Uganda Travel Guide

Best Safari experience I have had

I was in a safari in the Amazonas and India before but in Uganda I had the chance to see much more wonderful species of fauna , the organization and accommodation was superior and cheaper .

safari is a home away from home

while in Uganda, the truth about it being the pearl of Africa is reflected in its wild life, weather ,scenery among other things.
Uganda has got all kinds of delicious food stuffs that can sustain different tourists with different backgrounds allover the world, in short, Uganda is a home away from home

Uganda is disproportionately diverse for its small size. You find snow-capped mountains and sweltering swamps, cool savannahs, and dense jungles. The big five megafauna here here, as are nearly 1500 bird species. Add to that several dozen ethnic groups and around 45 languages from three major language families. You are free to travel anywhere in the country (even Karamoja is safe, despite information online). Uganda is amazing.

You have to visit Uganda to fall in love with Africa!

I liked the fact that noone knew what we were going to see and in the end, everybody resumed that we didn't miss anything!

Uganda was one of our favorite countries of 9 Eastern & Southern Afrcian countries visited. Wildlife was not as prolific as some other destinations, but still plentiful and of course offers the chance to visit the mountain gorillas! The people are very friendly, scenery is stunning, roads are decent, attractions are affordable and the country felt progressive and not corrupt! And the birds, I almost forgot the birds, best in Africa...and that's saying a lot!

Uganda is an amazing place to view wildlife. In 5 days, I saw everything - chimps, gorillas, lions (and cubs), hippos, hyena, water buffalo, antelope, elephants, and tons of birds. Everyone I met was incredibly friendly and I felt completely safe with my guides... It is an incredible value - not nearly as expensive as other trips I researched.

Huge potential in Uganda if tourism experience can be improved and conservation is better emphasized

I have mixed emotions about my experience in Uganda. On one hand, I had a number of great wildlife encounters with lions, leopards, gorillas and many other species in three of the country's national parks over a period of nine days. However on the other, I kept thinking about the huge potential that exists and the many challenges that remain with safari tourism in this country.

Wildlife conservation can be greatly improved in Uganda, and I think it is something that the country's government doesn't especially value. The communities around the parks have a very challenging existence with wildlife, and the use of snares and indiscriminate killings of animals is common. I read this in the newspapers and heard about it from the tour operators. In Queen Elizabeth National Park, I was so surprised how low the animal density was (with the exception of some species such as Ugandan Kob). In Lake Mburo National Park, I was concerned to see local ranchers chasing zebras into the bush so that their cattle could feed on the low grass outside of our lodge. Ranching and subsistence farming has really encroached into traditional spaces for wildlife. Parks are not fenced and perhaps this is something that contributes to territorial issues with residents and wildlife.

Tourism infrastructure could benefit from a number of small improvements. Park fees are not posted transparently online, and there is an archaic process of receipt-keeping for entering the parks. Visitor Centers could do more to help improve education and awareness of conservation and local species. Amenities such as toilets and other conveniences were not well maintained. The exception to this was in Bwindi National Park, home to many of the country's mountain gorillas. This is a main tourist draw and its focus on hospitality and learning should be considered a model for the other parks.

Early September is the beginning of the rainy season, and on many occasions I had the parks open to myself. There were very few tourists, and this was a nice improvement from other experiences I've had.

Uganda is an incredible place.. much better then any expectations..

Pretty, green scenery, few tourists around (even in high season), all kinds of wildlife (chimpansees and gorillas!), great birding destination, lovely and friendly people.