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Uganda Safari - Complete Travel Guide

Its tropical rainforests, savannahs, wetlands and a semi-arid desert, make Uganda a mosaic of terrains, with amazing wildlife viewing and friendly locals. With mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable, tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth, rafting the Nile in Murchison Falls and the large variety of primate species in Kibale, Uganda is a wonderland for adventurers. Whether you decide to hike to the top of Murchison Falls, or take a cruise on the Kazinga Channel, Uganda is sure to draw you in, and captivate with its grandiose natural power.


  • Best Time To Go

    June – August (High Season) December – February

  • Average Safari Cost

    From $300 to $700 pp/day Gorilla Trekking: $1,600-$3,000

  • Highlights

    Mountain gorilla and chimp trekking, Nile River, Rainforest, Murchison Falls, Lake Buyinyi, Ankole Museum

Pros And Cons

Uganda is a great safari destination, with both savannah and forest habitats offering excellent wildlife viewing. Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking are the most popular activities in its parks. Although the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, and the striking Murchison Falls also draw many visitors every year.

While adventures are always exciting, they also come with challenges. We hope your adventure outshines the challenges.

Pros
  • Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking
  • Murchison Falls
  • Striking landscape with a diverse range of habitats
  • Over 1,000 species of birds
  • The locals are very welcoming
Cons
  • Is somewhat expensive
  • Some vaccinations are needed
  • Roads and trails can be impassable after heavy rains

Best Time To Go

Due to its equatorial position, Uganda is a hot country, and in some parts, it rains once a day nearly all year-round. Hence another name for a jungle – the rainforest. Murchison Falls is the only national park that is good to visit throughout the year.

There is less rainfall in the south, but still more than there is in June and July. Daytime temperatures are warm at 82°F (28°C). The northern part of Uganda has an obvious dry season with little to no rain.

Which parks to visit?

  • Bwindi Impenetrable
  • Queen Elizabeth
  • Kibale
  • Murchison Falls

There is an obvious wet season during these months, with a rainfall peak in the south in April. Despite the rain, most days have sunshine and are warm at 82°F (28°C). The gorilla parks are colder because of the higher altitudes. Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking can be more challenging during this wet season, as the rain will have made some roads and trails inaccessible.

Which parks to visit?

  • Murchison Falls
  • Kibale in March and May, but not April
  • Bwindi Impenetrable in March only
  • Queen Elizabeth in March only

In most of the south, June and July are the driest months, although it may rain occasionally. Afternoon temperatures reach an average of 81°F (27°C). Altitudes above 1300m/4265ft – such as the gorilla parks – will be colder. In the north, this would be the wet season.

Which parks to visit?

  • Bwindi Impenetrable
  • Queen Elizabeth
  • Kibale, Murchison Falls

This is the second wet season of the year, although the average rainfall is less than it is from March to May. The temperature remains an average of 82°F (28°C). Higher altitudes will be cooler.

Which parks to visit?

  • Murchison Falls
  • Bwindi Impenetrable in September
  • Queen Elizabeth in September and November

Start your African Adventure

Wildlife And Birds

Uganda has an amazing mix of rainforest and savannah parks, ensuring a diverse safari and a unique adventure. The most popular activities are gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and chimpanzee tracking in Queen Elizabeth and Kibale. There are a number of large mammals present, including four of the Big Five (rhino is only seen at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary) and a large primate population, with 13 different species in Kibale alone. Birdwatchers will love Uganda too, as the rare shoebill stork can easily be spotted in Murchison Falls National Park.

Uganda’s most popular attraction is mountain gorilla trekking through the misty tropical rainforest of Bwindi Impenetrable. The next best activity is chimpanzee tracking. Most of the parks offer chimpanzee tracking, although tracking these primates is best at Kibale National Park and in the Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Uganda has a wide variety of primate species, including patas monkey, red-tailed monkey, De Brazza’s monkey, l’Hoest monkey, grey-checked managabey and black-and-white colobus monkey.

Elephants and buffalo roam in large herds, and you can find lions lazing in the savannah in Murchison Falls, or climbing trees in the Ishasha section of Queen Elizabeth. Leopards are easiest to spot in Queen Elizabeth, while cheetahs are rarely seen at all. The black rhino is extinct in Uganda, and white rhino can only be seen at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where it was reintroduced in 2005.

Zebra can only seen in Lake Mburo region and Murchison Falls, and giraffes are only present in Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo and Murchison Falls. Uganda is home to a wide variety of antelope, including the country’s national antelope – Uganda kob. Other antelope that are present include: the sitatunga antelope and the oribi.

