Lake Nyamusingire

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Lake Nyamusingire
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Lake Nyamusingire
Location Rubirizi District, Uganda
Type Crater lake
Basin  countriesUganda
Surface area3.84 kilometres (2.39 mi) [1]
Average depth3 metres (9.8 ft) [1]
Surface elevationc. 1,010 metres (3,310 ft) [2]

Lake Nyamusingire, also known as Lake Nyamisigeri, is a crater lake in Western Uganda, Rubirizi District. The lake is endowed with flora and fauna that act as tourist attractions. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Location and setting

Lake Nyamusingire lies in Rubirizi District in western Uganda, close to other crater-lake features in the Bunyaruguru area. [2] Some travel guides describe the lake as being near the localities of Chekoba and Nyakiyanja and within the Queen Elizabeth National Park area. [6]

Geology and formation

Western Uganda contains numerous volcanic explosion craters, many of which filled with water to form crater lakes. [7] UWA describes Lake Nyamusingire as a site formed by three connected crater lakes. [8]

Physical characteristics

Studies of greenhouse-gas fluxes from African inland waters describe Lake Nyamusingire as a small, shallow lake (about 3.84 km2, about 3 m deep) with a polymictic mixing regime and eutrophic conditions. [1] GeoNames lists the lake at an elevation of about 1,010 m above sea level. [2]

Ecology

UWA notes Lake Nyamusingire as habitat for the African finfoot (Podica senegalensis). [8] The surrounding Maramagambo Forest supports forest birds and primates on guided walks that include the lake and nearby features such as the Bat Cave and the Blue Lake. [8]

Public health and research

A survey of crater lakes in western Uganda assessing freshwater snails linked to schistosomiasis surveillance included Lake Nyamusingire among sampled sites and reported a location and altitude for the lake in its site table. [9]

Tourism

Tourism operators market the lake for nature walks around Maramagambo Forest, birdwatching, and non-motorised lake activities such as canoeing and kayaking, often paired with visits to the nearby Bat Cave and other crater-lake viewpoints. [6] The Uganda Hotel Owners Association’s hotel guide lists a lodge that overlooks Lake Nyamusingire in Rubirizi District. [10]

Conservation

The lake sits within a protected landscape managed under the Queen Elizabeth National Park system, and UWA promotes guided access through Maramagambo Forest routes that include Lake Nyamusingire and nearby attractions. [8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Greenhouse gas emissions from African lakes are no longer a blind spot". ResearchGate. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 "Lake Nyamusingire, Uganda". GeoNames. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  3. nikita (11 January 2023). "Crater Lakes of Queen Elizabeth National Park-GorillaLand Safaris". Gorillas Uganda Safaris. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  4. "Lake Nyamusingire Queen Elizabeth National Park". Inside Queen Elizabeth National Park. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  5. "Lake Nyamusingire". GeoNames. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Lake Nyamusingire". Inside Queen Elizabeth National Park. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  7. "Vulcanicity in East Africa" (PDF). ASBAT Library (S3). Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Queen Elizabeth National Park" (PDF). Uganda Wildlife Authority. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  9. "Molecular identification of Bulinus spp. intermediate host snails of Schistosoma spp. in crater lakes of western Uganda with implications for the transmission of the Schistosoma haematobium group parasites" (PDF). Parasites & Vectors (BioMed Central). Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  10. "Uganda Hotel Guide 2020–21" (PDF). Uganda Hotel Owners Association. Retrieved 19 December 2025.

0°17′11″S30°01′48″E / 0.28639°S 30.03000°E / -0.28639; 30.03000