Lukuba island

north western Tanzania

Lukuba island is a small fisher folk island that is located in Lake Victoria and off the shores of Musoma - Tanzania. It is largely uninhabited with more than half of it containing natural forests and no rivers, but there are a few hotels on it. Like most of the land around Lake Victoria, the island has a rocky landscape, but its isolation from the Musoma makes it ideal for tourists who want to experience the island lifestyle.

What do do on the island?Experience its unique lifestyle, even though Musoma itself is on the far reaches of Tanzania, the island takes you one step further. Its more like a floating village with a few added extras and most of the things there are cheap, but if you really want to enjoy your time on it, then a visit to the lodge onsite is necessary - even if it is just for lunch. Once there, you could ask them for things such as safety tips and more recent news about the island.

The island also offers unique views of the lake as well as nearby Musoma and if you stay there long enough, then you may get to see it all from different vantage points and periods - including the rain. Thunderstorms at a distance do some how seem more beautiful on the lake than they do on the mainland. Also be on the lookout for the small fishermen boats as they bravely set out deep into the lake each day, further and further until you can no longer see them.

The island does not have much in terms of animals to see, with the ones present being limited to birds and the occasional monitor reptiles such as monitor lizards and spotted neck otters and tortoise.

Location of Lukuba islandLukuba island is located about 13 kilometres north west of the town of Musoma and on the mid eastern part of lake Victoria. It also is just outside the Mara bay. For more information on its location, please see the map below (click to start).

Getting to the islandThe island can only be reached from Musoma by boat, which you could easily find for rent at the town's shores. The hotel on the island has a boat that they use to fetch visitors going to their place and this would be the safer option; However, if you are willing to risk it then feel free to ask around the coast for a boat to the place.

How you get to Musoma on the other hand is entirely up to you as there are large passenger boats to the place from Mwanza, flights (small), passenger buses but unfortunately no railway. If you do chose to get there by bus then you get the added option of passing next to the Serengeti national park and Mwalimu Nyerere museum and Balili view point - most of which are located along the way to the place from Mwanza.