Uganda is so known for its primate experience (chimpanzees and mountain gorillas), and its activity focus (white water rafting, hiking, mountain climbing etc.), that its safari experience is often underrated. Uganda actually has the Big Five in the country so a safari here should definitely be considered.
Located in the northern tip of Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park is a vast wilderness in the remote Karamoja region, on the border of South Sudan. The landscape is compromised by spacious grasslands, seasonal rivers and mountains ranges leading up through Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan.
During the early years of the British protectorate, the city of Entebbe was the capital of Uganda. Kampala has now taken its place as capital but that isn’t to say that Entebbe is not worth a visit, especially as it works well logistically, passing from one destination to another.
Located in the northern region of Uganda, Murchison Falls is a waterfall found on the course of the great Nile. This is where the Nile squeezes through a narrow 8 metre gorge and cascades down to become a placid river and often a trademark rainbow.
Jinja is most renowned for being the source of the River Nile – a major north-flowing river in north eastern Africa and at a length of approximately 6,850 kilometers, it is longest river in the world! For that reason alone, thousands of tourists include make a visit to Jinja to see the source of the river, but also to participate in all of the adrenaline activities that the destination offers.
Founded in 1952, the Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in western Uganda and is formed of a variety of ecosystems homes just under 100 mammal species and over 600 bird species. As a result, for obvious reasons, is often included in a Uganda itinerary. Vast savannahs, lush forests, glistening lakes and fertile wetlands make it the perfect home for elephant, buffalo, lion, chimpanzees and hippo in particular.
Uganda has several forests and national parks in which chimpanzees can be found and the park you visit will depend on the experience you are wanting – whether that is a chimpanzee tracking experience, or a chimpanzee habituation experience. Habituated chimpanzees mean that they are accustomed to human presence and will not run off when they sense or see humans.
In the southwestern corner of Uganda sits the most biologically diverse forests in Africa - Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The forest is part of the Rift Valley Mountains that stretch over three countries – Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo – and the most famous reason to visit this group of forests is to see the mountain gorillas.
