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.
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Best Time To Go
June – August (High Season) December – February
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Average Safari Cost
From $300 to $700 pp/day Gorilla Trekking: $1,600-$3,000
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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
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
Popular Tours
7 Days Most Popular Uganda Safari
Visit Uganda best tourist sites in 7 days to these locations Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and finish the safari with Lake Mburo National Park.
4 Day Gorilla Trekking & Uganda Wildlife Safari
This affordable 4 Day Gorilla Trekking & Uganda Wildlife Safari takes you African Mountain Gorilla Trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to encounter these endangered primates in the wild - a rare and unforgettable wildlife experience! The Uganda Budget Lodge Safari also travels to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel and game viewing in Uganda's top national park. Safari highlights include a village walk near Bwindi Park and visiting Igongo Cultural Village.A once-in-a-lifetime gorilla trekking and wildlife adventure in Uganda!
Uganda Classic Safari
Our Classic Uganda Safari visits some of the most important Ugandan national parks. On the 10D / 9N tour you will likely see lions, hippos, elephants, giraffes and primates. Each tour is personalised to your style of travel and includes the best accommodations in lodges and tented camps available.
Uganda's Beauty Experience Safari
Bringing you closer to the beauty of Uganda including People & Culture, Wildlife and primate life.
Exclusive Uganda Nature Tour
The 13 days trip to Uganda will bring you close to the nature at its best, meet different people in different local communities and enjoy the best sceneries, wildlife and the primate life including the giant shy apes.
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.
- 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
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 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 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.
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.
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
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
Popular Parks
This small country is home to the source of the Nile, and contains the tallest mountain range in Africa, the Rwenzoris.
Tracking mountain gorillas through their tropical habitat is the most remarkable experience offered by Uganda, although rafting the Nile, watching tree-climbing lions and spotting an elusive leopard are pretty extraordinary too. Uganda offers a broad range of activities – from hiking to the top of Murchison Falls, to primate tracking, birdwatching and boat cruises – ensuring that travellers have more than enough to satisfy their adventurous souls.
List of most prominent nature reserves and safari parks in Uganda:
- Bwindi Impenetrable – gorilla trekking and 220 species of butterfly.
- Kibale National Park – the largest variety of primate species in Uganda.
- Murchison Falls – the source of the Nile and Murchison Falls.
- Queen Elizabeth – tree-climbing lions, cruising the Kazinga Channel and chimpanzee. trekking.
A visit to Murchison Falls National Park is a remarkable experience. The park offers great wildlife viewing – four of the Big Five, Rothchild’s giraffes, patas monkey, hippo and several species of antelope – and birdwatching throughout the year with over 450 species of birds, including the rare shoebill stork. A trip along the Victoria Nile will leave you gaping at the beauty and power of nature, while seeing the magnificent Murchison Falls for the first time will surely be the highlight of your trip. If you are feeling bold, you could even take a hike to the top of Murchison Falls, where you can see its power up-close.
With Ruwenzari Mountains as the perfect background and the largest assortment of wildlife, is it no wonder that Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most popular savannah reserve in Uganda. With a range of diverse habitats – lakes, forests, wetlands and savannah – the park boasts an impressive range of primates, birds and large mammals. Although chimpanzee trekking through the tropical Kyambura Gorge forest is one of the main activities, people also come here to see the tree-climbing lion, elusive leopard and giant forest hog. Four of the Big Five (no rhino) are also easily spoted in large numbers.
On the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley lies the unspoiled rainforest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This park is the finest place to track mountain gorillas in Uganda as these endangered primates are protected in this dense, lush rainforest. The park is home to nine other primate species and is a wonderland for birdwatching – with 23 out of the 350 species endemic to the Rift. Bwindi also boasts 220 recorded species of butterflies, coloring the jungle.
If you are looking for the best place to go chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, then Kibale National Park is the place. With its diverse range of habits – tropical rainforest, savannah and wetland – the park is inhabited by 13 different species of primate, including chimpanzee. This makes it the most diverse population in Uganda. Kibale also boasts over 370 species of birds, which is sure to make any birdwatching enthusiasts giddy with happiness.
Getting There And Safety
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
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.