The Great Rift Valley

• Longest Rift Valley on earth
• Dramatic scenery of volacnoes, lakes and mountains

The Great Rift Valley is a magnificent natural phenomenon that starts in Jordan in the Middle East and runs all the way down the African continent, ending near Beira in Mozambique. It covers a distance of 6 400km and the average width of the valley is between 30 and 40 miles.

This geological wonder is characterised by a deep and long depression with cliff-like walls and two highland regions separated by a valley. Along the rift, are volcanoes, some of which are extinct or inactive, as well as lakes, deserts and plains. In places, the valley floor is lower than sea level. Africa’s highest mountains, Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya are part of the Rift Valley geology.

Near the Kenyan border, the valley splits in an eastern and western arm. The western Rift Valley continues along the border of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and the Congo. Lakes Albert, Edward, Kivu and Tanganyika as well as the Virunga-Rwenzori forest and mountain range are part of the natural features associated with the Great Rift Valley in this part of the world. This is also the location of the first watersheds for the Nile River.

Special features include:

• Lakes in Uganda
  Nearly one fifth of Uganda is covered by water in some form of another. Four of East Africa’s great lakes: Lake Victoria, Lake Kyoga, Lake Albert and Lake Edward, lie within Uganda or on its borders. It rains year round in Uganda and the high rainfall contributes to the lush countryside and luxuriant rainforests where the few remaining mountain gorillas are battling for survival.