Where to Go in Uganda on a Safari?
Where to Go in Uganda on a Safari? Uganda is ranked among the best travel destinations in Africa, offering a true once-in-a-lifetime safari opportunity, from the forests of Bwindi to Queen Elizabeth National Park and other amazing Uganda Safari destinations.
The country is famous for its amazing wildlife, including the tree-climbing lions often seen lounging and lazing on the fig trees in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the Big Five.
In this blog, we have listed and detailed the top 10 best places to go in Uganda on a safari.
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Found in the southwestern region of Uganda next to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its huge population of mountain gorillas and overall biodiversity.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located on the edge of the Rift Valley, hosting one of Africa’s most ancient and biologically diverse rainforests. Dating back over 250,000 years, this mist-covered jungle is home to over 400 plant species and provides a refuge to some of the rarest wildlife in the world, including the endangered mountain gorillas. Bwindi Forest protects approximately 459 mountain gorillas, almost half of the world’s remaining population. This emerald, impenetrable forest is one of the best places on earth to experience gorilla trekking, offering visitors the chance to come face to face with these majestic primates in their natural habitat.
Gorilla trekking and the gorilla habituation experience are the most popular activities to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. There are several other activities to do, including guided nature walks, community visits and birding.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, along with the Virunga National Park in the DR. The Congo is the only place in the world where chimpanzees and mountain gorillas can be sighted together.
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most popular and visited national park in Uganda and is one of the best destinations to see wildlife in Africa. The park is also the most biodiverse safari destination, offering breathtaking landscapes, abundant wildlife, and rich cultural heritage.
Straddling the equator, Queen Elizabeth National Park features monuments marking the exact spot where it crosses latitude 0°, adding to its uniqueness.
Initially, the park was founded as Kazinga National Park in 1952 and in 1954 it was renamed to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II of England.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is famous for hosting the rare tree-climbing lions in its Ishasha Sector—the southern area of the park. Visitors can also trek with chimpanzees in the Maramagambo forest and Kyambura Gorge. The major Uganda safari experiences in Queen Elizabeth National Park include game safaris, guided nature walks, birding, cultural visits to the neighboring local communities and visiting the Katwe salt mining lake, among others
- Murchison Falls National Park
Uganda’s oldest and largest conservation area, Murchison Falls, is a vast expanse of savannah, woodland and riverine forests covering an area of 3,840 square kilometers.
Murchison Falls National Park was designated as a national park in 1952. The park hosts the Murchison Falls, the most powerful waterfall in the world, making it one of the most beautiful national parks in Uganda. The Murchison Falls are formed as the waters of the River Nile squeeze through a narrow 8-meter gorge and fall thunderously in the Devil Cauldron.
Murchison Falls National Park is home to various habitats, including savanna, acacia trees, Borassus plams and riverine woodlands in the northern part and forest and woodland plantations in the southern areas. The park is home to various wildlife, including 144 species of mammals, 51 reptile species, 51 amphibian species and more than 556 species of birds.
The amazing Uganda safari experiences to do in Murchison Falls National Park include game viewing, bird watching, launch cruise and guided nature walks.
- Kibale National Park
Dubbed as the primate capital of the world, Kibale National Park, also known as Kibale Forest National Park, is a famous destination loved by travelers for its outstanding chimpanzee tracking safaris.
Kibale National Park is located in western Uganda, Kabarole District, covering an area of 321 square kilometers and rising at an altitude of between 1,160 m and 2,607 m above sea level. Kibale Forest is home to 13 different primate species, including the largest population of chimpanzees, red colobus, black and white colobus, L’Hoest’s monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabeys frequently spotted in the forest canopy.
With over 5000 chimpanzees, Kibale National Park is arguably the best place for tracking chimpanzees in the world. Chimpanzee trekking is the main Uganda safari experience in Kibale Forest, offering visitors an hour of interacting with chimpanzees. Other Uganda safari experiences to do in Kibale include guided nature walks, immersive chimpanzee habituation experiences, birding and visits to the local community.
- Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park is one of Uganda’s true hidden gems, located in the remote northeastern corner of the country. This stunning park has vegetation, seasons and landscapes that are similar to those found in the iconic Masai Mara in Kenya and Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, but with virgin wilderness and fewer crowds.
Kidepo Valley National Park is the only park in Uganda where ostriches, cheetahs and wild dogs still thrive.
Thanks to the stunning scenery and landscapes, Kidepo was described as one of the best national parks in Africa. Sadly, because of its remote location, the park is rarely visited.
Game viewing is the main Uganda safari activity in Kidepo Valley National Park, providing opportunities to spot lions, buffaloes, elephants, ostriches, leopards, among others. Visitors can also visit the local Karamojong, Dodoth or the endangered Ik tribe. Other amazing activities to do include mountain climbing, guided nature walks and visiting the beautiful hot springs.
- Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest savannah national park in Uganda. It is also the only national park in Uganda situated near Kampala, the capital of Uganda; it is strategically located on the main highway leading to Uganda’s major game parks like Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Lake Mburo National Park is the only place in Uganda where one can go to watch game on the back of a horse or on a horse riding safari. It is also the best place to spot leopards, zebras and impalas.
Being close to Kampala, Lake Mburo National Park is a perfect destination for a business trip, seminar and day safari experience.
- Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Named from “Gahinga,” a local word for the piles of volcanic stones cleared from farmland at the foot of the volcanoes, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest national park in Uganda, at a size of 33.7 km².
This forested park is the second gorilla trekking destination in Uganda and one of the only four parks in the world where mountain gorillas are found.
Mgahinga has one habituated gorilla group—Nyakagezi, which is known for its migratory tendencies. In addition to gorillas, Mgahinga is also home to golden monkeys.
Mgahinga stands out for its three inactive volcanoes—Gahinga, Sabyinyo and Muhabura; these volcanoes are part of the wider Virunga ranges of mountains that include Karisimbi, Bisoke and Nyiragongo. Hiking to the top of these beautiful volcanoes rewards you with breathtaking views of the Virunga ranges, Mount Rwenzori and game parks in Rwanda, DR.Congo and Uganda.
Gorilla trekking and golden monkey trekking are the main activities to do in Mgainga Gorilla National Park. Other thrilling experiences to do include visiting the Batwa People on the Batwa Trail, nature walks, visiting other cultural communities and birding.
- Entebbe
Entebbe City is a beautiful lakeside town on a peninsula in Lake Victoria, offering a laid-back contrast to bustling Kampala; it is just 40 kilometers south of Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Entebbe is a gateway for visitors arriving to explore Uganda’s remarkable landscapes, with Uganda’s main international airport located here.
Entebbe offers a restful beginning to any Ugandan safari, with just enough to keep you occupied during our stay. Amazing things to do in Entebbe include taking a boat cruise on Lake Victoria, visiting the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, relaxing at the beaches, searching for shoebills in Mabamba Swamp, crossing the Equator at Lwaji Island, among others.
- Kampala
The capital of Uganda, Kampala is a beautiful city but now spreads over 21 hills and has a resident population of 2 million, doubling in size every day with workers who flock to the city. Despite the fast pace of development, climb to the top of any hill and you will be rewarded by refreshing views of Lake Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake in the world.
Kampala has a number of amazing sites and attractions worth visiting, including the Uganda Museum, the Kasubi Tombs, a walk along the three-lined Royal Mile (Kabaka Anjagala), Namugongo and the Uganda Martyrs, the Gaddafi Mosque and the local markets for fresh fruits and art and craft pieces.
- Jinja
Known as the adventure capital of East Africa, Jinja offers a ray of adventurous activities to indulge in. Jinja City is situated on the shores of Lake Victoria, just two hours from Kampala, the capital.
Jinja offers a ray of adventurous activities, including white water rafting, Nile cruises, riverboarding and river kayaking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and guided walks through the center of Jinja, among others.
