Murchison Falls

Murchison Falls National Park lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the bulky Bunyoro escarpment merges into the vast plains of Acholi land. One of Uganda’s oldest conservation areas, it was initially gazetted as a game reserve in 1926 to protect the wildlife-filled savanna.
The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile which plunges an incredible 40 meters over the remnant rift valley wall at the dramatic Murchison Falls, the centerpiece of the park. The mighty Falls drains the last of the river’s energy and transforms it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the rift valley floor for to Lake Albert. This stretch of river provides one of Uganda’s most memorable wildlife spectacles. Regular visitors include elephants, giraffes and buffalos while hippos and Nile crocodiles are permanent residents.

Size

The park covers 3,893 sq km and is Uganda’s largest protected area.

What To Do

  • Launch trips to the base of the falls offer fine game viewing and bird watching.
  • Boat trips to the Lake Albert delta provide a great chance of sighting rare shoebills.
  • Chimp tracking at Rabongo Forest, and en route from Masindi in the Budongo Forest.
  • Game drives allow you to take in the vastness of the palm-tree filled savanna, and observe an astonishing quantity of wildlife.
  • Trips to the top of the falls are the best way to appreciate the immense quantities of water that gush powerfully through the narrow gap in the escarpment – and send spray and rainbows over the viewpoint.
  • Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, south of Masindi, is home to Uganda’s only rhinos.

Wildlife

The Park’s residents include elephants, an incredible number of giraffes, buffaloes, warthogs, lions, hippos, jackals the bizarre-looking hartebeest and bushbucks amongst others. Habituated chimpanzee groups live in the neighboring Budongo Forest Reserve, while Uganda’s only rhinos live at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, on the way to the Park from Kampala.

Birding

Murchison Falls National Park is home to some of Uganda’s most iconic bird species – including the sought-after shoebill and the grey-crowned crane, the national symbol. Among the other 460 confirmed species in the Park, there are Abyssinian ground hornbills, saddle-billed storks, Goliath herons, weaver birds, African jacanas, and many migrant waders. Nocturnal species include nightjars and spotted eagle owls.

Wildlife

The Park’s residents include elephants, an incredible number of giraffes, buffaloes, warthogs, lions, hippos, jackals the bizarre-looking hartebeest and bushbucks amongst others. Habituated chimpanzee groups live in the neighboring Budongo Forest Reserve, while Uganda’s only rhinos live at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, on the way to the Park from Kampala.

Birding

Murchison Falls National Park is home to some of Uganda’s most iconic bird species – including the sought-after shoebill and the grey-crowned crane, the national symbol. Among the other 460 confirmed species in the Park, there are Abyssinian ground hornbills, saddle-billed storks, Goliath herons, weaver birds, African jacanas, and many migrant waders. Nocturnal species include nightjars and spotted eagle owls.

Practical Information

Getting Here: By road, the Nile river crossing at Paraa, in the centre of the park, is approximately 5hrs (305km) drive from Kampala, on good roads. The nearest town to the park is Masindi.
Climate: During the day, the temperature is often around 25-32°C, making it one of the hottest regions of Uganda. Nights are cooler, dropping to around 18°C, and there is little rain – though when it arrives it can be torrential!
Entrance fees:
Contact Uganda Wildife Authority (UWA) for more information about entrance fees and multi-day passes. Please notes that rates are subject to change.
Email: uwa@uwa.or.ug
Phone: +256 41 355-000
Web: www.ugandawildlife.org
UWA Tariffs 2020/ 2022: View here

 

Contact us for more information about Pearls of Uganda

Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org

Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most popular National Park and certainly one of its most scenic. It stretches from the crater-dotted foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains in the north, along the shores of Lake Edward to the remote Ishasha River in the South, incorporating a wide of variety of habitats that range from savanna and wetlands to gallery and lowland forest. The Park has a huge variety of accommodation options to suit all budgets and tastes, allowing visitors to pick the perfect spot from which to start early-morning chimp tracking, game drives at dusk, or tranquil boat cruises along the wildlife-filled Kazinga Channel. Communities bordering the Park have a rich culture of music, dance, drama and crafts, and welcome visitors to discover these traditions for themselves.

Size

1,978 sq km

What To Do

  • Boat cruises on the Kazinga Channel offer incredible views of birds and wildlife
  • Game viewing, particularly in the Mweya Peninsula and Kasenyi, as well as the Ishasha Plains – home to the tree-climbing lions
  • Bird watching – the Park is home to over 600 species of birds
  • Chimp tracking in Kyambura Gorge
  • Maragambo Forest walks – great for bird watching and monkey spotting
  • Crater Lakes – the almost perfectly circular lakes on these extinct volcanoes form an incredible landscape

Wildlife

Queen Elizabeth National Park has an incredible variety of primates – from habituated chimps and playful baboons to vervet, colobus and red-tailed monkeys. Visitors will also enjoy a classic safari with buffalo, lions, bushbucks, waterbucks, elephants, hippos and the occasional leopard, while smaller creatures such as warthogs and banded mongooses are as abundant. While visitors should never approach the wildlife, animals will often stray into the roads and even the lodge grounds – an incredible experience! Night forest walks provide the opportunity to spot nocturnal mammals such as the wide-eyed galagos (bushbabies) and pottos – and hear the eerie shrieks of tree hyraxes.

