Wildlife of Uganda Safaris : Safaris in Uganda are particularly well-liked because to the extraordinary biodiversity of the nation. Winston Churchill referred to Uganda as the “Pearl of Africa” due to its stunning natural surroundings and varied plant and animal life. Because of her proximity to the equator, Uganda has a climate that supports the ecosystem wonderfully, which makes tours there thrilling. A Uganda Wildlife Safari always involves cultural experiences with its hospitable people in addition to the weather. Over 30 tribes make up Uganda’s varied culture. Uganda Wildlife Safaris. Since the country’s independence, the tourist sector has struggled. The Joseph Kony-led uprising in Northern Uganda caused a drop in the number of travelers taking safaris through particular regions of the nation.
The country has experienced a return to peace, and an increasing number of tourists are choosing to go on safari in Uganda. Despite being a landlocked country, Uganda is blessed with a number of national parks, mountains, lakes, and rivers that are home to numerous bird, animal, and plant species. Uganda is one of the top tourist safari destinations since it is home to the most critically endangered Mountain Gorillas in the world. Visitors may easily see the big five (leopards, hippopotamuses, lions, buffaloes, and elephants) in Uganda, which is also the finest area to see tree climbing lions when on a wildlife safari. The chimpanzee population in Uganda is the largest in East Africa.
The main activities while on a safari in Uganda are:
Gorilla tracking excursions in the parks of Mgahinga Gorilla Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Tracking chimpanzees in the Budongo, Kibale, and Kyambura gorge, Kalinzu forests.
Cultural and religious visits to the Ndere Centre, Uganda Museum, Kasubi Tombs, and the Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo are included in the Kampala City Tour.
Nature hikes and scenery views.
Finding the elephant, rhinoceros, leopard, lion, and buffalo, sometimes known as the “big five.”
Fishing is popular in Jinja’s great lakes, including Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Edward, Lake Mburo, Lake Kyoga, Lake Kwania, Lake Bunyonyi, and Lake Bisina. The most common fish caught are mud and lung fish, tilapia, and Nile perch.
Viewing birds (more than 1035 species).
In the many crater lakes, rivers, and beaches, you can go swimming and rafting.
Elgon Mountain Climbing and Rwenzori Mountain Hiking.
A quad bike.
Jumping over a cliff across the Nile.
Tours of culture and heritage.
These activities can be done in the following national parks, reserves and spots:-
Murchison Falls National Park:
The biggest national park in Uganda is Murchison Falls National Park, which is situated in Northwestern Uganda (Masindi District). The park is named after one of its main attractions, The Murchison Falls, and is situated in a region with a total area of about 3,800 km2. The Murchison Falls are created where the Nile River plunges 42 metres in a thunderous roar after passing through a small canyon. The park has changed over the years as a result of historical insecurity in the nation and unrestrained poaching. But because to more recent conservation initiatives, the park has rebounded.
The park is filled with animals, despite the waterfall being a primary draw. The Rothschild Giraffe, which is now endangered, has over 1000 individuals living in the park Uganda visits. A wonderful cruise up and down the Nile with elephants, lions, giraffes, Nile crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes, antelopes, and birds eating along the river banks is what visitors can expect from a Uganda Wildlife tour. You may experience chimpanzee trekking safari in the park’s Budongo forest with our 4-day Murchison Falls safari package. At the Karuma falls, a series of rapids immediately before the Murchison falls, the park is renowned for white water rafting as well.
Queen Elizabeth National Park:
Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park spans 2,056 sq. kilometres and is situated close to the DR Congo’s border. The Uganda Kob and the tree-climbing lions in Ishasha make it the most popular safari park in Uganda. The park is a favorite with tourists for Uganda wildlife safaris because of its abundance of plants, animals, and birds. The park is home to more than 500 different bird species, including the Kingfisher, flamingos, eagles, and storks. The park is also home to the critically endangered Shoebill Stork. Numerous tree species, craters, savanna grasslands, wetlands, lakes, and other volcanic phenomena can be found in the park.
When doing a Uganda wildlife tour, a 3-day safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park offers the best opportunity to see the Big 5. The park is home to a number of antelope species as well as buffalo, hippos, baboons, and elephants. Nile crocodiles can be seen in Lake Edward and Lake George, while Kazinga Channel offers opportunities for birding and game viewing, as well as chimpanzee tracking. The greatest time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park if you’re doing a trip of Uganda is when it’s dry out.
