An Ultimate Guide on a Uganda Safaris

An Ultimate Guide on a Uganda Safaris,  Uganda is a beautiful country that has beautiful places to visit on a safari. The East African interior display safari offers which include gorilla trekking, Big Five games, day and night wildlife game viewing, bird watching chimpanzee tracking, cultural experiences, amazing flora, hiking experiences among others.

Uganda found in Africa and lies staid to the Equator its located in the interior of East Africa, a small country almost to the size of UK. Uganda stands on an area of 241,551 square kilometer formed with amazing features of rolling landscapes with variety of mountains including the once tallest volcanic mountain which is now with the largest caldera in the world to snowcapped Rwenzori Mountains in the west. it Hosts the world longest River Nile, and the Africa’s largest flesh water Lake Victoria, the immense vegetation variation accommodates wildlife, world’s most welcoming hospitable people to mention but a few.

The country seats in the arrays of the equatorial realms, ably displaying one of the perfect weather. The Pearl of Africa experiences a warm and cool climate throughout the year with two variations of wet and sunny. And peddling between the corridor of the Great East and West Rift.

Is Uganda safe for safaris?

The safety of any person traveling to Uganda is important than anything else. One doesn’t need to worry when planning to visit Uganda. Is Uganda safe for tourist? Yes, the country is safe for anyone. About 2 decades ago, the country suffered with rebel activities like the LRA led by Kony especially in northern Uganda and the western areas around the Congo forest. However, the narration has changed. It’s truly safe to travel in Uganda.

Though some insecurity incidences like the 2021 rebel activities in Kampala and surrounding areas. The armed cattle rustling in Karamoja, today are well handled by security operatives. In all Uganda is safe to be your next vacation destination.

The best time to for a safari in Uganda

The best time to visit Uganda is the dry season, the dry season is experienced in the months of December to February and June to August. This period is characterized with severe sun shine and sometimes northern Uganda becomes hot up to 33^OC. The dry weather as always been the perfect time to experience what nature offers on Uganda safaris.

Wet seasons is a low traveling season which most travelers have found risky to travel. The wet seasons characterized with limited lightning, thunder, snow and limited storms. However, due climatic changes, sometimes the storms become very strong destroying properties.  An Ultimate Guide on a Uganda Safaris, Floods due to continual deforestation keep on disturbing people staying in highlands especially in mountainous areas around Mt. Elgon and Mt. Rwenzori.

The rainy weather is experienced in the months of March to May, and September to November. During these month tourist are few in most of the tourist destinations. So, when opting to travel during the less crowded period, then the months of WET months are better solution.

Adventures to do on a Uganda safari

Gorilla trekking adventure

Gorilla trekking is the highlight of the rest of the adventures in Africa. In facts it’s next to the great Wildebeest migration of Masai Mara and Serengeti. Uganda is the capital of mountain gorillas in the wild with two gorilla forests of Bwindi and Mgahinga. Bwindi tropical rainforests accommodate almost 50% of the remaining mountain gorillas in the world.

Gorillas available for trekking in Uganda are fully habituated which enable that amazing close-up encounter. Habituation is a process intended to train gorillas to get used to human presence. Mountain gorillas are larger apes, very aggressive and they intend to attack in case of any threat. The habituation process aim at quenching off the aggressiveness to friendly apes.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda done at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. A permit to trek at Bwindi or Mgahinga costs $700. An Ultimate Guide on a Uganda Safaris,  The permits are only issued with Uganda Wildlife Authority, a body responsible for the management and conservation of national parks and game reserves.

Wildlife game viewing

Wildlife game viewing is the most reward adventure activity on a safari to Uganda. This is the major activity which should never miss on any of your safari holiday to the Pearl of Africa. Wildlife game viewing involves watching variety of wildlife mainly in Savanna Park. With a total of 10 National Parks, (5) are savannah parks which are; Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and Semuliki National Park.

With wildlife game viewing, a game drive is the major activity done, and some parks like Queen Elizabeth, Murchison, and L. Mburo a boat cruise very amazing other adventure. Expectations on a wildlife game viewing safari include; Big Five games (lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos and rhinos), herds of antelope (Kobs, elands, Impala, Bushbuck, waterbuck, Oribi, Duiker etc), Rothschild giraffes, zebras, warthogs, hippos, warthogs, fox, among others. The wildlife game viewing as well displays variety of bird species, several primates and overrated nature of flora.

All routes of driving on a safari to Uganda, Wildlife game viewing safaris is possible. Even with the limited time on your safari, at least the two days safari trip itinerary makes you meet wildlife safari experience thrilling offers. Other activities done on a wildlife game viewing adventure include, primates tracking, bird watching, nature walks among others.

Cultural tour experience

The diverse in culture is one blessing of Uganda, with over 50 ethnic groups in Uganda with varying practices. These ethnic groups have been a vital supplement on any safari to Uganda. Traveling across Uganda, difference in practices indeed will surprise you. And a decision to know more about culture in Uganda draws you close to communities and set cultural spots for this encounter.

Cultural tour experiences involves visiting places of cultural significance, listening to stories and narrations, as well enjoying various cultural practices. Cultural communities like Batwa cultural trail experiences, Karamoja cultural tour experiences, Buganda cultural trial, and Toro Kindgom cultural trial. These are well established to supplement on your safari to you respective regions.

Chimpanzee tracking

The amazing encounters with another apes, chimpanzees are considered the most intelligent apes among all the primates. They are the closest human relatives sharing almost 98% of human DNA. With about 107,000 chimpanzees remaining on the African continent, Uganda is estimated to host about 5000 chimpanzees.

