Now among the most visited wildlife safari destinations worldwide, Uganda offers ultimate experiences to tourists who visit the country with the aim of viewing wild animals in their natural ecosystems. Uganda is located in east Africa and its bordered by Kenya in the east, southern Sudan in the north, DRC in the west, Rwanda in the southwestern and Tanzania in the south. The following are what you may want to know before visiting this beautiful country.
Getting There
Getting to Uganda from the major neighboring countries can be done by road while those travelling from relatively far away countries can get there by air transport through Entebbe international airport located on the shores of lake victoria just a few kilometers from Kampala the major capital city of Uganda.
Getting Around
Movement within the country and to the major wildlife safari destinations is usually by road transport however some destinations like Kidepo valley national park located in the extreme northeast plus Bwindi and Mgahinga gorilla national parks located in southwestern Uganda can alternatively be accessed by air transport using charter planes that usually fly from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airfields. Getting to these 3 national parks by road is a little hectic and can take about 7 to 8 hours drive or even more.
Wildlife Places Of Interest
Uganda has 10 national parks most of which situated in the western part of the country. All the national parks in Uganda offer unique and exclusive wildlife experiences starting from the mountain gorilla experiences in Bwindi and Mgahinga gorilla national parks, the big four wild animals in Murchison falls national park, the tree climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth national park, the snow capped mountains in the Rwenzori national park plus the true African wilderness in Kidepo valley national park and so many others.
There are other wildlife destinations in Uganda like the Ngamba chimpanzee sanctuary located at the Ngamba Island in lake victoria, the Uganda wildlife education center located in Entebbe, the Zziwa rhino sanctuary located in Nakasongola district a home to the only white rhinos in the whole of Uganda, the source of the great river Nile in Jinja, the Mabira forest reserve along Kampala Jinja highway and many others.
Best Time To Visit
The country can be visited at any time of the year however visiting the different wildlife destinations especially national parks can be best enjoyed during the dry season from July to October and from December to January. These are usually the peak tourist’s season and it’s when most tourists prefer to do some wildlife activities like mountain gorilla trekking. Note that during these months, mountain gorilla trekking permits are sold at $600 while in the rainy season permits are sold at a reduced price ($350). The wet season usually runs from mid February to June and from mid October to the early days of December.
Where To Sleep
Uganda has a number of accommodation facilities in all the major towns and tourism destinations that usually range from budget, mid range and luxury. This means that one is always free to choose an accommodation facility where to stay depending on his/her income. In the national parks, there are campsites, cottages, tented camps and luxurious lodges that offer the needed facility by the tourists. If anyone chooses to visit a given wildlife destination, he should check the accommodation facility options around these areas which eases accessibility of the chosen destination.
What To Carry
Those going for mountain gorilla safaris or mountain climbing should get good and strong hiking shoes, jackets or sweaters, raincoats and waterproof pants, a pair of hand gloves and other necessities. Wildlife safaris in the savanna national park do not require much. A pair of sunglasses, binoculars can be recommended and of course one should not forget carrying a camera for taking photographs.
