Uganda Safari National Parks : Uganda the pearl of Africa, is well known to have a beautiful wildlife and it is the best for safari destinations whereby it has fresh water lakes worldwide. Uganda Wildlife Authority is a government agency Programme that takes full responsibility, protection and management of the wildlife and wildlife activities participated in and out all national parks and game reserves across Uganda. There are 10 national parks in Uganda that one should checkout before making a conclusion about their travel plan. And these national Parks include;
- Murchison Falls National Park.
Murchison falls is the biggest national park which covers about 3900square kilometers and it is located in Masindi district. This Park covers five districts in Uganda and these include; Packwach district, Masindi district, Kiryandongo district, Buliisa district and Nwoya district. Murchison Falls National Park was gazetted in 1926 and established as a national park in 1952. The drive to the national parks takes about 4-5hours and it is located about 290 kilometers from Kampala city , Uganda Safari National Parks.
It is known as the oldest conservation area which accommodates over 76 animal species like; hippos, leopards, lions, Nile crocodiles, giraffes, chimpanzees and 450 bird species; aquatic birds like the rare shoebill stock which makes it a perfect destination for tourists. The main attraction of the park is the devil’s cauldron and the park is filled with the savannah grasslands, swamps, woodland, forests, and riverine.
There are also a number of activities that visitors are elevated to participate in with the help of the tourist guides and these include; hiking and nature walks, Morning and Night game drives, boat cruise on the Nile, bird watching, wildlife viewing, Rhino tracking, Hot air balloon safaris, Sport fishing, and cultural encounters. Other places where tourists can visit and explore more about the wildlife are Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary because it is seen as the haven to the endangered rhinos in the country and Budongo forest where tourists can do chimpanzee trekking from.
Visitors are offered different accommodation facilities such as budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation where they stay during their stay at Murchison falls national park and these accommodation facilities include; Paara safari lodge, Chobe safari lodge, Murchison safari lodge, Yebo safari camp, Sambiya river lodge. There are also other accommodation facilities near the park and these are; Masindi Hotel, Budongo Eco lodge, and new court view hotel.
Tourist can easily access the National Park through Chobe, Tangi, Kichumbanyobo, Paara, Mubako and Bugungu gates.
- Kidepo Valley National Park.
Kidepo valley national park which is also known as Masai Mara of Uganda. It is located in the North East part of Uganda near Karenge in Kaboong district and covers an area of 1442 square kilometers. It was established as a national park in the year of 1962. It is a journey o 571kilometers from Kidepo valley National Park and it takes a 10-hour drive from Kampala via Gulu heading to Kitgum district.
Kidepo valley National Park hosts 77 mammal species like; African buffalo, bat- eared foxes, wild dogs, lions, cheetah, spotted hyena and 475 bird species. Kidepo valley is a place where you can find the majesty of the common ostrich and the secretary bird. More so, it is an enthralling place of semi- arid savanna, seasonal rivers and low mountains, Uganda Safari National Parks.
Kidepo valley national park offers different classes of accommodation; Luxury, mid-range and budget accommodations and these include; Apoka safari lodge, Apoka rest camp, Kidepo savannah lodge, Adere Safari lodge, Nga Moru wilderness camp, Kakine self-catering camp site.
Activities done by tourists at Kidepo national park include; Bird watching, hiking, community cultural tours, wildlife walks, and morning and night game drives.
There are a number of tourist attractions at Kidepo valley national park that pull the Individuals attention to go visit the park and these attractions include; The Narus valley and river, The vast and serene savannah plains, The Lomej hills, Kidepo valley river, Kanangorok hot springs, spotted leopards, Ostriches and many more.
The journey to Kidepo national park takes around 10hours and covers a total distance of 571kilometers. And tourists can get to travel to the national park by road or air transport.
- Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is so far the smallest national park in the country and it is located in Kisoro district in southwestern part of Uganda as it covers only 34 square kilometers. The national Park was established in the year of 1991. The national park is located in the south of Kisoro town about 15 kilometers and about 55kilometers west of Kabale district. This is the only park where visitors can see mountain gorillas. This park has three conical volcanoes which are marked as main attractions and these include; Mount Muhabura which is 4127 meters high, Mount Gahinga which is 3474 meters high and Mount Sabinyu which is 3645 meters high.
