Explore & Discover Uganda

Boat Cruise
A boat cruise at the Source of the Nile is one of the amazing experiences awaiting for you here in the Pearl of Africa.

Uganda offers some of the unique and amazing water trails for breath-taking boat rides including the Source of the Nile, Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls in Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Victoria and Ssese Islands.

Along these trails you’ll be able to see scenic wonders of forests, rocky islands; reptiles, wildlife, and a myriad of birdlife.

Where to do it from: Source of the Nile, Murchison Falls, Kazinga Channel at Queen Elizabeth Park, Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Victoria and Ssese Islands, Lake Mburo at Lake Mburo National Park

When to do it: A boat cruise can be done on any day throughout the year

Canoeing
Discover the peace and tranquility of Uganda’s beautiful waterways, and experience wildlife like never before, while learning the pleasure of being at one with the water and nature.

The rivers, lakes and wetlands cover about 18% of Uganda’s total surface, including Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa and the source of the Nile river, the longest river of the world. All these provide a prime environment for canoeing and kayaking across the Nile, Lake Victoria basin and several other numerous water bodies across the country.

Where to do it from:
Ssese Islands, Mabamba swamp, Lake Mutanda, Lake Bunyonyi, Semuliki Wildlife Reserve, Katonga Reserve and several parts on the shores of Lake Victoria

When to do it:
The rainy season is from March till May and October till December. Light rain season falls in November and December. Dry seasons are from December to February and June to August. The best time, the best months of the year would be during the dry seasons.

The Uganda Martyrs’ Trail
The Uganda Martyrs Trail is Uganda’s exclusive faith-based tourism product that takes you through different places where the first Christian missionaries passed and preached from, and where some of the Uganda Martyrs were killed before their bodies were taken to be burnt at Namugongo.

The death of these martyrs has always been memorable in the hearts of many people especially Christians who celebrate the lives of the martyrs on 3rd June of every year – a day the republic of Uganda considers as the Uganda Martyrs’ Day and a public holiday. Their remembrance was amplified when the Catholic Church of Rome beatified the martyrs of its faith in 1920 and canonized them in 1964.

Many pilgrims, especially Christians, from all over the world descend to the Pearl of Africa to join together with Ugandans to commemorate the martyrs’ day. This is celebrated in remembrance of 45 young men (recorded) both Anglicans and Catholics who were killed on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II (then the King of the Buganda Kingdom in Central Uganda), for refusing to renounce their faith in Jesus Christ or Christianity. The execution took place between November 1885 to June 1886 with a climax at Namugongo on 3rd June 1886, after the Kabaka (king) thought the Whites were ‘infiltrating’ his subjects with Christianity to cause rebellion against him. As a result he killed most of his servants at Namugongo.

Gorilla Tracking
Without doubt one of the world’s greatest wildlife experiences is the thrill of a close encounter with the reclusive mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Uganda has the best chance of viewing these delightful apes with the fact that it boasts two parks where they have been habituated for human visits that is; the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which harbor over half of the remaining world mountain gorillas.

Uganda is undoubtedly home to twelve (12) habituated gorilla groups located in both Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks, with Mgahinga gifted with one group, that is, the Nyakagezi gorilla family while the remaining groups are spread around Bwindi National Park in 4 different sectors namely; Buhoma which has Mubare, Habinyanja and Rushegura; Ruhijja has Butukura, Oruzogo, and Kyaguriru; Rushaga sector has Nsongi, Mishaya, Kahunjye, and Busingye; and the Nkuringo sector having one gorilla family (Nkuringo). Since eight permits are allocated to track each group daily, 96 Gorilla Tracking permits are guaranteed in Uganda.

The time spent tracking gorillas in Uganda depends and varies from half an hour to eight hours depending on the gorilla movements. This activity starts with a briefing at 8am at the park headquarters of any sector you are booked to track, and after the tracking, you set off to the forest with the guide of the rangers who guide you to the spots where the gorillas may be found. You are allowed only one hour in the midst of these great apes so as not to distract their behavioral patterns. The cost of each gorilla permit in Uganda is USD 600 although low season offers are often provided by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, be sure to check with your local Uganda Safari operator for a guide on low season months and their respective prices. Gorilla tracking permits can either be bought directly from the Uganda Wildlife Authority offices in Kampala or through your preferred local tour operator.

Bungee Jumping
Would you like to challenge your acrophobia? Or you would wish to experience a lifetime striking adventurous jump to touching waters right at the source of the Nile. The source of the Nile in Jinja offers one of the most spectacular bungee jumping sites in the world. You can opt for tandem jumps, water touches, full-moon jumps or jumps in the dark (for those who are more daring).

