Sample Tours of Uganda from the Uganda Safari Specialists
Uganda is not well known as a safari destination often losing out to its famous neighbours Kenya and Tanzania. Yet equatorial Uganda has an incredible biodiversity and much to offer the wildlife traveller.
Primates are a specialty and one of the undoubted highlights of any visit is tracking habituated mountain gorillas in Bwindi or Mgahinga National Parks. Spending time with these wonderful charismatic animals is one of the great wildlife experiences. Tracking chimpanzees in Kibale National Park and at the Chamburu Gorge is equally as thrilling, the excited hoots of these boisterous drama queens herald your arrival. At Kibale there is also a possibility of seeing forest elephants. If your time is limited we recommend our 4 day Gorilla Safari trip.
Still there is so much more to Uganda than gorillas and chimps. For a more traditional safari experience include a visit to Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and Lake Mburo National Parks. Here you can see the savanna fauna such as lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and giraffe all free of the mass tourism and minivan circuits of some other African countries. A launch trip on the Kazinga Channel is a must for any visitor to Queen Elizabeth National Park as animals come to the lake side to drink. Hippos start to leave the water to graze on the lake shore while Nile crocodiles bask on the banks but quickly slide into the water when approached.
You can experience a general safari and gorilla tracking in our Ugandas Highlights tour.
For those with a little more time on their hands and wanting a bit more comfort the Best of Uganda tour is ideal. Our Uganda Adventure itinerary enables you to enjoy the wildlife highlights and adventure activities including white water rafting and mountain biking at Jinja.
Uganda is an excellent birding destination, indeed it is the richest country for birds in Africa with over 1000 recorded species. Specials include shoebill stork and the numerous endemics of the Albertine Rift valley and we can arrange for a specialist bird guide to accompany you.
Uganda has an equatorial climate with little variation throughout the year. The two main rainy seasons are from March to April and October to November but with regional variations. You need to be prepared for rain at anytime of year especially in the mountains which is where the gorilla parks are located. Although travel can be slower in the rainy season the views are often better.
The temperatures on the plains tend to be between 21°C and 30°C and in the mountainous areas they can go down to 10°C in certain months. We recommend that you travel when it is most convenient and usually the rain, which is often for short periods, is part of the great experience. You may avoid tracking in the "official" rainy seasons only to find that it pours throughout his visit during another period anyway! In the mountainous areas it is much colder than on the plains and the rainfall is greater.
Gorilla Trekking and Chimpanzee Trekking
Can be done throughout the year although it will be muddier in the rainy season it can certainly, indeed it can be easier to locate mountain gorillas as they less active at this time and can often be seen on the lower slopes foraging for the new celery shoots.
General Game Viewing
This is at its best during the dry season when animals congregate around water. If forest elephants are of interest then travel in the wet season.
Birding in Uganda
The European winter is the best time for birds, as Palaearctic migrants supplement resident species and most birds are breeding.
Trekking
The best time for trekking in the Ruwenzori’s is during the dry seasons from mid-December to the end of March and from June through mid-August.
These are all just sample itineraries to you an idea of how to use your time. There is a huge range of accommodation styles and options so please do call us and speak to one our specialist advisors who will then prepare your personal quote.