Activities done at Kidepo National Park include; Gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, cave expeditions to Garama caves, hiking at mount Gahinga, nature walks, Batwa community visits, bird watching.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park offers accommodation within the park and these include the following; Amajambere camp and Mount Gahinga safari lodge. Other visitors can also use the accommodations near the park like; Bunyonyi overland resort, Bird nest Bunyonyi Resort, Kisoro travelers rest hotel and mountain gorilla safari hotel. Tourists can also be able to use Kabale to Mbarara road from Kampala city which is 494 kilometers. Tourists will have a journey which will take about 8hours from Kampala to reach the park.
- Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo national park is situated in Lyantonde district from the east of Mbarara town and it is known as the smallest savannah national park in Uganda covering 370 square kilometers. It was established as a national park in 1983, Uganda Safari National Parks.
Tourists can either use road or air transport to access Lake Mburo national park and it is a 3hours drive from Kampala the capital city of Uganda which is 228 kilometers.
Tourists at the national park can be able to participate in several interesting activities like; sport fishing, mountain biking and camping, hiking, birding, nature walks, horseback riding, boat cruise on lake Mburo, morning and night game drives.
Accommodation facilities offered at the park include; Mantana tented camp, Mburo safari lodge, Mihingo safari lodge, Rwonyo rest camp, Ssana community safari lodge among others.
- Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Queen Elizabeth national park was first known as Kazinga channel national park and later after the visit of Queen Elizabeth in 1954 and its name was changed to Queen Elizabeth national park in 1952. It is the second largest national park covering an area of about 1980 square kilometers and it located in Kasese district in the western region of Uganda.
The park is commonly known because of its unique tree climbing lions which can be seen roaming the savannah grasslands in the Ishasha sector which is situated in the southern part of the park and Kazinga channel which connects lake Edward to lake Gorge in the south western part of Uganda , Mweya peninsular, lake Katwe explosion craters, lake Katwe where salt mining takes place, Kyambura Gorge, Maramagambo forest, Kyambura Wildlife reserve, Kalinzu forest which is the best destination for chimpanzee tracking.
Queen Elizabeth national park is a home for 95 animal species; Zebras, antelopes, Nile crocodiles, Nile monitor lizards, warthogs, baboons, leopards, antelopes, giraffes and 600 bird species.
There are several activities carried out at the national park such as; chimpanzee tracking, cave expeditions, lion tracking, boat cruise on Kazinga channel, game drives, bird watching.
There is a wide range of accommodations facilities offered to different tourists and these include; Mweya safari lodge, Ishasha Bandas, jumbo and pelican bungalows, Pumba safari cottages which are all from different classes of accommodation such as; budget, mid-range, and luxury accommodations.
A journey to queen Elizabeth National Park can take approximately 6 and a half hours from Kampala to reach the park which is about 379kilometers.
- Semuliki National Park.
Semuliki national park is found in Bundibugyo district in the western part of Uganda and it is also one of the smallest national parks in the country which covers an area of 220 kilometers and its boarders with Democratic republic of Congo near Rwenzori. It is located about 180km from Kampala via Mubende and 465km Masaka, Mbarara and Kasese road, Uganda Safari National Parks.
This park hosts about 53 animal species; hippos, potto, bush babies, forest elephants, monkeys, zebras, buffalo, giraffes, and 441 bird species.
Activities conducted at Semuliki national park include; birding, nature walks, cultural encounters, hiking, game drives.
Tourists in need of accommodation facilities can use the following lodging facilities; Kirimia guest house, Uganda wildlife authority bandas and campsites in Sempaya and Semuliki safari lodges. This national park is most popular because of the renowned Sempaya hot springs.
- Mount Elgon National Park.
Mount Elgon national Park is located in the eastern region of Uganda, in Mbale and Kapchorwa districts. It was established as a national park in the year of 1968 and covers 1,121 square kilometers. Victors will have a journey of about 3-4 hours to get to the park.
Activities done at Mount Elgon National Park include the following; Rock climbing, Hiking to Sipi falls, bird watching, climbing Mount Elgon, camping, mountain biking, nature walks, cultural encounters and community visits.
