.
Lake Kifuruka, this Crater Lake is situated west of Lake Nyinambuga before reaching Lake Lyantonde 24km from Fort Portal. Lake Kifuruka offers a number of activities including walking excursions, canoeing and fishing, bird watching among others which give beautiful scenic views of the terrain and the forest. The lake has a community-owned eco-lodge that offers visitors an opportunity to explore the Kibale Ndali-Kasenda crater lakes and Kibale national park by providing a calm, cool and comfortable environment for the visitors to chill and relax while on the safari.
However Ndali-Kasenda has other crater lakes which include Lake Nyamasagari, lake Ntambi, lake Mubiro, lake Nyanswiga, Lake Nyinabulitwa among others.
Activities carried out on Kibale Ndali-Kasenda Crater Lakes
Bird watching, Kibale national park is a home of over 350 bird species and some of the bird species are nestled near the water bodies in Ndali-Kasenda crater lakes and in the forests that surround these water bodies. Visitors who love birds will be able to spot different bird species while on the safari on the lakes including the Great blue Turaco, Black and White casqued hornbill, Olive long-tailed cuckoo, Western tinker bird, Pittas, Papyrus gonolek, White-winged Warbler, Grey parrot among others.
Primate watching, Kibale national park harbors 13 primate species therefore visitors on the safari in the Ndali-Kasenda crater lakes will view some of these primates for example the 4 primate species that can be viewed around Lake Nkuruba including Red colobus monkeys, Black and White colobus monkeys, Red tailed monkeys and Vervet monkeys, Chimpanzees and some animals like Elephants, Warthogs among others which make the safari in Kibale Ndali-Kasenda crater lakes more interesting and exciting.
Nature walks / hiking, unlike the Crater Lakes in Queen Elizabeth national park, the crater lakes in Kibale Ndali-Kasenda can be explored on foot where one can take a hike to the top of the world which offers great views of the Rwenzori Mountains, the crater lakes, tea plantations, Kibale national park, Lake George among others. There are guided nature walks around Nyinabulitwa crater lake to a forest tree house where visitors will be able to view different wildlife species like primates, animals, birds, landscapes among others and also provide walking opportunities to the community villages around the lakes where you explore and experience different cultures, traditions, dishes, interact with the local people in the village visit the tea and coffee plantations, learn the local process used to produce coffee powder,
Swimming, most crater lakes in Kibale Ndali-Kasenda are free from bilharzia which make them safe for swimming for the visitors who want to take part in swimming while on the safari in Kibale national park, however, the visitors are advised not to just jump into any crater lake because some give off sulphuric smell and are characterized by the green toxic water, for example, Lake Nyabikere, Lake Nyinambaga among others.
Cycling, Ndali-Kasenda crater lakes offer guided cycling activities to visitors who want to move around the lakes on bikes, the guides offer help to the visitors through showing them the trails to the lakes, neighboring communities, help in spotting different primates, animals and bird species on their way so as to make cycling safari more exciting and memorable for the visitors.
There are other activities like Sportfishing on some crater lakes like Lake Kifuruka and Canoeing which is the only means of transport for the people who want to move from one Crater Lake to another, this gives you great and memorable experiences while on the safari.
Therefore exploring the Kibale Ndali-Kasenda Crater Lakes gives you wonderful adventure experiences with unforgettable memories on your safari in Kibale national park located in south western Uganda.
