Safari in Uganda
Safari in Uganda is something every traveler would love to offer with the fact that the country has a number of attractions and activities. Uganda is one of the top tourism destinations in Africa where you can go for a safari and be able to meet friendly people, have beautiful scenery of the tropical and savannah vegetation, lakes, rivers, snowcapped mountains and abundant attractions such as the mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, tree-climbing lions, birds among others which will make your safari in Uganda breathtaking and extraordinary. Uganda is the best destination harboring several wildlife animals which can be found in the 10 protected areas namely Queen Elizabeth national park, Murchison falls national park, Kibale national park, Bwindi impenetrable national park, Kidepo valley national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, Lake Mburo national park among others. Uganda is also known as the pearl of Africa due to various biodiversity, favorable weather, unique cultures with hospitable people among others.
Safaris in Uganda
Gorilla trekking safari: Gorilla trekking is the most popular activity in Uganda carried out in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park located in western Uganda. Gorilla trekking is an exciting and adventurous activity where visitors on a safari in Uganda will move into the tropical rainforests in search of the endangered mountain gorillas. On your gorilla trekking safari you will visit the habituated gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable forest which harbors the highest number of gorillas in Africa and Mgahinga gorilla national park where you will spend one hour with the gorilla family learning more about their behaviors, characters, feeding habits, females nursing the young ones among others. Gorilla trekking safari will offer you with lifetime experiences on your safari in Uganda.
Chimpanzee trekking safari: Chimpanzee trekking is another breathtaking activity in Uganda that is carried out in different destinations namely Kibale forest national park which harbors the highest number of chimpanzees, Budongo forest in Murchison falls national park, Kalinzu forest, Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth national park among others. Visitors who want to engage in chimpanzee trekking activity are supposed to first acquire a chimpanzee trekking permit just like for gorilla trekking in advance and the prices for a chimpanzee trekking permit vary depending on the destination. Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is mostly done in Kibale forest national park either in the morning or in the afternoon and just like gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest visitors will be able to spend one hour with the chimpanzees in their natural habitat which gives you exceptional experiences on your safari in Uganda.
Wildlife safari: Uganda is blessed with a wide range of wildlife ranging from flora and fauna which is found in the 10 national parks namely Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kidepo valley national park, Kibale national park, Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, Lake Mburo national park, Rwenzori national park, Semuliki national park, Mount Elgon national park, sanctuaries and game reserves. Wildlife species found in the national park include primates like mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, monkeys, baboons, bird species, big 5 mammals including the elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes and rhinos found in Ziwa rhino sanctuary, other animals like zebras, giraffes, antelopes, warthogs, giant forest hogs among others. On your safari in Uganda you will not only view the animal species in the protected areas but you will be able to have a face to face interaction with them for example the lions in Queen Elizabeth national park during lion research tracking, chimpanzees during chimpanzee trekking, gorillas during gorilla trekking and habituation in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park which gives you breathtaking experiences on your safari.
Birding safari
Uganda is one of the best birding destinations in Africa with over 1060 bird species with some endemic to only Uganda. Bird watching in Uganda is best done in the morning and late evening with experienced guides and a pair of binoculars for clear viewing. On your birding safari in Uganda you will visit the top birding destinations which include Queen Elizabeth national park, Murchison falls national park, Kibale forest national park, Kidepo valley national park, Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, Rwenzori mountain, Kyambura wildlife reserve, Semliki national park, Lake Mburo national park, Budongo forest, Mabamba forest where you will be able to view the most sought after shoebill stork. During your bird watching safari in Uganda you will be able to view various bird species such as ostriches, kori, great blue turaco, flamingos, bee-eaters, green breasted pitta, African green broadbill, standard winged nightjar, short tailed warbler, black-breasted warbler, fish eagles among others which gives you breathtaking and lifetime experiences on your safari in Uganda.
Murchison falls: Murchison falls national park is the largest and most visited national park in Uganda. Murchison fall national park is located in northwestern Uganda 305 kilometers from Kampala City, the park is blessed with various attractions like birds, vegetation, primates, animals including the big 4 mammals and activities which you can engage in on your safari namely chimpanzee trekking, nature walk, boat cruise, game drive where you will view various animal species, sport fishing among others which will make your safari in Uganda memorable with unforgettable experiences.
