Overview
Things To Do
When To Go
Itineraries
Travel TipsUganda - Experience the "Pearl of Africa"
This small, landlocked country has a diverse landscape that encompasses the Rwenzoris, Africa's tallest mountain range, the source of the Nile, the world's longest river and Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake.
Whether you are climbing the Mountains of the Moon, white water rafting on the Nile or tracking the endangered mountain gorillas, Uganda packs quite a punch when it comes to bucket-list experiences.
While Uganda is most famous for gorilla and chimpanzee tracking, a safari holiday here offers you an astounding variety of attractions. The scenery here is jaw dropping with dense misty forests, snow-capped mountains, glassy lakes and sprawling savannas.
Besides other primates such as olive baboon, black-and-white colobus and red colobus monkey, blue monkey, red-tailed monkey, gray-cheeked mangabey, L'hoest monkey, expect to see elephants, Rothschild giraffes, lions (tree-climbing ones as well), Ugandan kobs (antelope), waterbucks, zebras, buffaloes, hippos and crocodiles, not to mention more than 1000 bird species.
Uganda Highlights
Gorilla and chimp tracking
Discover the local Bakiga and Batwa Pygmy cultures
Some of the richest birding in Africa (with over a 1000 bird species)
Game drives in the savannah landscape
Experience the Ugandan countryside
Safari adventure activities
"Off the beaten track" safari honeymoon destination
Boat cruises
Spectacular scenery - dense misty forests, snow-peaked mountains, glassy lakes
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Home to almost half of the world’s mountain gorilla population.
The 25,000 year old forest is known for its exceptional biodiversity, with more than 160 species of trees and over 100 species of ferns. They don't call this "impenetrable" for no reason - the web of jungle ferns and tangled vines is so thick which makes hiking a challenging yet an exhilarating experience. Besides gorilla which is undoubtedly the star attraction, Bwindi is a sanctuary for chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, L'Hoest's monkeys, African elephants and birds such as African green broadbill, turaco and hornbill, and butterflies such as African giant swallowtail and cream-banded swallowtail.
Things to do:
Gorilla tracking • Nature walks in the Bwindi area • Visit the Batwa community • Dug-out canoe ride in Lake Mulehe • Birdwatching
Queen Elizabeth National Park
A true safari gem famous for its tree-climbing lions.
Set against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains, the park’s magnificent vistas include dozens of enormous craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffaloes and elephants, and the endless Ishasha plains, whose fig trees hide lions ready to pounce on herds of unsuspecting Uganda kob.The landscape is a diverse mix of sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes and fertile wetlands, making it the ideal habitat for classic big game, ten primate species including chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds. With its fascinating cultural history, there are many opportunities to meet the local communities too.
Things to do:
Game drive • Boat cruise in the Kazinga channel • Night game drive • Tree-climbing lions in Ishasha • Birding
Murchison Falls National Park
Home to the most powerful waterfall in the world!
The waters of the Nile force their way through a small slit within the rocks in the Albertine Rift Escarpment, which is just 7 meters wide, and topples to 43 meters below with a thunderous roar. The residual water stray forms a beautiful rainbow - the view is breathtaking! Take a boat cruise for a close-up view and watch the banks being thronged by hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks and buffaloes, or hike to the top of the falls. The park vegetation is characterised by savannah, riverine forest and woodland. Wildlife includes lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, hartebeests, oribis, Uganda kobs, chimpanzees, and many bird species including the elusive shoebill (which grows to 1.5 metres!).
Things to do:
Boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls • Hike to the top of the falls • Game drives in the park • Birding
Kibale Forest
Home to over 1500 chimpanzees, Kibale offers premium chimpanzee tracking in the whole of Africa.
Kibale offers a variety of activities - morning and afternoon chimpanzee tracking which lasts 2 to 3 hours, or a full day with the chimps as part of the habituation program. This is truly an experience not to be missed. While chimpanzee is the most sought after primate here, the forest is also home to another 12 species of primates, over 55 species of other mammals, and over 375 species of birds. Look out for the black and white colobus, red tailed monkey or the grey cheeked mangabey.
Things to do:
Chimpanzee tracking (2-3 hours) • Chimpanzee habituation experience (full day) • Bigodi wetland walk for primate and bird watching • Guided nature walks
Lake Mburo National Park
A compact gem with a magical landscape that contains five lakes within the park boundary.
Together with 13 other lakes in the area, Lake Mburo forms part of a 50 km long wetland system. Once covered by open savannah, the park now contains much woodland as there are no elephants to tame the vegetation. In the western part, the savannah is interspersed with rocky ridges and forested gorges. The park has a magnifient array of birdlife and is home to over 350 bird species as well as 68 mammal species such as zebra, impala, eland, buffalo, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, leopard, hippo, hyena, topi and reedbuck.
