Uganda Safaris
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.
For more comprehensive information on Gorilla Trekking visit our site dedicated to Gorilla Trekking in Uganda.
Gorillas and Chimpanzees
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.
Contact Mahlatini for your personalised holiday to Uganda
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Uganda Overview
"No one who looks into a gorilla's eyes – intelligent, gentle, vulnerable – can remain unchanged, for the gap between ape and human vanishes, we know that
the gorilla still lives within us" George Schaller, The Year of the Gorilla.
It has been said that if you planted a walking stick overnight in the soil of Uganda, it will have taken root before the next morning, in contrast to Africa's
more famous wildlife destinations, equatorial Uganda is lush, green and fertile. This compact landlocked country is making a remarkable recovery from its troubled
past and is set to become a world class safari destination.
One of the undoubted highlights of any visit is tracking the rarest and most majestic of all the apes, the mountain gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks.
Other primates to be seen in Uganda are habituated chimpanzee at Kibale Forest, Budongo Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park's Kyambura Gorge. In addition Uganda
offers a more conventional safari experience with Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and Mburo National Parks providing a sanctuary for traditional savannah fauna
such as lion, leopard, elephant and giraffe.
Uganda is arguably Africa's premier birding destination, a remarkable 400 species are regularly recorded in a two week visit, including the shoebill.
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.
When to travel
Equatorial Uganda enjoys a tropical climate which is tempered by altitude and shows very little variation throughout the year. Due to the rather high average altitude
of 1000m temperatures range between 21 to 28 degrees however this may increase slightly from December to February. There are two wet seasons in Uganda and these
vary depending on the region. In the south the wettest month of the year is April with the rainy seasons stretching from April to May and October to November. The
wet season in the north is from April to October with the rest of the year being fairly dry. The best times to visit Uganda are December-March and June-September
but be prepared for rain throughout the year.
How to travel
Getting to Uganda is easy, with regular flights from Europe landing at Entebbe International Airport, just 40km from Kampala. Alternatively you can fly into Nairobi
and take a connecting flight or a direct coach which runs on a daily basis.
To get to the gorillas and explore the game parks you will require a vehicle. Mahlatini will provide you with an excellent driver / guide who will privately transfer
you to each destination in your itinerary. On any trip to Uganda you can expect to experience road conditions that range from excellent to very poor. Some of the
drives to the various destinations are very long, for example from Entebbe to Bwindi it is around 10 hours. To avoid feeling like your holiday is being spent from
a vehicle Mahlatini will advise on breaking up journeys with exciting stops along the way. We often find that people want to fly in, see the gorillas and fly out
and where possible we will try to dissuade you from this. The reason being that Uganda is such an incredible beautiful country which so much more to offer than
gorillas and we want you truly experience the country and its friendly people for as long as possible.
There are also group trips which run throughout Uganda. These can be more reasonably priced than the private trips. Chat to Mahlatini's Uganda experts who will
refer you to a group trip which will suit you best.
Gorilla tracking is usually the most important component of Uganda itineraries. Generally Mahlatini arrange the tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National
Park. In the park there are currently 3 groups of habituated gorillas which can each be tracked by a group of 8 humans. In order to see the gorillas you are required
to obtain a gorilla permit. These are currently $500 per person which Mahlatini will arrange for you and include in your price.
Accommodation in Uganda varies from luxury lodges to comfortable camp sites and guest houses. Mahlatini's Uganda experts have visited a large majority of these
accommodations and will be able to provide you with personal opinions on what to expect.
Whether it is game viewing, gorillas, chimpanzees, birds, culture or adventure you are after Uganda has it all. Contact a specialist to tailor make your perfect safari in Uganda