Why Visit Uganda?
Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. Although landlocked, Uganda contains the largest tropical lake on Earth, the source of the world’s longest river, Africa’s second deepest lake, Africa’s tallest mountain range, and the world’s most powerful waterfall.
Uganda is one of the safest countries to visit in Africa. The country is also committed to safeguarding its rare wildlife. Uganda covers a total area of 241,038 square kilometers, and around 20 percent of its land is dedicated to wildlife reserves.
Uganda’s primary attraction is the mountain gorillas. The country has half of the world’s mountain gorilla population and offers the cheapest and safest gorilla trekking in Africa.
Uganda is also home to all the Big 5 animals, and it is known for its superb chimpanzee trekking and birdwatching of over 1097 species. Winston Churchill coined the nickname “The Pearl of Africa” in 1908 to convey the beauty, variety, and natural wealth of the land. With so much to see, here are our best reasons to visit Uganda in 2024.
- Mountain Gorillas
One of our top reasons to visit Uganda is the opportunity to encounter one of the world’s rarest animals. Yes, gorilla trekking in Uganda is one of the best wildlife experiences in Africa, along with wildebeest migration and Big Five game viewing.
It is simply unforgettable as you hike through the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (even the name is memorable) to see these gentle giants in their natural habitat. Uganda is home to the world’s biggest population of mountain gorillas, and a gorilla trekking tour is cheaper than a gorilla trekking tour in Rwanda, even though both offer equally fantastic experiences. A Uganda gorilla permit costs US$800 and a permit for residents US$ 700 while a gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda costs US$1500. For gorilla trekking safaris, like a 3-day gorilla trekking safari, book with us.
- Bird watching tours
Uganda has 1,090 of the 2,250 bird species recorded on the African continent.
The country is the richest birding destination in Africa. And it is also the 10th worldwide, going by the number of species per square kilometer.
The top avian species is the prehistoric-looking Shoebill.
With its huge, yellow, human-like eyes, the enormous shoe-shaped bill, and 5 feet in height, this big bird looks like something from the dinosaur era. That large bill helps the shoebill to catch its prey, the Lungfish, frogs, rodents, and baby crocodiles. The best place to see shoebills is at Mabamba swamp near the town of Entebbe. Local fishermen help track these highly endangered birds, and your search will be conducted in a wooden boat in the many deep-water channels of this large papyrus swamp. Some of the birds include: The 24 Albertine Rift Endemics, Grey Parrot, Green-breasted Pitta, Great Blue Turaco, etc
- Chimpanzee tracking
Among the best reasons to visit Uganda is the opportunity to see yet another species of great – this time man’s closest relative, the chimpanzee. Uganda boasts more than 5700 wild chimpanzees. With over 1500 chimpanzees, Kibale National Park is the most recommended for travelers seeking to see chimps on Uganda safaris.
Kibale Forest National Park offers a 95% successful tracking rate – far greater than any other location that offers chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and the neighboring DRC.
- Captivating landscape
Uganda’s landscape boasts outstanding features. The world’s largest tropical lake, Lake Victoria, the world’s longest river, the River Nile, the world’s strongest waterfall, Murchison Falls, Africa’s second deepest lake, Lake Bunyonyi, and Africa’s tallest mountain range, the Rwenzori mountains, are all found in Uganda.
From the lush basin of the Great Rift Valley and the magical Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to the sparkling water of the Kazinga Channel and striking views of the Virunga Volcanoes, Uganda is a paradise for nature lovers.
The snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains, a World Heritage Site, are a breathtaking sight to behold, offering stunning scenery of forests, waterfalls, lakes, rivers, and glaciers.
You can experience Uganda’s landscapes up close through hikes, boat cruises, mountain biking, rafting, canoeing, etc.
- Source of the Nile In Jinja
The source of the Nile in Jinja is one of the most iconic places to visit in Africa, it’s where the longest river in the world originates from, exiting from Lake Victoria to start an epic journey of 6700 km to the Mediterranean Sea.
The source of the Nile River in Jinja also doubles as the adventure sport epicentre of East Africa. So, whether you want to just see the start of the Nile, or whether you want to raft, kayak, bungee jump, or quad bike around this area, there are loads of choices in this tourist-friendly town.
- Big Five game viewing
The Big Five are Lion, Leopard, Rhino, African elephant, and African buffalo. Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Murchison Falls National Park are Uganda’s premier destinations for classic game viewing on boat cruises, game drives, and nature walks.
These Uganda wildlife safari parks offer amazing sightings of elephants, hippos, crocodiles, buffalos, and a variety of antelope species. However, the stars of the show are certainly the famous tree-climbing lions that live in Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Ishasha sector.
- Enriching Cultural Experiences
Beyond their friendliness and warmth, the people of Uganda are also some of the most fascinating individuals you will ever meet.
More than 50 tribes with different cultures call Uganda home. This makes the country a cultural melting pot of various indigenous people. One of the highlights of visiting Uganda is immersing yourself in the culture and also learning from the Ugandans as they share their colourful dress, music, dance, food, and languages with you.
- Perfect weather
The weather and climate of Uganda are almost always very nice. This is one of thirteen countries in the world that lie on the Equator. When planning your safari to Uganda, you’ll not need to worry about extreme cold and hot seasons because Uganda has a warm, sunny climate most of the year.
- Uganda is a safe destination
For long, Uganda has lurked in the shadow of its tumultuous past of civil wars and bad leaders, so much so that many people still believe the dictator Idi Amin is still the president of Uganda, a man who died decades ago. For more than 15 years now, Uganda has enjoyed peace with no war going on in its land. It is one of the safest countries to visit in Africa.
- A variety of accommodation options.
Just like in other matters, Uganda does not fail to satisfy visitors regarding its wide range of accommodation. You can choose from a wide spectrum of accommodation options. These include safari camps, lodges, hostels, guest houses, and large luxury hotels. In any of these options, you will get picturesque scenery, mostly ideal locations, and proximity to the wilderness.
- Friendly Local people
Besides the rich, diverse wildlife and natural landscape, another of the best reasons to visit Uganda is its people. Happy, generous, friendly, and welcoming are the words closely associated with the Ugandan people. They’re known as sociable, exuberant extroverts who are more than willing to welcome and help every visitor to their country, in every part of the country.
- Easy to combine with other African destinations
Uganda is easily combined with other top African destinations. The neighboring countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are easily coupled with your Uganda safari.
This means that you can visit and enjoy big game viewing and the Great Wildebeest Migration in the Masai Mara or Serengeti, then go gorilla trekking through the rainforests. And after encountering the rare mountain gorillas, you can end your trip off with a beachside escape in Zanzibar for a bit of rest before heading home.
- Professional local safari guides
Professional safari guides are critical on each safari journey you embark on, and these are readily available in Uganda. Most of our guides in Uganda are fluent in English, French, and German, which are widely spoken languages throughout the world, with English being the official language of Uganda.
Those and many more are among the reasons why visit Uganda.
