Top 10 Places to Explore on a Road Trip in Uganda
Taking a self drive tour in Uganda is one the ideal choices for traversing this pearl of Africa on a road trip. Today many travelers visit Uganda for road trips. However, the country has an extensive wide variety of places that can be visited. Given that most visitors to Uganda look for wildlife and primates that are fairly distributed throughout the country, here are the top places to visit in Uganda including various national parks and game reserves. There are a variety of activities that one can indulge into when in these national parks. Below is the highlight of some of these national parks;
- Bwindi impenetrable national park
The famed Bwindi Impenetrable Forest lies in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. This forest protects to a higher degree half of the remaining mountain gorillas in Uganda. In addition, it is very famous for mountain gorilla safari trekking or tracking. Its mist-covered hillsides are blanketed by one of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rain forests, which dates back over 25,000 years and contains almost 400 species of plants. More famously, this “impenetrable forest” also protects an estimated 320 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups, which can be tracked. It also harbors several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes. There are around 350 species of birds hosted in this forest, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics
Some of the most prominent activities carried out in this national park include:
- Gorilla tracking
- Bird watching
- Plant and tree species
- Nature walks
- Village tours
2. Murchison falls national park
Murchison falls national park is perhaps the largest park in Uganda which is named after the Murchison falls where the mighty river Nile bangs through a narrow gorge flowing down to be converted into a placid river whose banks are thronged with hippos, water bucks, crocodiles, and buffaloes. The flora and Fauna at Murchison is characterized by Savannah, riverine forest and wood land. Uganda Wildlife Safari at Murchison falls national park includes, elephants, lions, leopard, giraffes, buffaloes, hartebeests, oribis, Uganda kobs, chimpanzees, and many bird species including the rare shoebill. So after securing your hired car from a reputable around the country, please make some endeavors and visit this park for such an adventure. Several activities are carried out in this national park which include the following;
- Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest
- Ferry crossing
- Hiking the top of the falls
- Bird watching
- Game drive
- Boat ride
- Delta viewing
- Fishing
- Plant and tree species
- Nature walks
3. Queen Elizabeth national park
This is also another destination that you need to explore on yourself drive vacation in Uganda. Queen Elizabeth national park along with Kyambura and Kigezi wildlife resource brings together the most diverse ecosystem in Africa. Thousands of hippos populate these water shores. Open Savannah dotted with acacia and euphobia trees provide habitat for leopards, elephants, lions, Uganda Safari kobs, in addition to big herds of buffaloes. The park also harbors primate species, ten in number which include chimpanzees and monkeys. Waterbucks, giant forest hog, topi, hyenas, and crocodiles are among the many animals distinguished frequently in Queen Elizabeth national park. There are several activities that are carried out in this national park which include the following;
- Bird watching
- Game drive
- Boat ride
- Village walks
- Plant and tree species
- Nature walks
4. Kibale forest national park
Kibale is one in all the most attractive national parks in Uganda with tropical rainforest, and a multiplicity of animals. Kibale Forest harbors the principal figure of chimpanzees and more than 1,450 are protected inside the park. At Kanyanchu, a community chimpanzee has been habituated for 16 years. This gives tourists a chance to see the great apes in their natural environment at these exclusive Uganda safaris. Threatened red colobus monkeys and the rare I’hoesti monkey are found in the park. At The same time the forest has one of the highest diversity and density of primates in Africa .When in Kibale forest, one carries out a multitude of activities which include;
- Chimpanzee tracking
- Nature walk
- Bird watching
- Primates viewing
- Village tours
- Plant species
5. Lake Mburo national park
Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest national park, was designated in 1982, and is situated in Kiruhura district of Western Uganda. It is the only park that contains an entire lake. The attractive acacia-dotted savanna is home to huge herds of impala, as well as uncommon topi, eland, klipspringer and other antelope. Other animals found in the park include Zebras, buffaloes, while birds include Crested Francolin, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Barefaced Go-away bird, Greenwood Hoopoe, Lilac-breasted, Hornbill, Nubian Woodpecker, Trilling Cisticola, bee-eaters and the cheeky bronze-tailed starling, as well as the majestic crowned crane etc.Several activities are carried out in this national park which include the following;
- Game drive
- Bird watching
- Boat ride
- Plant species
- Nature walks
- Village tours
6. Mount Rwenzori national park
Rwenzori is the highest mountain in Uganda, and the first foreigner to climb it was an Italian, a hundred years back. It was in 1906 when Luigi Amadeodi Savoy duke of the Abruzzi climbed to the top of the mountain and last year 2006 the Ugandans and Italians celebrated the hundred years since the first foreigner reached on top of Mt. Rwenzori.A trip into the Rwenzoris is an exhilarating and rewarding experience but one, which must be well planned. The key to an enjoyable visit is to be prepared! The central hike circuit takes six nights or seven days and reaches an altitude of 14,000ft.(4,267m) above the sea level. The conditions on the mountain are a challenge to even an experienced hiker. This park also hosts 70 mammals and 217 bird species including 19 Albertine Rift endemics, as well as some of the world’s rarest vegetation When in this national park, several activities are enjoyed such as;
- Hiking to the top of the mountain
- Nature walks
- Village tours
- Mountaineering and hiking
- Bird watching
7. Mgahinga gorilla national park
Mgahinga gorilla national park is the smallest park in the country. It is about 38 sq km. Though it is very important as it is one of the two parks in Uganda that are habitat for the endangered mountain gorillas. Mgahinga gorilla national park is situated in south western Uganda, in Kisoro district. This park was gazetted in 1999 and is part of the virunga conservation area. This park adjoins Rwanda’s volcano, and the democratic republic of Congo’s virunga national parks. Mgahinga gorilla national park experiences two wet seasons in the year that is February to May, and September to December. Several activities are enjoyed during one’s stay in this national park namely;
- Gorilla tracking
- Pygmy tribe tour
- Golden monkey tracking
- Visiting caves
- Game drive
- Bird watching
8. Lake Bunyonyi
Lake Bunyonyi literally meaning the place of many little birds lies in the western part of Uganda between the towns of Kisoro and Kibale that are situated closely to the border of Rwanda. This is the second deepest lake in Africa whose depth is rumoured to be over 144ft.It is considered to be the only lake free from bilharzias and totally safe for swimming. This lake boasts of over 29 islands that are snaking in nature along the Ugandan landscape. These islands are of different shapes and sizes surrounded by a ring of terraced farms. The most prominent of all these islands is Akampene island commonly referred to as the punishment island where the Bakiga tribe used to dump any girl that got pregnant before marriage. She would be dumped on this island with a single stick to die of starvation and hunger or drown in the waters if at all she tries swimming to the main land.So you need to go and have a glance at this magnificent lake especially on your self drive vacation in Uganda
There are a variety of activities that one will indulge during his/her visit to lake Bunyonyi amongst which will include the following;
- Relaxation on the lake shores
- Bird watching
- Swimming
- Mountain biking
- Boat rides and canoeing
- Nature walks and hiking
- Village visits
9. Mabamba swamp
Uganda is one of the countries that are widely endowed with all kinds of birds around the globe. These birds include both resident and non resident birds.However, this country has several birding destinations but non beats the endowment and population of birds found in Mabamba swamp.
Mabamba swamp is approximately 50 km south of Kampala, this large wetland is the nearest bird watching site on the shores of Lake Victoria. It is the home of the rare Shoebill that is not found everywhere but you will never miss it here after failing in all other places.
Other special bird species resident in this swamp include the Papyrus gonolek, lesser Jacana, Pigeon, grey rumped swallow, pygmy Kingfisher, slender billed weaver, blue-breasted Kingfisher, Lizard Buzzard, Spur- winged Goose, long toed Lapwing and White winged black Terns- European migrant birds and others.So for bird lovers,this is the right place for you on your car hiring safari in Uganda.