For Accommodation, visitors that plan to have a stay at Mount Elgon national park will be offered different classes of accommodation facilities such as; budget, mid-range, and luxury accommodation. And these lodges include the following; Pian-Upe wilderness camp and guest house, Suam Guesthouse, Kapkwai Bandas, and Moroto Bandas.
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Bwindi Impenetrable national park is located in the southwestern part of Uganda in Kanungu district and it spans over a radius of 331 square kilometers and is situated in the highest parts of Kigezi highlands. It was established as a national park in 1991. It is boarderd by the Democratic Republic of Congo on the western side of kabale town.
Bwindi national park is also known as the haven for the endangered species of Mountain Gorillas and it harbors 800 mountain gorillas and 120 animal species, 400 planet species and over 350 bird species. This is one of the parks where tourists will be able to track mountain gorillas and the other park is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Several activities that tourists can participate in the National Park include; Gorilla trekking, the Batwa trail experience, birding, forest walks, Gorilla habituation, biking.
Where to stay in Bwindi National Park, this park has a variety of budget, luxury and mid-range accommodation facilities offered to different tourists according to what they prefer best and these include; Silverback lodge, Gorilla resort, Buhoma community rest camp, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest camp, Buhoma lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Mist camp, Ruhija Gorilla Safari lodge, and Gorilla safari lodge in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi, Uganda Safari National Parks.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is commonly referred to as the Impenetrable Forest and this park can be easily accessed by tourists by using either road or Air transport. It is an 8-9hour driving from Entebbe Road to the national park by use of road transport and it is a 1hour drive by air transport. Travelers can also access the park from Mweya in Queen Elizabeth National Park which is 160km from Bwindi National Park.
- Kibale National Park.
Kibale national park is located in Kabarole district in the western part of Uganda. This park covers an area of about 795 square kilometers. This park is near Fort Portal town which is known as the biggest town Kabarole district. It is a land where there is strong culture heritage it being the most populated with the Batooro tribe who have the Kings palace at the heart of fort portal. It is 4-5 hours from Kampala city to the national park which covers 308 kilometers.
This park is a home of 375 bird species and 70 mammal species such as; forest elephants, antelopes, duikers, Sitatunga, bush bucks, buffaloes, and 13 primate species like; Olive balloons, Colobus Monkeys and Vervet monkeys which consider the park and the most known for chimpanzees and it covers the largest parts in kibale forest.
Activities available at the park that the many people’s attention and be interested to try them out include; Chimpanzee habituation experiences, hiking, nature walks, community visits, cultural encounters and many others.
Accommodation Facilities offered at the park to tourists include; Primate Lodge, kibale forest lodge, Kanyanchu river camp, Kibale forest camp, Crater safari lodge, Sebitoli camping grounds and Mantana Tented camp and many others.
- Mount Rwenzori National Park.
Mount Rwenzori National Park was established as a national park in the year of 1991. It is based in Kasese district and it of the most famous parks that tourists never to miss checking it out during there are visit. This park covers about 1000 square kilometers and it is found in the south western part of Uganda and it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994. It is marked as the 3rd highest mountain peak in Africa which is allocated after Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya and more so taken as the hardest mountain to climb of all mountains in Africa and therefore it requires tourists to be physically fit to be able to climb it successfully.
Mount Rwenzori National Park hosts a number of 60 mammal species such as; Blue monkeys, Olive balloons, Red tailed monkeys, white Columbus monkeys, elephants, leopards and 200 bird species; Rwenzori blue Turaco, Rwenzori blue nightjar, and the Rwenzori Batis and many others.
During the stay of tourists at the national park, these are the following activities that they can be able to do; Climbing Mount Rwenzori, Birding, Nature Walks, Hiking and many more.
Visitors can either use road transport from Kampala and this drive will take about 5-6hours to reach the national park.
Accommodation facilities offered at the park are grouped in different categories that suit different kinds of people according to everyone’s preferences such as; budget, mid-range, luxury accommodation facilities and these lodges include; Equator snow lodge, Katara lodge, Hotel Margherita, Rwenzori Turaco view campsite, Ruboni community camp and many others, Uganda Safari National Parks
Tourists are advised to visit the all the above National Parks during the months of January to March and from August to December, these months being months of dry seasons make it the best time for travelers to visit Uganda because there are less rains which enable them get to see all the wild animals and enjoy all the experiences of their tour to the maximum.
