Best places to see Lions in Uganda

Best places to see Lions in Uganda – Lions of Uganda

Best places to see lions in Uganda – Lions are among a few big cats found in Uganda’s National Parks and it is among the most wanted to be seen animal while on game drive. Research indicates that 90% of most clients from all Tour Companies will ask their drivers to look for lions. And there will always be big excitement on spotting the King of the jungle, after the lion, the demand goes on to the Leopard.

A fully grown lion will normally weigh between 150-250kg for males whereas females can weigh between 120-182kgs, and can live in the wild up 14years. And in zoos, they can live for even 20years. Females will normally do most of the hunting.

Male lions will need at least 7kgs of meat per day and 5kgs of meat per day for the females. After a big hunt example a Buffalo, a lion can consume up to 30kgs of meat and can sleep by for a simple digestion to consume more of the meat if other lions fail to finish the hunt. In open areas like Murchison falls National Park overlooking the Albert Nile, where there are many thickets, lions will normally pull Uganda Kobs, into the thickets so that they don’t get any disturbance from hyenas and moving Safari cars around.

Lionesses normally produce by the age of 4 years, and can mate with any male before it conceives and the mating can take up to several days. The gestation period is 110days after which a female will give birth from 1- 4 cubs normally in a secluded area like thicket which cannot be easily reached especially like the Hyenas who will normally want to kill and eat the cubs. The cubs will normally weigh 1.2–2.1 kg.With a close look at a cub (baby lion) there are brown spots on their bodies, but they will always fade as they reach adulthood

See tree Climbing Lions in Uganda at Ishasha. The lion being found up in the tree branch is a unique adventure moment as lions are often found in the open savannah grasslands roaming around, sleeping, resting or hunting. These lions will normally climb and rest in these fig trees when noon approaches. It is hard sometimes to find them up in the trees when it is raining, or when it is still slippery in the morning. These tree climbing lions of Uganda are found in Queen Elizabeth National Park in the Southern section near the Congo boarder.

Where to see Lions in Uganda?

Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park is one of top places where lion are on the increase since the park start a research program through Uganda conservation society. The national Park being remote and with few visitors. They are clearly seen here during the dry season on the early morning game drive or an evening game drive. Lions differ from leopard in that they usually in smaller or bigger prides and being the king of the jungle they tent to dominant the territories of narus valley where the narus river provides perfect feeding and drinking areas to animals like buffalos, zebras, kob. Elands. Hence becoming a hunting area for the lions.

Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is the best places for wildlife and also one of the better Parks where you can see Lions. During your game drives in Murchison Falls National Park you have chances to view this magnificent cat either in the morning and evening. The lions are commonly found in the Nile Delta where the Nile meets Lake Albert. Lions are often seen in the area and since they are in prides and keep themselves together this gives you the chance to see them in most game drives in Murchison Falls National where the lions roam freely in the open savannah in their natural habitat.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is where lions can be seen almost in every sector in the northern sector called the Mweya lions are often seen climbing cactus trees in the famous kasenyi plains and the southern sector of Ishasha sector where lions have been seen climbing fig trees and acacia hence calling them tree climbing lions.

Through Uganda carnivore program they are doing a research on lions due to the presence of the communities in the park endangering the lion population in the area.