Uganda also known as the pearl of Africa continues to be a popular destination among travelers and this is attributed to the various destinations that amazing features and wildlife animals that you will be able to spot while within their boundaries. Uganda has 10 National Parks and 10 wildlife reserves scattered around the country and these can be visited anytime of the year. These include:
Lake Mburo National Park: For Mammals and birds
This Park is located in the Southwestern Uganda (4-5 hour drive from Entebbe) with an area of 260 Square KMs. The habitat is mainly acacia savannah, swamps, open grassland and open fresh water lakes.
Some of the activities you can do while in this national park situated in the south west of the country include game drives, boat rides and good bird watching. The key species here include: Common Zebras, Leopard, spotted Hyenas, Common Eland and Topis. The birds include the Rear Red faced barbet, African fin foot, white winged tit and Tabora cisticola.
Queen Elizabeth National Park – Uganda’s most popular Park
This is the second largest National Park in Uganda (2,056 Sq.Kms/ 6 hour drive from Entebbe) with an amazing list of 606 species of birds recoded probably the longest in the whole of Africa.
The mammals (95 Species) are often seen at close range and these include Elephants Lion Leopard and an amazing number of hippos in the Kazinga Channel commonly seen on the boat ride on the Kazinga Channel which joins the 2 Main Lakes George and Edward.
The lowland Maramagambo forest offers a number of primates and forest birds and the deep Kyambura gorge is home to a habituated chimpanzee family. The Ishasha sector of the Park is famed for the tree-climbing Lions.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park -Gorillas, excellent birding, and forest walks.
This is probably the most famous National Park (331 Sq, kms) with the remaining population of Mountain Gorillas,(About 450 animals left in the World!!) Half of the population live in this high altitude rain forest together with about 400 Chimpanzees. The birding is probably the best in the whole of the region with about 346 species recorded in the Park of whish 26 are Albertine rift endemics.
Mgahinga National Park – Gorillas and hiking
This is Uganda’s smallest but unique Park in the volcanoes ranges on the boarder of Congo and Rwanda. It’s only 33 Sq kms but offers Gorilla tracking, hiking and bird watching expeditions. The species here include: Mountain Gorillas, Golden Monkeys, elephants and Buffaloes among others. The birds include: The rare Rwenzori turaco, Lagdens Bush shrike, Archer’s Robin chat and the Rwenzori double coloured sunbird among others..
Rwenzori Mountains National Park – Hiking , nature and scenery walks.
Situated just 9hrs from Kampala, Rwenzori Mountains National Park lies in the western part of Uganda on the boarder of Uganda and Congo. It’s mainly for hiking and nature walks where one can hike up to 4,500 meters above sea level. The permanent snowcapped ranges are considered one of Uganda’s wonders and they go up to 5902 meters high. The birding is fantastic especially for the rear and endemic species.
Kibale Forest National Park – Primates, Nature walks and bird watching.
This is mainly a rain forest National Park that is home to 13 species of primates and over 300 species of birds. This where organized Chimpanzee tracking is done all year round for visitors to get closer looks of this big habituated family? The Park is also home to 300 species of birds including the rare green breasted Pitta, white napped pigeon and the masked Apalis.
Semuliki National Park – Primates Forest walks and bird watching
This forested Park with an area of 220 Sq.Kms is the extreme extension of the western African lowland rain forest with good abundance of both primates and the West African species of birds.
This was originally home of the pygmies families before their resettlement schemes begun. There a few left in the nearby village and have an office where their cultural head/King can be contacted. Special species like Capuchin Babblers, rear hornbills and Debraza’s monkeys can be seen in this Park.
Murchison Falls National Park – Game drives, boat ride
This is Uganda’s largest Park and was named after the spectacular, thunderous and powerful fall. Below the falls are good pools for spot fishing and up to 100 Kgs Nile perch has been caught during the past fishing expeditions.
The other wildlife species in the Park include the huge Nile Crocodiles, Rothschild’s giraffes, and the Jackson’s Hartebeest. The boat ride to the delta is the best way to look for the rear Shoebill and other shore birds. The game drives in the grassland Savannah on the Northern side of the Park is the best to look for the many species of Mammals and birds the Park offers.
Mt.Elgon National Park – Hiking, primates and nature walks.
This Park lies on the Kenya Uganda boarder and is mainly rocky and forested. It has an area of 1,110 Sq Kms. Primates and birds are often seen in the forest and on the forest edge. This is the most western range of the eastern bird species and Mammals. The Park was gazetted or upgraded in 1993 from a forest reserve status.
Kidepo National Park – Game drives and escorted nature walks.
This is a small Park in the North eastern part of Uganda that stretches to the Uganda Sudan boarder. It offers a lot of wildlife such as Cheetah, Lion and side stripped Jackals. The Common Ostrich, Ethiopian Swallows, Bruce’s green pigeon and many other rare birds. The rocky cliffs overlooking the Narus Valley is good for wild viewing. The habitat is mainly wooded and grassland Savannah. The rock Kopjes are residential areas to Olive baboons and the rare Rock hyraxes.
To get to these national parks, you will need a reliable 4×4 car to get you there with ease. Some of the cars that you can hire on a self drive include a Toyota RAV4, Land Cruiser Prado, Land Cruiser V8 and more