Western Uganda tourist attractions

Western Uganda is known for its various tourist attractions and breathtaking scenery, making it one of the best safari destinations to visit while on a safari to Uganda. Uganda is home to some of the best tourist attractions on the African continent, and some of these are located in western Uganda, which is divided into different regions.

Most Popular Safaris

3 Day Murchison Falls National Park safari

2 Day Lake Mburo game & Boat safari

3 Day Lake Mburo wildlife, boat & walking safari

4 Day Kidepo Valley Fly in Safari

3 Day Queen Elizabeth wildlife safari

3 Day Mgahinga Gorilla Trekking safari

16 Days Primates, Game & Culture

19 Day Best of Uganda Safari

3 Day Fly in Gorilla Habituation Safari

5 Days Gorillas & Game Safari

These tourist attractions each have unique safari activities that are offered, and they can be visited all year round. The different tourist attractions in Western Uganda are found in different regions and they include the following:

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, found in southwestern Uganda, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Uganda and is best known for being home to the endangered Mountain gorillas.  The National Park was declared a UNESCO Heritage site and is home to half of the remaining population of Mountain gorillas in the world found in the four sectors of Bwindi which are Rushaga, Buhoma, Nkuringo and Ruhija.  You not only get to see Mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, but you will also get to see other attractions within the National Park which include tree species, primates like chimpanzees, L’Hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, bird species, wildlife like forest elephants, bush pigs, forest hogs and visit the local communities.

Gorilla trekking is the main activity that is carried out in Bwindi and 19 habituated gorilla families are open for gorilla trekking throughout the year. You not only get to trek the Mountain gorillas, but you get to spend an hour with them during the standard trekking and 4 hours with them during the gorilla habituation experience. Gorilla habituation experience was introduced in the Rushaga sector and this gives tourists more time with the primates. You will also need to purchase a gorilla trekking permit to be able to access the Mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

The different activities you can carry out in Bwindi include gorilla trekking, gorilla habituation experience, guided nature walks, bird watching, cultural trips, and primate walks among others. The best time to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park depends on the different activities you intend to participate in and your preference, but the best and recommended time is from June to September and December to February during the dry season.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is a popular tourist attraction that is found in the western part of Uganda and this is the second largest National Park in the country and one of the oldest. The National Park is made up of wetlands, woodlands, savannah plains and forests which make up the best ecosystem. Tourists visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park can engage in different safari activities, and these include boat rides along the Kazinga Channel, game drives, bird watching, chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge, a visit to the Katwe salt mines and guided nature walks, among others.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the best bird-watching destination in Uganda and East Africa, with over 610 bird species in the various habitats that are found in the national park. The different birding habitats in the park include the crater lakes of Bunyampaka and Katwe, swamps, the Kazinga channel and the savannah grasslands and woodlands. The best time to go for birding is from November to April when the migratory birds are present. The different bird species in Queen Elizabeth include the African finfoot, Black-headed gonolek, African fish eagle, Broad-billed roller, Cassin’s flycatcher, Black-rumped buttonquail, Broad-billed roller, Caspian plover, African skimmer, African hobby, African fish eagle, Pel’s fishing eagle, Long-crested eagle, Grey-winged robin chat, Papyrus gonolek, Lesser flamingo, Palm-nut vulture and Grey-winged robin chat among others.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is also home to a wide range of animal species and whereas others are commonly spotted around the park, others are harder to spot. The best time to see the animals is during the dry season, from December to February and June to September, because the animals gather around the different watering holes around the park because of the heat. Some of the animal species that are found in Queen Elizabeth National Park include elephants, hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, Uganda Kob, bushbucks, the defassa waterbuck, Topis which are only found in the Ishasha sector, chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge, leopards and the famous tree-climbing lions that are found in the Ishasha sector.

Mgahinga National Park

Located in southwestern Uganda, Mgahinga National Park is home to the endangered Mountain gorillas and the Golden monkeys, which are the main tourist attractions in the park. This is one of the smallest National Park in Uganda and has one habituated gorilla family which is known as the Nyakagezi gorilla family. For tourists to be able to participate in gorilla trekking and golden monkey trekking, they need to purchase the trekking permits that are available at the Uganda Wildlife Authority and can easily be purchased through a trusted tour operator.

The different activities that are carried out in Mgahinga National Park include gorilla trekking which is the main activity carried out all-year-round and note that you should be 12 years and above to be able to participate in gorilla trekking, Golden monkey trekking, Volcano hiking along the Gahinga ranges, Mount Sabinyo and Mount Muhabura, bird watching with a variety of bird species which include the Greater Double-collared sunbird, Malachite sunbird, Western Green Tinker Bird, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Olive pigeons, Kivu ground Thrush, Dusky Turtle Dove, white starred breasted Tit and Rwenzori Turaco among others, and taking on the Batwa trail which is a cultural experience every tourist experience.

Kibale Forest National Park

Kibale Forest National Park is one of the top tourist attractions in western Uganda and is best known as the best destination for primate tracking. Kibale Forest National Park is home to 1500 chimpanzees and 13 different primate species, some of which include red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, vervet monkeys, chimpanzees, and baboons, among others.  The main activity that is carried out in Kibale is chimpanzee tracking and chimpanzee habituation, where tourists need to first purchase a chimpanzee permit before they gain access to the chimpanzees in their natural habitat. The chimpanzees can be tracked throughout the year and tourists 12 years and above are the only ones that are allowed to trek chimpanzees in Kibale National Park.

