Uganda safari holiday options (what to do in Uganda)

Uganda safari holiday options (what to do in Uganda). A typical Uganda Safari holiday involves several activities, which include classic game drives, boat safaris, primate trekking involving gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking and golden monkey trekking, bird watching and guided walks. Uganda offers exceptional activities that tourists can take part in while on a Uganda Safari holiday, and this is what we are going to be discussing: what you can do on a Uganda gorilla safari.

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1. Gorilla trekking

This is one of the most exciting, thrilling and unforgettable safaris in Uganda ranking as a top safari activity in Uganda. Mountain gorillas are intelligent endangered species that are trekked in their natural habitats of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park.  They usually live in 5 to 30 groups and are under the leadership of the dominant silverback. Trekking mountain gorillas can only be done in three countries: Uganda, Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.

Bwindi has 19 habituated gorilla families in the four sectors that make up the national park and 1 gorilla family in Mgahinga National Park.

And because the mountain gorillas are on the verge of extinction, they are highly protected and one will need to purchase a gorilla permit to be able to participate in the gorilla trekking activity. The current cost of the gorilla permit in Uganda is $800 for foreign non-residents(international tourists), $700 for foreign residents and UGx300,000 for East African citizens.

Gorilla trekking is an exciting experience that requires tourists to be physically fit and you need to follow the rules and regulations that govern the trek to protect the gorillas and these include keeping at least 10 meters from the gorillas, turning off the camera flash when taking photos, the trek is limited to only 8 people per group and communicate in whispers among others.

Gorilla trekking is best carried out in the dry season, June to August and December to February.

2. Gorilla habituation in Bwindi

Gorilla habituation safaris in Uganda allow tourists to spend 4 hours with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat and observe their behaviour. Gorilla habituation is a crucial process that involves researchers studying the gorillas so that they get used to human presence without perceiving them as a threat to their families.

Gorilla habituation experience safaris are now popular among tourists because they get to spend more time with the gorillas, but note that it is more demanding physically, and you need to be ready for it.

Just like gorilla trekking, you need to purchase a gorilla habituation permit to be able to spend more time with the gorillas and the cost of the permit is $1500 for foreign non-residents (international tourists), $1000 for foreign residents, $1000 for other African citizens and UGX750, 000 for East African citizens.

It is physically demanding because you are meeting mountain gorillas that are not fully habituated and are always on the move. They will be moving around in search of food, caring for their young ones, climbing slopes and trees and ducking in different directions as they move through their foliage.

Gorilla habituation is only available in Uganda in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable NP.

3. Enjoy game drives in national parks

When it comes to game drives, Uganda has some of the best safari destinations in the savanna parks that are found in the different parts of the country. Uganda offers satisfying and unforgettable game drive safaris in 4x4 safari vehicles with few crowds as compared to its counterparts in Kenya and Tanzania. The big five, that is, elephants, rhinos, leopards, lions and buffaloes, can be seen on the game drives offered in the national parks.

Morning game drives are considered to be the best way to view the wildlife in many of the savanna national parks, and these usually start at around 6:00 am, lasting 2 to 4 hours before breakfast. The afternoon drives start around 3:00 pm and last about 2 hours. Then there are some national parks that offer night drives, and these start at 6:00pm and last 2 hours.

The prime safari destinations for a game drive and wildlife safari include the following.

• Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP) is a home to four of the big five animals. It is also the largest national park in the country lying in the northern part of the Albertine Rift. Wildlife to look out for in Murchison Falls National Park include buffaloes, lions, elephants, hippos, oribis, hartebeests and Rothschild’s giraffes among others.
• Queen Elizabeth National Park is best known for the tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector and large herds of hippos. Wildlife to look out for in QENP include buffaloes, leopards, kobs, Topi and chimpanzees in the Kyambura Gorge among others. It is also home to 4 of the big five animal species.
• Kidepo Valley National Park is best known for its large herds of buffaloes and for offering tourists the authentic African feel since it is rarely visited by tourists due to its remote nature. Wildlife to look out for in Kidepo Valley include Rothschild giraffes, spotted hyenas, bushbucks, defassa waterbucks, lions, bush pigs, caracal, lesser kudu, elephants, buffaloes and elands, among others.
• Lake Mburo National Park, being the smallest national park in Uganda, is home to a variety of wildlife species. The different wildlife species that are found in Lake Mburo National Park include buffaloes, hippos, warthogs, defassa waterbucks, common duikers and oribis among others.

4.Chimpanzee trekking

Chimpanzee trekking is one of the top safari activities that tourists can engage in while on a safari holiday in Uganda, and it involves tracking down the chimpanzees in their natural habitat and spending an hour with them in their natural habitat. Chimpanzee trekking is a great opportunity where you get to meet the chimpanzees that have almost 98% DNA like humans. Uganda has more than 5700 chimpanzees in the different safari destinations that are reserved and protected.

Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is carried out in Kibale Forest National Park which is home to over 1500 chimpanzees, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Budongo Forest in Murchison Falls National Park and Kalinzu Forest.

You will also need a chimpanzee trekking permit to be able to participate in the chimpanzee trekking exercise and the cost of the permit is different depending on the destination you choose to go for chimpanzee trekking.

Destination    foreign non-residents   foreign residents   EAC citizens

Kibale NP                $250                              $USD200                  UGX180,000

Kalinzu Forest         $130                              $65usd.                 $USD65

Kyambura Gorge    $100                              $80                    UGX50,000

Budongo Forest     $230                               $USD210                  $85

Note that the chimpanzee trekking permits have to be booked and purchased in advance because they are in high demand, and limited permits are printed per day.

