Rubondo Island is located in the south-western corner of Lake Victoria, Tanzania. Rubondo Island is about 150 km (93 mi) west of Mwanza. The main island, Rubondo (2o 18’ S, 31o 50’ E) is 237 km2 in size. The island protects another 11 islets, none much larger than 2 km2. These 10 islands form the Rubondo Island National Park covering an area of 456.8 km2 (176.4 sq mi)
Rubondo island is a bimodal rainfall distribution, with peaks in December and April–May during the October–May rainy season. The annual temperature is 19–26 0C.
About 80% of the park is covered by a dense forest thus providing a variety of habitats to wildlife ranging from savannah, open woodland, papyrus swamps to dense forest. These habitats form a home for various wild creatures such as sitatunga, bushbucks, velvet monkeys, genet cats, spotted necked otters, hippopotamus and crocodiles which share the ecological niches with introduced species such as chimpanzees, elephants, giraffes, black and white colubus monkeys, suni and African grey parrots. The park is famous by holding a variety of migratory birds from different parts of the world and some birds native to the area are in Emin Pasha Gulf with the African fish eagles distinctly appreciated