Bird Watching
From the source of the White Nile on Lake Victoria to the Snow-capped Rwenzori mountain ranges, the montane Forests of the Virunga Volcanoes to the desert plains of Karamoja, Uganda is an Equatorial Country of astonishing and amazing diversity of habitats and this richness is reflected in the ever-burgeoning bird list of over 1000 species.

Uganda is immensely endowed with over 1,000 bird species; some of which are endemic to the country; mainly in the Albertine region. These constitute 67% of Africa’s and 11.1% of the world’s total population, making the country a must visit for bird lovers. Some of the most interesting birds include; the crested crane (recently named ‘Gray crowned crane’), Shoebill, Wattled plorer, Africa Fish Eagle, African Jacana, Saddle Billed Stock, Pelican, African Pigmy Geese and Narina’s Trogon.

These special birds, such as the Shoebill and the numerous spectacular endemics of the Albertine rift Valley are difficult or impossible to find elsewhere. The huge bird list is so remarkable given the small size of the country of over 235,000 sqkm; approximately the size of Great Britain. Making it arguably, the richest African birding destination.

Game Viewing And Drives
With 10 national parks, various large and small game reserves and an endowment of natural resources, largely covered by vegetation and huge expanses of tropical forests which are rich in flora and fauna; and unique physical landscapes, lakes and rivers, Uganda has always been home to a diverse wildlife that forms a bedrock of Uganda’s tourism industry.

The Pearl of Africa boasts of over 330 mammal species, of which none are critically endangered, 7 are endangered, 21 are vulnerable, and 17 are near-threatened. The wealth of invertebrate life of more than 100,000 species has been identified countrywide and an astonishing 1,200 butterfly species, including almost 50 endemics, have been recorded, not forgetting birdlife of over 1,000 specifies including the Albertine rift endemics.

Here, both animals and nature are in complete harmony with each other. A wide range of wildlife exists in the national parks and game reserves, providing one of the distinctive tour destinations on the continent. Parks like Kidepo Valley and Queen Elizabeth are easily accessible yet not crowded, offering a wonderful game drive and wildlife experience.

These parks offer safe and excellent environment for Uganda safari opportunities since they are; including game reserves, wildlife animals and all visits to the parks are monitored and carefully protected by the Uganda Wildlife Authority with its team of rangers.

Several transport means can be used within the parks. This is dependent on the travel agent organizing your trip. There are scheduled flights organized to almost all the national parks by Aero Link, with daily departures to Kisoro, Kihihi, (Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park), Mweya, Kasese (Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rwenzori Mountains National Park, and Kibale Forest National Park), Semliki (Semliki National Park), Bugugu and Pakuba (Murchison Falls National park), Kidepo (Kidepo Valley National Park). Charters can be organized to any part of the country, thus seek advice from your local operator for clarification and booking terms.

Accommodation is also available both within and nearby all the parks in the country and this varies from high end, mid range to budget establishments with the Uganda Wildlife Authority managing campsites in most of the national parks.

Whether your interest is birds, primates, butterflies or wildlife, Uganda has got you covered and most of these being in close to undisturbed environments, which are not heavily populated giving you the chance to exploit everything in their very natural habitat.

Water Rafting
Thinking adventure? Believe rafting! You have no idea how much fun you will experience when you come for one of the wildest marine activity right here in the Pearl of Africa. For adventurers, without at least a one day white water rafting trip, no safari to Uganda would be complete. Right at the source of the Nile (the longest river in the world) you’ll truly experience and conquer these wild waters whilst bouncing on and off the untamed river.

Dream Tubing On The Nile River
Last weekend, as a late 4th of July celebration, we went to Jinja to float down the Nile. We took a motorboat up current a ways, and then floated in groups of linked tubes back down. Then we had a barbecue along the shore of the Nile and got to sleep in a tent. It totally hit the spot. It was very relaxing, and we met some hilarious law students from Pepperdine University. They introduced us to Wednesday trivia night at Atmosphere Lounge–the only category won by the team with white people was African Geography.

Mountain Climbing
Besides lying on the equator, Uganda fascinates so many climbers in the whole world, because of the snowcapped high ranges of the Rwenzori and Muhabura in the west, alongside the wonderful experience in rugged rocks of Mt. Elgon and Mt. Moroto in the East.

While climbing the Rwenzori mountain ranges, expect to see the green tropical rainforests under the equator submerge into the sky as heath forests, while alpine plants like lobelia and everlasting flower appear – a lifetime experience for adventurers with no acrophobia.

Both Mt. Elgon and Mt. Rwenzori are popular destinations for nature lovers providing an exclusive fascination for backpackers trailing the numerous bird species and the rich variety of vegetation zones and wildlife.