Lake Jipe is a small but deep lake covering about 28 square kilometers, with an average depth of less than 3 meters. It is located east of the Pare Mountains in northern Tanzania, within Mwanga District in the Kilimanjaro Region, close to the Kenya-Tanzania border.
The lake measures about 12 kilometers in length and 2.5 kilometers in width. Around 12 square kilometers of the lake lie in Tanzania, while 14 square kilometers are in Kenya.
The southern part of Lake Jipe is bordered by Kenya’s Tsavo West National Park, and Mount Kilimanjaro can be seen in the distance to the northwest.
The main source of water for Lake Jipe is Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, with the Lumi River flowing through Kenya into the lake. Another important inflow comes from the Muvulani River through the Pare Mountains. Several smaller streams from the Pare Mountains also feed the lake.
The only outlet of the lake is the Ruvu River in Tanzania, located south of the Lumi River. Lake Jipe is part of the Pangani River Basin, which supports hydroelectric power generation.
Power stations in this basin produce about 8 MW at Nyumba ya Mungu, 17 MW at Hale, and 66 MW at Pangani Falls, together providing around 20 percent of Tanzania’s electricity supply.
The best time to see wildlife in Tsavo National Park is during the dry months when the grass is short and dry, making it easier to spot animals. This is especially helpful for viewing black rhinos and leopards, which tend to be more secretive.
In the dry season, the open Savannah grasslands with scattered acacia trees are the best places for game viewing. Many animals are active early in the morning before the sun gets hot.
During the hottest hours of the day, they can often be found near rivers, waterholes, and other water catchment areas.