Birding

Queen Elizabeth National Park’s impressive array of habitats means that over 600 species of birds have been identified here. Many water-associated birds live along the Kazinga channel, on the swampy shores of Lake Edward and in the Kyambura wetlands, including various herons, storks, plovers, jacanas, crakes, flamingoes and even shoebills. Bright yellow weaver birds and their impressive nests are everywhere. Beautiful, tiny sunbirds are also common, as are the immense, scavenging marabou storks.

Practical Information

Getting Here:Queen Elizabeth National Park is a five to six hour drive from Kampala via Mbarara, and is accessible by public transport. The nearest town is Kasese, to the north.
Climate: This region is hot and dry, though the nights are refreshingly cool – bring warm layers to wrap up in.
Entrance fees:
Contact Uganda Wildife Authority (UWA) for more information about entrance fees and multi-day passes. Please notes that rates are subject to change. 
Email:  uwa@uwa.or.ug
Phone: +256 41 355-000
Web: www.ugandawildlife.org
UWA Tariffs 2020/ 2022: View here:

Nearby Pearls

 

Contact us for more information about Pearls of Uganda

Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org

Rwenzori Mountains

The Rwenzori is – also known as the fabled “Mountains of theMoon” – lie in Western Uganda along the Congo border. Their snow-capped equatorial peaks rise to a height of 5,109m, while lower slopes are blanketed in moorland and rich montane forest. Most of the Park is accessible only to hikers although the magnificent scenery and 19 Albertine Rift endemics would be ample reward for birders. Rwenzori Mountains National Park protects the eastern slopes and glacial peaks of the 120km-long range, and is a world-class hiking and mountaineering destination. A nine-day trek will get skilled climbers to the summit of Margherita – the highest peak – though shorter, non-technical treks are possible to scale the surrounding peaks. For those who prefer something a little less strenuous, neighboring Bakonzo villages offer home cooked local cuisine, homestead visits and cultural performances.

What To Do

  • Mountaineering: Multi-day technical and non-technical climbs are available, to various peaks. Those who make it to the top will enjoy views of glaciers, the surrounding
  • landscapes and the Congo.
  • Hiking: Single day hikes in the foothills provide bird watching opportunities in the varied ecosystems of the Park, as well as a waterfall visit
  • Bird watching: The Park contains over 195 species
  • Cultural experiences: Learn about life in the shadow of the “Mountains of the Moon.”

Wildlife

Most of the wildlife in the Rwenzoris is to be found in the forest zone above 1,800m. Black-and-white colobus monkeys are common, though other mammals include

elephants, chimps, giant forest hogs, small antelopes and golden cats. You probably won’t spot a tree hyrax, but you will hear their shrill screams if you spend the night here!

Birding

Bee-eaters, robins, sunbirds and barbets are some of the 177 bird species that inhabit Rwenzori Mountains National Park. Other species to watch out for include the Rwenzori Turaco and long-eared owl, while higher up on the slopes, bearded vultures, swifts and black eagles may be seen circling for prey.

Practical Information

Getting Here:The Nyakalengija trailhead is 22km from Kasese off Fort Portal road.
Climate: Rwenzori Mountains National Park is chilly and wet – expect daytime temperatures of 10-15°C, with much colder nights. January-February and July-August are the driest months, but heavy rain is possible at any time – come prepared!
Entrance fees:
Contact Uganda Wildife Authority (UWA) for more information about entrance fees and multi-day passes. Please notes that rates are subject to change. 
Email:  uwa@uwa.or.ug
Phone: +256 41 355-000
Web: www.ugandawildlife.org
UWA Tariffs 2020/ 2022: View here

Nearby Pearls

Contact us for more information about Pearls of Uganda

Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org

Bwindi Impenetrable

The densely forested, mist-covered hillsides of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. As they do not survive in captivity, the conservation of Bwindi is vital to their survival. This incredibly biologically diverse rainforest is over 25,000 years old, and aside from the gorillas it also provides shelter for several monkey species, baboons, chimps, elephants, antelopes and 350 species of birds. The park can be accessed from Buhoma in the north, and Nkuringo in the south. Both have an impressive array of luxury lodges, rustic bandas and budget campsites, as well as restaurants, craft stalls and guiding services. There are also plenty of opportunities to discover the local Bakiga and Batwa Pygmy cultures, through performances, workshops and fascinating village walks.

