TOP ALTERNATIVE TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN UGANDA – NATIONAL PARKS
Visiting ‘the pearl of Africa- Uganda’ for a second or third time? Here are some destinations (national parks) you should consider exploring.
Uganda is a tourism haven with many extraordinary destinations and adventures to choose from, that’s why many tourists fall in love with Uganda then resound and also affirm that indeed Uganda is a pearl of Africa. Blessed with a tapestry of landscape sceneries, beautiful massif, various species of flora and some of the world’s rear wildlife species, the numerous indigenous bird species, Ugandan is among the top safari destinations on the African continent. With the growing tourism sector in the area, good accommodations in all tourist destinations (national parks) that favor all sorts of occasions from honeymoon, relaxation vacations to adventure safaris.
You have been to: Queen Elizabeth National Park for Game drives.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to the spectacular wildlife that is most suitable for game drives that will leave you trilled. The park is home over 96 mammal species including hippopotamuses, African elephants, lions and leopards as well as chimps and hyenas. It also has the famous Kazinga channel that is connecting Lake George to Lake Albert. It is also known for its tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector. The park is also an important birding area with over 600 bird species. Kyambura gorge, explosion craters, Mweya peninsula and Kasenyi plains are the best places for game viewing and enjoying your Uganda safari.
Now visit: Murchison falls National Park for Game drives.
Located in the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, Murchison falls is the biggest national park in Uganda covering an area of 3840 square kilometers. It is home to the mighty Murchison Falls where the whole Nile River squeezes itself narrow gorge of only 7 meters wide to form the spectacular waterfalls. Besides the waterfalls, Murchison Falls National Park is rich in birdlife and wildlife with four of the big five animals. It also has biggest population of the Nile crocodiles in Uganda at the delta near Lake Albert.
Murchison falls also includes the Budongo Forest in the southeast of the park. It is one of the densest rainforest in Uganda and its home to chimps, many reptiles, indigenous wildlife trees and other forest creatures. River Nile itself is home to one of Africa’s densest hippo and crocodile population, plus a variety of water birds including the world’s most accessible wild population of the rare shoebill stork.
You have been to: Bwindi National Park for Uganda Gorilla trekking safari.
Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is arguably the most biologically diverse area on earth, which lying in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley with almost half of the only surviving population of endangered mountain gorillas in the world, Bwindi forest is a must go destination once in Africa. This Africa’s treasure was recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site mainly for its biological significance. Lying in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley with an estimate of 400 mountain gorillas , 120 species of mammals, about 1000 plant species, 350 bird species, 220 species of butterflies, 27 species of endangered small reptiles like frogs and chameleons. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four sectors for gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experience. These include Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija and Nkuringo with each sector having a number of gorilla families.
Now visit: Mgahinga National park for Uganda Gorilla trekking safari.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in the extreme southwestern part of Uganda is the smallest National Park in harboring a number of gorillas with most of the occasionally migrating from the entire virunga area to this fruitful area in the quest for what to eat. Located in the virunga area, Mgahinga National Park is home to one dominate family of gorillas. It’s also the best destination for golden monkey trekking since its home to the golden monkeys, various beautiful bird species and a spectacular scenery as you hike up or down the Gahinga Mountain. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park also gives the best cultural safari where you encounter the Batwa people – the original forest dwellers; who still live and dwell in trees on fruits and hunted meat
You have been to: Kibale National Park for chimp tracking.
Kibale forest National Parks is the prime chimpanzee destination in East Africa. The kibale rainforest jungle is home to the largest number of chimpanzees in the world with about 1500 chimps from the recent census which is about 30% of the Chimpanzee population in Uganda. Kibale National park is literally referred as the world’s Capital city of primates since its home to about 12 more primate species including black and white colobus monkeys, and baboons among others. If you wish to spend more time with the chimpanzees, you can do chimpanzee habituation experience to get a full day up-close time with this human like animals so as to fully understand them.
In addition, you can also get a chance to see various mammalian species like forest elephants, buffaloes, exotic birds, and beautiful butterfly species. However, don’t miss the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary where you will be able to see various primate species, several butterflies, birds, mammals etc.
