Things to Do on Lake Tanganyika
Swim, paddle, dive and explore one of Africa’s great lakes. From extraordinary cichlids and crystal-clear water to deserted islands, sunset cruises and adventures along the shoreline, Lake Shore is a place to get out there and experience Lake Tanganyika for yourself.
Snorkelling & the Cichlids
Lake Tanganyika holds an underwater world found nowhere else on Earth. Slip beneath the surface and you're immediately among colourful cichlids, rocky reefs and remarkably clear water.
Some of the best snorkelling is around the islands just offshore, where hundreds of species have evolved in isolation over millions of years. You don't need to be a diver to experience it — mask, snorkel, fins and you're in.
Swimming and snorkelling are enjoyed directly from the lodge during daylight hours. Our team provides guidance on lake conditions and swimming precautions during your arrival briefing.
For many of our guests, this is the moment Lake Tanganyika really comes alive.
Kayaking Lake Tanganyika
There are few better ways to experience Lake Tanganyika than from a kayak. Paddle quietly along the shoreline, explore rocky bays and deserted beaches, or head out among the islands with nothing but clear water beneath you and the mountains in the distance.
Kayaks are available for relaxed paddling close to Lake Shore, while longer guided trips take you deeper into the Kipili Archipelago and along stretches of wild, undeveloped coastline.
Go for an hour, disappear for the afternoon, or make an expedition of it.
Explore the Kipili Archipelago
Just offshore from Lake Shore lies the Kipili Archipelago — a scattering of rocky islands, hidden coves and quiet beaches surrounded by the clear waters of Lake Tanganyika.
Head out by boat to explore the islands, find a beach with nobody else on it, swim from warm rocks into impossibly clear water, or simply stop somewhere beautiful and watch the lake go by. Some of our favourite places are only a short journey from the lodge, yet feel wonderfully remote.
There is no itinerary required. Sometimes the best plan is simply to take a boat, pack something cold and go exploring.
Scuba Diving Lake Tanganyika
Diving Lake Tanganyika is unlike diving anywhere else. There are no coral reefs here — instead, enormous granite boulders, rocky drop-offs and clear freshwater create an underwater landscape alive with extraordinary fish.
Descend among clouds of colourful cichlids, explore rocky habitats and watch species change as you move from one part of the lake to another. Many of Tanganyika's cichlids are found nowhere else on Earth, the result of millions of years of evolution in this ancient lake.
Whether you're already an experienced diver or simply fascinated by what lies beneath the surface, diving here gives you an entirely different view of Lake Tanganyika.
This isn't the ocean. And that's precisely what makes it extraordinary.
Benthochromis horii — one of Lake Tanganyika's remarkable endemic cichlids, captured in its natural underwater habitat.
Male Cyathopharynx foae clearing his breeding nest on the sandy lakebed of Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania.
Sunset Cruises on Lake Tanganyika
As the heat fades and the lake begins to ooze more character, there are few better places to be than out on the water.
Head out from Lake Shore in the late afternoon, find a quiet spot among the islands and watch the sun drop towards the mountains across Lake Tanganyika. Take something cold from the bar, sit back and enjoy that wonderful hour when the light changes, the lake goes still and there really isn't anywhere else you need to be.
No timetable. No great expedition. Just a boat, a beautiful lake and one of the best sunsets in Africa.
This is how we like to end a day at Lake Shore.
Nature & Birdlife
Lake Shore sits between Lake Tanganyika and the wild miombo woodland of western Tanzania, so nature is never very far away.
Walk the paths around the lodge and surrounding bush and you'll find an extraordinary variety of birdlife, butterflies and smaller creatures, with the sounds of the woodland changing throughout the day. Fish eagles call across the lake, kingfishers work the shoreline and colourful woodland birds move through the trees around the lodge.
You don't need to be a serious birder. Grab the binoculars, take a wander and see what turns up.
Around here, looking up is usually worth it.
Play by the Lake
Not every adventure needs a plan. Some days are better spent simply messing about by the water.
Take out a kayak, have a swim, try your hand at our rather unconventional golf course, challenge somebody to a game, or find a shady spot and do absolutely nothing for a while. Lake Shore is as much about having time to yourself as it is about filling every hour with activities.
There is plenty to do here — but absolutely no pressure to do any of it.
Your holiday. Your pace.
Come and Experience It for Yourself
Lake Tanganyika is difficult to describe until you've been here.
The scale of the lake, the clarity of the water, the islands, the extraordinary fish and the feeling of being somewhere genuinely far from the everyday are what make this place so special to us.
We've called this little corner of Lake Tanganyika home for nearly twenty years. We'd love to share it with you.
Come to Lake Shore. The lake will do the rest.
YOUR LAKE TANGANYIKA ADVENTURE