The stunning Katonga River

River Katonga is a 220-kilometer-long river in southwest Uganda. It flows continuously between Lake George and Lake Victoria, indicating that it formerly drained its entire length from Lake Victoria into Lake George.

Due to the effects of local uplifting events between the two aforementioned lakes as well as the geologically active West African Rift Valley system’s western limb, or Albertine Rift, the wetland region to Lake Wamala’s southwest formed the new watershed for the Katonga River, which now primarily flows east into Lake Victoria and is augmented by several tributaries along its course.

This river’s source, located in Lukaya in Kalungu District (in Central Uganda, not Kanungu in Western Uganda), has a latitude of -0.1222 and a longitude of 31.9111. River Katonga forms the borders of several districts as it flows westward, including the districts of Butambala, Ibanda, Bukomansimbi, Gomba, Kalungu, Kiruhura, Sembabule, Mityana, Kamwenge, Mpigi, and Mubende.

The river originates from a wetland watershed located around 120 kilometers from Lake Victoria, at 0°13’N 30°39’E, close to the well-known Katonga Wildlife Reserve. Water levels near the swampy watershed rise during the rainy season (March to May and October to November), which occasionally forces some water to flow west from this location into the western side of the Katonga River that feeds Lake George.

vegetation around the Katonga River
The savannah interspersed with acacia scrubland or forests characterizes the area around River Katonga and the adjacent Katonga Wildlife Reserve. In addition, the majority of the Reserve is made up of either permanent or seasonal wetlands, although there are also riverine areas and patches of tropical forest.

More than forty species of mammals call the Katonga Wildlife Reserve home, including the black and white colobus monkeys, waterbucks, river otters, Uganda Kobs, warthogs, reedbucks, elephants, buffaloes, Sitatunga, water chevrotains, bushbucks, olive baboons, leopards, topis, zebras, duikers, and vervet monkeys. The woodlands, savannah plains, and wetlands of the Katonga Wildlife Reserve are home to over 150 different kinds of birds; however, common species include saddle-billed storks, African fish eagles, and kingfishers. This river is one of the must-see locations in Uganda because of its diverse fauna and bird species, stunning beauty, and rich history, which includes the NRM Guerrilla War.

Thus, in addition to the Big Five, primates (particularly mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and golden monkeys), and bird species—for which Uganda is well-known among tourists—rivers, particularly the Katonga River, exist to enhance safari experiences for visitors.