Kidepo Valley National Park:
The magnificent Kidepo Valley National Park spans around 1,440 km2 and is situated in the far north-east of Uganda. Due to its isolation, the park sees fewer tourists on a Uganda tour, but it is unrivalled in terms of variety and sheer quantity of flora and fauna. This undiscovered treasure is a wonderful example of how Africa was before increasing human intrusion and makes for a terrific wildlife tour in Uganda. According to CNN Travel, it is one of the top three parks in Africa. Beautiful mountains and untamed Savannah may be found in Uganda’s Kidepo Valley National Park. Wild dogs, lions, cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, Oryx, buffalo, and hippopotamuses can all be seen in Uganda when on a safari. In addition, the park is home to over 220 different bird species, elephants, ostriches, baboons, and bush babies. The Kananorok hot springs are also visible in the park’s northern region. The Karamojong and the Ik people, who live at the top of Morungole Mountain, coexist with the animals in this area. Those taking a safari to Kidepo National Park in Uganda should be in for a wonderful treat.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park:
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Park is close to the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is located in the southwest of Uganda. Bwindi is frequently referred to as the Switzerland of Africa and is listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site because of its landscape and ecological variety. Half of the mountain gorillas left in the world are found in Bwindi National Park’s breathtakingly gorgeous and verdant woods. Only Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo include the remaining items. Mountain gorilla tracking safari is regarded as one of the top three things to do when in Africa especially on a safari in Uganda. Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park is once-in-a-lifetime adventure that cannot be compared to anything else if you want to see the critically endangered gorillas. In addition to offering gorilla tours, Bwindi is also a haven for Colobus monkeys and a haven for birders. Bee-eaters, chap-in flycatchers, black-billed turacos, and African green broadbills are a few of the bird species. During the wet season, when all resident and migratory birds assemble to gorge themselves on the copious amounts of forest fruits and insects, is the greatest time to go bird watching while on a trip in Uganda.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park:
Mgahinga, which is in the southwest of Uganda, is well-known for its gorilla tourism. Visits to the only habituated mountain gorilla family present in the park are part of gorilla trekking in Mgahinga. Only Mgahinga in Uganda is home to golden monkeys. To see more golden monkey groups, one would have to travel to Rwanda. It’s not just gorillas and monkeys that live in the park. The park is home to jackals, woodland elephants, buffalo, leopards, and a few different types of antelope. In addition to hiking one of the park’s three volcanoes (Mount Sabinyo, Mt. Muhavura, and Mount Gahinga), tourists on a Uganda safari can also go cave exploring on the Batwa trail. The 3-day Mgahinga gorilla safari package can be appealing if you really want to see gorillas.
Kibale Forest National Park:
The park borders Queen Elizabeth National Park and is located close to the Rwenzori Mountains. The forest is well known for being the greatest area in East Africa to track chimpanzees. Although chimpanzees can be seen in other regions of Uganda and Africa, the sheer number of animals (around 1500) in Kibale forest ensures that you will have a close encounter when on a safari in Uganda. It is possible to combine nature hikes and a trip to the Bigodi swamp with chimpanzee trekking in the Kibale forest. In addition to chimpanzees, the park is home to 13 other species of monkeys, including red colobus, L’Hoest’s, and grey-cheeked mangabeys. The park is home to giant forest hogs, antelopes, and more than 100 different kinds of butterflies. With approximately 290 kinds of birds, Kibale National Park in Uganda features areas that are covered in wetlands and grasslands.
Lake Mburo National Park:
The smallest but easiest to reach park in Uganda is Lake Mburo, located in Kampala. The largest of the park’s 12 aquatic features is Lake Mburo. Zebras can be seen at Uganda’s Lake Mburo National Park. With over 300 species gathered around the lake and its marshy beaches, the park is a birder’s delight. The huge woods benefits from the park’s lack of elephants. Animals like antelopes, buffaloes, leopards, jackals, and hyenas are abundant in the park’s Savannah grass. The greatest time to go on a safari during the dry season is when the animals congregate at Lake Mburo to drink. Our 3-Day Lake Mburo Wildlife Tour & Safari Package might be of interest to you.
