5 Epic Experiences to Have in Uganda

Uganda is one of Africa’s premier safari destinations, hosting almost everything that the continent has to offer. This little-known country is an awesome destination located in East Africa. This small landlocked country holds a lot that awaits you to explore.

The country is home to one of Africa’s tallest mountain ranges; the Rwenzori Mountains as well as the Source of the River Nile, Africa’s longest river. The country beams with unique and diverse African wildlife making it a worth visiting destination while on an African safari holiday.

It inhabits almost half of the entire remaining 1063 mountain gorillas left on planet Earth, over 1080 bird species, 5050 chimpanzees, and a multitude of golden monkeys plus several other primates. In this article, we bring to you the five epic experiences to have in Uganda.

Gorilla Trekking

Mountain gorilla trekking is a top bucket-list experience for most travelers who go on a Uganda safari. You can participate in this amazing and rewarding experience with an up close and personal encounter with a family of mountain gorillas.

With over half of the world’s 1063 mountain gorillas, Uganda also boasts of sheltering the largest number of habituated gorilla families that can be visited by tourists. Currently, over 20 gorilla families have been habituated for tourist visits. Each family can be visited by a maximum of 8 tourists per day.

Additionally, Uganda has two of the only four gorilla national parks. These two destinations guarantee you the opportunity to participate in a trek to see the massive mountain gorillas in the wild. Uganda’s gorilla safari destinations include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Are you traveling on a shoestring budget? Uganda is generally an affordable safari destination with gorilla permits sold at $800 for non-foreign residents and $700 for foreign residents and shs. 300000 East African Community citizens.

Golden monkey tracking

When it comes to exclusive primate adventures, Uganda never leaves you without a choice! It is also possible for you to embark on a trek with the bamboo forests to see the rare golden monkeys while in their natural habitat.

In addition to viewing mountain gorillas or chimpanzees, this is another unique experience that you can only have in Southwestern Uganda. The golden monkeys are rare primates that live in only the Virunga Region of Africa. You can enjoy this epic experience on your next trip through the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park of Southwestern Uganda.

Chimpanzee tracking

Uganda is the best destination for tourists to see the great chimpanzees in their natural homes. A trek to see chimpanzees in the wild is magical and shouldn’t be missed on your next safari! Trail through the jungle and get to meet man’s closest cousins on a primate safari in Uganda.

The country protects an estimated population of about 5050 chimpanzees. These are scattered in five major chimpanzee tracking destinations. That is the Kibale forest, Budongo forest, Bugoma forest, Kyambura Gorge, and Kalinzu forest. The most popular of all these is Kibale forest national park.

Adrenaline adventures

If you are interested in adrenaline adventures then there is no better destination to have them than Uganda! The Eastern part of Uganda is home to the Source of the Nile, the mighty river that has blessed the country with an intoxicating blend of adrenaline adventures and superb scenery.

You can marvel at the source of the River Nile in Jinja and participate in white water rafting adventures along the powerful rapids of the river. Expect plenty of thrills and spills during your rafting trip through the raging waters of the Nile.

On your next safari in Uganda, you can engage in a diversity of adrenaline adventure experiences including boat cruises, bungee jumping, jet boating, Kayaking, and others.

Game viewing

Uganda is home to a big African game sought after by tourists looking for traditional safaris. Several national parks and game reserves have made Uganda one of the best wildlife safari destinations in East Africa.

Uganda is known to harbor several animals that include cheetahs, elephants, various tribes of antelopes, hippos, crocodiles, African bush elephants, cheetahs, leopards, lions, Rothschild giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, and warthogs among others.

The top places to embark on a game-viewing experience while in Uganda include Kidepo Valley National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Semuliki National Park. Amazingly, most of these animals can be seen on a wildlife safari, including the famous tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha Sector.

The country also has an amazing bird checklist that is fast approaching 1060 birds. These include “specials” such as the shoebill stork, ostriches, koris, etc. Some endemics cannot be seen elsewhere in the world.

All in all, Uganda is the ultimate gateway to Africa. A safari through the Pearl of Africa is such a rewarding lifetime adventure that will never fade from your memories. Apart from the above experiences, there are more exceptional adventures that are worth engaging in while on Uganda safari.

Some other experiences to check out include mountaineering, rock climbing, cultural encounters, horseback riding, zip-lining, mangabey tracking, nature walks, launch trips, bird watching, city tours, etc.