Sipi falls: Sipi falls is located in Eastern Uganda Kapchorwa district. Sipi falls is a beautiful destination that is comprised of three waterfalls which are situated at the edge of Mount Elgon national park with the highest waterfall dropping at an altitude of 100metres. Sipi falls offers various activities to visitors in Uganda such as hiking the three waterfalls, abseiling rock climbing, coffee plantation tour among others. Sipi falls is also great and a must visit destination where you will chill out and relax as you enjoy the beautiful scenic views of Karamoja plains, Lake Kyoga, coffee plantations among others during your safari in Uganda.
Lake Mburo national park: Lake Mburo national park is one of the small national parks in Uganda but rich in biodiversity. Lake Mburo national park is located in western Uganda and offers various activities to visitors on a safari in Uganda including game drive, night game drive, nature walk, boat cruise, bird watching, horse riding, nature walks among others. On your safari in Lake Mburo national park you will be able to view abundant animal species including zebras, giraffes, Uganda kobs, hippos, buffaloes, warthogs, impala, giant forest hog, bushbuck, topi, Elands among others which will make your safari memorable.
Kibale forest national park: Kibale national park is located in western Uganda and is also known as the primate capital due to the fact that it harbors about 13 primate species. On your safari in Kibale national park you will engage in chimpanzee trekking which is the most done activity in the park and chimpanzee habituation which is a full day activity where you will be able to spend more time with the chimpanzees compared to chimpanzee trekking where you spend one hour. During chimpanzee trekking you will be able to learn more about the chimpanzees, watch them as they feed, play, breastfeeding among others. You will also view other primates like vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys, baboons, bird species and animal species.
Kidepo valley national park: Kidepo valley national park is located in the Karamoja region northeastern Uganda. Kidepo valley national park is a great destination with beautiful scenery of savannah, unique bird species, abundant animal species among others. On your safari in Kidepo valley national park you will be able to participate in various activities such as game drive where you will view animals like elephants, oribi, zebras, hunting dogs, aardwolf, striped hyena, Jackson’s hartebeests, bush pigs, buffaloes, warthogs, waterbucks among others, nature walks, bird watching, cultural encounters where you will visit the IK and Karamojong people and learn more about their culture and tradition.
Lake Bunyonyi: Lake Bunyonyi is the deepest lake in Uganda and the second deepest in Africa. Lake Bunyonyi is a breathtaking destination located in Kabale district south western Uganda where you can chill out and relax on your safari in Uganda. Lake Bunyonyi is a lake with 29 Islands and visitors who visit this exciting lake will engage in various activities like canoeing where you will view the sunset, visit the islands on the lake for example the Kyahugye Island, Akempene island also known as punishment island, Bushara island among others and each island on lake Bunyonyi has a story behind it that is worth listening. Lake Bunyonyi offers other activities like community walk, bird watching, visiting the traditional healers, scenic viewing, swimming because the lake is free from dangerous animals like hippos and bilharzia. When you visit Lake Bunyonyi be sure of exploring and taking park in all these activities hence making your safari in Uganda incredible and extraordinary.
Source of the Nile: River Nile is the longest river in the whole world and its source is in Jinja which is one of the best tourism towns in Uganda. Source of the Nile offers interesting activities to visitors who come on a safari in Uganda including white water rafting, jet boating, bungee jumping, boat riding, swimming, kayaking, horse riding, quad biking among others which gives visitors a great experience on their safari.
Lake Mutanda: Lake Mutanda is a stunning lake in Kisoro western Uganda. On your safari on Lake Mutanda you will engage in various activities such as scenic viewing, canoeing where you will be able to enjoy sundowners and view different bird species, hiking, swimming, mountain biking around Lake Mutanda among others.
Ssese Islands: Ssese islands are found in the middle of Lake Victoria in Kalangala district. There are about 84 islands on Lake Victoria and they got the name Ssese due to tsetse flies which were found in the area. Ssese Island is the best destination for a safari in Uganda in that you will be able to engage in activities like sport fishing, camping, bird watching, community walks, quad biking, beach fires, forest walk where you will view various animals like monkeys, crocodiles, antelopes, visiting Kahumuro cave which is a cave with cultural, spiritual background and some local people visit the cave to seek blessings from the gods among others. Ssese Islands is therefore a great destination for visitors to enjoy the sunset, chill, relax and gain magical experiences while on a safari in Uganda.
