Known as “The Pearl of Africa”, Uganda offers a wholesome and holistic African holiday experience from its diverse natural and cultural heritage. And whether you’re travelling with a young family, or friends or solo, the country offers various adventure options that you can tailor in your holiday safari to suit your interests and thirst for adventure.
Uganda is favoured by an-year-round pleasant climate tamed by numerous physical natural features including the towering Rwenzori mountain ranges, dozens of lakes including L. Victoria also the source of River Nile and extensive wetlands. On top of these natural attractions and highlights, Uganda boasts a rich cultural diversity with it’s people known for their warm hospitality and friendliness.
Popular Activities and Highlights on a Holiday Safari in Uganda
Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzee Tracking
The major highlight to most visitors on a holiday to Uganda is an up-close trek experience along the mountain gorillas and their smaller counterparts the chimpanzee in their natural rainforest habitats. This major highlight has been deemed a privilege and a lifetime adventure by most visitors. Uganda hosts half of the global population of mountain gorillas within its pristine gorilla rainforest parks, where over 20 gorilla families are available for daily trekking experience. Uganda offers the most exciting and affordable mountain gorilla tracking experience in the region. Chimpanzee trekking occurs in a few forests in Uganda but Kibale NP is best place to encounter this iconic species.
Wildlife Safaris in Uganda
Several of Uganda’s 10 national parks savanna and woodland where iconic game occur including the Big 5. Less touristic crowds brings that exclusive real Africa’s wilderness feel and off-the-beaten wildness experiences. The parks diversity of habitats from fresh water bodies, rugged mountain ranges, woodlands and expansive savanna grasslands all teemed with Africa’s iconic game and an exciting birdlife. Major activities offered here include game drives, boat cruises and nature walks getting you up-close and personal to Africa’s most iconic game. Popular game include Lion, Leopard, African Elephant, Hippo, Buffalo and a diversity of birds.
White Water Rafting on the Nile
Uganda’s top adventure is undoubtedly white water rafting on the world’s longest river; the Nile. The world-class adrenaline activity lie along a 50 km stretch of the Nile beginning from its mouth at Jinja, where it cascades over various rock ridges to create a series of wild rapids. Adventurers are treated to challenge rapids classified between Grade 3 and 5 differing only in difficulty. The white water rafting experience is tailored to your own appetite for adventure on either a half-day or full-day duration plan. Other adventures options here include, Kayaking, Tubing and Abseiling.
Birdwatching
Uganda is a top birding destination with a checklist of about 1080 bird species, that is over 50%of the continents bird species making this small East African country a bird haven. This diversity of bird species is due Uganda’s geographic advantage along the equator and at the confluence of Africa’s major habitats. These habitats include savannas and woodlands, extensive wetlands that host the elusive Shoebill and tropical rainforests that host regional endemic birds. The country’s top birding sites lie within protected reserves, national parks and community lands, linked together by an excellent road network and serviced by wide range of accommodation plans. This connectivity allows birding enthusiasts to tailor other popular highlights like gorilla and chimp tracking and other adventures.