Unwind and let the oxygen-rich air of the Pearl of Africa invigorate your spirit as you hike to the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, raft or kayak the Nile passing via cascading waterfalls and intense rapids, enjoy game viewing on a wildlife safari, trek to the one of the highest peaks in Africa; the Rwenzori Mountains! Or breathe deeply at the edge of the Murchison Falls as the roaring waters of the Nile shout to you without words or go fishing in the waters of Lake Victoria, the largest lake in the world! With a lot of things to see and do, a Uganda safari is not an ordinary journey; it is a legendary journey that will take you back in time, show you the real Africa and get you back to nature. Travel from the small towns with unique culture and rich history to large cosmopolitan towns such as Kampala, Jinja and Entebbe. A Uganda safari is truly “a discovery trip of the Pearl of Africa.”
Things to Do
There are a lot of things to do while on safari in Uganda. From soft adventures to adrenaline adventures, Uganda has a wealth of activities for tourists. The best adventure activities include trekking to the highest peak of Mount Rwenzori (5109m), rafting the Nile, gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, bungee jumping, kayaking, forest hikes etc.
Animal lovers can enjoy game drives through well preserved national parks, go birding, visit Reptile Villages etc!
There are cinemas, museums, art galleries, health & beauty spas and glitzy casino’s. We have lots of ideas to enhance your stay in the Uganda, so look no further.
If you are talking about top countries with a rich biodiversity in the world, then Uganda is among the top nations and by far the best in Africa. Amazingly among the country’s ten National parks, each is unique in its own way.
Talking about the rarest species in the world, the mountain gorilla, it’s only in Uganda where you can track these few remaining gentle giants in two different Jungle forest parks. Beautiful Lakes and Rivers, large and thick rainforests, 3rd highest mountain in Africa, the Rwenzoris also known as Mountains of the moon, amazing weather, big five safaris, Beautiful sand beaches on Ssesse Islands and thunderous waterfalls, lots of colorful birds, among the many adventures. Below are some of the thrilling adventures to enjoy in Uganda.
- Visit the gorillas and meet them in the wild on a gorilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga National Park.
- Take a wildlife safari in the savanna national parks of Queen Elizabeth NP, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley NP, Semuliki National Park and Lake Mburo National Park.
- Hike various mountains including Mount Rwenzori, Mount Elgon, the Virunga Volcanoes in Mgahinga National Park etc.
- Visit the Source of the Nile River in Jinja, the adventure capital of Uganda.
- Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest, Kyambura Gorge, Budongo Forest and Kaniyo Pabidi
- Bird watching
- Ecotourism in the tropical rain forests like Mabira forest, Budongo and others,
- Visits to different cultural sites
- Day trip to the source of the Nile
- Bungee jumping
- Kayaking
- White water rafting,
- Sightseeing and city tours
Featured Things to Do
Birding
Uganda is a birder’s paradise. Over half of all bird species in Africa can be found here, making it one of the richest birding destinations on the continent. Crammed into this diminutive country is an astonishingly rich diversity of habitats, from the scenic shores of Uganda’s many great lakes to the lush forests of the Albertine Rift and the banks of the mighty Nile River.
Though Uganda has only one endemic bird (Fox’s Weaver), 23 Albertine endemics occur here which are rarely observed elsewhere. These include the Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Nightjar, Dwarf Honeyguide, African Green Broadbill, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Grauer’s Rush Warbler, Short-tailed Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Collared Apalis, Regal Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, and Shelley’s Crimsonwing among others. The record for the number of species recorded in a three-week period is 665… pack your binoculars, some sturdy shoes and your checklist, and challenge yourself to spot even more! Visit our Birding page to book your place today!
Wildlife Research Trips
Want to be more than just a tourist? How would you like to go off-limits in the park, get up close to Uganda’s wildest species, and make a valuable contribution to wildlife research and conservation?
For the first time, Queen Elizabeth National Park is opening its gates to a new kind of tourism. Visitors can join researchers as they track lions using radio collars, and learn learn to identify these fabulous felines through their facial markings, calls and behavior.
If lions are a bit much – try monitoring the banded mongoose! You’ll have fun observing these sociable little creatures, as well as monitoring the weather and their surroundings.
All the valuable information you gather will be added to the research databases to support conservation efforts, and the tour fee goes directly to funding these important projects – making this an all-round worthwhile tour! Visit our Wildlife Research Trips page to book your place today!
Equator Crossing
The equator is the only imaginary line that passes through the center of the earth and divides it into the northern and southern hemispheres. Uganda is blessed by nature to be one of the 13 countries in the world to have the equator pass through it. The equator crossing is definitely worth a visit for travelers on a safari to Uganda. It is ideally located in Kayabwe, Mpigi district along Masaka-Kampala high way only 11/2 hours drive from Kampala city. Right for a stopover opportunity to make geographical experiments, stand on both sides of the planet, take photos. Enjoy traditional food or buy local crafts from the shops.
Explore the semi-arid plains of Kidepo valley national park
Kidepo has been voted several times by CNN travel as one of the most beautiful places in Africa. The landscapes including savannah, acacia, dry Murongole Mountains, rocky outcrops, sand rivers. Though not easy to access by 12 hours drive from Kampala, the park has 500 species of birds and 77 mammals to give visitors a unique game viewing experience. There animals like ostrich, cheetah, Aard wolf, bat eared fox, lesser and greater kudu, black backed and stripe sided jackals which are not found in other Ugandan safari parks. Kidepo is famous for its biggest buffalo herds in East African along with predators like lion, leopard, hyena, wild dogs. There are no crowds of visitors like those in Maasai-Mara to compete during game drives for game viewing especially in the narus permanent sand river valley.