Bwindi Impenetrable National park: Bwindi Impenetrable national park is located in southwestern in Kanungu district and it’s the most visited national park in Uganda due to the endangered mountain gorillas. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is the only destination that harbors the highest number of mountain gorillas in the whole world and they are over 400 gorillas. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is a home of 19 habituated gorilla families which are found in the four sectors in the park namely Ruhija, Buhoma, Nkuringo, and Rushaga sector. The gorilla families are available for trekking on a daily basis hence visitors interested in seeing gorillas can participate in gorilla trekking activity which requires acquiring a gorilla trekking permit in advance before the trekking date. Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park is also the only destination in Africa that offers gorilla habituation an experience where visitors on a safari in Uganda move into the forest with researchers to participate in the habituation process. During gorilla habituation visitors will be able to spend four hours with the gorilla family under habituation compared to one hour during gorilla trekking therefore you will be able to learn more about the gorilla habits, behaviors, participate in naming of the gorillas, take plenty of photos for memories among others hence gaining lifetime experiences on your safari in Uganda.
Queen Elizabeth national park: Queen Elizabeth national park is the second largest national park in Uganda located in western Uganda in Kasese, Rubirizi, Kamwenge and Rukungiri districts. Queen Elizabeth national park is the best destination to visit on your safari in Uganda due to a wide range of activities which visitors can engage in including boat cruise on Kazinga channel, game drive in Kasenyi plains, nature walks in Maramagambo forest, chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge, mongoose tracking at Mweya peninsular, crater lakes visit, bird watching among others. Queen Elizabeth national park is famously known due to the tree climbing lions which are usually seen lazily lying up in the fig tree branches in Ishasha sector southern part of the park.
When to go on a safari in Uganda
Uganda the Pearl of Africa can be visited anytime throughout the year though the best time to visit is during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January, and February. During the dry season Uganda receives little or less rainfall therefore various activities will move on successfully such as gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, game drive, forest walks, game viewing among others because there will be short grass in the protected areas which favors animal viewing and the gorilla trekking and chimpanzee trekking trails will be dry and passable. Uganda also experiences the wet season also known as the low season in the months of March to May and October to November, during these months there is heavy rainfall in which makes activities in the park difficult such as gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, forest walks among others because the trails will be muddy and slippery due to the rains. The rainy season in Uganda is, however, an ideal time for bird watching in that there will be plenty of food and fruits for the birds to eat hence a great time for birding.
Where to stay during your safari in Uganda
Uganda has a wide range of up-market, midrange and budget accommodation facilities where you can stay during your safari in Uganda including Pakuba safari lodge, Chobe safari lodge, Paraa lodge, Pumba safari cottages, Engazi game lodge, Jacana lodge, Mweya safari lodge, Kidepo savannah lodge, Apoka safari lodge, Kibale safari lodge, Primate lodge, Isunga lodge, Mt Muhabura climbers rest camp, Amajambere Iwacu community camp, Mount Gahinga Lodge, Rushaga gorilla camp, Bakiga Lodge, Chameleon lodge, Mihingo lodge, Arcadia lodge, Eagles nest lodge, Ihamba lakeside safari lodge, Equator snow lodge, Equator snow geo lodge, Semuliki safari lodge, Ntoroko game lodge, Kirimia guesthouse, Arcadia lodge, Bunyonyi safaris resort, Lake Bunyonyi Eco lodge, Mutanda lake resort, Lake Mulehe safari lodge, Ssese habitat resort, Victoria forest resort among others. The lodges offer comfortable lodges, prepare local and in international dishes, favorable conditions for relaxation, free internet, beautiful scenery among others which makes you feel at home during your safari in Uganda.
Safari in Uganda gives you exceptional and fascinating experiences in that you will be able to view breathtaking attractions like the tree-climbing lions, mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, the second deepest lake in Africa, source of the Nile among others.