Now visit: Budongo Forest for chimp tracking.
Budongo forest is a biggest mahogany forest in Uganda and its biodiversity favors the ecotourism with two major tourist sites within the forest which are; the Kaniyo-Pabidi Ecotourism site and Busingiro Ecotourism site. Located in the northwestern part of Uganda, budongo is a moist, semi deciduous tropical rain forest at the albertine rift valley top; these are the best conditions for the growth chimpanzees. This wildlife conservation area is home to an incredible biosphere with several primates including like Chimpanzees, Olive baboons, Red-tailed monkeys, Velvet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and Blue monkeys
Chimpanzee tracking is done in the Kaniyo – Pabidi area which takes approximately two to four hour tacking and hiking in search for them. Budongo forest also offers wild nature walks, birding and watching the beautiful butterflies, the famous trees like Mahogany, Ironwood and various Fruit trees in the area. After the chimpanzees tracking, you can go directly into the Murchison Fall National Park to enjoy more wildlife viewing.
You have been to: Bwindi and kibale National Parks for Birding.
Uganda is undoubtfully the most attractive country on the African continent to bird watchers;
Bwindi impenetrable forest is Africa’s best birding destination; recommended by many bird lovers even by the prestigious Africa Bird Club due to the rare bird species. Its biologically diverse nature provides the right eco-environment that favors their growth and feeding habits have greatly favored it. Bwindi has many maintained birding trails in the forest and its home to approximately 350 bird species including 23 Albertine Rift endemics of which 14 are not recorded anywhere else in Uganda. The notable one are; the African green broadbill, Chapin’s flycatcher, Shelley’s crimson wing, handsome francolin, mountain-masked and collared apalis, white-bellied robin chat, black billed turaco, Fraser’s eagle, western bronze-naped pigeon, purple-breasted, blue-headed and regal sunbirds.
Located in the western part of Uganda, Kibale Forest is a bird haven with over 375 bird species including six endemic to the Albertine Rift area. It is an excellent birding destination with varied habitat and dense vegetation. The number one sought after bird in the Kibale Forest is the green-breasted pitta. Other bird species include the Grey-winged Robin, White-naped Pigeon, Red-winged Francolin Green-brested Pitta, Uganda Woodland Warbler, Chestnut-winged Starling Red-chested Flufftail, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Grey-throated Flycatcher , African Pitta, Joyful Greenbul, White-bellied Crested Flycather, Uganda Woodland Warbler, Masked and Black-capped Apalises Chestnut-winged Starling, Grey-headed Olive-back ,Orange-tufted and Tiny Sunbirds, Uganda Woodland Warbler and Chestnut-winged Starling.
Now visit: Mabamba and Murchison Fall National Parks for Birding.
Mabamba swamp is a bird’s haven, located on the shores of Lake Victoria and its home to several water birds. It is one of the best spots to catch a glimpse of the famous African shoebill. The most notable bird species to watchout for are; shoebill, swamp flycatcher, papyrus gonolek, malachite kingfisher, pied kingfisher, black-headed heron, black kite, African open-billed stork, African jacana, lesser jacana, winding cisticola, Veillot’s black weaver, grosbeak weaver, black-headed weaver and African marsh harrier.
Located in the north eastern part of Uganda, Murchison falls national park is home to over 450 bird species which can be viewed at any game drive or via boat trip on the nile or during nature walks. Birds can also be watched in Budongo Ecotourism Site, Kaniyo Pabidi and Busingiro in a variety of bird habitats existing in these sites of the national park, including forests, swamps, riverine woodland, savannah and plains of acacia trees. The birds include but not limited to; the Shoebill, Swallow-tailed and Red-throated Bee-eaters ,Woodland, Pied, Giant and Malachite Kingfishers; Francolin; Hornbills, northern red bishop, Grey heron, red-throated bee-eater, abyssinian ground hornbill, Hamerkop; Shrikes; Flycatchers; Cuckoos; Woodpeckers, swamp flycatcher, goliath heron Crombecs and Warblers. Ducks, geese, stilts and plovers at the riverbanks.