Kibale National Park is home to over 370 bird species and these are best seen from November to April when the migratory birds are available and these include the Abyssinian ground thrush, African grey parrot, Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Blue-headed bee-eater, Black-capped Apalis, Afep pigeon, Crowned eagle, Brown-chested Alethe, Double toothed barbet, Brown Llliadopsis, Scaly breasted Illadopsis, Purple breasted sunbird, Red-headed bluebill and Nahan’s francolin among others.

The different activities that are carried out in Kibale Forest National Park include chimpanzee trekking, chimpanzee habituation experience, bird watching, guided nature walks, a visit to the Bigodi Islands and cultural trips to the nearby communities. The best time to visit Kibale is from June to September during the dry season.

The Rwenzori Mountains

Rwenzori Mountain is the highest mountain in Uganda and a top tourist attraction found in western Uganda. It is also referred to as the Mountain of the Moon and the best safari destination for Mountain climbing. Rwenzori Mountain has the highest peak at 5109 meters above sea level, known as Margherita Peak, and there are different trails you can use to get to the peak, some of which include the Bakurungu Trail, the Central Circuit Trail route and the Kilembe Trail. The hikes around the Rwenzori ranges take you through the different climatic zones, which include the montane forests, alpine meadows, and glacial valleys, and once you get to the peak, you get to enjoy the beautiful scenery around the mountain, the crater Lakes, waterfalls and the snow-capped peak. The best time to go hiking along Mountain Rwenzori is from June to September during the dry season.

Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest park in Uganda and one of the closest to the capital city of Uganda, Kampala, and Entebbe, approximately 290km. Lake Mburo National Park is home to a variety of wildlife some of which include zebras, hippos, buffaloes, hyenas, reed backs, leopards, waterbucks, oribi, defassa waterbucks, elands and many more others. The best time to go for game drives to spot the different animal species is from June to September and December to February.

The different activities that can be carried out in Lake Mburo National Park include boat cruises, night game drives and day game drives, visit to the local communities where you get to see the Ankole people milk their cows, process milk and make yoghurt, visit the Igongo Cultural Centre, guided nature walks, hiking, bird watching and horse riding among others.

Lake Bunyonyi

Lake Bunyonyi is known to be the deepest lake in Uganda and the second in East Africa after Lake Tanganyika, located in Southwestern Uganda, lying between the Kabala and Kisoro districts. It is best known for being home to many little birds hence the name Bunyonyi. Lake Bunyonyi is made up of 29 islands, and these include Bucuranuka, Akampene, Bwana, Njuyeera and Bushara, among others. All these islands have a unique history behind them. For example, Akampene Island is the place where girls who got pregnant before marriage were taken by their families and abandoned, left to die either by drowning or starving.

Lake Bunyonyi is known to be one of the most beautiful places to visit and some of the activities that you can carry out on your safari to Lake Bunyonyi include boat cruising along the Lake to the different Islands, bird watching where you get to see different bird species including red chested sunbird, slender-billed Baglafecht, grey crowned crane, Pied kingfisher, white-tailed blue monard and levillant cuckoo among others, taking cultural trips, zip lining, swimming Mountain biking and guided nature walks. The best time to visit Lake Bunyonyi is from December to February and June to September during the dry season.

Semiliki National Park

Semiliki National Park is found in Western Uganda and is a top tourist attraction in the district of Bundibugyo, which lies along the border of DRC. The national park is also bordered by Mount Rwenzori on the southeastern side and Lake Albert on the north. Semiliki National Park is a top birding destination in Uganda with over 410 bird species, some of which include the Dwarf Honeyguide, Blue-headed crested Flycatcher, Orange weaver, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Congo Serpent Eagle, Sassi’s Olive Greenbul, White-tailed Hornbill, Capuchin Babbler, Long-tailed Hawk, and Nkulengu Rail among others. The National Park is also home to about 60 animal species which can easily be seen during the dry season and these include the Dwarf antelope, bush babies, bay duikers, forest buffaloes, Uganda Kob, pygmy flying squirrel, leopards, elephants, Little collared fruit bat, sitatunga, target rats, warthogs, white-bellied duikers and waterbucks among others.

The different activities that can be carried out in Semuliki National Park include game drives, a visit to the Sempaya hot springs which are believed to have healing powers, guided nature walks, a trip to the Semuliki River, chimpanzee tracking, bird watching, cultural trips to the Batwa people and guided nature walks.

Semuliki National Park can be visited throughout the year; however, the best and busiest time is during the dry months of June to September, and this is because driving through the National Park during this period is easier with less mud.

Bigodi Sanctuary

The Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary is a swampy jungle that is located a few kilometers away from Kibale National Park, and it won a UNESCO heritage award as one of the sustainable tourism projects in the community. This is one of the most popular safari destinations in western Uganda and tourists are advised to visit the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary when they come for a safari to Kibale Forest National Park. Bigodi Wetland is home to over 200 bird species, some of which include Cuckoos, Kingfishers, Papyrus Gonolek, weavers, waxbills and Hornbills, among others. The wetland is also home to a variety of animals that include antelopes, Otters, Mongoose, bushbucks, bush pigs and sitatungas among, others. It is also home to a variety of private species and t, these include black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest monkeys, Vervet monkeys, red colobus monkeys, baboons, Grey-cheeked mangabeys and blue monkeys among, others. The trip to the Bigodi wetland is carried out in two shifts, one in the morning at around 7:30am and the next late in the afternoon at around 3:00pm. The best time to visit the sanctuary is throughout the year.

For more information about attractions in the west, Contact our team for more information.