The best place to find/track chimpanzees in Africa in their natural habitats is Uganda. Chimpanzee tracking is the wild is among the most attracting adventures done on a safari holiday in Uganda.  An Ultimate Guide on a Uganda Safaris,  Chimpanzees available for tracking in Uganda are fully habituated for a close up encounter.

Kibale National Park in western Uganda is the prime chimpanzee tracking destination in African. The Park has several communities of habituated chimpanzees that are available for tracking. Kibale National Park  branded as the world’s primate capital, besides chimpanzees there’re other 13 primates species.

And the other places/forests to track chimpanzees in Uganda include Kyambura gorge east of Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Budongo forests. A permit to track chimpanzee’s costs $100.

Top tourist destinations in Uganda

Murchison Falls National Park

Uganda’s largest and most visited National Park. Murchison Falls National Park is located in the northern region, commonly famous for its might Murchison Falls along the Victoria Nile. Most of the safari routes connects to Murchison falls making the park receiving the highest number of tourist in Uganda. One of the few parks in Uganda that permits a chance to watch a full list of the Big Five Games when connected with Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Adventure activities done in Murchison Falls National Park include;

• Wildlife game drive
• Wildlife boat cruise
• Bird watching
• Top of the falls watching
• Nature walks
• Community visits
• Wild camping

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Uganda’s most popular national park, the second largest and second most visited. Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in western Uganda at the foothills of Rwenzori Mountains. It’s seated along the Western Great Albertine Rift, stretching to the DRC’s Virunga Conservation Area. The park is also famous for the Kazinga channel which connects the two lakes Edward and Gorge. Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the most interesting savannah parks in Uganda. This park has the longest list of safari activities done among the rest of the parks in Uganda.

Adventure activities done at Queen Elizabeth National Park

• Wildlife game drive along Kasenyi section
• Boat cruise done along Kazinga channel
• Tracking tree climbing lions in Ishasha
• Lion tracking experiential
• Mongoose tracking
• Hippo census
• Bird watching, the park hosts the highest number of bird species in the country.
• Community visit
• Exploring lake Katwe and salt mining
• Chimpanzee tracking at Kyambura gorge

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

The most exciting tourist destination where nature repeats itself. At Bwindi Impenetrable National Park people tend to track their biological origin dating 400 million years ago. Bwindi Impenetrable is located in southwestern Uganda within the rift valley escapements. Bwindi Impenetrable forest is famous for hosting almost half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. The park offers the highest chances of watching the gentle giants in their natural environment. Gorillas here are fully habituated, a trekking a permit costs $700.

Adventure activities done at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

• Gorilla trekking
• Bird watching
• Batwa cultural experience
• Mountain biking
• Nature walks

Jinja City,

The East African capital of adrenaline adventures.  Located in eastern, and the largest city in eastern Uganda. The source of the highest voltage of hydro power used in the country and was once an industrial capital of Uganda. Today, Jinja city  popularly known for hosting the source of the World’s longest River Nile. Along the flow of the river, there are various landform features which have turned jinja in a tourism city. Among these landform features include waterfalls and cliff which have facilitated activities like white water rafting on the rapids.

Adventure activities done in Jinja city

• White water rafting
• Bungee jumping
• Water sliding
• Visiting waterfalls like intand falls
• Boat rides
• Horse riding
• Quad biking
• Hill climbing
• Events and happenings like the annual Nyengenye tourism festival.

Kidepo Valley National Park

Uganda’s remotest National Park as it was rated by CNN. Kidepo Valley is located in northeastern Uganda sharing borders with South Sudan and Kenya. It’s the most difficult park to access by road as the drive needs a full day. Kidepo Valley National Park is located in the region which has persisted to its traditions and defiled the civilization trends.  An Ultimate Guide on a Uganda Safaris, The Park is most know to be the remotest and the best savannah park to offer a widest land scape view. The park accessed via Ziwa and Murchison Falls National Park en-route qualifying it for the possibilities of the Big Five games.

Adventure activities done at Kidepo Valley National Park

• Wildlife Game drives
• Karamoja cultural experiences
• Nature walks
• Mountain climbing

Kampala capital city

The most vibrant city in Uganda, and double it with being the capital. Kampala is located in the central region of Uganda approximately 45km from Entebbe international airport. Kampala capital is famous of several tourist experiences among which include; happening like clubbing, various food tastes like Rolex, cultural experiences, religious center, education and administrative capital. There are a number of tourist activities and places which can be visited for various experiences.

Kibale National Park

The world’s capital of primate species. Kibale National Park is located in western Uganda approximately 26km from Fort Portal city. The park’s credibility installed in hosting the highest number of chimpanzees in the East African region. Chimpanzees here are fully habituated and tracker have an opportunity for a close up encounter with the chimpanzees. As well, it’s only at Kibale where trackers have a chance to do chimpanzee habituation and spend with the primates almost a full day.

Adventure activities done at Kibale National Park

• Chimpanzee tracking
• Primate tracking
• Bird watching
• Forest nature walks
• Bogodi community visit

Mountian Rwenzori National Park

Uganda’s highest mountain raised at an elevation of 5109m above sea level. Mountain Rwenzori National Park is located in western Uganda stretching to borders of Uganda and DR Congo. The snowcapped mountain has stood to posse the most challenging hiking experience in Uganda. Though the 3^rd highest mountain in African after Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya but possess the most challenging climbing experience. Hiking to the Margarita peak, the highest point take the maximum of 14 days to and fro.