Uganda’s biggest draw is the opportunity to track the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It is one of the only three countries where these gentle giants live and has over half of the world’s only remaining population of mountain gorillas. The focus on the Apes does not do justice to the breadth of Uganda’s appeal.
Kidepo and Queen Elizabeth National parks are the perfect gift any Nature lover would need. They are small and heavily populated and arguably the most bio diverse destinations in Africa. Murchison Falls National park does not stop at having the world’s most powerful waterfalls, it is the largest National park bisected by the mighty river Nile with a high population of safari favorites perhaps the most exciting. Thanks to the Location of Uganda on a plateau, its two different biome; the equatorial rainforests of West Africa and the tropical savannahs of East Africa. This is what makes Uganda Africa combined.
For more primate action and superb bird watching, the dense jungles of Kibale forest and Semliki National Parks definitely deliver. While the former has the highest population of Chimpanzees in Africa, numbering over 1,000 the latter is blessed with 23 Albertine Rift endemics. Spotting a Shoebill stork here would be a massive tick on any birdwatchers list.
You can explore one of the three highest mountains in Africa; Rwenzori, track the white rhinos on foot, or get close to some of the most sought birds during boat cruises. Some of these activities are ground-breaking in that they are achieved through a conservancy system, whereby local communities neighbouring parks take a decisive role in environmental and cultural conservation.
If you have a soft spot for cultural experiences, you cannot leave Uganda without spending time with the Karimajong, the sister tribe of Kenya’s Masai or the Batwa pygmies, the first people of the forest.
A stay at Lake Bunyonyi, Africa’s most beautiful lake lake hemmed in by several mountain ranges, is a nice safari add-on for relaxation, swimming and sunset boat rides.
