4 Best Uganda National Parks to See Amazing Wildlife
Here are four national parks in Uganda that offer great wildlife viewing opportunities: Murchison Falls, Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth and Kidepo. Murchison and Queen turn out to be the most popular and have the highest concentration of wildlife so far. Lake Mburo and Kidepo are less visited compared to the rest but offer equally good wildlife viewing experiences.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is apparently the most popular national park in Uganda and has the highest population of mammals and bird life. Murchison Falls comes next to it and has larger mammals inclusive of the Rothschild Giraffe – a specie that cannot be found in Queen.
These destinations equally contribute to Uganda’s status of being a great wildlife viewing destination on the African continent. It might not be among the best, but does have the kind of experience every tourist would expect from a wildlife safari.
One of the national parks – Kidepo Valley National Park was named the 3rd best safari park on the African Continent by Cable News Network (CNN) in 2013. This milestone turned out to be a cornerstone to a virgin isolated national park that was always known for insecurity. Kidepo sits on the wild frontier region of North-Eastern Uganda and turns out to be one of the best spots for wildlife viewing in Uganda. If you are brave enough to take on the 12 – 14 hours drive or have the capacity to opt for scheduled / chartered flights, you should definitely visit this park. The park is very secure to visit.
Kidepo Valley National Park
The remote and less explored Kidepo Valley National Park is a 1,442 square kilometres national park in the Karamoja region in northeast Uganda. Kidepo is rugged savannah, dominated by the 2,750 metres Mount Morungole and transected by the Kidepo and Narus rivers. This park harbors a lot of big cats and some species of wildlife that cannot be found else where in Uganda. Ostriches can only be found here and cheetah’s on rare occasions.
The main reason why few people visit the Kidepo National Park is the distance. The journey usually lasts for about 14 hours by road and at times you will have to divide it into two days. The best way to access this park is by using chartered flights. You will spend roughly two hours flying ans cut your distance short. Truth be told! Safaris to Kidepo are one of the best you will ever experience in Uganda.
Murchison Falls National Park
The popular Murchison Falls National Park sits on the shore of Lake Albert, in northwest Uganda. It’s known for Murchison Falls, where the Victoria Nile River surges through a narrow gap over a massive drop. Park wildlife includes elephants and hippos, and there are chimpanzees in the Kaniyo Pabidi mahogany forest. The Lake Albert Delta is home to rare shoebill storks. There are game fish in the cascades of Karuma Falls.
The Murchison Falls Park is home to 76 species of mammals including four of the “Big Five”, with huge herds of buffaloes and elephants, well-camouflaged leopards and a healthy population of lions. It is also known for its giraffes; in Uganda these can only be viewed here and in Kidepo Valley. Other species viewed regularly along the game tracks include Jackson’s hartebeest, bushbucks, Uganda kob, waterbucks and warthogs. Resident crocodiles and hippos as well as other, visiting wildlife are found along the river.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is in southwest Uganda. Leopards roam the Mweya Peninsula, which lies beside Lake Edward. Nearby Lake Katwe is a huge volcanic explosion crater. Boats on the Kazinga Channel float past hippos and Nile crocodiles. Chimpanzees inhabit the Kyambura Gorge. Trails lead to bat caves in the central Maramagambo Forest. The Ishasha area is home to tree-climbing lions and shoebill storks.
With an astonishing 5000 hippos, 2500 elephants and over 10,000 buffalo thriving in its grasslands and shorelines, Queen Elizabeth National Park guarantees sightings of some of Africa’s most iconic species. Hearing the elephants’ calls reverberate around Queen’s crater-filled valleys is a magical experience. Other common herbivores include warthogs, waterbuck, Uganda kob and topi, as well as the sitatunga antelope.
Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park is a compact gem, located conveniently close to the highway that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda. It is the smallest of Uganda’s Savannah national parks and underlain by ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks which date back more than 500 million years.
The small in size Lake Mburo National Park has varied habitats support 68 mammal species. Rarities include impala, which, in Uganda, only lives in Lake Mburo, and Burchell’s zebra and eland which are found only here and in Kidepo. Other species include warthog, buffalo, oribi, Defassa waterbuck and reedbuck. Leopard and hyena are also present while crocodile and over 300 hippos are found in the lake. Previously extinct in the park, lions have recently been sighted again.
