By Ariadne van Zandbergen
Ariadne is a renowned Africa expert. She and her husband form a team who write and update many Bradt guides, including the guide to Uganda.
Uganda is a great destination to view wildlife in both forest and savannah. Not to be missed is gorilla trekking in Bwindi or Mgahinga, while chimps can easily be spotted in Kibale and several other locations. Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls national parks offer wonderful savannah safaris with good wildlife viewing, as does the more remote Kidepo National Park, but animals are not as abundant compared to the top parks of Kenya and Tanzania.
Pros & Cons
- One of the very few places to see endangered mountain gorillas
- Combine primate viewing with a classic savannah safari
- Good balance between vehicle, boat and walking activities
- Excellent birding
- Scenic beauty
- Big Five are not as numerous or as easily seen as in some other safari countries
- Relatively long driving times between parks on bad roads
Wildlife
Elephant, hippo, buffalo and zebra are plentiful in Uganda. Lion, giraffe and white rhino are more localized but easily seen in the right location. Leopard are less certain. The birding is a real highlight with more than 1,000 species recorded. So is the tracking of primates, in particular gorilla and chimp, but there are many other species worth watching. These include a habituated golden monkey troop in Mgahinga and the endemic Uganda mangabey. The antelope known as the Uganda kob is found in most savannah reserves and is a favorite prey of lion.
Weather & Climate
Uganda’s tropical climate is a little different in the north and south of the country. From March to November, the north experiences a rainy and warm Wet season, followed by an almost equally warm Dry season from December to February. The south, on the other hand has a pair of Dry seasons (December to February, and June to July) broken up by a pair of Wet seasons. The country’s higher altitudes get predictably cold, with the temperature dropping 6°C/3.5°F for every 1,000m/1,000ft you climb.
Best Time to Visit
The drier months from June to August and December to February are the best for wildlife watching in Uganda. This is particularly so when it comes to the rainforest habitat preferred by primates, but it also applies down on the savannah where animals have little bush to hide in. There’s also plentiful sunshine at this time. In the wetter months, there’s the possibility that rain will cut off roads and wash out your primate trekking adventure.
Premier Parks & Reserves
- Bwindi Impenetrable NP - Gorilla trekking
- Kibale NP - Chimpanzee trekking
- Murchison Falls NP - Boat and classic safari
- Queen Elizabeth NP - Boat and classic safari
- All 10 Uganda Parks & Reserves
