How To Plan the Best Wildlife Safari for Uganda? Uganda is a privileged destination with a lot of safari attractions that attracts millions of visitors like diverse number of big games especially the most sought species – mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and golden monkeys ‘’ more of forest primates ‘’, savannah mammals’ reptiles, bird life, amphibians, insects among others and come along beautiful landscape. Travel Uganda and be able to tour different parks where you expect to view the most remarkable specimens in the world. Due to the diversity of attractions and beautiful landscape it has led to countries tourism growth.
Recently, National Geographic Society recognized Uganda as one of the Top 10 destination to travel and 50 places of a lifetime thus rewarding it to be named ‘’the Pearl of Africa’’.
Key highlights;
Incredible sightings of some of the unique and most beautiful primate species including the great mountain gorillas.
Uganda is one of the highest concentrations of avian life.
Uganda was named 52 places to Go by the New York Times because of unusual specimens. Also being one of the Top 10 Destination to Travel and 52 places of a lifetime by the National Geographic Society.
Different habitats and landscapes that stuns diversity of wildlife.
Plenty of activities to choose from for example game drives, primate tracking, birdwatching, boating safaris, bush walks, mountain climbing forest hikes, fishing excursions, white water rafting, city tours. cultural and community interactions and many more.
Detailed highlight of things that can make you to plan your best wildlife safari for Uganda;
That is; three incredible wildlife viewing Ecosystems in Queen Elizabeth
Nile safaris in Murchison Falls Park
Visiting the remote areas
Exclusive wildlife safaris of Kidepo Valley Park
Boating safaris on Lake Victoria
Unique safari experiences in Lake Mburo National Park
Boating tour on Lake Victoria
Bird canoeing trip at Mabamba Swamp
Mountain gorillas of Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga parks
Tracking down the golden monkeys of Mount Gahinga
Chimpanzee safari experiences in Kibale Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park; This is a top outstanding safari destination just a great place to go to when combining it with your gorilla safari at Bwindi. Most morning game drives and the evening game drive where expect to see ungulates and herbivores such as elephants, buffalo, hippo, Ugandan Kob among others. The predators like spotted hyena, lion, leopard and smaller cats like the serval, civet and genet.
The Kasenyi plains is inhabitant of other herbivores like waterbuck, warthogs, giant forest hog, bushbuck mentioned few. The big five predators like the lions and leopard that keep the grazer’s numbers. While on visit in Queen Elizabeth National Park never leave without visiting the southern Ishasha sector of Uganda a home with great sights of unique tree climbing lions – lioness sprawled on the branches of the fig trees.
Boat on the Kazinga Channel
This is another tourist attraction in the park that covers a distance of about 32 kilometers and connects Lake George and Lake Edward, a great site for booting tours on the channel to look for crocodiles, hippos and other wildlife visiting to drink. You can as well have photography of a diversity of antelopes, buffaloes and herds of Elephants. Kibale National Park and its channel are also part of – important Bird and Biodiversity Area ‘’IBA’’ by Birdlife International.
Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge
This is a beautiful tourist attraction because of its wild chimpanzee community
Deep valley abounding with lust vegetation that houses 10 species of primates and hosts some of the most beautiful bird species of Africa.
However, this deep valley is home to more than 10 species of primates, one of which is a family of chimpanzees and other species to be spotted includes; red-tailed monkey, olive baboon, vervet monkey, black and white colobus monkey, along with some of the Africa’s most notable bird species.
Nile safari in Murchison Falls National Park
Safari destination famous for over 451 bird species and 76 mammal species which can be spotted on game drives on the northern and southern banks of the Nile River.
Chimpanzee trekking excursions to Budongo forest where you can sight see about 600 to 800 individuals.
Also famous for sight viewing of hippos and crocodiles as well as variety of predators and prey.
Murchison Falls National Park is a UNESCO World heritage site and magical destination for wildlife viewing in Uganda. However, the regions boast with some of 76 mammal species, along with 451 bird species. More so, game drive is the most done activity which is undertaken on the northern and southern banks of the Nile River. Visiting the northern bank dotted with rolling savannah grasslands abounding with herds of buffalos, bushbuck, Oribis, hartebeest, elephant, giraffe, reedbuck, Kob and duiker among others. If your lucky you can spot lions, leopards and hyenas in a closely tall grass. Then southern bank is equally rewarding and features herds of giraffes.
Murchison Falls is the top sighted attraction within the park that represents the scenic beauty in the region.
Those lovers of primates can do chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest which harbors about 880 individuals. To visit them -you’re required the mandatory chimp permit.
Safari to Kidepo Valley National Park
This is a home to over 86 mammal species of which 28 are endemic only to be seen to Kidepo
Sightings of 500 bird species of which 60 are only seen in this region
Hiking through Narus valley, bush walks and night game drives experience is available.