5.Chimpanzee habituation

This is one of the top things you can carry out while on a safari holiday in Uganda. Chimpanzee habituation involves researchers studying the chimpanzees and making sure that they get used to the presence of humans and do not treat them like a threat.  Chimpanzee habituation in Uganda is carried out in Kibale Forest National Park and Budongo Forest, and tourists get to spend either half a day or the entire day with the chimpanzees, depending on what the tourist wants. This is the only way you can spend more time with the chimpanzees unlike the one hour spent with the chimpanzees during the standard chimpanzee trek safari.

Chimpanzee habituation not only gives you a chance to spend more time with the chimpanzees, but it also gives you the behind-the-scenes that are involved in studying the behaviours of the chimpanzees.

The exercise starts as early as 6:00 am when the chimpanzees are coming out of their nests and you get to follow them around the entire day till they get back to their nests for the night.

6. Boat safaris

Boat rides are some of the activities that tourists can do on a safari holiday in Uganda, and this activity is carried out in the different parts of Uganda, each offering a unique experience. The different destinations where you can and enjoy  a boat ride in Uganda include the following:

• Boat rides to the mighty  Murchison Falls: A boat ride to the bottom of the Murchison Falls is one of the activities that tourists can engage in while on a safari to Uganda. The 3-hour boat ride along the River Nile to the bottom of the Murchison Falls gives you plenty of sights of the wild animals and bird species that are found in the national park, and some of these include shoebills, buffaloes, antelopes, elephants and hippos, among others. The boat ride will dock just a few meters away from the thundering 50-meter-wide falls, and it usually costs $36 per person.
• Boat rides along the Nile Delta: The Nile Delta boat ride is one of the many boat safaris you should not miss out on while on a safari to Murchison Falls National Park.  During this boat ride, tourists have a chance to see the Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, black and white colobus monkeys and bird species among others. The Nile Delta boat safari takes 4 to 5 hours and costs $55 per person.
• Boat rides along the Kazinga Channel: This is one of the best things to do while on a safari to Uganda and this 2-hour boat ride along the Kazinga Channel in QENP is one of the best ways in which you can watch the wildlife species including lions, over 5000 hippos and over 612 bird species. The cost of the Kazinga Channel boat ride is $36 per person.

7. Visiting the Source of the Nile in Jinja

Jinja is one of Uganda’s largest towns and is located about 80km away from the capital city of Uganda Kampala. Jinja is a top and popular destination among both the locals and tourists. Jinja city has an attractive set of activities that will keep tourists busy throughout the entire safari and some of the activities that you can engage in while on a safari holiday to Uganda in Jinja include boat rides along the Nile, white Water rafting, bungee jumping and going on a food tasting safari around the town.

Explore the Owen Falls Dam, which covered the Ripon Falls that were first discovered by John Speke in 1862. If this is your first time visiting Jinja, make sure that you participate in the different activities that are offered and wander around the tourist town of Jinja to learn more about the locals.

There is also a selection of various accommodation facilities that have sprouted across the city to cater for the ever increasing number of tourists in the area.

8. Mountain climbing

Mountain climbing in Uganda is one of the activities that are carried out in Uganda and this can be carried out on Mountain Rwenzori for adrenaline Junkies and one of the volcanic ranges in Mgahinga.

Mount Rwenzori: Mountain Rwenzori, rising to a height of 5109 meters above sea level, is an exciting climb offering tourists a chance to explore the challenging hike. It has been declared as one of the best in the world offering not only a challenge by using the different routes leading to the snow-capped peak but incredible beauty around the mountain.

The mountain is located in Rwenzori National Park, where tourists get to watch wildlife, and was declared a UNESCO heritage site in 1994. the hike can take 7 to 8 days using the central circuit route.

Mount Sabinyo: Mount Sabinyo is a popular climb among tourists, offering some of the best views around the park and the peak, which is at 3669 meters above sea level.  When you get to the peak, you can be able to see the three countries, Congo, Uganda and Rwanda at the same time.

Explore Kampala city

Kampala city is the capital city of Uganda located just 40 kilometers from the main and only airport in Uganda, Entebbe International Airport. Kampala is famous for its vibrant nightlife and welcoming people, with a population of over 2 million people.  Kampala at first acted as hunting grounds for the kings of Buganda and, at the moment, is filled with shopping centres, taxi parks, markets and commercial malls, among others.

The walk through Kampala is not for the weak hearted due to the chaos within the city centre but some of the landmarks you can visit include the Independent Monument, Kasubi tombs, the National Museum, Bahai Temple, kabaka’s Palace, Ndere Cultural Centre, Uganda National Mosque, the craft making markets and Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo among others.

Other activities that you can engage in while on a safari holiday in Uganda include a relaxation safari to the Ssesse islands where you can engage in activities like forest walks, quad biking, sport-fishing, island hopping and boat cruises among others, a visit to the Equator crossing located in Kayabwe, enjoy cultural trips to Uganda which is home to over 56 tribes, each having unique cultures that are worth exploring.

Visit the Sipi Falls, take a trip to the Sempaya Hot Springs in western Uganda, visit Lake Bunyonyi, known for its many islands and home to several bird species and a hike to Mount Elgon, among others.

In conclusion, Uganda is an amazing country that has a lot to offer and you will find that there are a lot of things that can be done which we cannot exhaust here. Get in touch with us at Encounter Africa Safaris to help you plan your safari to Uganda.