Uganda Safaris

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Uganda Safari Tours

If you’ve ever wanted to sit with mountain gorillas in their natural rainforest habitat then a Uganda safari will deliver on your expectations. Boasting a 90% success rate at finding habituated gorilla family groups in the extraordinary Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, gorilla trekking in Uganda has become one of Africa’s most powerful wildlife experiences and such is its success that the gorilla population is actually increasing.

But don’t think that a Uganda safari is only about gorillas in rainforests: this landlocked East African country is home to a range of diverse national parks and is a strong contender for one of the world’s best bird watching destinations. Head for Murchison Falls or Queen Elizabeth National Park for classic big game viewing, chimpanzee trekking and river cruises.

Kibale, in southern Uganda, forms a massive wildlife corridor with Queen Elizabeth National Park that is used by migrating elephants in search of water. A mixture of tropical rainforest, swamp and grasslands, Kibale supports Africa’s biggest population of chimpanzees as well as at least a dozen other primate species. It is a top destination for those wanting to trek primates, including gorillas, and with over 320 recorded bird species, is also a haven for twitchers.

A green, hilly and elevated country with many lakes and mountains, Uganda’s appeal lies in its simplicity. Infrastructure is limited but growing and there is now a good range of safari accommodation and city-based hotels. Ideal for seasoned safari-goers, bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts, Uganda’s star is on the rise – combine it with Kenya or Tanzania for a holistic East African safari experience.

What Makes Uganda A Popular Safari Destination?

Uganda is a landlocked country situated on the equator promise temperate weather throughout the year and a characteristic evergreen landscape, rich in biodiversity and varied in landscapes lies East of Tanzania and Kenya and West of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Pearl of Africa became famous as a result of Winston Churchill’s accounts of the East African country, touched by its splendor in its “variety of form and colors,” as well as its “profusion of brilliant life.” Uganda’s fertile lands are made up of terraced hillsides, dense rainforest, numerous lakes, mighty rivers and waterfalls, volcanoes and snow-capped mountains.

Home of the Mountain Gorilla

Uganda is home to more than half of the world’s mountain gorilla population and is one of the few countries where you can encounter them in their natural environment. In addition to mountain gorillas, Uganda boasts a dozen other primate species including chimpanzees.

Uganda offers a multitude of adventures that are best experienced on an organized tour or safari.

There is excellent game viewing in Uganda, including mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, alongside prolific birdlife, warm and welcoming people and stunning landscapes. Mountain gorillas can be tracked at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, while chimpanzees can be found in Kibale Forest and Kyambura Gorge.

Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth II National Park provides excellent viewing opportunities for all Africa’s plains game as well as boat trips to the foot of the thundering Murchison Falls on the Kazinga Channel for birdwatching or sundowners. Lake Mburo National Park offer visitors a safari experience in interesting and dramatic landscapes. Trekking is possible on Mount Elgon and in the Rwenzori Mountains, while Lake Victoria offers freshwater fishing and a few idiosyncratic tropical-island beach resorts. The Water rafting in Jinja is among the best in the world on source of River Nile.

Where Will Your Uganda Safari Take You?

Uganda’s famous gorilla trekking may be on everyone’s to-do list experience of meeting a mountain gorilla face to face is truly a moment to be remembered for a lifetime. Encounter exciting wildlife such as tree-climbing lions, eland, buffalo, elephant and more on an unforgettable safari. Our knowledge and first-hand experience can help you design the perfect safari and tour adventure in Uganda.

Contact our Uganda Safari experts to start planning your handcrafted itinerary!

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Popular Uganda Safari FAQs

Uganda is the dream destination for those in search of the absolute pinnacle of primate safaris. Chimpanzees roam in numbers in Kibale and Queen Elizabeth National Park, as do colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, de Brazza monkeys and a host of other species. The last mountain gorillas are carefully protected in the Impenetrable Forest of Bwindi. Uganda outshines all other safari destinations in these two areas, but, in addition, it remains a superb destination for traditional safari by vehicle or by boat, thanks to its lush habitats and variety of species. For those in search of something fresh and vibrant, Uganda is the perfect choice.

