Best of Uganda Safari

National Parks
Murchison Falls National Park
Uganda’s largest national park, Murchison Falls National Park is located in northwestern Uganda. The park combined with the Bugungu Wildlife Reserve and the Karuma Wildlife Reserve forms the Murchison Falls Conservation Area. Murchison Falls National Park derives its name from the Murchison Falls where the mighty River Nile explodes through a narrow gorge and flows down to become a placid river whose banks are thronged with hippos, crocodiles, waterbuck and buffaloes. The vegetation is characterised by savannah, riverine forest and woodland. Wildlife includes lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, buffalos, hartebeests, oribis, Uganda kobs, chimpanzees and many bird species including the rare shoebill. The best time for bird watching is January-March which tends to have plenty of bird activity with fewer tourists.

Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale National park lies in western Uganda, southeast of the Fort Portal town. With lush tropical rainforest and fascinating diversity of animals, Kibale National Park is one of the most beautiful forests in Uganda. Due to its location between the wet rainforests of the Congo basin and the drier East African forest, Kibale supports an unusually rich array of tropical plants and animals from both areas. One of the highest concentrations of monkeys and apes in the world and the highest in Uganda is found here, including the endangered chimpanzee and the red colobus monkeys. Kibale's varied altitude supports different types of habitat, ranging from a wet tropical forest on the Fort Portal plateau to woodland and savanna on the rift valley floor. With 351 tree species being recorded in the park, some rise to over 55m and are over 200 years old. The Kibale Forest is the best place to spot chimpanzees in Uganda and Rwanda with a 90% chance of seeing them. The park contains the largest population of forest elephants found in Uganda, but they are rarely sighted. Kibale has the highest primate density of any area on earth, including the red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, olive baboon, chimpanzee, colobus (black, white and red) and white-cheeked mangabey. Other mammals found are bushbuck, red and blue duiker, Uganda kob, Scaly-tailed flying squirrel, tree pangolin, buffalo, waterbuck and hippo as well as a large number of birds.

Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is undoubtedly Uganda’s most visited park . Located in western Uganda, the park boasts one of the highest biodiversity location ratings in the world featuring tropical forests, volcanic craters, and grassy plains . Set against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains, the park’s magnificent vistas include dozens of enormous craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffalo and elephants, and the endless Ishasha plains. The park’s diverse ecosystems make it the ideal habitat for the big game, ten primate species (including chimpanzees) and over 600 species of birds . Ishasha in the southern part of the park is home to the famous tree-climbing lions. One can be sure to spot many buffalo, giant forest hogs, warthogs, rare aquatic sitatunga antelope, horned Uganda kob, waterbuck, leopard, topi and elephant. A relaxing boat ride on the channel is a popular attraction and a great way to see the hippos! Also, the sunset over the water is spectacular.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The Virunga mountain range dominates the National Park, and the landscape is dotted with waterfalls and lakes . With high annual rainfall, the rainforest is deserving of its name – impenetrable. Bwindi Forest is most famous for being the home to half of the world’s population of endangered Mountain Gorillas . The experience of encountering such animals is said to be one of the most emotional Uganda wildlife adventure safaris you will ever have. The biodiversity in the forest is impeccable as it provides a home for over 310 species of butterfly, 200 trees, 88 months, 120 species of mammals including 10 species of primates and 51 reptiles . The various primates that can be found in the forest in addition to the mountain gorillas include the red-tailed and blue monkey, L’Hoest’s, chimpanzee, black and white colobus, and baboons . The Bwindi Forest also has over 350 species of birds . The area is also home to the Batwa Pygmies , who are the oldest inhabitants of the Great Lakes region of Central Africa. These hunter-gatherers have a rich, broad culture and history that they are happy to share.