Bukoba- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

Bukoba sits on the western shores of Lake Victoria in northwestern Tanzania and serves as the capital of Kagera Region. The town is positioned about 1°20′ S latitude and 31°49′ E longitude, at an elevation of around 1,150 to 1,160 metres above sea level. Because of its lakeside location and altitude, it enjoys a relatively mild and moist climate compared to many inland areas of East Africa. Historically, Bukoba lies in the area of the Buhaya kingdom, inhabited by the Haya people, whose agricultural traditions—especially banana and coffee cultivation—date back centuries. European colonial influence entered in the late 19th/early 20th century: the town emerged under German colonial administration and later British rule. In the present day, its economy is shaped by agriculture (coffee, bananas, beans, vanilla), fishing on Lake Victoria, and its role as a transport and trading hub connecting Tanzania with neighboring Uganda and Rwanda.