Kidepo Valley National Park is renown as unmatched African wilderness home to fabulous 86 Uganda’s mammal species of which 28 can be adventured only in this wildlife reserve of the country. However, four of the big five species live here, with only the rhino absent. In Uganda rhinos can only be spotted in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Herbivores animals to see include bushbucks, elands, Buhor, Burchell’s zebras, warthogs, Defassa waterbucks, Klipspringers, Jackson’s hartebeests, Rothschild giraffes, duikers, Oribis, Kongonis among others.
The Narus valley is a great location to sight see Kavirondo bush babies, Senegal galagoes and Guenther’s dik-diks. Predators to see in the park aside from the lions and leopards your guide will help you to spot down the side- striped jackals, wild dogs, black-backed jackals, caracals, spotted hyenas’ cheetahs, aardwolves come along with other smaller cats.
The park allows you a night game drives for safari vacationers, while on night game drive expect to sight see white-tailed mongoose and other nocturnal fauna. Note; Night game drives can only be done with the park ranger guide from ‘’UWA’’ Uganda Wildlife Authority.
How To Plan the Best Wildlife Safari for Uganda? : Safari to Semuliki Reserve – Savannah, Forest and Lake
Safari game drives in the morning and late afternoon to explore the stunning landscape of the park – forest and savannah
Participating in the Chimpanzee Research Project to spend time with scientists studying these remarkable primates.
Boat tours for spotting wildlife which can to quench for water and nature treks to learn about the hidden aspects of life in the bush.
Semliki Reserve is also home to various primates such as chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet, olive baboons, red-tailed monkey more among. They can be explored on both game drive and nature walk. Game drive can be organized twice a day and each treat you to a different aspect of the park. Like visiting woodlands, grassy plains, acacia woods and Borassus palms also home to incredible selection of avian life.
You can do chimpanzee trekking which can take place in one of the four chimpanzee families found in the park. You can enjoy amazing time ‘’an hour ‘’ with them as you observe the chimps to learn more about their living habits.
Do boating safaris on the Semliki River and southern banks of Lake Albert which is another rewarding activity to do.
How To Plan the Best Wildlife Safari for Uganda? : Mountain Gorilla of Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga Park
Best destination in world for gorilla trekking experience
Bwindi harbors half’s of the mountain gorillas in the world and comprises of over 22 habituated gorilla families that roam the mountains looking for food and shelter.
Vacationers advised booking tours well in advance because of the limited number of people permitted to visit the primates.
Both parks gorilla trekking is the main highlight activity though Mgahinga is well known for golden tracking experience.
Gorilla trekking starts early in the morning and can take about 7 to 8 hours. The trekking experience can be done under the direction of a gorilla guide, park rangers and porter along with a gorilla tracker who leads the group on the trail and find the exact location of the family.
The place is home to over 60 individuals live in the upper canopies of the bamboo forest among others. Addition to the golden monkey, you can spot other mammals like duiker, Cape buffalo, forest elephant, giant forest hogs, porcupines and other fauna to see in the park.
How To Plan the Best Wildlife Safari for Uganda? : Chimpanzee safari experience in Kibale Park
Two-to-three-hour trekking experience with the primates through the forest to locate the chimp family allocated
Allowed to spend an hour with the primates observing their habits with the possibility of watching them more closely should they descend to the forest floor.
Chimpanzee Habituation Experience ‘’CHEX’’ -it’s a full day activity chimp here are first undertaken in the habituation process. This experience can be done in the company of a local ranger researcher for an experience and 4 hours allowed to stay with chimps as learn from them.
How To Plan the Best Wildlife Safari for Uganda? : Safari to Lake Mburo National Park
The park is a watery area surrounded with a total of 13 lakes
Ranks with a total of over 68 mammal species and 350 species of birds, including 22 migratory bird species.
The park gives a great opportunity to adventure diverse and remarkable activities like night game drives, horseback safaris, mountain biking, nature walking tours, nature walks and boating trips.
In fact, Lake Mburo National Park is Uganda’s smallest park however, being a smallest park boasts with unique beauty that attracts number of tourists on their vacation. Visitors get to learn of the many different safari activities.
The park covers an area of about 370 square kilometers boasting with over 13 lakes which lies within the park borders. It is also home to over 68 mammal species and more than 350 bird varieties and around 22 are migratory species that arrives from the colder northern hemisphere regions.
Boating safari on Lake Victoria
It’s absolutely amazing one to have a boating safari on the world’s second-largest lake with a surface area smaller only than Lake Superior.
You can enjoy full and half -day fishing excursion to catch the famous Nile perch.
Birding and island -hopping expeditions can also be undertaken at the lake.
Fact, Lake Victoria is renown as the largest inland freshwater body in Africa and second in surface are only to Lake Superior in North America. A great location for birding and sport fishing. Come along a visit to Mabamba swamp which can be enjoyed on Bird canoeing and one of the best birding sites in Uganda that is the shoe bill stork among others.
Get started planning now a visit to Uganda a ‘’Pearl of Africa’’ a destination of its own incredible adventure – Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
