Best 5 Parks for Wildlife Spotting in Uganda

While it lacks the recognition name like its neighboring parks; Serengeti and Kruger Park, Uganda’s national parks have all the animals you would love to see on a wildlife safari in Africa, minus the crowds. Uganda’s parks are among the best places to go game viewing on the African continent hosting incredible wildlife including the tree climbing lions on the Ishasha Sector, the endangered mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, wild chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park and more. Here is a quick guide to discovering Uganda’s national parks;

1. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

This is the best place to see the endangered mountain gorillas in the world. Located in South Western Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is home to more than half of the remaining total population of the mountain gorillas in the world. If you would love to a gorilla tour, Bwindi National Park cannot miss on your bucket list. The park has ten habituated gorilla groups that are open to tourists interested in watching the gentle giants. Bwindi is the most visited of all Uganda’s national parks and trips to this park take a duration of a minimum of 3 Days for land safaris and 2 days for a flying safari.

2. Murchison Falls Game Park

Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest of all protected areas. The park is located in the north western part of Uganda, offering some of the best sightseeing, photography and game viewing in Africa. Within the Murchison Falls Game Park, marvel at the beautiful Murchison Falls, follow up your morning game drive within the park, and take an afternoon cruise along the Nile to the base of the falls – the perfect point to view elephants, buffalo, crocs and loads of hippos while you relax with a beer on the boat. You can end your day with an evening cruise along the Nile or an evening game drive on which you will marvel at the wild animals summing their day with an evening bite.

3. Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the richest national park and is one of the most bio-diverse within the whole world. On your safari in Uganda, head to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a better chance of seeing the tree climbing lions and spotting the elusive leopard. Most trips in the park do not end without the search for the famous tree-climbing lions that can only be seeing either in this park or in Tanzania. The park also hosts a variety of other animals that include hippos, elephants, different tribes of antelopes, porcupines, buffaloes and more. If you are looking to birding, the park is one of the richest birding areas hosting over 606 bird species.

4. Kidepo Valley National Park

Kdepo Valley National Park is one of the best parks to go game viewing in Africa. Located in the remote side of Uganda, along the borders of South Sudan and Kenya, Kidepo has a lot of wildlife that you can see in Africa. Though few tourists make it as far north as Kidepo National Park because of it’s long drive, those who make it to the far ends are rewarded with not only the best selection of animals, but some of the most spectacular scenery in Uganda. The park is one of the best places to see lions, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, and a variety of Kenyan wildlife. The park is the only place to see ostriches and cheetahs in Uganda.

5. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

If you’re hoping to have a date with the big five you cannot end your Uganda safari without visiting the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The Ziwa Sanctuary is one the places that you should not miss on the list of places you will have to visit on a safari holiday. This sanctuary provides an opportunity to get up close to the white rhinos, which are tracked on foot. You can easily visit this sanctuary om your safari to Murchison falls National Park.

Looking to for more information about national parks, visit the Uganda Parks for a precise and concise guide to planning a safari in any park. The guide is equipped with all the information that you would like to visit from how to get there, what to see, things to do, accommodation listing in each park as well as useful travel information, tips and advice.