Uganda Safari: The Ultimate Guide.

The country is often called the “Pearl of Africa” for good reason. A Uganda Safari is an exciting overland journey in East Africa.

You can see wildlife, especially the big five: Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino, Lion, and Leopard.
This safari is the best in Africa. It offers affordable hotels, friendly people, and great weather. You’ll find lush jungles, diverse animals, and rare plants.

There are also beautiful lakes and mountains. Plus, the Nile runs through it, and it’s the longest river in the world.
There are many fun activities during a safari. Here are some highlights of what to do in Uganda:

Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) lies to the west of the country. It is south of South Sudan, west of Kenya, and north of Rwanda and Tanzania.

Uganda’s coordinates are 1.373333, 32.290275, in the African Great Lakes region. The capital city is Kampala, a place famous for its nightlife.

Entebbe is an important entry point, home to Entebbe International Airport (EBB). The stunning beauty of Uganda greets you at the airport. You’ll find art and crafts inspired by nature in the airport shops.

The highlight of any safari is Bwindi gorilla trekking. Few people get to see mountain gorillas in the misty Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Booking a safari with us lets you discover all that Uganda has to offer. Prepare to enjoy this journey to the fullest.

With so much to see and do, Uganda is one of Africa’s most special destinations. This travel guide will show you how to plan the perfect safari.

Sir Winston Churchill praised Uganda in his book “My African Journey.” He was impressed by its scenery, plants, climate, and people.

Uganda, the “Pearl of Africa,” offers many unique experiences. You can book a tour for top wildlife safaris and activities. Enjoy game drives, gorilla treks, or chimpanzee trekking.

You can also go bird watching, join cultural tours, or try mountain climbing. There’s something for everyone!

1. Gorilla Trekking and Why

Gorillas are found in Africa. To see them in the wild, you must visit specific countries. Not every country offers the right facilities or guides for safe interactions. Gorilla trekking is popular because it’s a rare adventure.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The main reason to visit Uganda’s Bwindi Forest is to see gorillas. The mountain gorilla is the star attraction in this national park. This rare species inhabits thick, impenetrable forests of East and Central Africa.

Human activities have put these apes in danger. Their population has fallen to a level that poses a significant risk.

Why should you join Bwindi Gorilla Safaris?

Joining helps boost the mountain gorilla population in Bwindi Forest. Uganda has the highest number of mountain gorillas in the world. As a visitor, you can see wild or habituated gorillas in their natural habitat.

Most gorilla permit fees support local communities. They fund schools, hospitals, and clean water. This benefits both gorillas and locals. It also improves community attitudes, which is key for gorilla conservation.

Why choose gorilla trekking in Uganda?

Uganda has low gorilla permit fees and budget hotels. A gorilla trekking permit costs US$800 here, unlike US$1,500 in Rwanda. This makes Uganda a smart choice for budget travelers. You can also try gorilla habituation instead of tracking gorillas.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a great place to see gorillas and golden monkeys. In both Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks, gorillas live with other wildlife. You might see baboons, chimpanzees, buffalo, forest elephants, monkeys, antelopes, and many birds.

Golden monkeys are a rare species that attract many visitors. Tourists in Mgahinga often seek these unique monkeys. You can find them only in the Virunga Volcanic Mountains of East and Central Africa.

2. Chimpanzee Trekking

Uganda’s rainforests are home to chimpanzees, especially in Kibale Forest. People know this national park as “the primate capital of the world.”

Kibale National Park

Kibale Chimpanzee trekking is an exciting experience. When in this chimpanzee forest, you will see how similar chimpanzees and humans are. Exploring the jungle with these apes requires determination. Kibale’s forest is a great spot to see chimpanzees. You can also find other primates here, such as:

• Grey-cheeked mangabey
• Blue monkey
• L’Hoest’s monkey
• Red colobus monkeys
• Potto
• Bush baby
• Black-and-white colobus monkeys and a lot more.

Kibale National Park has a fee of US$200 for a chimpanzee trekking permit. The chimpanzee habituation experience costs US$250. Each chimpanzee permit is valid for one trek per person on that date and time.

Chimpanzee habituation in Kibale is even more engaging. Tourists spend extra hours with these shy apes. They learn how chimpanzees adapt to human presence. Chimpanzee trekking is the most popular activity in Kibale Forest. Other places for chimpanzee tracking safaris are:

• Kyambura Gorge
• Kalinzu Forest
• Budongo Forest Reserve
• Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary
• Toro – Semliki Wildlife Reserve

3. Uganda Safari Game Drive

Africa’s vast savanna parks attract animal lovers. They offer incredible views of wildlife, especially the Big Five in Uganda.

We tailor game drives to fit tourists’ interests. Many parks offer a variety of activities, making every tour special. Combine chimpanzee trekking with game drives. Or pair gorilla trekking with a game drive. These are the best parks for game drives.

• Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Murchison Falls National Park
• Lake Mburo National Park
• Kidepo Valley National Park

Murchison and Queen National Parks are the best in Uganda for safari game drives. They offer much more than a regular African safari.

Visitors can enjoy more than game drives. They can enjoy boat trips, bird watching, and chimpanzee trekking. Nature walks, hot air balloon rides, and cultural visits are also great options. Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls have special advantages over other parks.

Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls features one of Africa’s most stunning waterfalls along the River Nile. The falls drop 45 meters through a narrow gorge that is 8 meters wide. The views are spectacular, with various wildlife often seen at the bottom.

Boat trips on the world’s longest river are spectacular. Elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffalo, and crocodiles often visit the Nile River. Lions, hyenas, and many birds also make regular visits.

