Wildlife Safaris

Top Wildlife Safari Destinations in Uganda

Categories: Wildlife Safaris Destination Guides

Introduction to Uganda's Wildlife

Uganda, often called the "Pearl of Africa," is blessed with incredible biodiversity and stunning landscapes. While it's famous for mountain gorillas, the country offers much more for wildlife enthusiasts, including opportunities to see the iconic Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino).

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Located in southwestern Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the country's most popular wildlife destinations. The park's diverse ecosystems—from savannah and wetlands to forests—support a wide variety of wildlife.

Key highlights include:

  • The famous tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector
  • Boat safaris on the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake Edward and Lake George
  • Over 600 bird species
  • Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge
  • Elephant, buffalo, hippo, and crocodile sightings

Murchison Falls National Park

Uganda's largest and oldest conservation area, Murchison Falls National Park, offers spectacular wildlife viewing along the Victoria Nile. The park is named after the powerful waterfall where the Nile squeezes through a narrow gorge.

Don't miss:

  • Game drives on the northern bank, where most of the wildlife congregates
  • Boat safaris to the base of Murchison Falls
  • The dramatic Murchison Falls itself
  • Large herds of elephants, giraffes, and buffaloes
  • Pods of hippos and massive crocodiles

Kidepo Valley National Park

Remote and spectacularly beautiful, Kidepo Valley in northeastern Uganda offers a true wilderness experience. Though it requires more effort to reach, the reward is an authentic safari away from crowds.

Highlights include:

  • Over 77 mammal species and 475 bird species
  • Magnificent landscapes of mountains and vast plains
  • Excellent lion and cheetah sightings
  • Unique species not found elsewhere in Uganda, such as the bat-eared fox
  • Cultural interactions with the Karamojong people

Lake Mburo National Park

Though smaller than other parks, Lake Mburo offers a different safari experience with its acacia woodland and lake ecosystems. It's the closest national park to Kampala, making it perfect for shorter safaris.

Special attractions:

  • The only park in Uganda where you can see impala and one of the few with Burchell's zebra
  • Walking safaris and night game drives (rare in other Ugandan parks)
  • Boat trips on Lake Mburo
  • Excellent birding opportunities
  • Mountain biking and horseback safaris

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

While not a national park, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary deserves mention as the only place in Uganda where you can see rhinos in the wild. This successful rhino breeding program aims to reintroduce rhinos to Uganda's protected areas.

A visit here completes your chances of seeing all of the Big Five in Uganda.

Planning Your Safari

The best time for wildlife viewing in Uganda is during the dry seasons (December to February and June to August) when animals gather around water sources. However, each park has its own optimal visiting times.

Consider combining several parks for a comprehensive Uganda safari experience, or pair wildlife viewing with gorilla trekking for the ultimate East African adventure.

Mulinda Akiibu

Mulinda Akiibu

Travel expert at Jubilant Tours and Travel with extensive knowledge of East African wildlife, culture, and adventures.

REVIEWS

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

A Safari to Uganda and Rwanda offers travelers the opportunity to discover two lands of varying but pristine beauty.

Described as "the Pearl of Africa", Uganda offers some of Africa's finest geographical and natural beauty with many visitors exclaiming how green it is – making it a tourist haven. Rwanda is described as "the land of a thousand hills".

But don't take our word for it. Find out what our guests have to say about their Jubilant Uganda Safaris trip to Uganda and Rwanda. Feel free to leave your own Review by clicking on the two review buttons below!

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Brett B
2023-11-27

3 day Uganda Gorillas Via Rwanda

After contacting many different tour companies I decided to go with Jubilant Uganda Safaris as the price point and...

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ZA
2023-09-28

Unforgettable experience in the pearl of Africa

Gorillas were definitely on top of our must see list whilst visiting Africa and...

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75019Bitte
2023-09-24

The best travel and tour guide we hoped for

Often a trip starts with an idea, you search for possibilities. We were lucky to...

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