If you’re looking for a vacation that’s unlike anything you’ve ever experienced, look no further than Africa. There are endless beautiful things to see, including some of the largest lakes in Africa. From Lake Victoria to Lake Rukwa, here are some of Africa’s largest lakes. 

If you’ve enjoyed safaris in Africa and are looking for things to do in Zanzibar, Tanzania, other than safari, check out this post: 

12 Largest Lakes in Africa

Lake Victoria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and the second-largest freshwater lake in the world. It is located between Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, covering 68,800 square kilometers (26,600 sq mi). 

Lake Victoria is the ninth-largest lake in the world, with a volume of 2,424 cubic kilometers. It is also the second-largest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Superior. The lake has different fish species, such as cichlids.

The lake was named after Queen Victoria of England by John Hanning Speke in 1858. 

Lake Tanganyika, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia

Lake Tanganyika is the second-largest lake in Africa, crossing four countries: Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. It’s also the second-deepest lake in the world (after Lake Baikal in Russia), with a maximum depth of 5,890 feet (1,793 meters). The second-deepest lake measures 1,136 mi. This makes it the longest freshwater lake in the world.

Lake Tanganyika is also important for its aquatic life. Both African cichlids and Moringa oleifera trees grow here, as do an incredibly diverse array of fish species, including jellyfish and sardines that live nowhere else on Earth!

Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe, Zambia

Lake Kariba is the largest artificial lake in the world, and it’s located between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It was created by a dam built across the Zambezi River by British colonial authorities in order to generate hydroelectric power for mining operations on its banks. The massive reservoir has a length of 83 km, a width of 14 km, and an area of 1,958 km².

The lake has become a popular tourist attraction, with many activities such as canoeing, jet skiing, fishing, scuba diving, and bird watching offered at resorts along its shoreline.

Lake Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania

Lake Malawi, one of the largest lakes in Africa, is located in the Great Rift Valley, on the border of Mozambique and Tanzania. Also known as Lake Nyasa, it is the 6th deepest lake in the world. Lake Malawi covers 11,400 sq mi making it a long and narrow lake. The lake holds several fish species.

This great African lake is the 5th largest freshwater lake in the world by volume. By area, it is the 9th largest lake in the world. Lake Malawi is home to more fish species than any other lake in the world.

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Lake Albert, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Lake Albert is located on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The lake was formed when a volcano erupted and then collapsed, leaving behind a crater about 40 kilometers wide that filled with water to form Lake Albert. When you visit this part of Africa, you can enjoy swimming at beaches around the edges of this lake as well as hiking through the wetlands and forests that surround it. It is the sixth-largest lake in Africa, covering a 2,046 sq mi surface area. 

Lake Turkana, Kenya

Lake Turkana is the world’s largest desert lake and the second-largest salt lake in the world. It is also a major source of water for the Nile River. It covers about 3,700 square miles (9,520 square kilometers), making it roughly half the size of Rhode Island or Wales. Roughly one-third of its surface is in Kenya, with another one-third spanning across Ethiopia and Somalia—a portion that has been disputed by these three countries over recent years because it contains valuable minerals, including gold, copper, and oil reserves.

The lake was formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago when lava from Mount Kulal blocked off part of an existing river system from flowing into what was then a much smaller body of fresh water known as Lake Rudolf—the precursor to our modern-day Lake Turkana. The lava eventually solidified over time into the rock formations we see today on land where there used to be water; this process left behind pockets where salt deposits had built up over time within these rocks during periods when evaporation rates were higher than normal due to extremely high temperatures caused by volcanism nearby (i.e., heat coming off those lava flows).

Lake Assal, Djibouti

Lake Assal is a must-see attraction in Djibouti. It’s a crater lake near the Gulf of Aden, just inland from the Gulf of Tadjoura. This salty lake is situated 155 meters (509 feet) below sea level. It is Africa’s lowest point. The majority of the water in the lake evaporates. It has ten times the salt content of the ocean.

In Djibouti, there is a wonderful place called Lake Assal. It was created by volcanic activity and has no natural outlets except evaporation, so it can only drain into underground aquifers.

Lake Mweru, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Lake Mweru is a lake in the African Great Lakes region, lying in the northwestern corner of Zambia and the southeastern corner of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lies between Lake Tanganyika and Lake Bangweulu on the western side of Lake Bangweulu and is 150 kilometers long and 40 kilometers wide at its widest point. The Lualaba River flows into it from Katanga Province in the DRC via the river Lubilashwa, which rises at an altitude of 2,800 meters above sea level near Lubila in Katanga province.

The lake was named after Chief Mwero, who lived along its shores.

Lake Kivu, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Lake Kivu is the eighth-largest lake in Africa, covering an area of about 860 square miles. The depth of Lake Kivu fluctuates from 25 meters to 1,000 meters. It’s home to over 100 species of fish and provides drinking water for millions of people. Because it is also a source of hydroelectric power, it has been a long-standing source of conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Lake Chad, Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger

Lake Chad, the largest lake in the Chad Basin, is located in the Sahel region of Africa. It’s also one of the continent’s most important water bodies.

Lake Chad covers an area of about 400,000 square kilometers (154,350 sq mi). Its catchment basin extends into nine countries: Cameroon (1/3), the Central African Republic (1/3), Chad (1/6), Nigeria (2/5), Niger (2/19), and Sudan via its buffer zone, which includes Darfur province and South Sudan via Unity State. However, due to armed conflicts and drought caused by climate change, its size has shrunk significantly from 20 000 km.

Lake Bogoria, Kenya

Lake Bogoria is located in the Great Rift Valley, a massive rift between two continental plates. Its geographical location makes it one of the most unique lakes on earth. Lake Bogoria is the second-largest inland freshwater lake in the world and serves as an important breeding ground for many birds, including flamingos and herons.

The lake was formed by volcanic eruptions around 1 million years ago, which created a crater with steep walls that rise up to 180 meters high!

Lake Rukwa, Tanzania

Lake Rukwa is a lake in southern Tanzania, located in the Rukwa Valley. It is the fifth-largest lake in Africa and is located about 100 km (62 mi) north of Mbeya.

Lake Rukwa covers an area of 7,800 square kilometers (3,000 sq mi), making it one of Africa’s larger lakes. Its shoreline has an estimated length of 1,400 km (870 mi). The maximum depth recorded here was 63 m (207 ft) but the average depth is 25 m (82 ft). It has no outlet channel, though there are six small rivers that flow into its northern end, including the Aba River, which flows along its eastern border with Zambia for about 150 km before discharging into Lake Tanganyika at Mpulungu.

The lake’s surface water temperature varies from 26°C to 30°C during summer while winters bring a drop to around 15°C-20°C

Well, that’s it. We hope this has given you some insight into what Africa has to offer!  If you are planning to explore Africa, check out this list of the largest lakes in Africa. While these lakes are certainly beautiful and worth visiting, they have been explored by travelers for decades—many people have even lived near them all their lives. So instead of doing what everyone else does when they visit Africa (go sightseeing), why not go off the beaten path and see what makes each country unique?

Read Also: These Are the 11 Best Travel Apps for Black Travelers

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