List Of Animals
  • Elephant
  • Cheetah
  • Leopard
  • Hippo
  • Buffalo
  • Giraffe
  • White Rhino

  • Rare Animals: African wild dog, white rhino, cheetah, sitatunga antelope
  • Infrequently Seen Animals: leopard, giraffe, patas monkey
  • Frequently Seen Animals: gorilla, chimpanzee, lion, elephant, hippo, buffalo, zebra, Uganda kob, oribi, black-and-white colobus monkey

Best Of Wildlife in Uganda

Mountain gorillas can be tracked through the Bwindi Impenetrable tropical rainforest, and the best place to track chimpanzees is in Kibale National Park – which also holds 13 other primate species.

The graceful tree-climbing lions of Ishasha are particularly popular, and certainly worth a visit. There are large herds of elephants and buffalo throughout Uganda, and leopards are easiest to spot in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Unfortunately, the black rhino is extinct in Uganda, and the white rhino can only be seen in the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Gorilla Trekking in Uganda

Gorilla Trekking Fees

  • Gorilla permit - $600
  • Gorilla Habituation Experience - $1,500

The misty tropical forest of Bwindi Impenetrable protects mountain gorillas in its dense, wet habitat. These endangered primates are rather peaceful, although it is important to remember that they are wild animals and should be treated with respect. Viewing these magnificent creatures is truly a remarkable experience, and is something that you will remember for the rest of your life.

Rules For Tracking Gorillas

No visiting the gorillas if you have an infectious disease, not even a cold; cover your face and turn away from the gorillas if you have to sneeze or cough – they can pick up colds from humans; it is essential to bury human waste at least 12” (30cm) deep underground; the maximum number of people per group is 8 and should not be exceeded; ensure that you remain at least 21ft (7m) away from the gorillas; you are not allowed to eat or smoke while tracking or visiting with the gorillas; maximum one hour visit per group per day; ensure that the flash on your camera is off.

Chimpanzee Trekking

Chimpanzee Trekking Fees

  • Kibale National Park - $150
  • Kyamburo Gorge, Queen Elizabeth National Park - $50
  • Chimpanzee Habituation Experience - $200

The best place to cautiously track these naturally violent primates is in rainforests of Kibale, although the Kyambura Gorge of Queen Elizabeth National Park is another great place to track them. While not as popular, chimpanzee trekking is as exciting as tracking gorillas, although more caution is advised, as they are aggressive, while gorillas are not.

Safety Tips For Great Ape Trekking

Although incidents are extremely rare, you should not take gorilla or chimpanzee trekking lightly. It is not a walk in a park and you will be encountering wild primates in their natural habitat, where they reign supreme. To us, humans, it is a humble reminder of our real place in the packing order in the true nature.

However, you will be briefed before the trek and encouraged to rely on your common sense and your guide's experience to have an enjoyable and safe hike.

Otherwise known as gentle giants, mountain gorillas are usually very kind towards each other. By contrast, chimpanzees are naturally violent to other chimpanzees - as a 54-year observational study showed - but not necessarily to people. In any case, your guides will only take you to track habituated chimp groups, as they will be familiar with human visitors.

Primates you can see in Africa are known as Great Apes, or Hominids. It’s important to remember that we fall into the same biological genera:Homo and other ancestors are also called great apes together with orangutans, gorillas and chimps.

This is why certain safety precautions are different from viewing other wild animals. Here are a few to remember:

  • No mater what you believe, always apply your guide's advice.
  • Remain close to your guide at all times. You will need to see their actions to repeat if necessary.
  • Be quiet on your trek.
  • Move slowly whatever you do.
  • Watch your step and hold branches on your way, if required, so that they don’t slap the next person in the face.
  • Leave the food behind before approaching great apes.
  • Because they are our biological relatives, gorillas and chimps can get viruses from us, so you shouldn't go on a hike if you’ve got a cold, flu or any other virus.
  • Some blogs suggest sneezing and coughing away from the animals, but this is not a real precaution for them. Because these species are critically endangered, please put their survival before yours and wait till you are no longer contagious before heading into their natural habitat. Consult your guide about getting necessary medication to speed up the process.
  • Keeping your distance is extremely important, so please don’t try to get closer than 21ft or 7m to the animals. Your guide will show you how to slowly back off if the animals start getting closer to your waiting place.
  • Give gorillas and chimps way of movement, do not block their path.
  • Avoid eye contact with great apes.
  • In an extremely rare scenario where you sense hostility from a great ape slowly back off. This usually involves crouching down and waiting till they pass you by.
  • Switch off flash on your camera before your trek. Check the light and practice taking photos without it, so that you can get great photos without disturbing the animals.
  • Wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants for the trek to avoid scratches and mosquito bites. Put 20-30% DEET repellent.
  • Wear sun protection: sun screen and a hat.
  • Stay hydrated.
  • If you go to the toilet on the trek, it is essential to bury your waste at least 12”(30cm) underground. So it’s important to go to the toilet before your trek.