Read MoreBest 8 Weekend Trips You can Take from Kampala
Everyone desires to live in Kampala but time reaches when you will feel the need to escape from the city bustle. And weekend trips are definitely the best alternative to you that city escape and you will experience something unique. Choosing that one exceptional place for your weekend trips from Kampala may also seem challenging but with the check list below, you will get back home when filled with lots of memories.
Entebbe
Entebbe is that one place anyone planning for weekend trip from Kampala should consider a must-visit while on Uganda safari. A visit to Entebbe offers the best relaxation and chilling experience for anyone in need for affordable weekend trip. It is set on the scenic shores of Lake Victoria the world’s largest fresh water lake, approximately one hour’s drive off Kampala capital city. It is accessible by special hire taxi, private vehicle or matatu bus. Its strategic location makes it a perfect weekend/romantic getaway in Uganda. There are many places for visitors to stay, bars and restaurants as well as a lot more for you do including visiting the Botanical gardens, boat trip on Lake Victoria, visit to the reptile village, relax on its beautiful sandy beaches.
A visit to Entebbe also lets you explore the Uganda Wildlife Education Center where most rescued wildlife species are taken care of. Move around or embark on an exceptional behind the scene tour for you to interact with locals.
Jinja
Popular as adrenaline adventure capital in East Africa, Jinja prides itself as a home to the source of the Nile. Jinja is about 2-3 hours’ drive from Kampala capital city and straddles just on the banks of the River Nile. A weekend trip in Jinja lets you take part in various thrilling adventure experiences including white water rafting, kayaking, boat cruise, boat cruise, jet boating, bungee jumping, horseback riding around the local communities adjacent the Nile.
Sipi Falls
Head out to Sipi Falls in Eastern Uganda to explore and experience this scenic site. The Sipi Falls is comprised of 3 magical waterfalls and it is approximately 6 hours’ drive from Kampala. It is set at elevation 1775 at th foothills of Mount Elgon and it is perfect to explore on Uganda safari especially by enthusiastic hikers. Hiking to the Sipi Falls lets you feel and refresh yourself with fresh air and get the best of its breathtaking sceneries.
Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park is 4 hours’ drive away from Kampala making Uganda’s most accessible park. Its easy access makes it the perfect weekend getaway from Kampala capital city. Lake Mburo National Park was established in 1983 and sits in an area of about 270sq.kms which also makes it one of the smallest national parks in Uganda.
A visit to Lake Mburo National Park while on Uganda safari lets you explore and experience its diverse wildlife species which sprawl in its vast savanna grassland including among others lions, leopards, buffaloes, Rothschild giraffes, impalas, warthogs, klipspringer, burchells zebras, hippos, topis, elands, jackals and over 350 bird species including martial eagles and red-faced barbets in the acacia-wooded savannah, pelicans, fish eagles, herons, papyrus yellow warblers and African fin foots in the wetlands, bronze tailed starling, crested crane, Coqui Francolin, Emerald-spotted Wood, Rufous-bellied Heron, Bateleur, blue napped coucal, Nubian woodpecker, pennant winged nightjars, swamp flycatchers, go away bird, bronze tailed starling, shoebill stork.
