The country boasts African elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and lions, as well as diverse primate and bird species found nowhere else, along with various reptiles, all of which draw numerous tourists to Uganda. Visitors to Uganda have the chance to engage in a range of stunning wildlife activities within the national parks, which is why it is referred to as THE PEARL OF AFRICA. Uganda boasts ten national parks, each with distinct characteristics that draw tourists, making a Uganda safari the perfect choice for unforgettable memories and experiences.

Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is the largest national park in Uganda, located 305 kilometers north of Kampala and situated within the Murchison Conservation Area, which encompasses the Bugungu and Karuma Wildlife Reserves. Murchison Falls is renowned for the way the Victoria Nile surges through a narrow gorge. It is located on the shores of Lake Albert in northwest Uganda. Murchison Falls National Park is accessible via both road and air. Traveling by road takes about 5 hours along the tarmac route, with a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary en route. Alternatively, you can fly from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airfield to Pakuba Airfield, where a guide will meet you and escort you to the park. Murchison Falls National Park is home to various primates, including baboons and monkeys, as well as 450 bird species, 23 of which are endemic to the Albertine Rift, such as the rare shoebill stork. The park also hosts 76 mammal species, including bushbucks, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, giraffes, hyenas, hippos, and crocodiles, which can be found along the shores of the Nile River, among many others.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the second largest and most visited national park in Uganda. It is situated in the western region, encompassing the districts of Kasese in the northeastern edge, Rubirizi in the southeastern part, and Kamwenge and Rukungiri. The total land area spans 1978 square kilometers, with altitudes ranging from 900 meters to 1845 meters. It is located approximately 400 kilometers by road southwest of Kampala. Queen Elizabeth National Park is renowned for its diverse wildlife, serving as a habitat for various primates, including the common chimpanzees, vervet monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys. The park is home to 95 mammal species, featuring the iconic big five: African elephants, African cape buffaloes, hippos, leopards, and tree-climbing lions, particularly in the Ishasha sector. Additionally, visitors can encounter other animals such as waterbucks, warthogs, topis, and antelopes, along with over 600 bird species, including the papyrus canary, martial eagle, yellow-throated cuckoo, and African skimmer, among many others. The park includes various volcanic features, such as volcanic cones and three significant crater lakes: Bunyaruguru crater, Ndali-Kasenda crater near Kibale National Park, and Lake Katwe, the salt lake.

Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is situated in the Mbarara district of western Uganda, along a highway that links Kampala to the park. The park is the smallest in Uganda, covering approximately 260 square kilometers. It is located 228 kilometers from Kampala by road, with a stopover at Mpanbire trading centre, known for its traditional drum sales, and Kayabwe at the Equator. Lake Mburo National Park is a distinctive park in Uganda, as it is the only park that features an entire lake within its boundaries (Lake Mburo). It is situated in the transitional zone between Lake Victoria and Mount Rwenzori, allowing it to experience both dry and rainy seasons throughout the year. Lake Mburo National Park features stunning landscapes, including dry hills, rocky outcrops, acacia trees, bushes, thickets, open and wooded savannah forests, swamps, lakes, and a climate that supports diverse wildlife. Lake Mburo National Park is home to over 70 mammal species, including the unique Burchell’s zebras, which can only be found in this park and Kidepo National Park in Uganda. Other notable animals include waterbucks, impalas, topis, warthogs, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos, and monkeys, as well as predators like leopards, side-striped jackals, and white mongooses. Additionally, the park boasts over 350 bird species, such as the brown parrot, crested francolin, African grey hornbill, and southern red bishop. These remarkable features establish Lake Mburo National Park as a premier safari destination in Uganda.

Rwenzori National Park

Rwenzori National Park is situated in southwestern Uganda within the East African Rift Valley, spanning the districts of Kabarole, Kasese, and Bundibugyo. It shares a border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, adjacent to Virunga National Park. The Rwenzori Mountain stands as the third highest mountain in Africa, soaring over 16,700 feet above sea level, with its highest peaks perpetually adorned in snow. The journey from Kampala to Kasese takes 6 hours, including a stop in Fort Portal town. Rwenzori National Park is home to 70 mammal species and 217 bird species, including 17 that are endemic to the Albertine Rift. It is renowned for its stunning waterfalls, glaciers, diverse plant life, and distinctive mountains, among other attractions.

Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park is located in the Kaabong District of northeastern Uganda, covering an area of approximately 1,442 square kilometers. It is about 700 kilometers by road from Kampala, with Moroto being the largest town in the subregion. Kidepo Valley National Park can be accessed by both road and air. The road journey takes approximately 12 hours to reach Kidepo. For air travel, charter flights are available from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi to Lomeja. If you prefer to drive, you can take the Kampala through Mbale route or the Kampala through Karuma route, as both lead to Kidepo Valley National Park. Kidepo Valley National Park is recognized as the third best national park in Africa, home to unique wildlife species not found in any other national parks in Uganda. It boasts over 75 mammal species, including Cape buffaloes, Rothschild giraffes, side-striped jackals, lions, leopards, and bat-eared foxes, along with more than 470 bird species and 5 primate species. Kidepo Valley National Park features open tree savannah vegetation, mountain forests in the higher elevations, and the Lorupei River, which nourishes the acacia Geradi forest. The park experiences a semi-arid climate with a single rainy season from April to September, and it is traversed by two seasonal rivers: the Narus River and the Kidepo River.

