Discover Uganda
Uganda, often referred to as the “Pearl of Africa,” is a captivating safari destination that encompasses a rich tapestry of natural wonders and cultural diversity. Nestled in East Africa, this lush country is renowned for its remarkable biodiversity, including the endangered mountain gorillas that call the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest home. With its stunning landscapes, from the verdant rainforests of Kibale to the mighty Nile River’s source at Jinja, Uganda is a land of dramatic contrasts. Explore its national parks like Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls, where you’ll encounter an array of wildlife, from tree-climbing lions to playful hippos. Immerse yourself in the warmth of Ugandan hospitality and discover the traditions of its diverse communities, making your journey through Uganda an unforgettable experience.
JINJA
Located 80 kilometers east of Kampala, Jinja is regarded as the adventure capital of East Africa because of all the things one can do and enjoy on a visit to Jinja. Besides the source of the Nile, jinja is popular for activities like rafting, kayaking, bungee jumping, quad biking, and much more.
Jinja is a perfect place to visit on its own or as part of a longer safari that includes several other places around Uganda.
While you’re in this region of Africa, it’s worth seeing the start of the Nile River. Imagine the important events in history and the countries this great river has touched before gushing into the Mediterranean Sea. Travelers can also enjoy mountain biking, horse riding, and other adrenaline activities. The town itself is also worth a visit to see some examples of colonial architecture.
MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
Murchison Falls National Park covers a surface area of 3893km2, it falls under the umbrella of Murchison Falls Conservation Area [MFCA] which comprises of Murchison Falls National Park, Bugunga and Karuma Falls wildlife reserves. Most Uganda Safaris include a visit to Murchison Falls National Park which is Uganda’s oldest and largest national park.
The park is located in the northern region of the Albertine Rift Valley in Masindi district of western Uganda situated 300km by road northwest of Kampala. The Murchison Falls also known as Kabarega Falls is where the Nile bursts through the narrow gorge and spreads down to a placid stream flowing into Lake Albert. Hippos, crocodiles and water bucks throng the banks of the stream.
Murchison Falls National Park has got a spectacular view with the huge waterfalls roaring and finding their way within the small slit of 7 meters or 23 feet wide between the rocks and this is the connect point of Bunyoro escarpment and Acholi plains. Also in the park adjacent to the Masindi-Gulu high way are the magnificent Karuma Falls.
Wildlife mainly include; elephants, buffalos, lions, giraffes, chimpanzees and many others. Vegetation is commonly savannah, woodland and riverine forest. In Murchison there are four of the big five; buffalos, lions, elephants and leopards are mostly seen in the northern part.
Boat rides are usually arranged and operate from Paraa to the foot of Murchison Falls, they always take 3 hours which gives you a clear view of the hippos, crocodiles and the wildlife that is always close to the falls.
BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lies in the south western Uganda, covering 321km. The mist covered forest is home to over 400 mountain gorillas which is more than half of the world’s population of the remaining mountain gorillas, and these compose the main attraction of the park. There are 11 habituated Gorilla groups/families in Bwindi. Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi is one of the most popular tourist activities and this makes Bwindi one of the top 5 tourist destinations in Uganda.
Besides the mountain gorillas, the park is also home to about 120 species of mammals, 360 species of birds, 200 species of butterflies, 324 tree species and 10 of these cannot be found elsewhere in Uganda.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is not to be missed in a traveller’s itinerary, besides the main highlight [gorilla tracking] there are quite number of activities that you may be engaged in. There are different community initiatives that arrange these tours; Buninga forest walk, nkuringo cultural center, Rubuguri village walk, nyundo community eco-trails, among others.
KIBALE NATIONAL PARK
Kibale National Park is located in western Uganda covering about 795km2. This park is one of Africa’s foremost research sites for chimpanzees and other primates, eco systems, wild pigs and other topics. Kibale’s southern part adjoins Queen Elizabeth National Park and creates a 180km wildlife corridor which stretches from Ishasha sector to the distant southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park along with Sebitoli Forest located in the northern part of Kibale with an array of landscapes.
Kibale is one of the best safari destinations in Africa for chimpanzee tracking and other primates coupled with the most beautiful tropical rainforest. It has a pleasant climate almost throughout the year, the wettest area being the north of the park receiving an average annual rainfall of about 1700mm especially in March-May and September-November.
Kibale National Park accommodates Lhotse’s monkey, red colobus monkeys, black and white colobus, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboon, golden cats, red & blue duikers, Bush baby alongside a variety of birds. Buffalos, leopards, elephants are also present, a large number of reptiles and butterflies are also there though hardly seen.
QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK
Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in western Uganda and stretches along the districts of Kasese, Bundibugyo, Rukungiri, Kamwenge and Bushenyi. The park which covers a surface area of 1978km2 existed as Lake Edward and Lake George Game Reserves in 1920’s and was later gazetted in 1952 as Kazinga National Park by the British Colonial Government. In 1954 the park was baptized Queen Elizabeth National Park in commemoration of the visiting British monarch.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa as well as the most visited national parks in Uganda. The park which is commonly known as “medley of wonders” is an ideal habitat for big game, 10 primate species and over 600 birds’ species.
