9 Best Places to Visit in Uganda

Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa whose diverse landscape encompasses the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains and immense Lake Victoria. Its abundant wildlife includes chimpanzees as well as rare birds. Remote Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a renowned mountain gorilla sanctuary. Murchison Falls National Park in the northwest is known for its 43m-tall waterfall and wildlife such as Hippos. Among the magical places tourists should not miss includes:

1. The Equator

One of the magical attractions you will find in Uganda is the Equator that runs through some of the districts of the country. The Equator is an Imaginary line that separates the earth into the northern and Southern Hemispheres.

This Equator land mark in Uganda is situated at about 72 kilometres along the Kampala-Masaka road, particularly in Kayabwe, Mpigi district. When you reach this spot, you will find a line drawn in the middle of the road and a monument stands on both sides of the road indicating “Uganda Equator” so that anyone can have the amazing feeling of standing on both sides of the Earth.

Most tourists taking gorilla trekking safaris to Bwindi as well as those who visit Western Uganda do not miss taking experiments at the Ugandan Equator. Standing at this magical feature is one thing you should never miss to experience on your way to or from the national Parks in Western Uganda especially Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga National Park and Rwenzori Mountains National Park. Imagine yourself standing in two halves of the world, this magical feeling can never be forgotten.

2. Kampala

This is the ancestral capital of the Buganda kingdom and a modern day Uganda’s capital too. You can still see some of the thatched relics of the former glory years at the Kasubi Tombs, or you can taste the frenetic energy of day-to-day Ugandan life between the sun-cracked streets of Central Kampala; a place of throbbing markets (the city’s Owino market is said to On the edge of town is the more straight-laced area of Nakasero Hill, where well-to-do villas house the country’s elite and expats chatter in the ramshackle bars. Kampala has also got theatres including National theatre and Labonita for those who need entertainment.

3. Kibale National Park

Take a tour into the dense jungles and wetland forests of the great Kibale National Park and you won’t be disappointed! You will meet the wild chimpanzee who are our closest relatives .You will see them jumping through the under growth of the forest.Other species to spot include monkeys, like the rare L’Hoest’s and the Ugandan red colobus. Kibale is also a good bird watching spot for bird lovers.

4. Ssese Islands

The archipelago of the Ssese Islands is Uganda’s answer to the tropical gems of the East African coast on the Indian Ocean.

The Islands are considered the country’s premier rest and relaxation spot, with the popular Buggala and Bulago Islands .You can also visit lakeside resorts, or wax up the walking boots and make for the hills, where hippo-dotted swamps hide between the ridges.

5. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the south western part of Uganda on the rim of the Rift Valley. The hillsides which are mist-covered are sheltered by one of the ancient and very biologically varied rain forests in Uganda that dates back to more than 25,000 years, comprising of about 400 varied plant species. Bwindi is habitat to more than half the world’s population of Mountain Gorillas. Actually there are over 300 mountain gorillas living here.

The word “Bwindi” means “darkness” and taking a hike in this magnificent forest will certainly unveil to you the reason why the forest was named so. You will as well be in position to fast tell why actually the forest is also regarded as Impenetrable. One requires to be physically fit to take part in this mountain gorilla tracking adventure because it may involve climbing the steep terrain in search for the great apes.

Restricted numbers of viewing permits help protect the endangered gorilla families. In the park, rough paths weave amid dense forests, which are a home to many butterflies and birds. All you need to do is to secure yourself a gorilla permit to enable you do a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda.

6. Murchison Falls National Park

The protected area is actually the largest national park in Uganda, with a whopping count of nearly 4,000 square kilometres between its borders.

This is the point where the Victoria Nile crashes through a tight-knit gorge and over an escarpment of more than 40 meters in height.Among the tourist attractions to do in Murchson falls includes a game drive to spot the Elephants, Giraffes, The kobs, and you get opportunities of visiting the Sipi falls on a boat cruise to spot more aquatic species at a close range.

7. Entebbe

Entebbe is where you find Uganda’s major airport called Entebbe international airport.

Many tourists use this base to travel to different destinations within Uganda and outside Uganda. Others board from Entebbe to fly to National parks including Murchison falls, Kidepo and Bwindi Impenetratable National parks especially those who need not to spend a lot of time on the roads.

It is in Entebbe where you also find the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre commonly known as the Ugandan Zoo. Here you find different species kept including Monkeys, Snakes, Birds, Antelops, Chimpanzees, among others. This is ideal for people who have a few days in Entebbe.

8. Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National park lies close to the banks of Lake Edward.It’s visited by thousands of tourists each year, who come in search of the lazy Congo lions and the swinging chimps that can be seen mingling between the Maramagambo Forest and the grassy savannah vegetation.

The whole area has countless volcanic features, going from the awesome Katwe craters to great rifts in the earth, making it an interesting and eye-catching place to go on safari drives and game seeking journeys.

Among the tourist attractions to spot includes the crater lakes, Lake Katwe, you do a game drive in search for early risers like Elephants ,Lions, and also a launch cruise on the Kazinga Channel to spot aquatic life at a close quarters. These includes schools of Hippos, Birds, Buffaloes among others

Cascading down from the extinct caldera of one of Africa’s oldest volcanoes, there are waterfalls, dank cave systems, and rugged canyons aplenty.

Visitors can also feel the geothermal activity at a series of hot springs, or wonder upwards, to where African goshawks and elegant bush-shrikes flit through the skies.

Monkey wise, there are the likes of De Brazza’s and colobuses, along with blue monkeys and some other rare simian species.

9. Mbale

Mbale is one of the main transportation and administration hubs of eastern Uganda,

Mbale hosts its own regional government and a clutch of good hotels and guesthouses.

It’s particularly useful for those on their way to the heights of Mount Elgon and the famous summit of Wagagai – a 24-million-year-old volcano that is the seventeenth highest in all of Africa. For the best base of explorations around the hiking trails and glorious mountain’s that erupt around Mbale, be sure to hitch a local minibus out to Bududa.

Back in the town you can enjoy the hustle and bustle of day-to-day Ugandan life, along with plenty of shops and market stalls. It is in Mbale where the Imbalu ceremonies are done. This ceremony is very interesting to watch when grown up boys are circumcised.