Size

321 sq km

What To Do

  • Gorilla Tracking: Habituated groups can be tracked in Buhoma, Nkuringo and Nshongi – permits ($500 per person) are limited and must be booked in advance form the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
  • Guided forest walks: Immerse yourself in the Impenetrable Forest, with waterfalls, views of the Virunga Mountains and rivers, in a selection of three- to eight-hour trails.
  • Birding: An impressive 350 species have been recorded in the park
  • Primate viewing: L’Hoests, red tailed, blue and colobus monkeys are common in the Forest, as well as chimpanzees and baboons
  • Village walks, music and dance performances and Batwa walks at Nkuringo, Nyundo, Buhoma and Rubuguri offer memorable experiences for culture lovers.

Wildlife

An estimated 320 mountain gorillas inhabit the forest, as well as several monkey species, chimpanzees, baboons, bushbucks and forest duikers (small antelopes).

Birding

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offers some of the finest montane forest birding in Africa and is a key destination for any birder visiting Uganda. Amongst the numerous possibilities are no fewer than 23 of Uganda’s 24 Albertine Rift endemics, including spectacular, globally threatened species such as African Green Broadbill and Shelley’s Crimson wing. Common species include cuckoos, turacos, bee-eaters, flycatchers and shrikes – all easily viewable in a short walk along the main trail from Buhoma.

Practical Information

Getting Here: Roads in this region are extremely poor, especially during bad weather. The drive from Kampala via Mbarara takes six to eight hours, from Queen Elizabeth National Park two to three hours, and from Kabale in the south it is roughly two to three hours.
Climate: Bwindi ranges from around 1,160 to 2,600 meters altitude, and is consequently rather cold, especially at night. If possible, visitors should avoid the rainy months of April – May and September – November, though heavy rain can occur at any time.
Entrance fees:
Contact Uganda Wildife Authority (UWA) for more information about entrance fees and multi-day passes. Please notes that rates are subject to change. 
Email: uwa@uwa.or.ug
Phone: +256 41 355-000
Web: www.ugandawildlife.org
UWA Tariffs 2020/ 2022: View here

Nearby Pearls

 

Contact us for more information about Pearls of Uganda

Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org

Mgahinga Gorilla

Uganda’s smallest yet most scenic National Park is situated in the extreme South-Western corner of the country, forming part of a large conservation area that straddles political boundaries to include Parc des Volcano in Rwanda and Parc de Virungas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Three extinct volcanoes, part of the spectacular Virunga range, lie within the boundaries of the Ugandan portion of this biologically rich area, and provide a striking backdrop to Mgahinga’s gorgeous scenery. Mountain gorillas form the main attraction of the Park, and are the reason for its existence, thought the habituated group frequently crosses the border to Rwanda. The Park also protects golden and colobus monkeys, buffaloes, leopards, elephants, bushbucks and giant forest hogs. The Park’s varied medicinal plants and fascinating Ngarama Cave can be explored with a Batwa guide – this tribe of hunter-gatherers were the region’s original inhabitants, and their ancient knowledge of the forest remains unrivalled.

Size

33 sq km

What To Do

  • Gorilla tracking: Permits ($500 per person) are limited and must be booked in advance at the Uganda Wildlife Authority offices in Kampala. They will be able to confirm that the group has not crossed the border to Rwanda.
  • Golden Monkey tracking: Hike through stunning bamboo forests to see this attractive and endangered primate.
  • Volcano climbing: A tough day’s hike will take you to the peaks of Muhavura, Gahinga or Sabinyo – whose summit is crossed by the Uganda-Rwanda-Congo border.
  • Bird watching: Trek to the Rugezi Swamp, the Sabinyo Gorge or the bamboo forest for the best bird watching opportunities.
  • Batwa Forest Trail: This unique cultural trail is led by Batwa guides, and visitors will learn about day-to-day life as a hunter-gatherer in the forest, and watch an astonishing performance in the sacred Ngarama Cave.

Wildlife

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has 76 identified mammal species, including mountain gorillas, endangered golden monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, elephants, bushbucks and buffalos. Your guide will know which areas are most frequented by each species of animal.

Birding

115 bird species have been recorded here, including several endemic to the Albertine Rift. Rwenzori turacos, handsome francolins, olive woodpeckers and western green tinkerbirds are among the species you can hope to spot in the forested hillsides.

Practical Information

Getting Here: It’s a full day’s drive from Kampala to Kisoro, and a further 30 minutes to the Park entrance. Kisoro is the nearest town – public buses travel here from Kampala.
Climate: While it is still warm in the sunshine, Mgahinga’s high altitude means it gets very cold. The nights are very chilly indeed – you will be glad for your lodge’s open fire in the evenings!
Entrance fees:
Contact Uganda Wildife Authority (UWA) for more information about entrance fees and multi-day passes. Please notes that rates are subject to change. 
Email:  uwa@uwa.or.ug
Phone: +256 41 355-000
Web: www.ugandawildlife.org
UWA Tariffs 2020/ 2022: View here

Nearby Pearls

 

Contact us for more information about Pearls of Uganda

Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org

Coming soon!

Contact us for more information about Pearls of Uganda

Email: info@pearlsofuganda.org