List Of Other Animals

Antelope: Uganda kob; sitatunga (rare); oribi (rare); waterbuck, bushbuck; Peter’s duiker; Jackson’s hartebeest; grey duiker; topi

Hogs: giant forest hog; warthog; bushpig

Other: giraffe; zebra; hippo; crocodile; hyena

Birdwatching

Uganda has an incredible diversity of birds, with over 1000 species present. This is due to its location, and the range of habitats that it holds – savannahs, rainforests, semi-desert, wetlands and swamps. Uganda’s easy access to these usually difficult-to-reach habitats makes it an exquisite birdwatching destination that will ensure you are not disappointed. There are only two birds endemic to Uganda, and migratory birds will arrive from November and stay until April.

Endangered Birds

African Whit-backed Vulure; African Grey Parrot; African green Broadbill; African Skimmer; Basra Reed Warbler; Beaudouin’s Snake-eagle; Black Crowed-crane; Black-tailed Godwit; Black-winged Practincole; Blue Swallow; Chapin’s Flycatcher; Denham’s Bustard; Dwarf Honeyguide, Egytian Vulture; Eurasian Curlew; Eurasian Peregrine Falcon; Forest Ground-thrush; Fox’s Weaver; Golden-naped Weaver; Grauer’s Cuckooshrike; Grauer’s Swamp Warbler; Great Snipe; Great Spotted Eagle; Karamoja Apalis; Kivu Ground-thrush; Lagden’s Bush-shrike; Lappet-faced Vulture; Lesser Flamingo; Lesser Kestrel; Maccoa Duck; Madagascar Pond-heron; Nahan’s Francolin; Pallid Harrier; Papyrus Gonolek; Papyrus Yellow Warbler; Red-faced Barbet; Ring-necked Francolin; Rueppell’s Vulture; Semi-collared Flycatcher; Shelley’s Crimsonwing; Shoebill; Taita Falcon; Turner’s Eremomela; White-headed Vulture; White-naped Pigeon.

Endemic and Near-Endemic Birds

Archer's robin-chat; Black-lored babbler; Blue-headed sunbird; Chapin's flycatcher; Dusky crimsonwing; Dwarf honeyguide; Fox's weaver; Golden-winged sunbird; Grant's bluebill; Grauer's broadbill; Grauer's cuckoo-shrike; Grauer's swamp warbler; Handsome francolin; Hartlaub's turaco; Jackson's francolin; Karamoja apalis; Nahan's francolin; Neumann’s warbler; Oberlaender's ground thrush; Purple-breasted sunbird; Red-faced barbet; Red-faced woodland warbler; Red-throated alethe; Regal sunbird; Ruwenzori apalis; Ruwenzori batis; Ruwenzori double-collared sunbird; Ruwenzori nightjar; Ruwenzori turaco; Shelley's crimsonwing; Strange weaver; Stripe-breasted tit; Turner's eremomela; Uganda woodland warbler; Yellow-eyed black flycatcher

Getting There And Safety

Upon arrival in Uganda, travelling to the various national parks is done via road or air (scheduled and chartered flights available to some parks). There are certain vaccination and visa requirements needed for Uganda, and it is best to ensure that you have everything that you need before booking your flight.
Flights

Entebbe International Airport (EBB) is the main point of entry into Uganda, and is located roughly 46km (29miles) from Kampala, the capital. Since Uganda is a somewhat small country, further transportation is generally done via vehicle – although scheduled and chartered flights to certain parks are available. If you are visiting as part of a tour, your local operator will likely arrange for all transportation from the airport and for the duration of you stay (usually part of your tour package). This is highly recommended because, although the country is small, it is populated by forests and independent travelling is inadvisable.

If you are based in the UK and Europe, check out these flights to Uganda

If you are based in the USA and Canada, check out these flights to Uganda

Visas

It is a good idea to contact your local Uganda Embassy on entry requirements, as the information listed below is subject to changes.

