Main National Parks for your Uganda Holidays and tours

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

The park is located in south western Uganda, covering parts of Rukungiri, Kisoro, and Kabale Districts. It is situated in a hilly country-side that, together with some remnant lowland forest outside the boundary constitutes an important water catchments area for many rivers, supplying the agricultural land of the surrounding region.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a true equatorial jungle, inhabited by four gorilla groups. Amongst the dense vegetation the columbus monkey jumps from branch to branch, chattering its warning to its fellows hidden by the foliage. Chimpanzees, in families of 20 or 30, make the rounds, searching for fruit and edible plants.

It is situated in a hilly country-side that, together with some remnant lowland forest outside the boundary constitutes an important water catchments area for many rivers, supplying the agricultural land of the surrounding region.

The best time to visit Uganda is late December to late February, and from June to September, as the weather at this time of year is generally dry, and warm. Temperatures average at around 25 degrees Celsius.

Kibale National Park

Once this tropical rainforest provided a (very substantial) dinner, bed and breakfast for large herds of migrating forest elephants and, even now, the park contains the largest population of this subspecies in Uganda. Although they're rarely seen, and dangerous, the signs of these elephants' presence are abundant.

However, Kibale's claim to fame is its enormous variety of primates and its families of habituated chimpanzees - it's home to an astonishing 12 species of primate and provides one of the highest primate densities in the world. Here, on a daytime or evening guided forest walk, you may find families of chimpanzees and red colobus monkeys chattering and swinging through the ancient forest trees.

The sightings of birds in the forest are no less impressive - there are at least 325 species, many of which are found nowhere else. In addition, there are over 144 species of butterflies.

Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park lies in a rain shadow between Lake Victoria and the Rwenzori Mountains, and receives an average of only 800mm of rain a year.

The park got its name from the two brothers, Kigarama and Mburo lived in a large valley. One night, Kigarama dreamt that they were in danger. When he awoke the next morning, he told his younger brother Mburo of his dream and said they should move. Mburo ignored this advice, but Kigarama wisely moved up into the hills. The valley flooded and a lake was formed, drowning Mburo. Today the lake is named after him, and the hills are called Kigarama after his brother.

The word Mburo is similar to the "mboro", the Runyankole name of the cassine tree which has a powerful aphrodisiac effect. One such tree, showing signs of bark and branch removal, may be seen close to the Kigambira Loop crossroads.

Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is one of the most spectacular in Uganda, and indeed in the whole of Africa. This is the largest game park in the country (3,840 sq.km.) and has the most intense concentration of animals along the river.

Here is the awe-inspiring Murchison Falls, where the River Nile hurls itself in appalling convulsions through a narrow crevice and then plunges 40 metres in one breathtaking leap. Before the Murchison Falls themselves, in the eastern sector of the park, are the Karuma Falls where the Nile cascades over 23 kilometres of rapids in a breathtaking sight. This is some of the most exciting white water in Africa.

A launch trip upstream to the falls is one of the great experiences in Africa. Elephant, hartebeest, giraffe, buffalo, crocodiles and countless antelope and birds (including the rare shoebill stork) can be admired at the water's edge as the launch glides along the Murchison Falls National Park, with its variety of vegetation ranging from riparian forests and swamplands to broad savannah, provides the opportunity of seeing many of the animals found  in Uganda.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

The Queen Elizabeth National Park provides an unforgettable and unique experience.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is 1,978 Km2 in area and is situated astride the Equator in the Western Rift Valley of South West Uganda, close to the southern-most tip of the tabled, mist covered "Mountains of the Moon - Rwenzori Mountains and is contiguous with Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo.

It is a region of varied habitats including, open grassland with thickets, thick bush, forest, swamps and lake-shore. Queen Elizabeth National Park together with Virunga National Park in (DRC) completely encircles Lake Edward which is connected to Lake George by the Kazinga Channel.

Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park is a 1,436 km² national park in Karamoja region in northwest Uganda. Kidepo is rugged savannah, dominated by the 2,750 m Mount Morungole and transected by the Rivers Kidepo and Narus.

Perennial water makes River Kidepo an oasis in the semi-desert which hosts over 86 mammal species including lion, cheetah, leopard, bat-eared fox, giraffe — as well as almost 500 bird species.

The Kidepo Valley National Park was established in the 1960s under the rule of Milton Obote. The forcible eviction of the Ik people out of the fertile Kidepo valley contributed to a famine among the Ik. In contemporary protected area management, this case is often used as an example of the unacceptable consequences of not taking community needs into account when designating reserves.

Semliki Valley National Park

Semliki National Park, contains a secluded forest area at the base of the Ruwenzori Mountains on the border of the Democratic Republic of The Congo. The park's out of the way location makes it an ideal place to spend a few days relaxing away from the rest of the world.

Semliki is the only park in Uganda to be composed primarily of tropical lowland forest. The land is flat, creating a startling contrast to the rugged Ruwenzori Mountains nearby. The forest contains a mosaic of different microhabitats, which provide for diversity of wildlife.

There are also a number of natural hot springs in the area, which attract a large number of birds, and supply salt for other animals. Some of the animals present in the park include: elephant, buffalo, leopard, civet, scaly tailed flying squirrel, and bush baby.

Mt. Elgon National Park

Mt. Elgon National Park is located on the Kenyan-Ugandan border. Mt Elgon is an extinct volcano mountain. Its highest peak is Wagagai (4321 m), but it’s on the Ugandan side. The highest peak on the Kenyan side is Koitoboss.

The main attraction of Mt Elgon is its spectacular caves in its slopes. These saline caverns are beautiful by themselves, and there’s a chance you could even see elephants inside them, getting their daily allowance of salt. The three caves open to tourists are called Kitum, Chepnyali, and Mackingeny.

Mt Elgon’s flora is incredible, and there are a few ways to experience Elgon’s beauty on foot. Most trekkers start from a town called Kimilili, 36 km south of Kitale on the road to Kisumu. From here get a matatu to Kapsakwany, then hike five km to Kaberua Forest Station. From here it’s another 20 km to Chepkitale Forest Station, which is abandoned. Seven km past this station is an ugly mountain hut. From this hut, it’s about a four hour walk to Lower Elgon Tarn, a small lake. From here you are close to Lower Elgon Peak, and around the crater rim lies Koitoboss peak and the Suam hot springs.

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