The top places to visit in Murchison – Uganda’s largest game drive park, which is home to the big five animals, are;

• Heart of Murchison
• Murchison Falls – Lake Albert Delta
• Rabongo Forest
• Buligi Peninsula
• Budongo Forest
• Kaniyo Pabidi Forest
• Karuma Falls
• Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Tourists know Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda for its tree-climbing lions. It also features beautiful crater lakes and diverse wildlife. These are the best places to check out on a game drive:

• Mweya Peninsula
• Ishasha Sector
• Kazinga Channel
• Kasenyi Plains
• Lake George Ramsar Site
• Explosion Craters
• Maramagambo Forest
• Kigezi Wildlife Reserve

The boat trip on Kazinga Channel is the top choice for visitors. You can often see many birds and animals along the water. For a chance to see great apes, visit Kyambura Gorge. It offers an amazing chimpanzee trekking experience.

Lake Mburo National Park is Uganda’s most accessible national park. It offers easy game drives, boat trips, and nature walks. Tourists can take a quick one-day safari here, as it’s only 228 km from Kampala. Being the closest national park to the city, Lake Mburo gives an overview of Uganda’s larger parks.

Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park lies in the northeast corner of Uganda. This park is a hidden savannah in Africa. It’s a woodland-grassland area waiting for you to explore. A game drive through Kidepo Valley and Narus Valley is exciting. You can see herds of buffalo, giraffes, elephants, zebras, and antelope. Predators wait nearby.

Birding safaris in Uganda offer a thrilling experience. The country is home to many bird species, including the rare Fox’s Weaver. The Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot is vital for Africa’s wildlife. It includes the Albertine Rift. This rift valley hosts 40 bird species found only here in the world. Some of the interesting birds in Uganda to look for are:

• Rwenzori Turaco
• Dwarf Honeyguide
• Handsome Francolin
• Grauer’s Swamp Warbler
• Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird
• Shelley’s Crimson-wing
• Yellow-crested Helmet Shrike
• Shoe-billed stork

The best birding locations in the Albertine Rift are:

• Semuliki National Park
• Kibale National Park
• Bwindi
• Rwenzori Mountains National Park
• Murchison Falls National Park
• Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
• Queen Elizabeth National Park

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) charges $30 for guided nature walks and birding.

Mountain hiking takes place in three national parks known as Rwenzori, Mgahinga, and Mount Elgon National Park.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park

Mountains of the Moon is another name for the Rwenzori Mountains. This stunning, rugged park is famous for mountaineering. The glacier-capped Rwenzori is the third tallest mountain in Africa. The Rwenzori range has several peaks, including:

• Mount Speke
• Mount Baker
• Mount Emin
• Mount Gessi
• Mount Stanley
• Mount Luigi di Savoia

Stanley is the highest peak, standing at 5,109 meters above sea level. Climbing Mount Stanley takes about 9 days. Reaching Stanley’s Margherita Peak is a unique experience. You can see rare plants, lakes, and various birds and animals.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

This national park is in Uganda’s southwest. It features three mountains: Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Sabyinyo. These peaks form a border with Rwanda and the DRC. They are part of the eight Virunga Mountains. Many activities attract visitors to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

You can enjoy:

• Mountain climbing
• Gorilla tracking
• Birdwatching
• Golden monkey tracking
• Batwa cultural tours

The park’s vegetation includes attractive plants like bamboo, heather, and lobelia. Hikers may spot rare primates, such as the golden monkey and mountain gorilla.

Climbing any of the three volcanoes takes about 6 to 8 hours. The cost for climbing Mgahinga Volcano is US$80.

Uganda’s diverse cultures offer unique lifestyles and vibrant cultural entertainment. Ugandan communities are famous for their hospitality.

Visiting the major kingdoms—Buganda, Busoga, Ankole, Bunyoro, and Toro—is essential. There is much to learn about their traditional ways of life. The Batwa pygmies are forest people who still practice a traditional way of life. The Batwa trail experience costs US$80 in Mgahinga and US$40 in Bwindi National Park.

Uganda’s capital and main city is Kampala. Entebbe, Jinja, Mbale, Gulu, Hoima, Masaka, and Mbarara are important tourist cities. They serve as gateways to the country’s ten wildlife national parks. Entebbe and Kampala are vital for tourism as they are the starting points for safaris. Kampala and Entebbe host embassies, the international airport, referral hospitals, and five-star hotels. We have prepared a detailed explanation about Cities in Uganda.

Tourists in Uganda can choose from many ready-made safaris. Many prefer customized safaris that fit their plans.

Popular safari packages include:

• 3 days in Queen Elizabeth National Park
• 3 days in Kibale National Park
• 3-day Murchison Falls Safari
• 3-day gorilla trekking
• 21 days of touring Uganda.
• And more!

You can choose from luxury, mid-range, and budget safari packages based on your budget.

Best Time to Visit

Uganda has a tropical climate, with warm weather and two rainy seasons each year.

The best time to visit is during the dry months: December to February and June to August. These are peak season months, so prices are higher. The average temperature in Uganda is 22.8 °C.

Many tourists still visit during the rainy months. It shines daily. The wet months are March to May and September to November. These are low-season months, and many service providers offer discounts.

Uganda is a fantastic tourist spot in Africa, with cozy and affordable lodges. The camping facilities are top-notch, too.

Lodges are available inside and outside national parks. There are many options. Here are some recommended safari lodges in different parks:

• Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge in Bwindi.
• Mweya Safari Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
• Nile Safari Lodge in Murchison Falls.
• Apoka Safari Lodge in Kidepo.
• Mihingo Lodge in Lake Mburo National Park.
• Primate Lodge in Kibale.

Enjoy your stay during a Uganda Safari.