Uganda
Home to endangered Mountain Gorillas, the widest range of primates in Africa and birds galore.
Jan to Feb & June to Aug
Overview
Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, is synonymous for many with the endangered Mountain Gorilla. These live in its remote southern forests in Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Yet Uganda safaris have a rawness and authenticity that sets them apart. They have so much more to offer than just gorilla trekking. See primates like the golden monkeys in Bwindi, and chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, Semliki Wildlife Reserve and Semliki National Park.
Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
Nearly all our Uganda Safaris include a day or two of gorilla trekking. There can be few more moving experiences than meeting the brown-eyed gaze of the hugely endangered mountain gorilla. Gorilla tracking in Uganda can be quite challenging. You must be prepared to trek for up to seven strenuous hours for the reward of an encounter with a 220 kg ‘silverback’ gorilla. But the anticipation is matched only by the euphoria after the short audience.
Game-viewing in Uganda
As well as being home to the mountain gorillas, the Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks of Uganda support diverse wildlife including chimpanzees, golden monkeys and other primates. A short drive away are the plains, lakes and wetlands of the Queen Elizabeth National Park and Lake Mburo National Park. These support good numbers of elephant, giraffe, zebra, lion, hippo and crocodiles. Further north again is the safari mecca of Murchison Falls. This is Uganda’s largest national park and home to the ‘Big Five’ and more chimpanzees. Finally those who make the journey to the remote Kidepo Valley National Park are rewarded with less common sightings. Such as bat-eared fox and spotted hyena amongst the 77 mammal species found here.
Birding Tours in Uganda
Uganda boasts one of the widest ranges of bird species in Africa. You don’t even need to be a twitcher to get excited by the ease with which you can spot “big tick” species such as the unforgettable Shoebill Stork. Semliki Wildlife Reserve has an almost 100% success rate for such birding sightings. And they can even be found within 50km of Kampala.
Gorilla Conservation
Uncontrolled hunting and the accelerating human encroachment into its high-altitude rainforest habitat have brought the mountain gorilla of Uganda to the brink of extinction. Due to conservation efforts, gorilla numbers are once again slowly increasing. And so now there are about 880 gorillas in the wild. Roughly half live in the Bwindi Forest National Park in Uganda and the remainder in the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda, and in the DRC.
A handful of family groups of gorillas have become habituated to limited human contact. But the number of gorilla trekking permits is strictly limited per day. So you need to book your Uganda safari well in advance.
Mari Jacobs
Africa Travel Specialist
Features
Why you may love it
- Gorilla trekking is a must – Uganda is home to the endangered Mountain Gorilla.
- One of the widest range of primates in Africa.
- Remarkably varied landscapes – from tropical forests, snow-capped peaks and savanna plains, to beautiful lakes & wetlands.
- Ultimate adventure destination.
- Mass tourism is unknown.
- Ugandan people and friendly and welcoming.
- Birding paradise - boasts one of the most extensive range of bird species in Africa.
Where to go in Uganda
These are some of the best rated places to visit in Uganda based on popularity and experience rating by our travelers
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When to visit Uganda
Popular tours & safaris
We arrange trips to more than 100+ destinations throughout the African continent.
- LanguagesOver 30 different indigenous languages are spoken in Uganda
- GeographyHome of the tallest Mountain Range in Africa - The Rwenzori Mountains