Mount Elgon National Park

Mount Elgon National Park is situated near Mbale district, nestled on the slopes of Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda. It spans 1145 square kilometers and is an extinct volcanic mountain located on the border of Uganda and Kenya. Mount Elgon National Park is located on the border of two neighboring countries: Uganda to the east and Kenya to the west. The highest peak, Wagagai, is located on the Ugandan side and stands at 4,321 meters. There are three other notable peaks: Jackson’s Summit at 4,165 meters, Kiongo at 4,303 meters, and Mubiyi at 4,210 meters. Mount Elgon is recognized as the fourth highest mountain in East Africa. The mountain serves as a watershed for rivers such as the Sipi River, which creates the Sipi Falls. Mount Elgon National Park features diverse altitudinal vegetation zones, including lush montane areas and a mixed bamboo belt forest that hosts rare plant species such as large lobelia, dense shrubs, groundsel plants, and vibrant wildflowers. Notable attractions include ancient cave paintings located near the trailhead at Budadiri, as well as the impressive caves and hot springs found within the crater. Mount Elgon National Park is home to approximately 300 bird species, including the red-throated wryneck, black-collared apalis, alpine chat, and moorland flancolin, as well as various animal species such as buffalo, antelope, elephants, oribi, defassa waterbuck, duiker, and primates like forest monkeys.

Kibale National Park

Kibale National Park is situated close to Fort Portal and Kasese in western Uganda, encompassing an area of approximately 795 km, with elevations ranging from 1100 m to 1600 m. It takes around 2 hours to reach the park from Kasese and about 6 hours from Kampala. Kibale National Park serves as a habitat for a diverse array of wildlife species, featuring 13 primate species such as baboons, red colobus monkeys, mangabeys, and black and white monkeys, as well as L’Hoest monkeys. Additionally, it is home to mammals like mongooses, bushbucks, and warthogs, along with various bird species including the great blue turaco and the black and white hornbill.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwestern Uganda, adjacent to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, next to Virunga National Park and on the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley. Situated in the Kanungu district, Kabala is found 29 km southeast by road. It encompasses an area of 321 square kilometers, featuring both montane and lowland forests, with elevations ranging from 1190 meters to 2607 meters, or 8553 feet above sea level. Bwindi National Park is one of the forests in East Africa, boasting over 1,000 flowering plant species, which include 163 tree species and 104 ferns. The northern sector features Guinea Congolian flora, home to two endangered species: brown mahogany and Brazzeia longipedicellata. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is renowned for its endangered gorilla trekking, as it is home to half of the world’s mountain gorillas, approximately 400 in total. There are 14 habituated gorilla groups spread across four sectors: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo. It serves as a habitat for 120 species of mammals, 350 species of birds, 220 species of butterflies, 27 species of frogs, as well as chameleons, geckos, and numerous other endangered species.

Semliki National Park

Semliki National Park is situated in Bwamba County, a remote area of the Bundibugyo District in the western region along Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park spans 220 square kilometers, with elevations ranging from 670 meters to 760 meters above sea level, featuring the Semliki River, which serves as a natural boundary between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Semliki National Park is situated at the base of the Rift Valley, nestled between Lake Albert, the Rwenzori Mountains, and the Kijura Escarpments. Semliki National Park is home to over 60 mammal species, including buffaloes, leopards, hippos, and elephants. It boasts 400 bird species, with 12 endemic varieties such as the yellow-throated cuckoo, red-sided broadbill, piping hornbill, yellow longbill, and crested marimba, among others. Additionally, the park is inhabited by 8 primate species, including the red-tailed monkey, vervet monkey, blue monkey, De Brazza’s monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, olive baboon, and chimpanzees, among others. Semliki National Park is home to four distinct ethnic groups residing in proximity to the park. The Bwamba farmers inhabit the base of the Rwenzori, while the Bakonjo cultivate the mountain slopes. The Batuku, known for their cattle-keeping, occupy the open plains, and the Batwa, traditionally hunters and gatherers, live at the forest’s edge.

Mgahinga National Park

Mgahinga National Park is the smallest national park, yet it boasts a wealth of safari activities. Established primarily to protect the mountain gorillas in Uganda, it is situated in the southwestern part of the country, covering an area of 33.7 square kilometers. The park lies approximately 10 km south of Kisoro and is bordered by Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda to the south and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. Its altitudes range from 2,227 meters to 4,127 meters, encompassing the three Virunga conservation areas, which collectively span 434 square kilometers. Mgahinga National Park encompasses the northern slopes of the three Virunga volcanoes, namely Mount Muhavura at 4,127 meters, Mount Gahinga at 3,474 meters, and Mount Sabinyo at 3,645 meters. Mgahinga National Park can be accessed via both road and air transport. By road, it takes approximately 9-10 hours to drive from Kampala, 6 hours from Kigali, Rwanda, and 14 km from Kisoro to Ntebeko, the park entrance. The name Mgahinga comes from the Kinyarwanda word Gahinga, which refers to a pile of volcanic lava stone heaps used for cultivation. Mgahinga National Park is home to 115 bird species, 76 mammal species, including the endangered golden monkeys and gorillas, as well as buffaloes, elephants, giant forest hogs, bushbucks, leopards, spotted hyenas, black-fronted duikers, among others, and 200 butterfly species.