Uganda: A Great Alternative for a Safari Holiday

Commonly referred to as the Pearl of Africa, Uganda is one underrated country rich in culture and diverse ecosystem. This landlocked country has some of the most beautiful national parks and is the home to a wide variety of plant and bird species.

The following are some of the national parks to visit when you decide to take a Uganda safari.

The Queen Elizabeth National Park

Named after the royal Queen Elizabeth II in 1954 the park is located in the western region of Uganda and it is synonymous for its large population of elephants, lions, hippos, chimpanzees, and over 500 species of birds as well as over 95 species of mammals. The main attractions include the deep craters, volcanic cones, and the tree climbing lions. Some additional activates include scenic drives and boat launches that are bound to keep any guest occupied at all times

The Rwenzori Mountains National Park

A home to one of the world’s most breathtaking natural landscapes, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park is a UNESCO named world heritage site. The park is located in the Rwenzori mountains and it covers 1000 square kilometers approximately 86 square miles. The perk is synonymous with its natural beauty and visitors love to hike on this park that is full of spectacular waterfalls, nine lakes, high glaciers, numerous endangered species and a variety of flora and fauna.

Lake Mburo National Park

It is very close to Uganda’s capital city Kampala and it spans for over 370 square kilometers. It provides a beautiful scenery for birders and photographers as well. The Lake Mburo national park is also a host to a variety of wild animals that include Zebras, leopards, hyenas, hippos, impalas and much more including over 350 species of birds. Beneath the park’s surface also lies ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks that are estimated to be over half a billion years old making the Lake Mburo National park a geologist’s dream destination.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Also a UNESCO named world heritage site, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a section of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. This region is one of Africa’s richest ecosystems and is one of Uganda’s most visited parks both due to diverse tree species that are recorded to be over 160 as well as over 120 species of mammals, plus 27 species of reptiles and amphibians such as geckos, frogs, and chameleons. Moreover, the park boasts 220 species of butterflies and 348 bird species including some endangered species. Famously, the park also provides a close up view of elephants as well as mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. If you’re going to visit Bwindi, definitely check out some good budget Gorilla trekking tours for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Semuliki National Park

Famous for the Sempaya Hot Springs the Semuliki National Park is one of Uganda’s the newest national parks. The springs are not ideal for bathing since they are hot enough to boil an egg in less than ten minutes. For animal lovers, the park has primate beasts like the grey-cheeked mangabeys, chimpanzees, De Brazza monkeys, pygmy antelopes, and numerous bird species. The park also has a lowland tropical forest that showcases some of Africa’s most diverse and richest flora and fauna.

Murchison Falls National Park

The Murchison falls national park is one ideal place to visit if you are in a mood for a good safari tour along the spectacular Nile river. It spreads inland from the shores of lake Albert adjacent to the Nile and it forms a part of the Murchison Falls Conservative Area (MFCA). It is also home to the ‘big five’ that is the cape buffalo, the leopard, the elephant and the lion. The other beautiful scenery is the Murchison falls whereby the water of the river Nile squeezes itself through a gorge to form a breath-taking waterfall.

Kibale National Park

This park is home to some of the beautiful tropical forests and is famous for it the high population of chimpanzees as well as other wildlife making it an amazing destination to visit. Visitors have a chance of witnessing up-close the diversity and density of primates as well as observing endangered species within their natural habitat. The months of March to May and September to November experience heavy rainfall and visitors are advised to carry their raincoats and umbrellas during that period.

Kidepo Valley National Park

This is one of Uganda’s most isolated national parks. However, a journey through the wild frontier is well worth it since the park provides splendid beauty whereby the kidepo valley lies within the rugged savannah in between the borders of Uganda Kenya and Southern Sudan. The park is home to over 77 species of mammals and over 475 bird species. The park is ideal for tourist who is traveling on 4WD vehicles since they will be mostly using dirt roads and all-weather roads.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

The park is synonymous with the endangered golden monkey and the rare mountain gorillas. The tour to this park is not only a great opportunity to view rare animals, it is also an exciting opportunity to experience the different culture because this region is the home to the indigenous Batwa pygmies, who were a tribe of hunter-gatherers. The spectacular view of the three extinct conical volcanoes that provide a breath-taking backdrop to the amazing scenery.

Mount Elgon National Park

Falling across both the Kenyan and Ugandan borders the Mount Elgon National Park is lies within an extinct volcano that has world’s largest surface area. The Kenyan region was gazetted as a national park in 1968 while Ugandan region was gazette in1992. The park has a wide array of game animals as well as birds and it also includes a cave with ancient paintings.