What to Expect During Uganda Safaris
What to Expect During Uganda Safaris: Uganda safaris are one of the most requested safaris by visitors travelling to the East African Region. Some of the most visited safari destinations in Uganda include; Murchison falls National Park in the north-western part of Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga national park in south western Uganda and Kibale National Park and Queen Elizabeth national park in the western part of the country.
During your Uganda safari, you will be able to see a variety of attractions that you will see such as big five animals including lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants and rhinos, other animals like giraffes, zebras, warthogs, giant forest hogs, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, Jackson’s hartebeest, Oribis, topi, eland, hyenas, hippos, crocodiles, birds like the pre-historic shoebill stork, open billed stork, great blue Turaco, ostrich, Kori bustard, papyrus canary, African green broadbill, standard winged nightjar, saddle billed stork, grey crowned crane, malachite kingfisher, African sacred ibis, primates like the endangered mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, golden monkeys, grey checked Mangabey, blue monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, mountains like Mount Elgon, Mount Stanley, Mount Speke, volcanic mountains like Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhabura and Mount Sabyinyo.
What to Expect During Uganda Safaris:
- Murchison Falls National Park.
Murchison Falls National Park is one of the oldest national parks in Uganda following its establishment in 1926 as a game reserve and later declared a national park in 1952. Spanning over a radius of 3,840 square kilometers, Murchison falls national park is the largest national park in Uganda. The park is home to a total of 76 mammal species and over 451 species of birds. Among some of the activities that you can do in the park include; birding, sport fishing, whitewater rafting, top of the falls hike, guided nature walks, day/night game drives, boat cruise, chimpanzee trekking, hot air balloon safaris, and cultural encounters among others.
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Bwindi Impenetrable national park is a very popular safari destination in Uganda especially for visitors looking to have face to face encounters with the rare mountain gorillas. The national park has about 459 mountain gorillas making it the only park in the world with the highest number of mountain gorillas. Some of the activities in the park include; gorilla trekking, birding, nature walks and community walks like the Batwa Trail Experience or visit some of the Batwa communities that live near the park.
- Queen Elizabeth National Park.
This national park is the second largest in Uganda, covering 1,978 square kilometers. Queen Elizabeth national park is famous for its tree climbing lions which are found in Ishasha sector in the southern part of the park. Some of the activities that you can do in the park include; guided game drive, launch cruise on Kazinga channel, lion tracking, banded mongoose tracking, birding, nature walks and cultural encounters among others.
- Kibale National Park.
Visiting Kibale national park is the best option if you are looking to do chimpanzee trekking in Uganda. Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale national park is the major activity carried out in the park. A chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale national park goes for USD 200 for foreign non-resident, USD 150 for foreign residents and UGX 150,000 for East African Citizens. Aside from trekking chimpanzees in Kibale national park, visitors can also do the following activities; guide forest/nature walks, birding, hiking and community cultural tours.
- Jinja City.
Jinja city is one of the fun and adventurous cities in Uganda. There are a lot of interesting activities that are offered in Jinja like whitewater rafting, speed boating, sport fishing, boat cruise, bungee jumping, horseback riding, mountain and quad biking, River boarding, jet boating, golf, camping to mention but a few.
- Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo national park might be the smallest savannah national park but it has a lot to offer. Some of the interesting activities to do in the park includes; game drives, boat cruise, horseback riding, guided nature walk, birding, and community walks to mention but a few.
Other interesting places that you can visit during your safari in Uganda include; Kidepo Valley National Park, Semuliki national park, Mt. Elgon national park, Mt. Rwenzori national park, Mabamba Swamp (for birders), Ngamba Island, Ssese Island, and Lake Bunyonyi and so many more.
Best Time to visit Uganda.
Uganda can be visited anytime of the year; although the best period is during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February. During this period there is less rainfall in the country therefore activities like gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, hiking, mountain climbing among others will be successful in that the access roads to the safari destinations and trails in the forest will be passable. Safari destinations in Uganda can also be visited in the wet season during the months of March to April and October to November. Most lodges offer discounts to visitors travelling during the above said periods which favors budget travellers. It is also during this time that it is most convenient for visitors to do chimpanzee trekking and birding in the respective national parks. There is plenty of food for chimpanzees to feed on so that they don’t move further in the forests in search for what to eat.
How to Book for a safari to Uganda.
The best way to book a safari to Uganda is through a trusted tour operator company like Explore Rwanda Tours. This cuts back on the frustration of planning a trip all by yourself. All you need to do is just present details of your planned dates of travel, activities you want to do, accommodation preference and your budget.
