Lake Kayumbu
| Lake Kayumbu | |
|---|---|
Kisoro, Southwestern Uganda | |
Lake Kayumbu | |
| Location | Kisoro District, Uganda |
| Coordinates | 1°20′14″S 29°47′10″E / 1.33722°S 29.78611°E |
| Max. length | 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) |
| Max. width | 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) |
| Surface area | 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi) |
| Average depth | 5 metres (16 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 1,897 metres (6,224 ft) |
Lake Kayumbu, also known as Lake Kayumba, is a lake in Kisoro District, South Western Uganda, north of the Rwanda border at an altitude of 1,897 metres (6,224 ft) above sea level.[1][2][3] The lake acts as a tourist destination which earns the country foreign exchange.[4] The lake has a variety of fish species.[5]
Geography and setting
Lake Kayumbu lies in the highlands of Kisoro District, within the wider Kigezi area of south-western Uganda. A limnological baseline survey of six south-western Ugandan lakes reported Lake Kayumbu as a small lake (surface area 2.2 km2) at about 1,890 metres above sea level, near Lake Chahafi and close to the Rwanda border.
Kisoro District is a high-altitude district with multiple surface water bodies and wetlands, including lakes Mutanda, Mulehe, Chahafi and Kayumbu, plus a network of permanent swamps.[6]
Physical characteristics
In published limnological baseline data, Lake Kayumbu has:
- Surface area: 2.2 square kilometres (0.85 sq mi)
- Maximum depth: 5 metres (16 ft)
- Altitude: 1,890 metres (6,200 ft) above sea level
Limnology and biodiversity
Lake Kayumbu was included in a wet-season (September 2014) limnological baseline survey covering lakes in Kisoro, Kabale and Rukungiri districts. The survey collected field measurements and samples for parameters such as dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, conductivity, nutrients, phytoplankton biomass, zooplankton, and macroinvertebrates to characterise high-altitude water bodies for fisheries productivity planning.
Human use
Lake Kayumbu is visited as part of local nature tourism and hiking routes in south-western Uganda, including treks linking Lake Bunyonyi, Echuya Forest and the Kisoro area.[7]
Travel writing commonly describes Lake Kayumbu and nearby Lake Chahafi as a paired landscape viewpoint, separated by a ridge, with wide views across the surrounding hills.[8]
Fisheries
The Kisoro minor lakes have long supported small-scale fisheries. A fisheries resource review reported low combined catches from four Kisoro minor lakes in 1998 (16 metric tonnes), alongside high prices at the time and low per-capita fish consumption linked to limited supply.[9]
Conservation and pressures
Kisoro District’s high population pressure has contributed to extensive land-use change and encroachment on natural vegetation in parts of the district, alongside risks linked to steep slopes and fragile highland ecosystems.[10] The district profile also notes the importance of wetlands and open water bodies as part of the local hydrology and livelihoods base.[6]
See also
References
- ^ "Lake Kayumbu /Uganda/ Summary & Stories". Gorilla Highlands Experts. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "Lake Kayumba lake, Western Region, Uganda". ug.geoview.info. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "Lake Kayumbu". wikimapia.org. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "Three Upland Lakes (4-Day Hike) /Uganda/ - Gorilla Highlands - Tailor-Made Tours in Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo for Travellers Who Want to Leave a Positive Impact". 17 October 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ Ndawula, L. M.; Kiggundu, V. (2000), "Invertebrate communities of lakes Mutanda, Mulehe, Kayumbu and Chahafi and their role in fishery production, Towards sustainable development and management of the fisheries resources of Kisoro minor lakes", Towards sustainable development and management of the fisheries resources of Kisoro minor lakes, Jinja, Uganda: Fisheries Resources Research Institute, pp. 50–72, hdl:1834/35272, retrieved 20 June 2024
- ^ a b Kisoro District Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Profile (PDF) (Report). Office of the Prime Minister (Uganda). 2017. pp. 10–11. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Three Upland Lakes (4-Day Hike) /Uganda/". Gorilla Highlands Travels. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "Lake Chahafi crater in Kisoro – Top things to do and see in Kisoro town". Great Adventure Safaris. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ "The Fishery Resource of Kisoro Minor Lakes". FAO AGRIS. 1999. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
- ^ Kisoro District Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Profile (PDF) (Report). Office of the Prime Minister (Uganda). 2017. pp. 7–11. Retrieved 19 December 2025.