Track white rhinos on foot
Ziwa Rhino sanctuary home to 20 endangered white rhinos offers the only walking safaris to track rhinos on foot in Uganda. Ziwa sanctuary spanning 7,000 acres is a large natural habitat for the rhinos and Uganda wildlife authority rangers provide 24 hours security. With the guide visitors can track and see rhinos from best viewing points as close as 20 meters.
Positively, your visit supports rhino conservation because Rhino Fund Uganda is focused to breed and re-introduce rhinos back to Murchison falls National Park. Both the black and white rhinos became extinct from Murchison and kidepo valley national parks due to poaching that occurred during the civil wars in the period from 1970 to 1980’s. Ziwa sanctuary is located in Nakasongora district along the way to Murchison falls national park. Visitors can make a stopover or overnight stay in the onsite accommodations. The area has savanna woodland and swamps home to over 100 species of birds, monkeys, antelopes, crocodiles. An overnight gives you a chance to do other activities such as birding and nature walks to view antelopes.
Visit the BaTwa pygmies
BaTwa people naturally lived in the forest as warrior hunter gathers. They co-existed peacefully with the mountain gorillas of Bwindi and Mgahinga south western Uganda. However their unique traditional lifestyle was changed forever when BaTwa were evicted in 1991 out of forests to conserve the gorillas. Good enough, they were resettled outside the parks and given rights to attend school, hospital but are now struggling with poverty, HIV/AIDS, malnutrition and discrimination. This has put their unique culture at the verge of extinction. A visit to BaTwa supports wellbeing, preservation of their traditional culture and gives visitors unforgettable and entertaining cultural encounters. With lots of their traditions including fire making, traditional dances, storytelling, dress code, hunting skills, use of herbs as food and medicine.
The BaTwa trail in Mgahinga includes a visit to their original Garama caves where their King once lived. Another BaTwa homestead can be visited in Buhoma north of Bwindi on a village walk and on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi.
Spot tree climbing Lions
Uganda is one of the few countries in Africa where you can spot tree climbing lions unlike other lions which are almost found all over Africa. The predators can be seen on game drive safari through the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Sightings of tree climbing lions are easy because they climb and rest on fig tree branches and there’s less thick vegetation. Although this park is home to other big game mammals such as lions, leopards, hyenas, elephants, it’s the tree climbing lions that have it famous and worth to visit.
Attend a cultural show at Ndere cultural center
Ndere cultural center is the biggest in Kampala and offers a Ugandan traditional cultural experience. Visitors to Ndere can witness traditional dancers perform different dances that you probably saw on TV. The cultural nights also feature live entertainment, storytelling, folklore backed by traditional music instruments like drums and stings which makes your visit to Ndere worth and meaningful. Plan to visit the center on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7pm for live performances and a family show is always on Sunday 6pm. Ndere center is located along Kira road, Ntinda-Kisasi accessible by 40 minutes drive while on Kampala city tour. The place has accommodation with en-suit beds, chalet cottages and traditional house. You can as well have a cultural overnight stay at Ndere.
Visit Murchison Falls
When it comes to waterfalls experience, Murchison falls are hard to beat being the most powerful in Africa after Victoria Falls. And given its remote location in beautiful wilderness of Murchison Falls National park home to 76 mammals and 451 species of birds, the waterfalls are a must see with top of the falls hike when you just arrive in the park. In addition to big game viewing and boat cruise take visitors to the bottom of the falls.
While the most waterfalls fall over rocks or have numerous sections, Murchison falls are exceptional. With River Nile waters falling over a 45 meter rift valley cliff plunging into an 8 meter wide gorge the devil’s cauldron to create a permanent trade mark rainbow. The metaphor of the waterfalls is so strong roaring like thunder that many visitors yell Jesus.
Feeding the animals at Uganda wildlife center
Unlike other zoos in America with fake scenery and artificial habitat, Entebbe zoo has natural habitats including woodlands, swamp and savannah which provide home to 10 big cats and mammals like buffalo, zebra, rhino, over 100 species of birds and variety of medicinal herbs and plants. Entebbe zoo also known as Uganda wildlife education center has been recognized as the best in Africa by Pan-African Association of Zoos and Aquaria (PAAZA). This is in regard to UWEC’s focus on conservation, captive breeding of wildlife and promoting environmental education to the general public.
Swim in Lake Bunyonyi
Lake Bunyonyi is the 2nd deepest in Africa (900) meters. The lake has 19 islands encircled by very beautiful and romantic scenery of gently rolling terraced hills and a place for outdoor activities. The shores are filled with waterfront luxury resorts, budget camps, lodges and traditional home stays. Spend an overnight enjoying natural beauty; explore the islands with wooden canoes, hiking and village walks and bird watching. Swimming is very safe because the lake Bunyonyi has no crocodiles, hippos or risk of bilharzias infection.
Spend a day relaxing on Sesse islands
Travelers looking for a relaxing holiday vacation, visit Sesse islands for its beautiful white sand beaches, warm waters of Lake Victoria and comfortable accommodations including resort hotels. Bulago islands are the most visited compared to other 84 islands that make up Sesse. You can access Bulago islands by boarding a ferry at Entebbe Nakiwogo landing site. Once there, you can enjoy the sun and pleasant weather, swimming, hiking, boat cruises, biking, visiting fishing villages and dancing along camp fire traditional dance performances.