Home > Destinations > Destination: Uganda
Kampala
UGX (Ugandan Shilling)
English, Swahili
UTC+03:00
Amidst Uganda’s spectacular national parks and private reserves, you can see some of the world’s most captivating wildlife. Uganda is the world’s best gorilla trekking destination for the adventurous and fit, where you’ll see these magnificent creatures in the jungles of Lake Victoria. Steep climbs and beautiful valleys reward you with incredible mountain gorilla encounters, with knowledgeable private gorilla trek guides to guarantee an immersive and truly bespoke experience. After a busy day’s exploration, retreat to your luxury safari lodge handpicked by the team of safari experts at Ker & Downey, Africa.
Uganda provides you with the opportunity to tick gorilla tracking off your bucket list. Beyond Gorillas Uganda serves up a wide range of activities and attractions to ensure you experience the adventure of a lifetime. Encounter incredible wildlife while on safari, explore the majestic Rwenzori Mountains, or cruise along Lake Victoria and experience all there is to see in this all too rarely visited African wildlife mecca. Uganda presents you with the unique opportunity to see a selection of primates in their natural habitat. You stand a chance to encounter chimpanzees and a variety of monkeys, but visiting a family of mountain gorillas is undoubtedly Uganda’s real specialty. The parks are also home to a range of big game animals, including hippo, zebra, and a number of antelope.
Combine a gorilla trekking adventure in Uganda with a classic safari experience in the Queen Elizabeth National Park – one of the most vibrantly diverse wildlife reserves in all of Africa.
Lying on the edge of the Rift Valley, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is home to more than half of the remaining mountain gorillas found within the Virunga transboundary in Uganda.
Lake Mburo National Park is both a remedy for your wanderlust and, as Uganda’s most compact savannah national park it boasts more than 350 bird species, herds of stampeding zebra, impala, buffalo, eland, hippos and leopards.
Kampala
UGX (Ugandan Shilling)
English, Swahili
UTC+03:00
It is best to visit Uganda during the dry season between June and September and from December to February. This is the best time to see wildlife in the parks and provides ideal conditions for gorilla tracking. The wet season, however, does provide ample opportunity for excellent gorilla trekking and wild viewing expeditions, making Uganda an all-year destination.
Please be aware that Uganda has strict anti-LGBTQ freedom laws. Read more here.
The high season falls between June and September. Although you will never experience crowding, it is recommended you obtain permits well in advance if you are planning on traveling during this time.
The low season is from March to May and between October and November. Some of the lodges close during this period due to high rainfall, but the scenery is spectacularly green, and you can see newborn animals on safari.
Very little rainfall can be expected between January and February as well as from June to July. This provides you with perfect weather conditions for game viewing and gorilla tracking.
Uganda is a landlocked country located in East Africa. It is bordered by Kenya to the east, South Sudan to the north, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, Rwanda to the southwest, and Tanzania to the south. The southern part of Uganda includes a segment of Lake Victoria, which is shared with Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda’s capital and largest city is Kampala.
Uganda’s varied topography offers some superb destinations for wildlife viewing, including:
Kibale Forest National Park
Located in western Uganda, Kibale National Park boasts moist, evergreen forests filled with spectacular wildlife. Dubbed the ‘Primate Capital of the World’, the park is considered one of the best destinations in Africa for chimpanzee trekking, with the highest number and diversity of primates in East Africa, with 13 species calling the park home. You can also see elephants, antelopes, and some 370 species of birds.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
This primeval forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the ideal destination for gorilla trekking safaris, home to more than 500 of these spectacular primates, almost half the world’s mountain gorilla population. The park is known for its exceptional biodiversity, with more than 160 species of trees.
Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site national park in Uganda, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, is located in southwestern Uganda and is known for the Margherita Peak, Africa’s third highest. The park, which is often referred to as the Mountains of the Moon, offers varied topography, from tropical rainforest to bamboo woodlands and montane cloud forests, providing diverse wildlife and spectacular views. The park’s soaring mountains make it ideal for mountaineering, trekking, hiking, and climbing safaris, providing visitors the opportunity to visit one of the world’s most pristine and unspoiled mountains on earth.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
The Queen Elizabeth National Park is highly popular for savannah safaris in Uganda and is considered one of the best places in Uganda to see lions, including the park’s unique tree-climbing lions. The Ntungwe River cuts through the park, providing a source of life for many of the park’s animals, including leopards, elephants, giraffes, antelopes, and buffaloes. The Queen Elizabeth Park is also home to the spectacular Kyambura Gorge, also known as the magnificent Valley of Apes, which is situated in the eastern part of the park. The Kyambura Gorge is the only part of the park where chimpanzees can be found. The steep slopes of the gorge also regularly attract flamingoes, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, and Columbus monkeys, along with a wide range of birds.
Mount Elgon National Park
Mount Elgon is an extinct volcano that first erupted around 24 million years ago. Located on the Uganda-Kenya border, it is the 4th highest peak in East Africa, soaring 3,000 meters above the surrounding plains. Mount Elgon also has the largest volcanic base and largest mountain caldera in the world. The extinct volcano is home to two tribes, the Bagisu and the Sabiny. The park is home to over 300 species of birds, including the endangered Lammergeyer. Mount Elgon National Park is the ideal destination for climbing safaris and private hiking tours.
You can enjoy a wide style of luxury safaris in Uganda, including:
A luxury safari in Uganda offers incredible opportunities to witness diverse wildlife in their natural habitats. Here are some of the remarkable species you might encounter:
Every luxury safari lodge is unique, so amenities do differ. Some common amenities include:
The cost of a luxury safari in Uganda will depend on the length of your stay, time of year, and choice of safari lodge. Luxury safaris in Uganda with Ker & Downey Africa start from XXX per person per week. Contact our team today or browse our luxury safari Uganda accommodations and packages.
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Ker & Downey® Africa is compliant with COVID-19 Industry Protocols.
