Uganda Gorilla Safaris
Overview
Uganda is one of the most alluring safari destinations in East African region. The pearl of Africa is deeply endowed with a lot of natural attractions including a wide range of mountains for example Mountain Elgon and enormous Mountain Rwenzori, fresh water bodies that include Lake Victoria, Lake Edward, Lake Kyoga and more lakes scattered in all parts of the country. Uganda also shares part of the elongated great River Nile, River Katonga and River Kagera.
There are also numerous national parks, very rich in biodiversity – Queen Elizabeth National park, Bwindi Impenetrable national park, Mgahinga, Lake Mburo, Murchison falls NP etc. Uganda is home to incredible safari activities where some are even life time experiences for example gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, chimpanzee tracking, boat cruising, game drives, sport fishing, white water rafting and mountain hiking, etc.
There are also numerous national parks, very rich in biodiversity – Queen Elizabeth National park, Bwindi Impenetrable national park, Mgahinga, Lake Mburo, Murchison falls NP etc. Uganda is home to incredible safari activities where some are even life time experiences for example gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, chimpanzee tracking, boat cruising, game drives, sport fishing, white water rafting and mountain hiking, etc.
Recommended Uganda Safari Packages
Popular Attractions and Activities in Uganda
Murchison Falls National Park.
This is number one largest and oldest national park in Uganda and one of the most flocked safari destinations in the country. Also locally known as “Kabalega national park”, the vast park is located in northwestern Uganda and sits on the shores of comely Lake Albert in the Albertine Rift Valley.
The park is highly known for its thundering water falls caused by the Victoria Nile. Murchison falls national park is definitely the largest conservation area under Murchison Falls Conservation Area (MFCA) spanning close to 3,893 Km2.
Wildlife in Murchison Falls National Park.
Murchison falls NP offers the most aesthetic game driving experience and wildlife views where visitors may sight hungry lions feasting on Ugandan Kobs and a wide range of mammal species including herds of buffaloes and elephants moving comfortably in big numbers.
Dominated mainly by savanna, woodland and riverine forests, Murchison falls national park homes about 75 mammal species including chimpanzees, Oribis and leopards, very many buffaloes, elephants and giraffes can also be sighted in big numbers.
Victoria Nile that bisects through the enormous park shelters Nile crocodiles, hippopotamuses and offers alluring bird sightings as well as the best birding experience. A big population of red throated bee-eaters alongside other stunning water birds can be sighted along the banks of Victoria River.
The magnificent park homes about 450 bird species including rare and migratory bird species that come all the way from Europe in times of unfavorable weather conditions during winter season finding their way trapped on the African continent.
Buffaloes, hippopotamuses, Nile crocodiles and other animals in the park can be sighted quenching up thirst on the banks of Victoria Nile River.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Bwindi impenetrable national park as the name sounds is almost impenetrable in some of its parts with thick dense forests. The vast park is famously known for extra ordinary gorilla trekking tours. It is the country’s most popular destination for gorilla safaris with half of the remaining endangered mountain gorillas in the world being sheltered and habituated in this park.
The enormous park shelters over 600 gorilla individuals in four sectors. The most famous gorilla sector in Bwindi is “Buhoma gorilla sector” where 5 habituated gorilla families are homed. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable forest involves hiking through dense vegetation and steep slopes so the less fit tourists are always assigned to the nearby groups.
Visitors are divided into groups of eight, and each is assigned to one gorilla family. Once the gorillas are tracked and spotted, visitors can only spend one full hour with these beautiful apes while learning their behaviors, feeding habits, social life and how they react to human’s presence. One of the most breath taking moments and is to watch the female gorillas comfortably and peacefully breastfeeding their young ones all under the protection of one dominant alpha male known as silverback.
While on the trekking tour in search of mountain gorillas, visitors will have a chance to encounter remarkable wildlife views including rare mammal and bird species. Visitors on the Uganda gorilla trekking tour are advised to pack comfortable and strong hiking shoes to enable them trek easily trough inaccessible trails.
Another known gorilla trekking spot in Uganda is the smallest national park in the country known as Mgahinga National Park situated in the southwestern part of Uganda.
Kidepo Valley National Park.
This isolated national park is situated in North Eastern part of Uganda bordering South Sudan and Kenya. The vast comely park is dominated by seasonal rivers that tend to expose themselves in wet seasons of the year, semi-arid savanna. Because of its distant location, it is the most isolated national park in the country hence not visited by very many tourists compared to Queen Elizabeth national park or Murchison falls national park.
Tourists from all over the world on Uganda safari tour who are interested in visiting the Kidepo Valley national park can drive by road from the capital city of Uganda, Kampala City about 570 kilo meters taking around 10 hours of drive by road through Kitgum and Gulu districts.
Wildlife in Kidepo valley national park.
Apart from being one of the best parks for game viewing, Kidepo valley national park shelters about 75 mammal species including Elephants, giraffes, leopards, lions, spotted hyenas, to mention but a few. Buffaloes here are estimated to be relatively bigger in population than elephants, with about 10,000 and over 60 respectively.
For travelers who love birding activities, Kidepo valley national park is the only park in the country that homes the majestic common ostrich with a wide range of other rare bird species. The park homes about 450 bird species with a number of 60 rare bird species that are not found in other parts of the country.
Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo national park also known as “whispers of the wind” situated in western part of Uganda, in Kiruhura, Isingiro and Mbarara districts. Apart from the impalas that are the most popular attractions in the park, this beautiful park also shelters a variety of other mammal species including buffaloes, hyenas, leopards, zebras, elands, Topis and Kobs.