A weekend gateway to Lake Mburo National Park allows you take part in different activities including game drives through its magical savannas, bird watching, boat cruise, horseback riding to mention but a few.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Founded in 1997, the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is set in Nakasongola district about 7 kilometers away from the Kampala-Gulu highway and about 176 kilometers from Kampala. It is where the wild Rhinos thrive which makes them the major attractions within the Sanctuary. However, it also inhabits about 300 species of birds including among others the African pied wagtails, Barred warblers, Curlew Sandpiper, African pygmy kingfisher, Fan-tailed widow cuckoo, the Dark-caped yellow warblers, the double-toothed barbets, Eurasian Hobby, Emerald-spotted wood Dove, Africa morning Dove, Egyptian goose, Common waxbills, African open-billed storks, crested francolins, the African Paradise Flycatcher, Augur buzzard, Crowned hornbills, Dusky tit, Bare-faced go-away bird, Black and white Manikin, Eastern grey plantain eater, Barn swallow, Bat Hawk, Red-knobbed coot, the red-rumped swallow, Red-throated Wryneck, red-winged Doves, Ross’ turaco, Sacred Ibis, Rufus-billed herons, Saddle-billed storks, the Sand Martins, Black and white shrike flycatcher, Goliath Herons, Black-crowned waxbills, giant kingfishers, yellow-fronted canary, black crowned Tchagra, foxes weaver, the black-bellied Bustard, shoebill storks, Red-headed weavers, Scaly-throated honey guide, Scarlet-chested sunbirds, sedge warblers, wood sandpiper, semi-colored flycatcher, the grey-backed fiscal shrike, Blue-napped mouse bird, grey-backed Camaroptera, blue-cheeked bee-eater, Green wood hoopoe, blue-breasted kingfisher, green crombec, white0winhged terns, Black-winged bishop, greater blue-eared starlings, black-shouldered kites, great sparrow hawks, black kites, grey crowned cranes, great reed warblers, great egret, black-headed gonoleks, yellow-billed shrike, grassland Pipit, black Cuckoo, Senegal Coucal.
Visitors on Uganda safari to Murchison Falls National Park the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the best stopover point. While here, you can embark on rhino tracking, nature walks among other activities.
Murchison Falls National Park
Set in Northwestern Uganda about 4-5 hours’ drive away from Kampala, Murchison Falls National Park is of no doubt a premier safari destination in the pearl of Africa. It is an exceptional weekend gateway destination worth exploring while on Uganda safari. Murchison Falls National Park sits in an area of about 3840 square kilometers which makes it the largest of all the ten national parks in Uganda. Its iconic tourist attraction is Murchison falls-which is one of the world’s most powerful waterfalls which you can witness squeezing itself in a narrow gorge of not more than 8 meters before plunging about 43 meters. A weekend trip in this national park offers you a chance to explore its huge concentration of wildlife including among others the African bush elephants, lions, buffaloes, leopards, chimpanzees, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, warthogs, as well as over 451 bird species including the rare shoe-billed stork, dwarf kingfisher, Goliath heron, white-thighed hornbill and great blue Turaco.
Kibale Forest National Park
Set in Western Uganda, approximately 5 hours’ drive away from Kampala, Kibale Forest National Park is another most incredible site worth exploring on weekend trip. It is a perfect site to visit by primate lovers, especially if you are interested in chimpanzee tracking experiences. Kibale Forest National Park is the ultimate destination for primate safaris in Uganda given its unique concentration of 14 different primate species. It sits in an area of about 795sq.kms, inhabiting about 13 primate species including over 1500 chimpanzees, red tailed monkeys, red colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, pottos, bush babies, olive baboons, L’Hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys as well as over 350 bird species.
Ssese Islands
Ssese Islands are magical islands on Lake Victoria and comprised of 8 different islands. They feature untouched pristine rain-forest with Bugala Island being the largest of all, about 3 hours by ferry. These islands are perfect for weekend trips and offer the best relaxation and chilling environment for you and your dear ones. Others include Banda Island which is about 4 hours boat ride from Entebbe, Bulago Island to popular Pineapple Bay Resort.
In summary, think of weekend gateway and think not beyond the above listed places and you won’t be left regrets in your life!
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4 Famous Places to Visit in Kampala
Kampala city is one of the places you can’t miss to visit ounce on your safari to Uganda, it’s known as the busiest and most entertaining places for tourists as well as urban dwellers. Many entertaining places are located within the city including nightclubs, historic sites, luxury hotels, road side bars, restaurants and many others; all these places draw a variety of tourists all over the world to visit these places. Get a night out and visit the ever raging night clubs, you can hire a car in Uganda plus a driver and drive you around town most of the drivers know each and every good place to go. You will be amazed by what you will find in the city. Here are some of the interesting places to visit within Kampala Uganda’s capital and largest city.
Kasubi Tombs
Uganda is a home to very many cultural sites; however it’s very difficult to visit all of them when on a safari to Uganda. However the easiest to visit is the kabaka’s palace. It’s located just a few kilometers from Kampala. It’s a burial place for over 4 kings of Buganda, so a visit to this place will give you an opportunity to learn more about the history and culture of Buganda plus also step in the shoes of the King. The Kasubi tombs have been burnt down in previous years (2010 & 2013) but reconstruction is almost through and reopening of the tombs might take place this year.
