Uganda is a wonderful and great African safari destination that offers you long-lasting adventure memories, The “Pearl of Africa” beauty features a diversity of extremely interesting attractions that comprises of impressive landscapes, stunning wildlife including the mountain gorillas species, enormous cultures, eye-catching natural forests and many others that are worthy to be explored when you take a trip to Africa. Uganda offers an astounding experience to both nature lovers as well as adventure seekers and it is paramount to note that all safari destinations are open to all travelers throughout the year.
In this article, we are glad to present you the 5 best destinations for a wildlife safari in Uganda guaranteed to give you a memorable adventure in the Pearl Of Africa.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Bwindi forest is popularly home to the beautiful mountain gorilla species that has been habituated for gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda. The park hosts almost half of the remaining mountain gorillas in the world, there are about 500 mountain gorilla population recorded here and about 19 habituated gorilla families ready for gorilla tourism. Apart from the incredible gorilla safari adventures, Bwindi forest hosts about 120 mammals, 220 butterflies, 27 frog species, about 34 colorful bird species plus about 1000 flowering plant species. Besides the mountain gorillas, other wildlife in the park include; colobus monkeys, antelope species, forest elephants among others. It is important to note that Bwindi forest has been bisected into four sectors that harbor different habituated gorilla families, they include; Rushaga, Buhoma, Ruhiji and Nkuringo sector. These sectors feature a wide range of accommodation options that range from budget, mid-range and luxury lodge/camps, therefore you don’t need to worry about where to sleep when you take a trip to this safari destination. To see the mountain gorillas in Bwindi forest, you are required to purchase a gorilla trekking permit and the Uganda Wildlife Authority charges USD $700 for all international tourists interested in the activity. Bwindi forest national park is situated in southwestern Uganda occupying the districts of Kanungu and kabale, From Kampala to the park, it is about 8-10 hours drive while covering a distance of about 542.3 kilometers by road. The park can as well be accessed using flight services, there are chartered flights at Entebbe airport that operate flights to various safari destinations including Bwindi forest, you can book your flight transfer with either Eagle Air Uganda or Aerolink chartered Aircraft companies.
Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale forest national park is among the top outstanding primate safari destination in Uganda, there are about 13 exciting primate species recorded in the park with the chimpanzees dominating with the highest population, on this note there about 1450 chimpanzee individuals that have been habituated and ready for chimpanzee trekking safaris in the park throughout the year and open to all tourists. There are other primates in park such as; white and black monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, baboons, bush babies, L’Hoest monkeys among others. Kibale forest national park is as well home to about 70 mammals and about 375 colorful bird species. Kibale forest national park is famous for offering the best chimpanzee experience and for anyone to delight in the chimpanzee trekking adventure here, you are required to get a chimpanzee permit that costs USD $200 per person per single trek and to all international visitors planning to chimpanzee safari to the park. The forest is situated in western region of Uganda in Kabarole district adjacent to the Beautiful Fort Portal Town. From Kampala to Kibale forest national park, it is about 5-6 hours drive by road covering a distance of 795 kilometers.
Murchison Falls National Park
Popularly known as the oldest and largest safari park in Uganda is Murchison falls national park, this is one of the top leading wildlife safari destination in the Pearl of Africa, it is famous host to one of the most beautiful waterfall- Murchison falls that is formed as a result of the Victoria Nile squeezing itself through a narrow gorge about 6-7 meters wide featuring rocks that give the waterfall a charming appearance. There are about 76 mammals and about 451 exciting bird species recorded in the park. Murchison falls national park has a lot of fascinating attractions including the enchanting wildlife species that will give you an awesome experience, a game drive with an open roof safari car takes you to explore the park and it expose you to sight a diversity of amazing wildlife namely; Rothschild giraffes, buffaloes, elephants,warthogs, Uganda kobs antelopes, waterbucks, lions, leopards among others, whilst a boat cruise on the Nile river gives you chance to see animals like hippos, Nile crocodiles, many other animals at the shores that come to quench off their thirsty plus a variety of colorful bird life including the rare shoebill species that is commonly sighted here. Murchison falls national park is located in north western region of Uganda and the journey from Kampala to the park takes you about 4-5 hours drive including the stopover points. A wildlife tour to this place gives you chance to take a visit to Ziwa Rhino sanctaury where you encounter with the remaining Rhinos species in Uganda and later proceed with the journey to park with a hike to the top of the falls. The park entry fees to the park is USD $20 per person per day and game drive is charged USD $20 per person per day whilst the Nile boat cruise is charged USD $30 person and this takes you the bottom of the falls, exposing you to wildlife of the park plus a variety of singing bird species.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth national park is ranked among the most visited safari destination in Uganda due to the fact it hosts huge numbers of wildlife diversities that offers visitors a great wildlife adventure of a lifetime. There about 95 mammals species, about 610 amazing bird species and about 10 primates with the chimpanzees being the notable species in Kyambura Gorge living together in harmony with primate species. The park is the only safari destinations where get a great opportunity to encounter unique wildlife species like the tree climbing lions found in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth park, the game is done in various sections of the park and it offers you chance to sight many impressive wildlife population like the herds of elephants, thousands of buffaloes, huge numbers of Uganda kobs, many lions, leopards, warthogs, waterbucks, oribis, bush bucks among others plus habituated chimpanzees in the Kyambura gorge and in Kalinzu forest. Bird life is found in all areas of the park, while here grab a chance to enjoy a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel that gives you another opportunity to view breathtaking wildlife like populations of hippos, Nile Crocodile, elephants, buffaloes, lions, warthogs at the shores as well as many impressive numbers of bird species like egrets, fish Eagles among others. The park is not only a great wildlife destination but it also offer a rewarding birding adventure to all travelers who are bird lovers. Chimpanzee trekking in Queen Elizabeth cost USD $50 per person, park entry fees to the park is USD $20 per person per day, game drive cost USD $20 per person to all international visitor, a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel is charged USD $30 per person whilst Lion Tracking is USD $95 per person to all foreign non residents tourist.
The park is found in western region of Uganda in kasese district and from Kampala to the park by road, the journey is about 5-6 hours drive covering a distance of about 420 kilometers driving through the eye catching landscapes in the west.
UWEC- Uganda Wildlife Education Centre
UWEC is famously known as Entebbe Zoo, the safari site was set up by the colonial government in 1952 as a collection place for injured and rescued wildlife from poachers, a tour to Entebbe zoo offers you an impressive test of the thrilling wildlife and colorful bird species found in the national parks of the Pearl of Africa. UWEC is one of the family friendly wildlife destination that give you a joint adventure with your loved, it gives children chance to get close to the charming wildlife surviving at this World class refugee namely; lions, chimpanzees, ostriches, giraffes, shoebill stork, leopards, white rhinos, chimpanzees, elephants, giraffes among others. The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre rates for international visitors ranges from USD $ 70 for a behind scene experience at the site.
Regardless of whether you are family, solo or group travelers with a wildlife enthusiasm you have come to the right place, Uganda offers a thrilling experience to both adventure seekers as well as nature lovers looking for a unique experience. With the above guide, feel free to book with us a Uganda wildlife safari and you wont regret every dollar spent on your trip. For further more information, bookings and inquiries, simply get in touch with our travel experts by sending an email on info@ugandasafaribookings.com or call us directly on +256-700135510/ +256-414699459 to speak with our reservations team.
