Uganda Safari

In his 1908 book titled My African Journey, Winston Churchill referred to Uganda as the ‘Pearl of Africa’. The nickname neatly sums up the East African country’s rich beauty in three simple words, encapsulating everything from its vibrant colours and lush vegetation to the magnificent wildlife that roams its plains. Today, the moniker is as valid as ever, as Uganda has grown into one of Africa’s most coveted travel sojourns.

A safari in Uganda is undoubtedly one of the most unique adventures you’ll experience on the continent. With over 20% of its land dedicated to wildlife reserves, the country remains largely untouched, leaving the country’s gorgeous landscape to take centre stage on Uganda safaris.

The wildlife in Uganda is immense and diverse, affording visitors unique experiences that can be found in few other places in the world. Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda are the country’s premier wildlife destinations, offering classic big game viewing, chimpanzee trekking and river cruises, as well as a chance at seeing the famous tree-climbing lions. While Kibale Forest National Park provides accessible and enlightening insight into life in a tropical rainforest when on guided chimpanzee treks. And we can’t forget the wonders that lie in Uganda’s rainforests. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park protect more than half of the world’s total population of mountain gorillas – making them two of the best locations to enjoy a life-changing gorilla trek.

With so much to do and see, here are our favourite reasons to book a Uganda safari:

Uganda is home to the highest density of primates and gorillas in the world. The expansive rainforest jungles of this landlocked country in East Africa are home to 20 species of primates, including mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and golden monkeys.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda has become one of Africa’s most powerful wildlife experiences and because of its success, the endangered gorilla population is on the incline. Trekking for great apes in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest boasts a 90% success rate at finding habituated family groups. Meaning, you have an all-but-guaranteed opportunity to spend an hour face-to-face with these majestic creatures as they interact with each other in their natural habitat. December to February and between June and August are considered the best time to visit Uganda for trekking for mountain gorillas and chimpanzees.

Mountain gorillas are not the only primate you’ll have the privilege of seeing up close in Uganda. Kibale Forest is home to the globe’s highest population density, with 13 primate species currently inhabiting the area. Naturally, this makes Kibale Forest the premier destination for chimpanzee tracking. You can round off your primate trekking experience by hiking the slopes of the Virunga Mountains in Mgahinga National Park in search of the gorgeous golden monkey.

Highlights:

• Spend time observing mountain gorillas in Uganda when gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest and Mgahinga National Park.
• Search for chimpanzees in Kibale Forest and golden monkeys on the slopes of the Virunga Mountains.
• The life-changing opportunity to watch primates interact with each other in their natural habitat.

Although Uganda is renowned for its great ape treks, the country is also a fantastic wildlife destination. Queen Elizabeth National Park is the country’s premier destination for classic game viewing. Being one of the most biologically diverse parks in the world, the national park offers potential sightings of elephants, hippo, crocodile, buffalo and a variety of antelope species, to name a few. However, the stars of the show are undoubtedly the famous tree-climbing lions that call the park home.