Mount Elgon National Park:
The park is situated on the border between Kenya and Uganda in the Mbale district of the country’s eastern region. The park’s primary draw is Mount Elgon. The mountain is an extinct volcano with a 42 km2 caldera. Hikers love the Wagagai summit, hot springs, and other attractions that make Mount Elgon National Park so alluring. Natural forests, bushes, waterfalls, caverns, gorges, and canyons abound on the mountain sides. The park is also home to numerous bird species and primates, including blue and vevert monkeys, colobus monkeys, and others. A trip to this park should be part of any safari in Uganda.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary:
Along the route to the Murchison Falls National Park, this is a rhino reserve. The sanctuary’s goal is to safeguard the nation’s rhinos and eventually replenish the larger parks. In several of Uganda’s parks, rhinos have fallen victim to poaching for their precious horns. The sanctuary gives rhinos a safe location to reproduce by helping to safeguard them from poachers and human Uganda Wildlife tours interference. Visitors to the park can interact with the park’s more than 60 rangers and guards, observe rhinos up close, and learn more about the project and rhinos by talking to conservationists. When planning Uganda safaris to the Murchison Falls national park, the majority of tour operators include a stopover at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for Rhino trekking safari experience.

In addition to rhinos, rangers can aid in spotting hippos, crocodiles, antelopes, and monkeys. The sanctuary is a terrific place to unwind, go on nature hikes, and go canoeing while observing over 240 different bird species.
Uganda tour – Other Tourism Safari destinations.
Lake Bunyonyi.
With its 29 islands, Lake Bunyonyi is considered to be Uganda’s most picturesque lake. The cities of Kabale and Kisoro are close to the lake, which is situated close to the Rwandan border. Despite being one of the deepest in Africa, the lake is unique for its breathtaking natural beauty, which draws both tourists on Uganda tours and locals to the area. It provides wonderful places for couples to unwind and watch the day go by while making plans for their next adventure while on a safari in Uganda. The Batwa Pygmies’ traditional dances can also be seen, or you can travel between islands by boat and observe the many island villages, schools, and settlements. Visitors love stopping by the lake on their route to search for mountain gorillas because it is close to the Bwindi Impenetrable forest. More information is available in our 3 Days Lake Bunyonyi Safari package.
The source of the Nile:
A trip safari in Uganda should be completed with a two day visit to the source of the Nile in Jinja involving whitewater rafting. After leaving Uganda, the River Nile travels through a number of nations, including Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan, one of the three longest lakes in the world. Jinja is a former industrial town that is tiny, quiet, and generally well-planned. It also has stunning surroundings. You can take a safari to the Bujagali Falls or take a boat along the Nile while looking out for a number of sizable crocodiles. Additionally, there are places to camp, go fishing, go rafting or kayaking, or do the now-famous bungee leap on the Nile River.
Ssese Islands:
An archipelago of 84 beautiful islands can be discovered in Lake Victoria. The island’s peaceful sandy beaches are a favorite vacation destination for locals and tourists on Uganda Wildlife tours. Safaris in Uganda The ferry ride from Entebbe to the islands takes three hours, or 45 minutes from Bukakata. You will travel by ferry through the picturesque Lake Victoria and fishing communities on the way to Entebbe. In Kalangala town is Bugala, the largest island. Bulago and Bukasa, which both offer outstanding white sand beaches, are additional islands in Uganda worth seeing when on a safari. The islands’ two primary industries are fishing and tourism. On a trip to the Ssese Islands, tourists will have the chance to see various bird species, monkeys, crocodiles, hippos, and several species of antelope.
Uganda Wildlife Education Centre:
The centre is located in Entebbe and set up by the Uganda government for education and wildlife conservation purposes. The centre recently underwent renovations and has expanded significantly in recent years. Animal, bird, and reptile diversity and population have grown. The Entebbe Zoo is a great spot for those travelling to Uganda for brief seminars and conferences to experience the country’s rich flora and fauna.
The Rwenzori Mountains:
Uganda is blessed with several mountains but the Rwenzori mountains stands out. Tourists adore ascending the snow-capped Margherita summit, which is located near the boundary of Uganda and the DR Congo. Numerous bird and butterfly species, primates, forest hogs, and other animals live in the lush forests that cover the mountain sides. A stop by these stunning mountains on a safari in Uganda will reward nature enthusiasts with breathtaking views.
Sipi Falls:
Some of Uganda’s most beautiful waterfalls may be seen at Sipi Falls. One of Uganda’s most popular waterfalls is the Sipi Falls, which are situated at the base of Mount Elgon. There are three levels, the highest level drawing the majority of visitors.