Safaris in Uganda can be adventure-filled with memories to last a lifetime. A safari to Uganda could also be underutilized or less adventurous if one doesn’t know what activities to do while there. To make your safari worthwhile, here are ten things you should do.
1. Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking
There is no doubt that gorilla trekking is the most popular tourist activity in Uganda. This activity offers a unique opportunity to encounter mountain gorillas. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda are home to mountain Gorillas. Half of the World’s remaining mountain gorilla population lives in Uganda. A gorilla trekking trip in Uganda is all about witnessing the renowned mountain gorillas feeding their young or simply being like the grand creatures they are.
Uganda is home to around 13 different primates. You can undertake chimpanzee trekking in several national parks, including Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth, and Budongo Forest to mention but a few. You can also opt to see rescued and orphaned chimpanzees at the wildlife education center and Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary. You will get to see chimpanzees grooming one another as part of their daily routines.
It is important to follow your ranger’s instructions and prepare physically for long walks. Gorilla trekking is an exhilarating experience that is well worth your time.
2. Game Drives
A good camera, 4X4 wheels with an open top, and beautiful wildlife. That pretty much entails a game drive. Your tour guide will direct you to the most strategic places to get the best views of the wild in its most natural form. Plenty of animals to see in the wild, like elephants, giraffes, buffalos, the very cunning hyenas, the king of the jungle while they bask up in the trees (Tree climbing lions), the beautiful impalas, and zebras, to mention but a few. Kidepo, Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, and Lake Mburo National Parks provide the best game drives. These beautiful Savannah parks provide the option of morning, evening, or night game drives.
3. Cultural Experiences
The variety of Uganda’s wildlife, plants, and birds is not its only source of diversity. Our culture is colorful and historically rich. Uganda has unique food, language, traditional music, and dance in each tribe and neighborhood. Try the well-known Luwombo, Eshabwe, Atapa, and Malakwang Maleewa from Buganda, Ankole, Teso, Acholi, and Bugisu respectively. You might experience and taste Ugandan culture in Kampala. You can get a sense of Ugandan culture by visiting the Uganda museum, Igongo Cultural Centre, Ndere Center, and national theatre and visiting souvenir stores in Kampala.
4. Hiking Volcanos
Uganda is a land of volcanoes, valleys, beautiful plains, and mountains. Mount Elgon, which is 4,321 meters tall and is east of Uganda, has the largest caldera in the entire globe. The formidable Virunga Ranges, including Mount Mgahinga (3474), Muhavura (4127), and Sabinyo (3645) in the west of Uganda. A volcano’s hike entails a walk-through dense forest that overflows on the fertile slopes of the volcanoes, seeing gorillas that wander the Virunga Ranges and birds that have made these highlands their home. The accomplishment of ascending a volcano is a test of character and strength, and it makes you feel more confident in your abilities.
5. Bird Watching
Ugandan birds can be seen singing by Lake Victoria’s shoreline, stomping through marshes on Mabamba Island, and soaring over the Nile River. Considering that Uganda is home to more than 1040 bird species, a safari would be imperfect without a birding excursion. The savanna, lakeshores, marshes, and rainforests are all home to numerous birds. The legendary shoebill, on Mabamba Island, is a must-see. Blue Turaco is one of many other bird species you are bound to see in one of the wetlands.
6. Canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi and Boat safaris
As Lake Bunyonyi twists and swirls, 29 islands make up the picturesque landscape. All of the islands are enclosed by carefully terraced gardens. You may see the birds as your eyes wander along hills and far down while kayaking on Lake Bunyonyi and listening to the local folklore surrounding the lake. A conventional dugout boat will serve as your source of transportation as you move from one island to another. You should include canoeing on your to-do list because of the tranquility it offers and the depth of the Bunyonyi region you get to experience.
A boat cruise is gentle and one of the most soothing and calming activities while on safari. Kazinga channel, Murchison falls offers scenic spots for boat safaris. You will delight in the sights of hippos drinking water, and wild creatures sauntering to the shore to quench their thirst. A boat safari is a leisurely and the best serene way to experience Uganda.
7. White Water Rafting
River Nile has a strong current, exhilarating breeze, and adrenaline-inducing waves. Water rafting is for individuals with wild hearts who are up to some adventurous water sports. It is not for the faint of heart. Grade 5 Extreme Rafting, and Grade 3 Full Day Rafting, are some of the exciting options. On the banks of the Nile, native music, bonfires, grilling, barbeque, and dancing are waiting for you once this exhilarating experience has satisfied your appetite for adventure.
8. Cycling Safaris
Cycling is fast becoming one of the best ways for travelers to intimately experience Uganda’s unique wildlife and amazing scenery. The beauty of this activity is that it also allows you to interact with the people who live in and around the cycling trail, giving you an unrivaled perspective on their way of life. Cycling activities can be carried out in Lake Mburo National Park and there amazing mountain bike trails in South Western Uganda as well as the foothills of Mount Moroto and Mount Kadam in the Karamoja region of Eastern Uganda. Cycling Safaris combine the best mountain bike trails with amazing wildlife viewing and cultural experiences.
9. Experience a hot air balloon flight and a bungee jump into the Nile
Lake Victoria is also known as the Source of the Nile, a river with significant historical and religious significance that travels through Uganda and all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. For a thrilling and heart-pounding experience of a lifetime, bungee leap from a platform 150 feet in the air straight down toward the Nile (and splash right into it)
Take advantage of the special opportunity to a hot air balloon ride above Murchison Falls National Park. After watching the park’s sunrise, go to a safari lodge for breakfast.
10. Kampala City Tour
Kampala, the capital of Uganda, is set above 21 hills. Does not matter if you choose to travel by bicycle, car, or foot, a Uganda safari wouldn’t be complete without seeing Kampala, the nation’s capital. The Kasubi Tombs—the resting place of the Buganda Kings—as well as the Martyrs Shrine, Rubaga Cathedral, the Baha’i Temple, and Independence Monument, are just some of Kampala’s landmarks that add to the city’s fame.
