Top things to do in Uganda in 2024: Uganda also known as the Pearl of Africa is one of the best destinations to visit for a safari as it has a lot to offer ranging from wildlife like the tree climbing lions, big five mammals, primates like the endangered mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, culture, beautiful landscape, mountains, friendly people, amazing food, fresh waterbodies, bird species among others. This article will therefore be able to guide you on some of the top safari activities to engage in during your safari in Uganda.
Top things to do in Uganda in 2024
Uganda has a wide range of interesting activities that you can engage in during your safari including,
Gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking is one of the major activities which attracts a wide range of tourists to visit Uganda and it involves moving on foot into the tropical rainfall in search of the habituated mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural environment. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in two national parks that is Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park both located in south western part of Uganda. Trekking of mountain gorillas starts early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing you will start trekking in the jungle in search of the mountain gorillas which takes about 2 to 6 hours depending on where the gorillas are located and once they are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat.
Chimpanzee trekking
Chimpanzee trekking is an interesting and the second best done activity in Uganda after gorilla trekking. Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is done in various national parks namely kibale forest national park, Kalinzu forest, Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth national park and Budongo forest in Murchison falls national park. Just like gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking in Uganda starts early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest which takes about 2 to 4 hours depending on their location because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. Once they are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their environment.
Wildlife viewing/game drives
Game drive is an exciting activity where tourists will be able to explore the savannah parks in comfortable safari vehicle with professional driver guides. Game drives/ game viewing can either be done early in the morning when animals are more active, in the afternoon or at night where you will be able to view nocturnal animals which become active at night. Game drives in Uganda are done in savannah national parks and game reserves like Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Lake Mburo national park, Kidepo national park, Pian Upe wildlife reserve among others. During the game drives, you will be able to view animals like buffaloes, elephants, lions, leopards, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs, giraffes, zebras, impalas, elands, topi, oribi, Jackson’s hartebeest, cheetah, reedbucks, duikers, giant forest hogs, hippos among others.
Boat cruise
Boat cruise is an amazing activity where you will be able to cruise on water and enjoy great views of the beautiful scenery, cruise near different animals like hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, animals along the shores, spot water birds among others. Boat cruise in Uganda can be done on different fresh water bodies for example Lake Victoria, lake Mburo, lake Bunyonyi, Albertine Nile in Murchison falls national park, source of the Nile, Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth national park. Boat cruise is done in sessions for example the morning session which starts at 9:00am, the afternoon session which starts at 2:00pm and the evening or sunset session which starts at around 4:00pm and each session takes about 2 to 3 hours.
Golden monkey trekking
Golden monkey trekking is another interesting activity that tourists can engage in during the safari in Uganda. Golden monkey trekking is only done in Mgahinga gorilla national park and it involves moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated golden monkeys. Trekking of golden monkeys is an active activity that takes 2 to 5 hours depending on where the golden monkeys are located and once found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them which gives you a chance to learn more about their behaviors, watch them play, jump up in tree branches, take photos and record videos to show people back home.
Bird watching
Uganda is a home of over 1,080 recorded bird species including savannah birds, Albertine rift endemics, forest birds, water birds and migratory birds which makes it one of the best birding destinations. There are best birding areas in Uganda including Mabamba swamp, Bwindi impenetrable national park, Murchison falls national park, Kibale forest national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, lake Mburo national park, Budongo forest, Semuliki national park, mount Rwenzori national park, Bigodi wetland, Mabira forest, Kidepo valley national park among others. Bird watching can either be done early in the morning or in the evening with an experienced bird guide who will help you to spot different bird species including the prehistoric Shoebill Stork, Great Blue Turaco, Fox’s Weaver, Green-breasted Pitta, Rwenzori Turaco, Giant Kingfisher, Grey Crested Crane, Nahan’s Francolin, Martial Eagle, African Green Broadbill, Handsome Francolin, Purple-breasted Sunbird among others.
Nature walk/hiking
Amongst the top things to do in Uganda in 2024 is having a nature walk, Nature walk is an adventurous activity where tourists will get an opportunity to explore the national parks on foot with the company of an experienced park rangers and armed park guides. Guided nature walk/ hiking in Uganda is done in different places including guided nature walk in Lake Mburo national park, Murchison falls national park, Bwindi impenetrable national park, Kibale forest national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kidepo valley national park, hiking Mount Elgon, Mount Rwenzori and the three volcanic mountains Mount Gahinga, Mount Sabyinyo and Mount Muhabura in Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Best time to visit Uganda in 2024
Uganda can be visited anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season which is also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February because during this period there is less or little rainfall in the national park therefore vegetation will access roads, nature walk and gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable.
During the dry season vegetation in the parks will be short which helps tourists to have clear views of different wildlife species and many animals will gather around the water bodies to drink water which gives you an opportunity to view abundant animals and takes beautiful pictures.
For more information about the top things to do in Uganda in 2024, you can reach out to us at Achieve Global Safaris.
