Are you planning a trip to Uganda and searching for the best places to visit? Well, we bring you some of the outstandingly phenomenal attractions within the boundaries of this country.
Dubbed the “Pearl of Africa”, Uganda is a land of beauty, marked by myriad of wildlife species, plethora of birds, natural features such as waterfalls, Rivers, hot springs and Lakes in addition to spectacular sceneries.
Are you planning a trip to Uganda and searching for the best places to visit? Well, we bring you some of the outstandingly phenomenal attractions within the boundaries of this country. Dubbed the “Pearl of Africa”, Uganda is a land of beauty, marked by myriad of wildlife species, plethora of birds, natural features such as waterfalls, Rivers, hot springs and Lakes in addition to spectacular sceneries. Therefore, the best places to visit in Uganda include;
This National Park was named after the beautiful and roaring Murchison falls formed from the tremendous bursting of Nile River waters through a narrow gorge prior to crashing in strong and roaring cascades. This Protected Area is so far the largest extending for over 3840 square kilometers with must-see wildlife being four of the big five game (elephants, lions, buffaloes and leopards), Rothschild giraffes, Topis, Uganda Kobs, Defassa waterbucks, warthogs and so much more. Activities enjoyed by visitors to Murchison falls National Park include hot air balloon tours, boat cruises, game drives, walking safaris, bird watching, chimpanzee trekking, cultural tours and hike to the top of the falls among others.
While exploring Lake Victoria (the largest freshwater Lake and source of the Nile), you might get interested in visiting Jinja. This Town is one of the beautiful Colonial Towns and is nestled close to the source of the Nile River. A number of activities can be enjoyed by visitors to this Town and these include quad biking, whitewater rafting, bungee jumping, kayaking, horseback rides, biking/cycling and many others.
Kampala City is the Capital of Uganda, in addition to being a historical and culturally rich safari destination in the country. It is usually the starting point for most Uganda safaris and it would be a disservice not to explore its beauty that includes the thatched relics of the former glory years within Kasubi Tombs, learn about how innocent Christian youths were murdered on orders of a renowned Buganda King at Uganda Martyrs Shrine, the iconic mosque minarets at Gadhafi National Mosque, Ndere Cultural Center, Owino Market and other magnificent sites.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in south-western Uganda and boasts of jaw-dropping mountain views verdant landscapes as well as rich wildlife species that include 95 mammal species. Trekking mountain gorillas is the main reason for visiting this Park although other thrilling tourist activities such as mountain biking, guided forest walks, Batwa Cultural Experiences and bird watching are also offered.
Ssese is an archipelago consisting of over 84 Islands dotted on the tranquil north-western part of Lake Victoria. Some of these Islands are large and habited while others are small and inhabited, with exceptional species of flora and fauna including chimpanzees, hippos, Nile crocodiles and fish species including Nile Perch and Tilapia. A number of tourist activities can be enjoyed on these Islands and they include horseback rides, chimpanzee trekking, and relaxation/unwinding, wind surfing, bat cruises and many others.
Just taking a guided walk through the verdant and thick jungles as well as wetland forests of Kibale Forest National Park you will be sure to get unforgettable experiences. What await visitors to this Park are our closest cousins-Chimpanzees in addition to encountering other forest flora and fauna species. There are over 13 primate species that also include L'Hoest's monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons and patas in addition to over 375 bird species and many others.
birding tours, the Chimpanzee Habituation Experience to spend the whole day with semi-habituated Chimpanzees and coffee/tea farm tours.
For most International tourists, Entebbe is the gateway into Uganda and en-route point to other safari destinations. However, this Town offers more than just being a gateway and boasts of beautiful tourist sites that include white sand beaches, Entebbe Botanical Gardens, Uganda Wildlife Education Center, Reptiles Village, Entebbe Craft Village and many others.
Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda offers a small slice of most things Uganda offers with diverse ecosystems (wetlands, savannah, woodland, Lakes and forest) with numerous animal and bird species. Animals to expect in this Park are elephants, leopards, Defassa waterbucks, lions (manned and tree-climbing lions), buffaloes, Hippos, spotted hyenas, chimpanzees, Uganda Kobs, bushbucks and common warthogs. There are a number of visitor experiences in this Park and they include hot air balloon tours, Boat Cruises, game drives, bird watching, experiential tours and chimpanzee trekking among others. Besides the animals, natural features such as Kazinga Channel, Lake Katwe Explosion Crater and many others are found in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Lake Mburo National Park is the closest Park to Kampala City (only about 3-4 hours away) and despite it being the smallest Savannah Park, it boasts of sweeping savannah plains dotting with acacia trees. These areas are habitats to Reedbucks, Cape buffaloes, spotted hyenas, Burchell's zebras, impalas, Defassa waterbucks, Elands, leopards and many others. The park also boasts of a forest gallery where forest bird species can be spotted and game viewing here is wonderful in the dry season when animals converge around water points.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is situated in Nakitoma Trading Center, Nakasongola district along the Kampala-Gulu Highway. This exceptional tourist destination shelters the country's only population of Rhinos in the wild with current.ly 32 southern white Rhinos in the Sanctuary. Rhino tracking is obviously the main reason why travellers visit the area but other activities such as shoebill tracking and canoe rides, guided nature walks and birding are also offered at the site.
The Rwenzori Mountains National Park is popular for mountaineering where visitors are offered views of snow-capped peaks, glacial Lakes as well as animals and birds that you will not find in other places of the country. Get a chance to see the three-horned chameleons alongside other animals such as Red forest duikers, black and white colobus monkeys, giant forest hogs, L'Hoest monkeys as well as over 200 bird species that include Rwenzori and Albertine Rift endemics.
Hidden in the remote north-western part of the country is Kidepo Valley National Park extending for a whopping 1442 square kilometers and over 790 kilometers from Kampala. This raw wilderness area is perfect for visitors who wish to explore Africa's Parks away from the crowds. Majority of the country's unique animal species such as Somali ostriches, Oryx, cheetahs, African wild dogs and striped hyenas are found in this Park.
Other beautiful places to visit in Uganda include Lake Bunyonyi, Fort Portal Tourism City, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Mount Morungole, Mount Elgon National Park and Sipi falls, Nyero Rock Paintings, Lake Mutanda and Semliki National Park among others.