Where to see wildlife in Uganda? – Uganda nature and wildlife Area
Where to see wildlife in Uganda? – Uganda has got four National Parks that offer the opportunity to see wildlife on game drives which are Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park. With more mammal and bird species than any protected area in Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park offers the greatest variety; however, Murchison Falls National Park offers the larger mammals in greater concentration and also Giraffes, which are not found at Queen Elizabeth National Park. In both of these National Parks you are very likely to see wildlife like Elephants, Buffaloes, Hippos, Bushbucks, and Uganda kobs; and, although it is not so easy to spot predators, with a bit of luck you will also see Lions and Leopards.
Wildlife safaris at Lake Mburo National Park are very popular because it is the only place in the south with Zebras and Eland. These beauties can also be found in Kidepo Valley National Park, which offers the chance to see Cheetahs, Ostriches, kudus, bat-eared foxes, and many other animals found in no other part of Uganda.
No matter where you do your game drive and what you are seeking, taking a Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger-guide will sometimes guarantee you more and better chances of spotting more wildlife. Advantages to driving include covering more ground and getting closer to the wild animals, but nothing beats stalking animals on foot, and you can do this in the company of an armed ranger-guide in all National Parks mentioned above except Murchison Falls National Park. Bird-watching and Mountain Gorilla and Chimpanzee tracking take place on foot too.
Mountain Gorilla tracking is one of the main tourist activities in Uganda. These endangered gentle giants live in two National Parks of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks.
Chimpanzee tracking is also a very popular tourist activity in Uganda and there are several places where you can trek the Chimpanzee. The main ones are Kibale Forest National Park and Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You can as well trek the Chimpanzee in Budongo Forest Reserve, part of Murchison Falls National Park.
Another place is the little-known Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve. It has a thinner forest that offers the best viewing, and, because there is plenty of savannah around, the little guys are a little more likely to be seen walking upright. Although the troop at the private Kigaju Forest has yet to be habituated, it’s found often; and this is by far the cheapest place to seek out Chimpanzees. The sub-habituated troop in the Kalinzu Forest Reserve near Queen Elizabeth National Park is only found about half the time.
Trekking the Mountain Gorillas, you will have to spend one hour with these closest living relatives, although they move much further and faster, so the chance of finding them is a little less certain. Still, the likelihood is quite high (80% to 90%); and unlike the Mountain Gorillas who sometimes just laze around doing next to nothing, Chimpanzees put on a show, swinging through the trees, fighting, mating and generally whooping it up. All this makes the day-long encounters that are also available at Kibale Forest National Park and Budongo Forest very appealing.
Though golden monkeys lack the cache of Chimpanzees, tracking this very rare primate in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is also rewarding.
Bird-Watching – Uganda
Uganda the Pearl of Africa is one of the world’s best bird-watching destinations, offering 1041 different bird species recorded which is almost half the total found in all of Africa. Even non–bird-watchers will be enthralled by the diversity of beauty among Uganda’s birdlife.
The country’s unique geographical position, where eastern, western, northern, and southern ranges merge, allows visitors to view the 24 Albertine rift endemics (such as African green broadbill and handsome francolin) in Semuliki National Park on the same trip as dry-season eastern specials (Karamoja Apalis and red-billed oxpecker) in Kidepo Valley National Park.