Uganda tours are exciting and interesting but they come with a cost which hinders most travelers from embarking on their trips.

For any traveler who is planning to have his or her next vacation in Uganda, price should be one of the factors that you should bear in mind if you are to have the most successful holiday. The cost of Uganda trips depends on several factors most of which include the class of accommodation and most of this range from luxury, mid-range luxury to budget; Gorilla trekking is so far the most expensive tourist activity in Uganda costing $600 to be increased to $700 in July 2020 for a single gorilla permit. If you want to go for chimpanzee trekking, the adventure calls for $200, lion tracking costs $50, Batwa cultural trail costs $80, golden monkey trekking costs $100 while entrance fees to all savannah parks (Murchison falls, Queen Elizabeth, Kidepo Valley, Lake Mburo National park and Semuliki Valley National parks is $40. Therefore, the cost of your trip will depend on the kind of activities in your travel itinerary. All activity costs and park entrance fees are set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), a government body responsible for tourism and wildlife conservation in Uganda the pearl of Africa. More so, the money for all activities is paid to UWA and is used to support conservation protects and promote more tourism products in Uganda.

Uganda is a great destination to view wildlife in both forest and savannah. Don’t miss the gorilla trekking in Bwindi or Mgahinga, while chimpanzees can easily be spotted in Kibale to birdwatching endemic species and several other locations. Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls national parks offer wonderful savannah safaris with good wildlife viewing, as does the more remote Kidepo National Park.

The best time to visit Uganda is during its two dry seasons: between December and February, and between June and August, when conditions are particularly good for trekking to see mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. Primate walks in the forest are a big part of any safari in Uganda. The habitat of rainforests is, by default, very wet, and one can’t avoid rain completely. However, after heavy rain, the skies often open up to bright sunshine. Game spotting in national parks is also good at this time, as well as between February and March. Large numbers of wildlife can be seen at waterholes from September through to early October. Temperatures barely change throughout the seasons, sitting around 24°C-30°C, so you can visit Uganda all year round. The country is also fabulous for bird spotting at any time of year.

Gorilla tracking fees from US$600 to US$700 for Foreign non-residents, and US$500 to US$600 for Foreign residents and UGX 250000 for East African residents

Yes, it is very safe to track Gorillas in Uganda or Rwanda. Your well-being, safety, and security are on everyone’s mind while you are tracking the Mountain Gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda. The first thing always is safety while out there. For over 20 years now, there has been no security incidence in Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla Park. The government has a standby military base within the parks working with armed rangers and the tourism police. All these armed personnel are well trained, equipped and motivated to keep the park and tourists safe. 

Gorilla Tracking in Uganda has a special arrangement whereby there is always an advanced team of rangers who go first to find them before you start the walk, which makes it of higher chances of seeing the Gorilla families and they can be enjoyed by any one at any time.

Uganda fixed its gorilla trekking permit price at $600 per trek (although they no longer offer the lower priced permits during the low season). Uganda has seemingly benefited from the Rwandan decision with it being increasingly hard to find permit availability in Bwindi, while at times Rwanda has a surplus. With the opportunity to do two gorilla treks in Uganda for less than the price of one permit in Rwanda, it is certainly worth more budget-conscious travelers considering Uganda over its better-known neighbor.

Rwanda increased the cost of a gorilla permit from $750 per trek to $1,500, citing a desire to focus on high value, low volume tourism. There were concerns raised at the time that this meant that only the most affluent visitors would be drawn to Rwanda’s arguably more famous gorillas.

Gorilla trekking is very ethical when it is done in a righteous path, with this I mean if tourists follow the do’s and don’ts and the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking as regulated by the government, in this we can protect and conserve the mountain gorillas for generations, we can as well curb the extinction of our close relatives for our grandchild to trek them as well.

You need to wear a long sleeved shirt and Long trousers (can be either Khaki zip-up trousers or jeans) in fact if you can get waterproof trousers wear those. Both long trousers and long sleeved shirts protect you from branches, nettles, thorns or anything else that can prick/scratch you.

Top Safari Destinations

Explore our selection of most popular destinations below!