Lake Tanganyika the ‘island sea’

Lake Tanganyika is an extraordinary natural wonder. The longest lake in the world at 673 km, with an average surface temperature of 25C it holds one fifth of the world’s fresh water supply. It is situated in East Central Africa and is shared by Zambia, Tanzania, Congo and Burundi. Oil palms and rice grow along its steep shores and the wildlife including hippopotamuses and crocodiles thrive in abundance. Its ancient origin and long period of isolation resulted in the evolution of over 350 species of fish of which 176 are found no where else on earth. There are approximately 250 colourful chichlid species which are highly prized within the aquarium trade.

The lake was first visited by Europeans searching for the source of the Nile in the 1800s, including David Livingstone in 1871 who was amazed by its unparalleled beauty. In 1965 the lake was also used as a base by Argentinian Revolutionary Che Guevara as he tried unsuccessfully for a year to overthrow the Congolese Government. Most recently the lake has featured in the BBC documentary Pole to Pole and in 2004 became the focus of a Water and Nature Initiative led by the IUCN. Lake Tanganyika is vital for the survival of the 1 million people who live around its shores, depending on it for their daily nutrients and livelihoods.

On the Zambian side the lakes pristine shorelines run alongside Nsumbu National Park which offers a huge array of Africa’s highly sought after wildlife. This includes a huge herd of elephants, zebras, buffalo, bushbuck, warthog, puku, hyena, sable, lions and it is a renowned spot for viewing the elusive leopard. The birdlife is spectacular, especially when the flamingo is in migration. Most game viewing is done from the water which offers an experience virtually unrivaled in most of Africa.

Thousands of tourists visit Zambia each year for the amazing wildlife, friendly people and of course Victoria Falls on the Zambia/Zimbabwe border. However, Northern Zambia often referred to as the waterfalls region holds equally beautiful yet less visited wonders such as Kalombo Falls or ‘little Victoria Falls’ even though it is double in height. There are so many waterfalls in the Northern region that it has been estimated many are yet to even be recorded.

Lumangwe Falls nourishes a small rain forest beneath it and is said to be home to the Great Snake Spirit Lumangwe where it gets its name.