Visitors to lake Mburo national can be rest assured of the time management in case they are on the hurry as the park is just close to the capital city Kampala and the country’s airport Entebbe – 4 to 5 hours’ drive. The park is also endowed with dense forests acting as natural shelter for a wide number of animals while providing exceptional birding tours and best wildlife views.
Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Visitors have testified how a Ugandan Safari feels incomplete without visiting the rich vast Queen Elizabeth National Park. Located in the western part of Uganda, this enormous park is highly endowed that it’s the most popular savanna park in the country blended with exceptional biodiversity that brings in the fresh water bodies of lakes and rivers, savanna grassland and wetlands.
This magnificent is the right spot to sight lions in Uganda especially the tree climbing lions that during the game drives.
This is number one largest and oldest national park in Uganda and one of the most flocked safari destinations in the country. Also locally known as “Kabalega national park”, the vast park is located in northwestern Uganda and sits on the shores of comely Lake Albert in the Albertine Rift Valley.
The park is highly known for its thundering water falls caused by the Victoria Nile. Murchison falls national park is definitely the largest conservation area under Murchison Falls Conservation Area (MFCA) spanning close to 3,893 Km2.
Wildlife in Murchison Falls National Park.
Murchison falls NP offers the most aesthetic game driving experience and wildlife views where visitors may sight hungry lions feasting on Ugandan Kobs and a wide range of mammal species including herds of buffaloes and elephants moving comfortably in big numbers.
Dominated mainly by savanna, woodland and riverine forests, Murchison falls national park homes about 75 mammal species including chimpanzees, Oribis and leopards, very many buffaloes, elephants and giraffes can also be sighted in big numbers.
Victoria Nile that bisects through the enormous park shelters Nile crocodiles, hippopotamuses and offers alluring bird sightings as well as the best birding experience. A big population of red throated bee-eaters alongside other stunning water birds can be sighted along the banks of Victoria River.
The magnificent park homes about 450 bird species including rare and migratory bird species that come all the way from Europe in times of unfavorable weather conditions during winter season finding their way trapped on the African continent.
Buffaloes, hippopotamuses, Nile crocodiles and other animals in the park can be sighted quenching up thirst on the banks of Victoria Nile River.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Bwindi impenetrable national park as the name sounds is almost impenetrable in some of its parts with thick dense forests. The vast park is famously known for extra ordinary gorilla trekking tours. It is the country’s most popular destination for gorilla safaris with half of the remaining endangered mountain gorillas in the world being sheltered and habituated in this park.
The enormous park shelters over 600 gorilla individuals in four sectors. The most famous gorilla sector in Bwindi is “Buhoma gorilla sector” where 5 habituated gorilla families are homed. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable forest involves hiking through dense vegetation and steep slopes so the less fit tourists are always assigned to the nearby groups.
Visitors are divided into groups of eight, and each is assigned to one gorilla family. Once the gorillas are tracked and spotted, visitors can only spend one full hour with these beautiful apes while learning their behaviors, feeding habits, social life and how they react to human’s presence. One of the most breath taking moments and is to watch the female gorillas comfortably and peacefully breastfeeding their young ones all under the protection of one dominant alpha male known as silverback.
While on the trekking tour in search of mountain gorillas, visitors will have a chance to encounter remarkable wildlife views including rare mammal and bird species. Visitors on the Uganda gorilla trekking tour are advised to pack comfortable and strong hiking shoes to enable them trek easily trough inaccessible trails.
Another known gorilla trekking spot in Uganda is the smallest national park in the country known as Mgahinga National Park situated in the southwestern part of Uganda.
Kidepo Valley National Park.
This isolated national park is situated in North Eastern part of Uganda bordering South Sudan and Kenya. The vast comely park is dominated by seasonal rivers that tend to expose themselves in wet seasons of the year, semi-arid savanna. Because of its distant location, it is the most isolated national park in the country hence not visited by very many tourists compared to Queen Elizabeth national park or Murchison falls national park.
Tourists from all over the world on Uganda safari tour who are interested in visiting the Kidepo Valley national park can drive by road from the capital city of Uganda, Kampala City about 570 kilo meters taking around 10 hours of drive by road through Kitgum and Gulu districts.
Wildlife in Kidepo valley national park.
Apart from being one of the best parks for game viewing, Kidepo valley national park shelters about 75 mammal species including Elephants, giraffes, leopards, lions, spotted hyenas, to mention but a few. Buffaloes here are estimated to be relatively bigger in population than elephants, with about 10,000 and over 60 respectively.
For travelers who love birding activities, Kidepo valley national park is the only park in the country that homes the majestic common ostrich with a wide range of other rare bird species. The park homes about 450 bird species with a number of 60 rare bird species that are not found in other parts of the country.
Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo national park also known as “whispers of the wind” situated in western part of Uganda, in Kiruhura, Isingiro and Mbarara districts. Apart from the impalas that are the most popular attractions in the park, this beautiful park also shelters a variety of other mammal species including buffaloes, hyenas, leopards, zebras, elands, Topis and Kobs.
Visitors to lake Mburo national can be rest assured of the time management in case they are on the hurry as the park is just close to the capital city Kampala and the country’s airport Entebbe – 4 to 5 hours’ drive. The park is also endowed with dense forests acting as natural shelter for a wide number of animals while providing exceptional birding tours and best wildlife views.
Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Visitors have testified how a Ugandan Safari feels incomplete without visiting the rich vast Queen Elizabeth National Park. Located in the western part of Uganda, this enormous park is highly endowed that it’s the most popular savanna park in the country blended with exceptional biodiversity that brings in the fresh water bodies of lakes and rivers, savanna grassland and wetlands.
This magnificent is the right spot to sight lions in Uganda especially the tree climbing lions that during the game drives.