What to expect on safari in Uganda

What to expect on safari in Uganda starts with choosing what you wish to engage in. Gorilla safari is Uganda's topmost adventure, but you must secure a gorilla permit to engage in this adventure. You can do gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience. You need to book a Uganda gorilla permit for any of these adventures, as this is the ticket to access these primates.

Most Popular Safaris

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5 days gorilla and Nile river source

17 day Uganda birding and wildlife

When choosing the Uganda game safaris, you need to select from the four Uganda game parks: Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, and Kidepo Valley National Park. For each of these game parks, you must pay park entrance fees.

Suppose you expect to do chimpanzee safaris in Uganda. In that case, the most common destinations are Kibale National Park, Kyambura Gorge, Kaniyo Pabidi Forest, Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, and others. You need a chimpanzee trekking permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority to visit some of these Uganda chimpanzee safari destinations.

Although Uganda is a land-locked country, you can also engage in some water-related activities like launch trips in Murchison Falls National Park and Queen National Park, whitewater rafting on River Nile, Sunset cruise on Lake Victoria, Scuba diving, tubing, sports fishing, and much more.

The local people of Uganda are friendly to any stranger, so expect to be waved at and smiled at by strangers along the way.

Do not expect a smooth ride while heading for an upcountry safari in Uganda. The roads in the countryside are bumpy and dusty, especially during the dry season. The wet season may turn the roads messy and slippery, especially the marram roads up the country, so you need a 4x4 wheel drive vehicle. 

Expect to share the same space with other tourists for activities like gorilla trekking, chimpanzee safaris, and golden monkey safaris. These are open to all categories of people without discriminating whether you have traveled luxury, mid-range, or budget.

What Can You Expect to Do On Safari In Uganda?

Gorilla safari in Uganda

While on Uganda safari, you can go on a gorilla tour, which includes gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experience. Gorilla trekking allows tourists one hour with a fully habituated gorilla family, and the gorilla habituation experience allows tourists for hours with a semi-habituated gorilla family.

You must secure the gorilla permit for either gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience in advance, as the supply is limited to a maximum of 8 gorilla trekking and four gorilla habituation permits per day per family. At the moment, about 21 gorilla trekking families are open, and two gorilla habituation experience families.

Two Uganda safari destinations host the mountain gorillas: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. 

Game Drives on Uganda Safari

Uganda is a country endowed by nature, and when you take a game drive in the four-game parks in the country, you have plenty to see. The Uganda game parks include Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Queen Elizabeth National Park. 

All these Ugandan game parks are distributed within different parts of Uganda, so to visit them, you need a well-tailored itinerary to avoid backtracking.

Although not all wild animals are found in the same game park, since most are specialized in particular national parks, each park is unique. While on Uganda game safari, you may spot animals like lions, cheetahs, jackals, hyenas, waterbucks, bushbucks, zebras, giraffes, herds of elephants, cape buffaloes, sitatungas, oribi, impalas, leopards, and others.

 Chimpanzee safaris in Uganda

Chimpanzee safaris in Uganda are charming to join, especially if you have to spend time in the natural habitats of these primates. You can do chimpanzee trekking, where one hour is allowed with an entire habituated chimpanzee troop or four hours with a semi-habituated chimpanzee community during the chimpanzee habituation experience.

Booking the chimpanzee safari permit in advance saves you time by having to look around for chimpanzee permits at the last minute when they sell out. You can book chimpanzee permits for the morning or afternoon session. The peak season, which is June, July, August, September, December, and January, is peak season, and demand for permits is over the top.

For chimpanzee safari in Uganda, some destinations you may visit include Kibale National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kaniyo Pabidi Forest in Murchison Falls National Park, Kalinzu Forest Reserve, and others.

Birding on Uganda safari

Uganda is one of the best African birding destinations, with over 1000 bird species recorded, an unrivaled record. Uganda's long list of bird species is awed by the various habitats in the country that favor the survival of these birds.

Some of the Uganda birding destinations include Bwindi Forest, Mpanga Forest, Mabira Forest, Maramagambo Forest, Musabwa Island, Mabamba Island, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Bunyonyi area and others.

 Some of the birds you may spot while on a Uganda birding adventure include shoe bill stork, African wood owl, African hill babbler, Handsome Francolin, Banda Prinia, Rwenzori Turaco, Grey cuckoo-shrink, white Beilled Robin-chat, and others.

At Encounter Africa Safaris, our safari consultants are ready to work with you to draft the best Uganda birding itinerary that soothes your budget and interests. You need ample time and hire an experienced birding guide to get the best out of your Uganda birding adventure.

Water Activities on Uganda Safari

Even though Uganda has no cost line, the water bodies in the country give a chance to engage in exciting water activities during the Uganda safari. The launch trips in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park allow you to relax and watch wild animals that love spending time on the banks of these water bodies.

Watch out for birds that flock to the shoreline of Kazinga Channel and Victoria Nile.

Taking a sports fishing adventure on the River Nile is rewarding as you can catch different fish species like tilapia, catfish, Lungfish, Nile perch, and others.