  • All foreign visitors require a passport that is valid for at least six months.
  • Passports are required to have a full clean page for endorsement.
  • A valid yellow fever certificate is required for all visitors to Uganda as it is a visa application requirement, and will likely be needed at the point of entry as well.
  • Visitors from most countries are required to have a visa. A list of visa exempt countries is available here
  • .
  • Electronic visas (e-Visa) have been available since 2016, and visas on arrival are also available. It is advised to apply for a visa online, as waiting for a visa on arrival will cause time delays.
  • More information on Visas or visit the online application portal
  • You can acquire a Uganda only tourist visa, or an East Africa Tourist visa, which includes entry to Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda.

Vaccinations

This information is meant as a general guide and should in no way replace a medical opinion.

Uganda is a high malaria risk country, with the exception of high altitudes. The rainy season of March to May and October to December has the highest risk of malaria contraction. Below is a list of government organizations and travel clinics that have complete and up-to-date information about vaccinations needed in Uganda.

Check your local travel health authority for more information:

Drinking Water
The water in Uganda is not safe to drink – not even to brush your teeth. Bottled water is the safest, but be sure to check that it is sealed before purchasing it. Avoid water going in your mouth while showering and do not buy water that is contained in a plastic bag, no matter how cheap it is. Avoid using ice blocks, and enquire if juice is made with boiled or bottled water. Boiled water is use to make tea and coffee, and as such they are considered say.
Great Ape Trekking Safety

Although incidents are extremely rare, you should not take gorilla or chimpanzee trekking lightly. It is not a walk in a park and you will be encountering wild primates in their natural habitat, where they reign supreme. To us, humans, it is a humble reminder of our real place in the packing order in the true nature.

However, you will be briefed before the trek and encouraged to rely on your common sense and your guide's experience to have an enjoyable and safe hike.

Otherwise known as gentle giants, mountain gorillas are usually very kind towards each other. By contrast, chimpanzees are naturally violent to other chimpanzees - as a 54-year observational study showed - but not necessarily to people. In any case, your guides will only take you to track habituated chimp groups, as they will be familiar with human visitors.

Primates you can see in Africa are known as Great Apes, or Hominids. It’s important to remember that we fall into the same biological genera:Homo and other ancestors are also called great apes together with orangutans, gorillas and chimps.

This is why certain safety precautions are different from viewing other wild animals. Here are a few to remember:

  • No mater what you believe, always apply your guide's advice.
  • Remain close to your guide at all times. You will need to see their actions to repeat if necessary.
  • Be quiet on your trek.
  • Move slowly whatever you do.
  • Watch your step and hold branches on your way, if required, so that they don’t slap the next person in the face.
  • Leave the food behind before approaching great apes.
  • Because they are our biological relatives, gorillas and chimps can get viruses from us, so you shouldn't go on a hike if you’ve got a cold, flu or any other virus.
  • Some blogs suggest sneezing and coughing away from the animals, but this is not a real precaution for them. Because these species are critically endangered, please put their survival before yours and wait till you are no longer contagious before heading into their natural habitat. Consult your guide about getting necessary medication to speed up the process.
  • Keeping your distance is extremely important, so please don’t try to get closer than 21ft or 7m to the animals. Your guide will show you how to slowly back off if the animals start getting closer to your waiting place.
  • Give gorillas and chimps way of movement, do not block their path.
  • Avoid eye contact with great apes.
  • In an extremely rare scenario where you sense hostility from a great ape slowly back off. This usually involves crouching down and waiting till they pass you by.
  • Switch off flash on your camera before your trek. Check the light and practice taking photos without it, so that you can get great photos without disturbing the animals.
  • Wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants for the trek to avoid scratches and mosquito bites. Put 20-30% DEET repellent.
  • Wear sun protection: sun screen and a hat.
  • Stay hydrated.
  • If you go to the toilet on the trek, it is essential to bury your waste at least 12”(30cm) underground. So it’s important to go to the toilet before your trek.

Travel Insurance

Going on a safari in Africa comes with obvious risks. We recommend you get travel insurance for all safaris in Uganda. Make sure your insurance has full medical coverage, emergency air evacuation, repatriation and the standard travel insurance for cancellations, delays and luggage cover.

Check World Nomads’ travel insurance calculator to see the cost of the safari trip cover.

What To Pack

Uganda is hot and has light rainfall for most of the year. As such, wet-weather gear would be suitable – as would sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat, so be sure to include them. Wear long-sleeved clothing at night, and invest in mosquito repellent (30% DEET or more).

For more details on what to pack see our Safari Packing List.