Things to do:
Game drive • Horseback safari • Sport fishing in Lake Mburo • Birding • Boat cruise • Night game drive (with high chances of seeing leopard) • Guided nature walks • Meet the local peopleWhen To Visit Uganda?
Uganda can be visited pretty much all year round. The country straddles the equator so there are no true seasons, although March to May and October to November are wetter - which can be less pleasant for gorilla tracking.
Uganda sits squarely on the equator with an average altitude of 1,100 meters, which tempers the heat and makes it a year-round destination. March to May and October to November are wetter months and hence see the highest rainfall. This doesn't bother the gorillas but tracking could be slippery and slower. Many lodges offer low season discounts although gorilla permits cost the same year-round.
The peak season in Uganda is June to September – but Uganda is off the beaten path of mass tourism, so there's no need to worry about crowds. Gorilla tracking is comfortable during the dry season as there is less chance of rain. The dry season is a great choice for the wildlife in Uganda's other national parks as well, particularly towards the end when animals congregate near water sources. Bird watching is fantastic all year round.
Rainy Season (Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov)
Heavy rain, cracking with thunder, can come at any time but only lasts short durations and minutes later, the sun is out.
Long rains (Mar, Apr, May) - There is more rainfall throughout the country during these months, with a clear peak in April in the south. It will be colder in the gorilla parks at high altitudes. The rain can make travel more difficult since dirt roads and forest trails used for gorilla tracking can become challenging to navigate. It's better to avoid gorilla tracking during the heavy rains.
Short rains (Oct, Nov) - Rain is usually at night and early morning and on an average lesser compared to the long rainy season.
Dry Season (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Dec, Jan, Feb)
Although it's regarded as a year-round activity, the best time to visit Uganda for gorilla tracking is June - September. If that's not possible, January and February should be okay.
June, July, August are the driest months in most southern regions, but it can still rain.
December to February – most of the south sees less rainfall, but still more when compared to June - August.
Gorilla Tracking and Wildlife Safari
Tackle your bucket list by spending an hour with the endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, an entire day with the chimpanzees in Kibale forest and cap it off with wildlife viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
View Trip DetailsBwindi • Kibale Forest • Queen Elizabeth National Park
Adventure Safari in Uganda
Explore 3 of Uganda’s savannah parks rich in wildlife and spend a day with the chimps in Kibale Forest.
View Trip DetailsMurchison Falls • Queen Elizabeth National Park • Lake Mburo • Kibale Forest
The Ultimate Ugandan Adventure
The ultimate adventure through Uganda tracking mountain gorillas in Bwindi, chimpanzees in Kibale, savannah game drives across 3 different parks, boat cruising on the Nile and plenty more.
View Trip DetailsMurchison Falls • Queen Elizabeth National Park • Ishasha sector • Bwindi • Kibale Forest • Lake Mburo
Sim Card
The main network service providers in Uganda are MTN, Smile, UT mobile, Africell, Smart Telecom and Airtel Uganda. Picking up a SIM card is usually easy, but time-consuming. You’ll need to bring your ID with you. MTN and Airtel have the widest coverage. 4G/LTE is offered by MTN, Airtel, Africell and Smile in all the major cities in Uganda. Typically, safari camps have WiFi in common areas, almost always patchy, but enough to check email.
Carry local currency (Ugandan Shilling)
For easy transactions in markets and shopping malls, travelers are reminded to carry some Shilling. Local currency is also preferred in tipping your guides, spotters and housekeeping staff since they cannot easily access forex bureaus to exchange foreign currency. While lodges accept payment in dollars, small service providers or restaurants do not accept payments in dollars. In some places, credit cards can be used to make payments.
Something Else
As a general precaution, we recommend you make several copies of your travel-related documents (passport, traveller’s cheques, credit cards, itinerary, airline tickets, insurance cover, visas, etc.). Leave one set at home, and bring another set with you, and place it in a location separate from your originals.
What to pack
The weather in Zambia is generally pleasant throughout the year. There are two main seasons in Zambia; the rainy season (November to April) corresponding to summer, and the dry season (May to October/November), corresponding to winter. The dry season is subdivided into the cool dry season (May to August), and the hot dry season (September to October/November). During the hot and dry season, temperatures can rise up to 39°C (100°F) so a hat and sunblock are a must. The modifying influence of altitude gives the country pleasant subtropical weather conditions for most of the year.
Packing List:
Layers - long and short sleeve shirts and trousers
A warm fleece or jumper
A lightweight waterproof jacket
Comfortable but sturdy shoes
Flip-flops
Swimming costume (Bathing suit)
A hat or baseball cap
Sunglasses
Sunscreen – a must!
Toiletries – most camps will provide shampoo, shower gel and soap
A small torch
Spare batteries, plug adaptors and charging equipment
A good pair of Binoculars (8x40 /8x42 is recommended)