Kabaka’s Palace
Uganda is known as a cultural melting spot with over 50 tribal groups, The Buganda kingdom is the largest and considered the most popular tribe in Buganda with a charming history and a language used by half the population within Kampala (the central is majorly dominated by Baganda tribe). A visit to the kabaka palace will offer you a chance to learn more about the history, Buganda culture, and how the Baganda live. The palace is situated in mengo just about 20 minutes from the capital center, depending on your means of travel, you can hire a car from a car rental company either on self-drive or with a driver, or you can get there by a tax or a boda-boda.
Discotheques
Kampala is a place to very many night clubs, a visit to one or more will give you a nice experience on a Ugandan safari. You will see how Ugandans dance, from the beautiful Ugandans girls to the vibrating African and urban music, don’t hesitate to dance on the tunes of African vibes. Many Ugandans and tourists always want to finalize their day at a popular night club and have fun from there with their friends, loved one plus meet new friends and just enjoy the night. Some of the popular night clubs around the city Kampala include Angenoir, Amnesia, Ambiance, Fat Boys, comrades Bar, Gavnor among many others
Christian cathedrals
For those who want to visit religious sites Namiremebe and Lubaga Cathedrals are the best places to go and are the most popular Anglican churches in Uganda. The Catholics and Protestants are the major religions in Uganda constituting to over 70% of total Uganda population. The cathedrals are well designed being designed by the Europeans in the late colonial era and still stand to this day, ounce here learn more about the catholic and Anglican religion and how the religion was brought in Uganda. So don’t miss to visit a holy places an experience you wouldn’t miss.
If you are Interested in exploring Kampala City, just book with us through info@ugandaselfdrive.com, we will be more than pleased to organize to any of the above mentioned tourist attractions in Kampala. Or rent a self-drive car from us and explore by your self.
Read MoreGoing on a Uganda Tour: Things to Know
To be more effective and vibrant at work, you need a refreshed and relaxed mind. However, it is not that easy to get something that can relax your mind thoroughly. One to refresh his/her mind has to engage into something that is unusual from what he/she experiences from his/her daily life. One should go for something out of this world, something one has never encountered, something adventurous and exciting.
A safari in Uganda can give you adventure, excitement and a lifetime experience. For starters Uganda is a country known for eco tourism due to the variety of natural attraction distributed around the country. Uganda has ten national parks where you find exotic animals in their natural setting like the lions, elephants, leopards, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes, monkeys among the special ones. The most notable national parks are Queen Elizabeth where one can take a game drive to see the big five animals of Africa. While at Queen Elizabeth national park a boat cruiser at Kazinga channel is worth an experience as you feel the sea bliss and also see some aquatic birds and animals like hippos, waterbucks, crocodile and the elephants at the shores as you sail on the water taking a soft drink.
There is also Murchison Falls National Park the largest national park in Uganda with a unique hike at top of the falls of Albert Nile(a tributary to the longest river in the world- River Nile. While on top of the falls, you witness the Nile, the longest river in the world, is forced through a narrow gap in the rock (only 7 meters wide), before ferociously plunging down 43 meters and have a good scenic view as you look at the wonderful landscape of the park and also look at different animals grazing while other hunting for prey in a distance. Murchison falls national park also offers a game drive around the park as you spot the grazers and the predators in the park.
Kidepo National Park is also among those national parks that can make enjoy Uganda as this gives the true African wilderness. As you take a game drive at Kidepo national park, you are able to see African wildlife clearly like the lions, ostriches, hyenas, giraffes, elephant and buffaloes. This national park has semi arid African savannah that gives you a clear view of any wildlife in this national park. it is also a good arena for having breakfast in the wild as it has well placed trees with good shades where you sit and have a nice feast in the morning as you look at the elephants, antelopes, zebras and buffaloes grazing around.
The nights at Uganda safari are also enjoyable as the accommodation facilities around the game park are world class. These have self contained rooms, restaurants, bars, swimming and nice quadrangles where the visitor can relax in the evening as he/she grabs a cold beer or soft drink reading a book or listening to some music.
A tour to Uganda is much more that exciting as you enjoy yourself from the word go to the finish line.
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