White water rafting on the River Nile is breathtaking, but there is no need to have any experience because, on the ground, there are instructors to take you through all that is necessary.

Bungee jumping, Kayaking, swimming, beach, and others can be arranged when you request them while on a Uganda safari.

Cultural experience on Uganda safari

Uganda has diverse cultures; you can explore most of them with an arranged itinerary. The cultures of Uganda are organized according to tribe kingdoms, chiefdoms, ethnic groups, and so much more. They may be different in language, but the majority have similar ways of life.

In central Uganda, the Ganda culture dominates, and they are under the leadership of Kabaka. The western part of Uganda has Omukama of Bunyoro Kingdom, the leader of the Banyoro, and Omukama of Tooro, the leader of Batooro. Eastern Uganda has the Kyabazinga as a cultural leader for the Basoga and many others.

If you are an ornithologist and want to learn more about the diverse culture of Uganda, we can help you plan an itinerary to go around and even prepare to assist you on the ground. 

Religious safari experience on Uganda safari

Uganda is a multi-religious country, and freedom of worship is allowed. Some of the outstanding Uganda religious sites include the Namugongo Uganda martyrs' shrine, where over 20 young men from different religious backgrounds were set ablaze by a heartless king for their beliefs. Every 3rd of June, religious from all walks of the world gather to invoke the Uganda martyrs.

Other Uganda religious grounds include the Bahai Temple, the largest of its kind in Africa, Rubaga Cathedral for the Catholics, Namirembe Cathedral for the Anglicans, Kibuli Mosque or Gaddafi mosque for the Muslims, and others.

Golden Monkey Safari in Uganda

Uganda is home to unique primates, and so are the golden monkeys. They live in Mgahinga National Park in the southwestern part of Uganda. They live in huge communities divided into smaller troops to feed. These charming monkeys have golden brown hairs on the lower body and a larger body structure than other monkey species. 

You can do golden monkey trekking or golden monkey habituation experiences, but you need a golden monkey trekking permit from Uganda's wildlife authority.

Mountaineering in Uganda

The Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon is the highest mountain in Uganda and can be hiked on a more than 7-day return trip. You must make pre-arrangements as you need assistance with food supplies, security, and other logistics. The highest point of mountain Rwenzori is Margarita, which is snow-capped yearly in a tropical country.

Excursion mountaineering is also possible on Uganda safari, which is on Mountain Sabyinyo, where you can simultaneously see the border of Uganda, Rwanda, and D.R.Congo. Hiking Mountain Gahinga and Mountain Muhavura is rewarding, too.

What you are expected to do and not to do during the Uganda safari

Follow the guidelines given by the ranger guides during a briefing if you are doing gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, or golden monkey trekking. These help you to have the presence of these primates as time with them is restricted.

• Do not enter any national park without a ranger guide, especially if you have to walk. The wilderness has other occupants that may be harmful to you.
• Dumping garbage is forbidden while in the wilderness, as plastic wraps can alter the nature of the habitats where wild animals thrive.
• Shouting or making noise while in the wilderness is forbidden as this scares the wild animals.
• Feeding wild animals is forbidden because they must depend on the supplies from their habitats and not on human provision.
• When traveling with children, let them be in the company of a guardian or parent all the time.
• Do not drive off track during the game drive unless you seek permission from the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
• Drive on the speed limit advised by park authorities because you are penalized when you knock an animal.

Open your mind to the park's different features, animals, and sceneries, and expect to see only some of the animals in the pack. These wild animals move freely, so enjoy your Uganda safari and do not focus on spotting particular animals.

What to Pack for Uganda Safari?

• A raincoat or poncho in case it falls any time so that you do not get wet and cold as it rains in this area without warning. 
• Safari boots to cover your feet from getting hurt while trekking to find the mountain gorillas.
• Some warmers as it gets so cold early morning and late afternoon 
• Energy bites to re-energize during the breaks as you trek to find the mountain gorillas.
• Waterproof backpack to carry during the Uganda safari and if you need to hand them over to a porter.
• Use garden gloves to cover your palms when you trip and fall in the wilderness.
• Safari hat to protect your head from buzzing insects in the wilderness.
• Insect repellant to keep away insects that may sting you when you are in the wilderness.
• A pair of stockings to tack in your clothes and protect yourself from insects that may creep into them.
• Sunglasses to protect your eyes from insects that buzz in the wilderness.
• A torch
• A camera to keep memories of the Uganda safari.
• Some cash in case you need to make on-ground purchases
• Flip flops
• Travel adopter and charger
• Duffel bag to carry in your belongings, and you need to pack relevantly and light in case you have to offload and carry your bags.
• First aid kit with emergency medication. The wilderness has some inhabitants that may harm you when you least expect it and rough surfaces, too.
• Toiletries, in case your lodge doesn't provide any
• Light shoe bags for your shoes in case you clean them and they do not get dry by the time of your departure.
• Sunglasses to protect your eyes from buzzing insects that live within the forest.

Contact us to plan your Uganda Safari today.