Our 10 must do’s in Uganda
Planning your first trip to Uganda can be a bit overwhelming, considering the huge amount of activities, national parks and cities. That’s why we give you our top 10 of must do’s, including a comprehensive map overview that shows you where to go!
1) Entebbe is the start and end point of most trips to Uganda. It’s a beautiful city with exceptional food and lovely places to have a drink. Definitely visit the Botanical gardens near the shore of Lake Victoria (including monkeys sightings!).
2) The Sesse Islands, consisting of 84 small islands in Lake Victoria, have the most stunning white-sand beaches of Uganda. It is THE place to relax, enjoy a book, good food and have a drink, rent a canoe, walk on the shore, … But swimming is not advised due to risk of disease, hippos and crocodiles.
3) Jinja: Visit the source of the Nile in Uganda, the longest river in the world. You will encounter this enormous river (which flows through 11 countries) again on your trip when you visit Murchison Falls. But for the adventurous people, at Jinja is one of the world’s finest grade 5 white water rafting spots. For 140 USD, you can paddle through hugely powerful currents for 5 hours straight.
4) Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary: This wildlife resort, located in the Nakasongola district, is home to the only white rhinos in Uganda. The reintroduction of the rhinos more than 10 years ago was the response to the disappearance of the species in Uganda after years of poaching and illegal horn trade. Now the sanctuary already has 22 white rhinos, which brings with it increasing visitor numbers, which again helps the sanctuary grow.
5) Murchison Falls: This huge national park, comprising Bugunga and Karuma Falls wildlife reserves, is where the Nile explodes through a narrow gorge. The result is the world’s most powerful waterfall: Murchison Falls. During a river cruise to the falls you can spot crocodiles, hippos, waterbucks and buffalos. But the park also has the best game drives in the country because of the enormous amount of wildlife in the north-west part of the park. This is the place to encounter the rarer species of the big 5: the lion and leopard.
6) Around Fort Portal there are numerous safari parks, but the green hills full of tea plantations are also worth a visit. Fort Portal itself is a little town, with various places where you can eat and drink (western as well as local food).
7) Kibale National Park: This rather small park just outside of Fort Portal is the best place for chimp tracking. The tropical rainforest is home to an enormous amount of other primates too. If you can’t afford the expensive mountain-gorilla tracking, this is a good alternative.
8) Queen Elizabeth National Park: This is the most visited national park in Uganda, and with its 1978 sq. km also one of the biggest. Few parks in Africa provide the combination of high biodiversity paired with astonishing landscapes. The Rwinzori mountains in the background make every picture breathtaking. The park houses 96 species of mammals, of which leopards, elephants, buffalos, hippos, chimps, hyenas and the famous tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector are the most spectacular.
9) Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: This steep mountain rainforest is the habitat of the most famous Ugandan attraction: the silverback gorillas. But popularity has a price. Although at 650 USD per person it’s not even half the price of Rwandan gorilla tracking, only some tourists are able to afford it. However, the hike trough the park, at the reasonable price of 70 USD pp., is definitely worth it. And who knows, maybe you’re lucky and spot a gorilla anyway…
10) If you are a fan of nature, birds, swimming or just reading a book in a peaceful location, Lake Bunyonyi is the place to be. It is without a doubt the most picturesque lake in Uganda. With its 29 islands, it became more popular than the Ssese Islands the past years. And because there are no hippos or crocodiles, and because the location is too high for diseases to be found in the lake, it is possible to swim. In short: paradise on earth. Extra trip: rent a canoe and visit the local school!
If you want to book a car and an guide for a road trip passing these wonderful places, please check our car offers.
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