Where to see big cats on a Uganda Safari

Tourists make their way to Uganda to watch the gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park, but there are a lot of tourist attractions in Uganda that will make your safari worthwhile, and these include the big cats, which are lions, leopards and cheetahs. In this article, we are going to look at the three big cats, where you can watch the big cats from and what to expect on your safari.  When we talk about big cats, lions come to mind first as they are king of the jungle and the leopards and cheetahs follow. If you are wondering where to watch the big cats in Uganda then you are about to get your answer because you are about to learn about the best big cats destination in the pearl of Africa.

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There are several safari destinations in Uganda where you get to watch the big cats, and these include Kidepo Valley National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park. Other National Parks, like Lake Mburo National Park, are home to a healthy population of leopards but are the least visited because it does not have lions and leopards. Tourists can still combine a safari to all three safari destinations to watch the big cats for a better experience.

Kidepo valley National park

Kidepo Valley National Park is one of the least visited National parks in Uganda and a hidden treasure with some of the best animals. Its remote nature and few visitors have led to the park maintaining its natural beauty and wilderness.

Cheetahs are the rarest animals to be spotted on a Uganda Safari, but they can be found in Kidepo Valley National Park, hidden in northeastern Uganda. A few years back, there were rumours that cheetahs were extinct in Uganda, but there have been reports about the sights of cheetahs in Kidepo Valley National Park. There are about 20 cheetahs in Kidepo Valley National Park, and conservation projects have been carried out to protect the cheetahs and their natural habitat from avoiding extinction. This has been done with the help of NGOs and the government, which has reduced poaching activities and protected the park from encroachment.  The best time to spot the cheetahs is during the dry season either in the morning or in the evening hours.

Lions in Kidepo Valley are easily seen because of their abundance.  The lion population in Kidepo is on a steady rise with approximately 132 lions roaming the remote vast plains of Kidepo. Kidepo Valley is divided into two parts, and the lions are commonly seen in the Narus Valley, especially during the dry season, in search of water. The Narus Valley acts as a catchment of water and attracts abundant wildlife species which act as prey to the lions. The Kidepo Valley lions also climb the Kopje or sausage trees for a better view of their prey allowing them to hunt easily.

Kidepo is the best place for one to go and see the leopards on a big cat safari in Uganda. Tourists have a chance of spotting leopards in Kidepo and with permission, you can film these big cats in their natural habitat. In case you miss out on spotting the leopards, you can still spot the largest bird at birth, the ostrich, which is found in Kidepo National Park.

The best time to see the big cats in Kidepo Valley National Park is during the dry months of July and August because, during the rainy season, the lions disperse due to the abundant water across the national park.

Filming of the big cats in Kidepo Valley National Park is possible, especially with the lions that are a common sight in the national park.  To be able to film the big cats in Kidepo, you will need to first apply for filming permits from the Uganda Wildlife Authority and a media card from the Uganda Media Council.

Murchison Falls National Park

Located about 305 kilometres from Entebbe, Murchison Falls National Park is home to the big cats that are best seen during the dry months. Found in the Albertine region at the northern end of Murchison Falls National Park, big cats can be spotted all year round, however, with only the lions and leopards.

Lions are a common sight in Murchison during morning and evening drives especially along the Nile River during the dry season. Although lions can be sighted across the national park, there are a few popular places where you can watch the lions, and these include the Queen’s Track, which is a 13 km game track linking the Victoria and Albert tracks. Queen’s Track has the most popular lion sightings in Murchison Falls National Park. The other place where you can spot the ions is Victoria track which is known by the guides as a haven for expecting lionesses in the national park.  The Victoria track is the best place to spot the lionesses and their cubs.

Leopards in Murchison Falls National Park can be found in different habitats, including woodlands, riverine forests and savannahs. The population of leopards in Murchison is not known and difficult to determine but the guides believe that there is a healthy population of leopards in the national park that are rare to see but the best sight when sighted. There are threats to the leopard population in Murchison, and these are poaching and encroachment of humans, which has led to the loss of their natural habitat.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the top tourist destinations in Uganda located in the western part of the country. It is a great place to spot the big cats and have a great taste of the wild, and there have been films about the big cats in the Mweya peninsular and Kasenyi Plains, which are located in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Queen Elizabeth is also famous for having the highest number of recorded bird species amounting to over 612 bird species in the country.

The tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park are a top tourist attraction in the park. The Ishasha Sector, which is found in the southern part of the national park, is where the tree-climbing lions are found.  After gorilla tracking in Uganda, the second sought-after animal species are lions, and the unique tree-climbing lions fit the bill. Ishasha sector is home to about 20 to 35 lions, according to the wildlife conservation service that was launched to monitor the lions in the sector.

There have been questions as to why the lions climb the trees, and according to research, it is an adapted behaviour for the lions to escape the tsetse flies bites from the ground. There are other theories that suggest that the lions climb trees to avoid the heat from the ground and trees offer a vintage point of view when it comes to hunting for the lions.  The lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park also migrate to the Democratic Republic of Congo through Maramagambo Forest and get back to Uganda to lead the pride way to see the tree-climbing lions is through a game drive, but note that the roads are not well-maintained need to use a 4x4 safarivehiclecle, especially during the rainy season.

Leopards are one of the big cats that are found in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and this is the only place in the country where leopard tracking takes place, and that is why tourists cannot miss out on visiting the park for tracking. Leopards are vulnerable and critically endangered species in some areas and that is why they are conserved in many areas. Leopard tracking is done with the help of an experienced guide, with one of the leopards having a radio collar on their neck, which is used to track them in their natural habitats and study their behaviours.

Leopards in Queen Elizabeth National Park live in one of the best communities, giving an insight into how the locals co-exist with the wildlife. The Leopard community/village in Queen Elizabeth is found near the village of Muhokya, which is a community-based that was introduced as an initiative to conserve wildlife while promoting both tourism activities and supporting the locals who live in the nearby areas. 

The best place to spot leopards in Queen Elizabeth National Park is the southern part, around Kyambura Gorge, mating grounds in Kasenyi and Ntungwe mating grounds.

Filming of the big cats in Uganda                                              

Big cats are extremely important and some of the most sought after wildlife species in the country for travelers visiting Uganda. The big cats can be filmed in the different safari destinations, including Mweya Peninsular, Ishasha Sector and Kasenyi Plains in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Pakuba Areas in Murchison Falls National Park and Narus Valley in Kidepo Valley National Park.

Filming of the big cats in the different national parks is best carried out in the morning and evening hours of the drier months because this is the best time for tourists to spot the big cats in the different locations.

Requirements for filming the big cats: To be able to film the big cats in Uganda, you need to first apply for a filming permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority and get Media cards from the Uganda Media Council. These have to be applied for in advance to avoid any inconveniences. If you have any filming equipment, you have to clear them with customs at your entry point into the country. If you cannot do this on your own, get in touch with us to help you process the Media cards and filming permits and we can also help you clear all your equipment at customs.

You need to give the real number of people you are travelling with for the media cards to be issued by the Uganda Media Council. Each card is supposed to be paid for individually, and it goes for USD 175 per card, valid for only 30 days. The processing of the cards takes about 2 to 3 working days as long as all the paperwork provided is right and legal.

Cost of filming big cats in Uganda: The cost of filming all the big cats in the different national parks in Uganda depends on a number of factors but mostly because of the time you intend to spend while filming and the number of people you have travelled with. The destination chosen determines the cost of transport for filming, tourists have to cover the monitoring and commercial filming charges levied by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and cover other personal costs including:

Transport and accommodation, when it comes to bookings for each of these, has to be done in advance, especially if you are travelling during the peak season. Transport can easily be arranged depending on the location chosen for filming but the most commonly used type of transport is road. 4x4 safari vehicles are used because of the road system in Uganda. Accommodation comes in three categories which are budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation facilities. The accommodation chosen will depend on your budget and preference.

When to see the big cats in Uganda

The big cats can be seen throughout the year in the two seasons: dry and rainy season but the best time is during the dry season when the grass has thinned out and the big cats gather around the watering holes to cool down and hunt for the prey.

Encounter Africa safaris as your local tourist operator will help you plan a successful safari to see the big cats in Kidepo Valley National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park. Get ready to experience the big cats while on your safari and although the sightings are not done on every game drive, there are other wildlife species that can bridge the gap. Pack a bag and let us organize your Big Cats safari to Uganda by getting in touch with us through email.