Uganda’s savanna parks protect large open fresh water bodies surrounded by extensive wetlands that is a home to several aquatic diversity and is also a life-line to several terrestrial wildlife. A boat cruise safari gives you exclusive access to the most secluded and most remote quarters where several African giants and other wildlife occur. On these exclusive water banks, Nile Crocodiles bask in tropical hot sun, the semi aquatic hippo pods rest while herds of elephants and other grazers come to quench their thirst. Birdlife is excellent including various Herons, Fish Eagles, Pelicans, Kingfishers and other waders.
Where to go for a Boat Cruise Safari In Uganda
1. River Nile Cruise in Murchison Falls NP
A boat cruise to the bottom of the mighty and roaring Murchison Falls in Murchison Falls National Park ranks is a major highlight on any Uganda’s safari. The Murchison Falls to which the park is named after occurs where the Nile crushes through the rift valley rock crack to form the world’s most powerful waterfalls.
The boat cruise launches at Para and takes a roundtrip of about 3-hours following this stretch of the Nile where resident wildlife include Hippos and Nile Crocodiles. The river banks are also frequented by herds of Elephants, Nubian Giraffe and other herbivores coming here to quench their thirst. The sand cliffs host the dazzling thousands of nesting Red-throated Bee-eaters. Onwards the boat cruise edges near the bottom of the mighty Murchison Falls, providing an epic sight of this magnificent natural wonder. Here, the world’s most powerful waterfalls occur as the ancient Nile crushes through a rift valley escarpment rock crack just 7m wide, tumbling through a nearly 40m long canyon to flow peaceful and quietly and into L. Albert.
A second cruise follows the down-stream river stretch that extends up to the delta where the Nile pours its effluent into L. Albert. Here bird watchers and enthusiasts will be rewarded with a healthy checklist of wetland specialists as they bird through various channels. Of interest is the bizarre looking Shoebill who feeds in these shallow vegetated channels for catfish and other crustaceans. Other birdlife include congregations of African Skimmers, goliath herons, whistling duck and more waders. Other privately arranged boat cruises on the Nile here, include sundowner and early sunrise cruises.
2. The Kazinga channel Boat Cruise in Queen Elizabeth NP
The Kazinga channel is a natural channel that connects Lakes Edward and Gorge in the rift valley floor of Queen Elizabeth NP. The 40km long channel is shallow with only 1-2m in depth hosting millions of hippos along diverse wildlife and a incredible birdlife.
Daily a 2-hr scheduled boat experience explores this shallow channel for a close up sightings of hundreds of hippo families, Nile crocodiles, Nile monitor lizards and varied wildlife. This stretch has the highest concentrations of hippos in the region.
The cruise plan targets mid-morning and afternoon periods where large herds of African savanna elephants, cape buffalos and other antelopes make it to the channel to quench the thirst before heading out back to the plains late in the afternoon.
Bird watchers and bird enthusiasts will be rewarded as they approach the sandy banks near the mouth of L. Edward, where millions of palearctic migrants congregate during the season of Sept-March but other local waders and wetland specialists also occur.
3. Lake Mburo NP Boat Cruise
Lake Mburo National Park is Uganda’s smallest of the savanna parks but also the most diverse with a wide diversity of habitats and wildlife. At the southern edges of this park is a 13km2 papyrus and woodland lined fresh water Lake Mburo from which the park is named. This shallow lake occupies a depression caused by tectonic forces that shaped the surrounding landscapes of western L. Victoria woodlands. It’s a part of a major drainage system involving over a dozen lakes surrounded by miles of wetlands draining southwards into the Kagera river then into L. Victoria.
A 2-hr morning/evening boat cruise here is a unique experience to get one into close quarters of thousands of hippo families that call these waters home plus massive crocodiles that line the banks. The shallow edges attract local wildlife including impala, zebra, buffalo and waterbuck that drink here but the woodlands host numerous avian species, including several dozens of African Fish Eagles while the papyrus hosts several of L. Victoria basin specialists.
The woodland lined quite water edges attract Africa’s most elusive bird, African finfoot a top of checklist specie for most birdwatchers and enthusiasts. Other exciting boat cruises include scenic cruises occur on L.Bunyonyi and L.Mutanda, while on L. Albert and Mabamba the cruise is for the iconic Shoebill.