With a surface area of 70,000 sq km, Victoria is the second largest freshwater lake in the world. It is the largest tropical lake in the world. It is however remarkably shallow for its size, never reaching more than 80m in depth. The lake was named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake.

Its extensive surface belongs to the three countries; the northern half to Uganda, the southern half to Tanzania, and part of the northeastern sector to Kenya. The lake occupies a wide depression near the equator, between the East and West Great Rift Valleys

Lake Victoria is the source of the Nile River. The lake water drains out at Jinja on the northern shore, into the Victoria Nile which flows northward via Lake Albert and the White Nile forming the uppermost reaches of the Nile River. The lake shore is highly indented, and there are many isles in the lake, some of which, especially the Sesse Group, are known for their beautiful landscape, health resorts and sightseeing places. Abundant prehistoric remains found around the lake indicate the early development of agriculture. There are a number of coastal towns such as Kisumu (Kenya), Entebe (Uganda), Bukoba, Muwanza and Musoma (Tanzania), connected with each other by ship routes and also to the cities of the Indian Ocean coast by railways.

The lake is renowned for its breathtaking sunsets, shimmering waters and natural beauty that are guaranteed to captivate and enthrall all lovers of nature and wildlife

The lake has had a rather turbulent ecological history in recent decades. Fifty years ago the introduction of Nile perch proved an enormous boon to fishing, whilst at the same time wiping out over 300 endemic fish species. In more recent times an introduced water hyacinth expanded to completely choke large areas of the lake and only huge investment by the World Bank has managed to bring this under control.

This immense stretch of water is a fishery of huge potential, with its highly colorful Tilapia species and the introduced (1956) predatory Nile perch. The perch in fact is such a large and successful predator that the smaller tilapia are in some danger of extinction, and the perch now forms over 85% of the Lake's fish catch each year. While tilapia is a local favorite, most of the overseas tourists are attracted by the lake's sizeable Nile Perch population. The Nile Perch is considered a world class game fish because of its sheer size as it can grow to 1.8m (6ft) and weigh up to 140kg (300 lbs). The Perch, which is the largest freshwater fish, is also a ferocious fighter. And, you can go on fishing expeditions either in a speedboat or a motorized traditional canoe.

The Lake is surrounded by gently rolling, lush green hills that dip down into the deep blue waters of the Lake. The area is known for its scenic beauty and offers a stunning contrast to the yellow brown plains and semi desert savanna that surround it. Although the villages along the lake are interesting, it is the fishing which is the main attraction.

Lake Victoria has about 300 islands, with some of the most famous being Mfangano Island, Migingo Island, Rusinga Island
Ssese Islands and Ukerewe Island