THE BEST NATIONAL PARKS IN UGANDA
Uganda has national parks like Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and other magnificent sceneries like Lake Victoria make it just to be called the pearl of Africa.
Uganda’s protected areas best define the nation in terms of biological richness. Any Uganda safaris start with the best national parks in Uganda, game reserves, and other natural treasures like Lake Victoria.
Visiting any national park in Uganda is a crazy experience since each one of them is distinctive in a different sense. Some have truly unusual animal species only found in Uganda, while others have incredible history as reported by the seasoned tour guide in the national park.
BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST NATIONAL PARK
The major reason Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is well-known is for the threatened mountain gorilla and other primate species that make the gorilla trips here a whole package of entertainment. The pinnacle of every wild safari in Uganda, including maybe east Africa at large, is gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. With around half the global gorilla population, Bwindi national park is the habitat for the most mountain gorillas in the world.
Originally known as “the impenetrable” forest, the Bwindi rainforest’s heavy undergrowth made traversal over a task so difficult difficult. Still today, Bwindi is darker inside because the tree canopies shade away enough light rays to hit the ground. But these conditions have created a highly suitable habitat for the adaptation of the biggest apes in the world; they could be the remains of King Kong, the mountain gorillas.
Part of the Virunga ranges shared by Rwanda and Congo is the impenetrable forest national park Bwindi. Situated in the southern part of Uganda, on a tiny area around 331sq.km, it borders Queen Elizabeth national park south. The best national park where you may arrange gorilla treks is Bwindi National Park; the permits there are less expensive than elsewhere.
Full of over 10 species of primates, 11 animal species, and a good abundance of birds, Bwindi national park naturally boasts the noises of the forest, most likely the music the calm mountain gorillas find pleasing. Although Bwindi national park is open all year round, the dry season is the greatest time to come. For those who wish to save some money for other pursuits, the gorilla trekking permits are discounted in the wet season.
LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
Along Masaka- Mbarara dry corridor, another unusual and spectacular game reserve is Lake Mburo national park. Situated in the southern western part of Uganda, close to Mbarara, west of Lake Victoria, Lake Mburo national park is One of Uganda’s few minor national parks, Lake Mburo boasts a 260 square kilometer area roughly equal to 100 square mile. U get a great opportunity to witness many antelopes including zebras, big eland, impala, topi, and amazing bird life in Lake Mburo national park. Five smaller lakes in the Lake Mburo national park include shorelines that support species including hippos, water fowl, crocodiles, and the beauty of the papyrus alignment.
Many events organized for the guests visiting Lake Mburo national park reflect their interests.
- Watching games will expose you to animals including hyenas, leopards, jackals, and cetera.
Regardless of the location, boat rides are always fascinating. During the ride, you can see many species on the shorelines including crocodiles, elephants, hippos, and birds like pelicans, black crake, hewn, cormorant, African fish eagle and possibly the rare shoebill stork. - Guided hikes around the salt licks, to the wooden hide also known as the observatory point; the walks must be guided by two armed guards since the national park is not so safe alone.
- For people who enjoy learning about plants as well as for couples sight-seeing, the Rubanga woodland nature walk is an amazing pastime. To have a ranger accompany you over the paths while you enjoy Mother Nature’s splendor, you have the nature walks for the headquarters of forest management.
- Lake Mburo national park is ideal for birding because of the quite large variety of birds—about 310 species. While certain birds are easier to detect inside the tick forest area, others are flying all around the park.
- Among the open water birds are cormorants, long tailed birds, pink pelicans, and the white winged black tern.
- Fish eagle, pied king fisher, African fin foot sometimes known as the night heron are among lake shore papyrus birds.
- Among others the seasonal swamp birds, woodland birds, forest birds, and grass birds.
MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
Guest experience and observations indicate that Murchison falls national park is a Nile paradise situated on the northern end of the Albertine rift basin just 90 kilometers from Masindi through Karuma Forest Reserve.
Murchison falls
Actually double the area of Queen Elizabeth national park, Murchison falls national park is found in Uganda. The Victoria Nile River splits it in two: the northern and the southern sections. Murchison falls national park is 3893sq.km massive and also part of the great forest reserve region including Karuma and Bugungu Wild Reserve about 5072sq.km wide, indeed vast.