The park gives you spectacular views of Rwenzori Mountains, Kazinga Channel, the large area of the swamp, the beauty of open savannah around Lake George, the beautiful crater lakes and a lot more. It also spans the equator with the monuments on either side of the road which marks the exact point where it crosses latitude 00.
Besides the remarkable wildlife attraction, Queen Elizabeth National Park is also proud of attractive heritage and cultural history. Tourists usually get an opportunity to visit local communities with the help of local tour guides and entertainment in terms of music and storytelling is offered to them and it definitely leaves the visitors yearning for more.
KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
The park which covers a surface area of 1442km2 with an altitude between 914 and 270m above sea level. It is located in a semi-arid area between Uganda borders with Sudan and Kenya. This blissfully remote and stunningly beautiful park is quite unvisited compared to the rest of the national parks in Uganda. Kidepo is an ideal home to big game, over 70 mammal species as well as 475 bird species and contains two rivers of Kidepo and Narus that dry up during the dry season.
Dodoth pastoralists and IK farmers lived in the area before it was gazzeted as a game reserve in 1958 by the British Colonial Government and the purpose was to protect the wildlife from poaching and prevent further clearing of the bush for tsetse fly control. In 1962 the game reserve was renamed Kidepo Valley National Park.
Although tourists are allowed to visit the park throughout the year, the best time would be during dry season (January – May and October – December] and it is usually advisable to use 4WD vehicles to avoid any inconveniences caused by bad roads. Always seek advice from your tour operator in Uganda on how best one can access the park.
The park is fast becoming preferred destination for many tourists planning an African safari especially Uganda wildlife safaris and cultural tours.
LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
A relatively small, protected area, Lake Mburo National Park is classed as a savanna area containing different wildlife.
You can spot antelopes, hyena, hippo, buffalo, zebra, and many different birds. There is also a lot of woodland because of the lack of elephants. Elephants are ecosystem engineers and usually tame savanna forests.
There are 13 other water bodies in the region, but the star lake is Lake Mburo. Mburo is part of the protected area’s wetland system, which is why it’s such a great place for birdlife. There around 350 different bird species to find and it’s a must-visit birder destination.
There are many different activities to enjoy both on and around Lake Mburo, such as boat cruises on the lake itself to see hippos, crocodiles, and a number of different birds. Around the lake, you can then enjoy game drives in the protected area to spot the different African wildlife. You will easily find zebra and impala, which are the stars of the park.
You can also enjoy guided walks around the lake to see the beautiful scenery or one can choose to explore the park by horse and enjoy horse riding from the highly regarded Mihingo Lodge. This is also one of the best ways of wildlife watching and observe zebras, which find horses less intimidating.
ZIWA RHINO SANCTUARY
The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary protects Uganda’s only wild rhinos and is located just north of Kampala near the famous Murchison Falls.
In total, the sanctuary protects 15 rhinos and is also a fantastic place to see other wildlife.
Enjoy bird watching, nature walks, relaxing, and of course finding and watching the rhinos. The rangers of the sanctuary will guide you around the reserve to find the wildlife, including the rhinos themselves, crocodiles, hippos, antelopes and much more.
Birders often enjoy the reserve and spend time finding some of the 250 different species. You can find some fascinating birds within the sanctuary boundaries, including a number of rare species.
The sanctuary was founded by various wildlife and conservation organizations in an attempt to restore Uganda’s rhinoceros population.
The sanctuary protects rhinos while they breed and grow. They are then re-introduced into Uganda’s protected areas, such as Queen Elizabeth National Park. While awaiting their reintroduction, visitors can enjoy seeing these remarkable animals while helping to spread the importance of rhino conservation in the country.
A total of 80 rangers and guards watch over the sanctuary day and night to maintain the animals’ safety.
LAKE BUNYONYI
Lake Bunyonyi is located close to Kisoro and Kabale near the border with neighbouring Rwanda.
This is one of the largest of Africa’s lakes by depth and contains 29 different islands. Not just a popular tourist attraction for international visitors, the lake is also a popular relaxation destination for locals. Around the lake, you can find the towns of Muko and Kyevu, and one can enjoy a range of lakeside accommodation.
There are few buildings on the islands, aside from some infrastructure for tourists and a couple of schools. The main community is the Bufuka Village, which is mainly composed of members of the Bakiga and Batwa tribes.
A popular attraction is to see the traditional dances of the Batwa. Another of the favourite things to do here is to take a cruise and go island hopping around Lake Bunyonyi.
The real spectacle of the lake, however, is the incredible scenery. For its beauty alone, the lake is regarded by many visitors as one of their favourite destinations.
Because of its proximity to Bwindi Forest for gorilla trekking, which is the main reason visitors venture to this corner of Africa, the lake makes a fantastic add-on experience to enjoy breathtaking scenery.
