Kabaka's Lake

Kabaka's Lake at Ndeeba in Kampala was dug by hand on the orders of Mwanga II from 1885, intended as a channel connecting his palace to Lake Victoria so that he could reach the water without being seen, and possibly as an escape route. The project was abandoned unfinished, leaving a lake of around two hundred metres by a kilometre, which is generally described as the largest hand-excavated lake in Africa. It is now a fishing and recreation spot.

What to look for

• The excavation - a lake dug entirely by hand from 1885 and never finished.
• The Mwanga scheme - the plan to connect the palace to Lake Victoria.
• The birdlife - waterbirds using the lake and its fringe.
• The recreation use - fishing, boating and a lakeside walk.

When to go

Year round; the lake is open in daylight hours. Weekends bring more visitors. The water level rises in the rains.

Good to know

The lake is not scenic and the surroundings are urban and in places untidy. There is little interpretation of the history. Facilities are basic.

Nearby

Mengo Palace is nearby, and Kampala centre is northeast.

Key facts