The valleys
Murchison’s name comes from the stretch of Nile river pouring fast from a high rock into a gorge. This is a national park. From an 80km high/long cliff displaying white water, the Victoria Nile’s water rushes downhill through the rocks. When water strikes the rocks, it generates vapor that causes a foggy environment around the falls and occasionally during sunrises, a rainbow forms and certainly, there is a rainbow all around every corner. The Victoria Nile river flows silently all the way to Lake Albert about 55km downstream by the time the water reaches the earth; it is thought to have lost its pressure trying to force its way through the rocks.
Wildlife of Murchison Falls National Park
One of Uganda’s top national parks, Murchison falls National Park is special for the gorgeous slender giraffes located anywhere in the national park; they also move near Chobe Safari Lodge air strip and the staff camp. Elephants, huge buffaloes, lions, herds of antelopes, and much bird life are just a some of the wildlife you will appreciate visiting Murchison Falls National Park.
Murchison falls also have primates like chimpanzees in Rabongo Forest; baboons abound in the national park. From the terrace café at Chobe Safari Lodge, you may view the baboons as well as other primates such the blue monkey lounging about the lodge grounds.
Along the river you will find warthogs and water fowl as well as hippo schools and crocodiles. As you relax on the balcony at Chobe Safari Lodge, you will find crocodiles on the shore below.
ATIVITIES
- Boat trips to the waterfall’s base
- Boat excursions to lake Albert where the shoebill stork is visible along the papyrus shoreline
- The game propels
- Birding: Tracking Chimpanzees in Rabongo woodland they also occur in Budongo forest.
KIDEPO NATIONAL PARK
With an area of roughly 1442sq.km, Kidepo valley national park is quite larger than Semliki national park and Bwindi. On the sudan and Kenya border, the north eastern part of Uganda boasts the Kidepo valley national park.
Valley National Park in Kidepo
Rising inselbergs in the broad savannah grasslands create stunning landscapes found amid the Kidepo valley national park. With their range of flora, including the acacia geradi forests observed slong the Lorupei River, the inselbergs offer an amazing and clear view point of the environment in the park all shade green.
Among the rather diverse species found in Kidepo national park are some of which are unique and rare in other parks in Uganda such as the cheetahs, bat eared fox, ward wolf, caracal, and hunting dogs and others like the lions, leopards and hyena. Among the several bird species Kidepo also had—58 bird species including the verreaux eagles, Egyptian vulture, pygmy falcon—they will enhance your birding experience in Uganda.
ACTIVITIES
- Game views will introduce you to eighty mammal species, of which twenty-eight are only present in Kidepo valle national park.
- Trekking on Lamoi Mountain, Borassus Palm Forest, Kanangorok Hot Springs, and the great Kidepo River.
- Local dance groups performing cultural events will captivate you with a range of local dances including Emuya dance at Naporere, Lakaraka and Apiti dances of the acholi. The several explanations of distinct Ethinic Grpums will also appeal to you. Interestingly, the funds you pay for the cultural interaction are returned to the community for conservation needs.
- The cultural treks will lead you to the homesteads’ Karamajongo Manyattas and teach you a lot about their way of life including knife and bow and arrow hunting gear as well as dress codes and stool building techniques. Notably, the Uwa headquarters in apoka or Kamwokya- Kampala book the community or cultural walks from either point of reference.
- Perfect for lovers of outdoor activities like camping under the starry African wilderness, Kidepo valley national park is among the top national parks in Uganda. There are several campsites, Bandas, and very many rest camps in Kidepo valley national park.
Water Routing at Lake Victorium
One of the fascinating adventurous sports available on Lake Victoria is white water rafting. Professionally recorded white water rafting allows you to wind up your day sitting and seeing every action captured on the identical site.
White Water Rafting
The Victoria Falls are the ideal location for white water rafting, a sport most suited for east Africa. Strategically placed at the point the Nile River passes through a sequence of grade five rapids, the rafting area opens path to Lake Victoria.
About thirty kilometers long, the water rafting segment was especially selected on the Nile River. Its few early grades with modest speed allow the rafters grown confidence throughout the quite exciting water trip. The meanders of the Nile River defend the rafters into the grade five rapids, sometimes referred to as the best grade five rapids in the world. But there are big 12 rapids to raft through with several low grades for the enjoyment of your adventure on the exciting white water rafting on the river Nile in Jinja.
The itinerary of your preferred tour operator in Uganda and also the number of participants and days for the activity determine the cost of white water rafting in Jinja. For first-time white water rafting, families with children, and extremely daring passionate ones, this is an activity fit.
