Lake Nabugabo
A freshwater lake cut off from Lake Victoria by a sandbar, with no bilharzia and safe swimming.
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Nabugabo was part of Lake Victoria until a sandbar closed it off a few thousand years ago, and the separation has made it a distinct water body with its own fish and, more usefully for visitors, no bilharzia and no crocodiles or hippo in the swimming areas. That makes it one of the few lakes in Uganda where swimming is straightforward. The shore is sandy with papyrus swamp behind, and the birdlife around the wetland is good.
What you actually see
- The safe swimming - a lake without bilharzia, unusual in the region.
- The sandbar - the barrier that separated the lake from Lake Victoria.
- The papyrus swamp - wetland behind the shore with good birding.
- The sandy beach - the shoreline used for swimming and camping.
When to go
June to September and December to February are the drier windows. Weekends bring visitors from Kampala and Masaka. It is warm year round.
Honest expectations
Facilities are limited to a few basic resorts and campsites. Weekend crowds bring music and litter. The road in is rough in places.
Nearby
Masaka is west, and Lake Victoria is east.
What to pack for Lake Nabugabo
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
