With a diversity of wildlife, breathtaking landscapes and the warmest welcoming people in Africa, Uganda boasts a lot of amazing things. Christened the “Pearl of Africa”, it is a home to Africa’s third highest mountain range (the Rwenzori mountains at 5109m) located in the equatorial region yet is always snowcapped all year round. The landlocked country is a land of tropical forests on rugged misty hills where mountain gorillas and chimpanzees dwell, has the largest fresh waterbody on the continent, the source of River Nile and various winding channels including the Kazinga channel and the Victoria Nile on which the magnificent Murchison falls is found. Meanwhile, for a city tour, Kampala is the destination to explore.
Let’s see the top 6 places to visit in Uganda this year-2021 and the activities to do there;
Kibale national park
This is a lush tropical forest in western Uganda harboring the highest population of primates in Africa. It is home to 13 species of primates with the prime attraction being the wild chimpanzees. The highlight for tours to Kibale national park is chimpanzee tracking; these closest relatives of man are tracked in the thick jungle and due to their incredible number in this natural habitat, it is almost a guarantee to spot them lazing, jumping or roaming around the forest. During the trek, you have an opportunity to spot other residents of the area such as the L’Hoest’s monkey, red-tailed monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, blue monkey, red colobus monkey and the common black and white monkey and olive baboons.
It is possible to visit the Bigodi swamp for birding and a nature walk while on a tour in Kibale national park. It offers a rewarding exploration of the surrounding including wildlife at the swamp and activities of people around the place regarding sustainability, tourism and their daily life.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Just like its name goes, the Bwindi impenetrable forest is a dense, misty jungle found on steep hills in the far western Uganda. The 331- sq km nature reserve is a magnificent ancient forest that houses approximately a half of the world’s surviving population of the endangered mountain gorillas. It is the best destination in Africa for gorilla trekking which is done in its four sectors; Nkuringo, Buhoma, Ruhija and Rushaga. Penetrate into the lushy jungle with a ranger guide to areas where the gentle giants are expected to be have visited. Termed as a life-changing experience, the trek doesn’t have a specific duration time for it can last even up to 6 hours but regardless, coming across the wonderful animals trawling in the forest is remarkable. Trekkers are allowed to stay with the gorillas for a maximum of one hour.
A visit to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park allows you stay in lodges that offer stunning views of the sceneries of the surroundings and make memories with the Batwa pygmies after interacting with them and learning about their culture.
Lake Bunyonyi
Named for its numerous islands that are sparsely spotted across it, the beauty of Lake Bunyonyi is worth witnessing. It is undoubtedly the loveliest lake in Uganda and can be explored on a canoe ride that takes you around and to some of the islands. Lake Bunyonyi, meaning “place of many little birds” got its name from the plenty of small-size birds that lived and still live around it. It is a magical place where mornings start misty, have a cup of coffee and head out for the canoe ride. It offers beautiful views of the hills and the Virunga ranges at a distance. Lake Bunyonyi gives a perfect place to chill and for adventure. It is one of the safe places to swim because it is free from bilharzia and hippos.
Jinja
The second busiest town in Uganda is Jinja, after Kampala the capital city. The town located just a short drive from the capital takes you along the country’s busy highway eastwards via Mabira forest and the Lugazi sugarcane plantations to the main attraction- the source of the River Nile. A boat cruise on the Victoria Nile gets you to this point. Jinja is famed for adventure activities including whitewater rafting, kayaking, jet boating, bungee jumping, quad biking and horse riding and therefore lives up to its nickname “the Adventure capital of East Africa”. A thrilling place, especially the cool and comfortable lodges to chill out on your Jinja tour.
Murchison Falls National Park
Commonly named just MFNP for short, this rich tapestry of wildlife and amazing landscapes is situated on the northern edge of the Albertine Rift Valley in northwestern Uganda. The park is frequented by lots of tourists who yearn to see the breathtaking Murchison falls the world’s most powerful waterfalls. The falls are formed at a point where the Nile congests in a gorge that measures 7m to get its way to Lake Albert. We organize a boat cruise to the bottom of the falls and a visit to the top of the falls for tourists to fully see the beautiful falls.
Covering an area of about 3,890 sq.km, Murchison Falls National Park is the biggest nature reserve in Uganda hosting a wonderful population and diversity of wildlife including lions, leopards, hippos, elephants, buffaloes and a variety of antelopes which are seen during game drives. It is as well a great place for bird watching with about 451 bird species that can be seen along the shores of the Victoria Nile, in the savannah areas of the forested lushes.
Kampala City
A city tour around Kampala is one of the things that most tourists include on their long Uganda safaris. Conveniently done at the beginning or end of your wildlife tour, the Kampala city tour is a perfect introduction to the city highlights. Just like most major towns in a country, Kampala can be found a chaotic place especially for first time visitors but this is what makes it unique from other parts of the country. However, it has a number of interesting destinations worth visiting on a guided tour which helps you discover a lot about Uganda. They include the Uganda Martyrs shrine, Kasubi tombs, Gaddafi mosque, Bahai temple, the Uganda National museum and the Lubiri (Kabaka’s palace).
Uganda is an enjoyable destination for every traveler because it has it all; right from national parks, islands, boutique lodges and ecolodges and other kinds of destinations. If you planning to rent a car in Uganda to visit some of these amazing places , you can contact us today through info@ugandacarrentalservices.com or call our travel consultants via +256-700315510.
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