Uganda National Parks

I don't know what you will tell your children if you don't visit the national parks in Uganda.These places are renowned for their rich heritage ofwildlife and natural beauty. Nowhere in Africa will one find such a rich variety of wildlife in one single country as in Uganda’s parks and game reserves. A visit to our country would not be complete without a visit to at least one of them.

Some of the Parks are world famous, others you probably never heard of.

Some are very easy to reach, some are as remote as it gets.

All of them are worth visiting, and each one offers a very different experience..

Learn more about them by clicking on any of the following National Parks in the menu below;

Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park and its wildlife

mgahinga National Park

Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda

Katonga Wildlife Reserve

Kibale forest National Park

Kidepo National Park

Mount Elgon Park

Murchison Falls National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Semliki Game Reserve

Semliki National Park

Rwenzori Mountain National Park

Murchison Falls National Park

Among the many parks in Uganda Murchison Falls National Park was my first to visit. I used to read about it and for that matter I was anxious to visit it myself and live to tell the live story to whoever needs it.

This park has abundant Flora and Fauna you won’t find in any other national park in Uganda to delight the visitor.

From rolling savannah and tall grasslands to thick bush and woodlands.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

I couldn’t miss to take my part on the tour to Queen Elisabeth National Park when chance arises.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the outstanding treasures of Uganda.

I wanted to know why this park is so much in demand so I took off from Kampala through green hill of Fort portal up to Kasese then to the park through Mweya Safari Lodge Gate.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

My main intention was to look at the gorilla but I was amazed to see that there were so many wild animals that I couldn’t think of to be living in that thick jungle. Along with the gorillas, I had to see other species of primates including Chimpanzee, blue monkey, black and white colobus, Over 200 species of butterflies have also been recorded here.

Being anxious to know more about the thick forest, I joined other visitors who enjoyed the hiking trails in the park.The most popular are the Munyaga River Trail, the Waterfall trail and the Rushuura Trails.

You can read more on Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park here next page

Mgahinga National Park

From Bwindi I continued to Mghinga National Park to see more Gorillas because I was not satisfied with the time I was given in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to see the gorillas.

But boy wasn't i wrong?. They told me that I had to first book in advance in Kampala But as luck goes with passion, one of the visitors was not able to trek the Gorillas and I had to take his position after agreeing to pay him the cost he had paid some six months back.

Managed to see the gorilla at close range of less than 5 meters ……..do you know what? These big brothers are now used to people.

We had to sit down because by the time we reached there position of that day, we were very tired and they were already Satisfied so we found them resting in big group thus giving us the chance to see them in a meeting…. should I say?

This is wonderful please the next time you feel like to visit Uganda don’t forget to put Ghahinga National park under your consideration. Mgahinga is an interesting park.

In addition to gorilla trekking, it offers a number of other exciting half-day hikes and the challenge of a full-day climb to the summit of Mt. Muhavura or Mt. Gahinga, or the breathtaking Sabyinyo Gorge.

Also of interest are the three swamps (especially for bird lovers) Rugezi, Kabiranyuma and Kizibakye at the top

Mt Muhavura I could see Rwanda, Congo thus the name of the mountain Muhavura meaning “to show directions” in the local language .

Don’t ask how I know this………….. But anyway this is my language (Kiga language) .That means I’m at home. Please don’t miss it next time you come.

for more information on Mgahinga National Park check next page here

Lake Mburo National Park

This is the place I always pass when going to see my mother in Kabale…….but I had never bothered to enter inside to know much about it.

I said "no why not to visit this pack also"……… that is when I knew that my intention of visiting many places was not to see animals only but to explore the big world and that’s when I started to think of making tours to other places outside Uganda e.g. Kenya Tanzania and Rwanda but anyway my main theme on this website is to tell you all about Uganda’s magnificent natural and physical features A bit off topic from my trip to Mburo National Park.

I set out with my son Austin for the park which is not far from Kampala we stopped in Lukaya for some refreshments and off we went up to Sanga main gate .

I was astonished to find that this park is too good to believe .Among the animal we saw:-

Zebra,

Cape buffalo

Eland.

Oribi

Topi

Along with a game driver we enjoyed a boat trip on Lake Mburo. Self-guided nature trails are also available but for me I was no in position to go alone risking my son’s life and mine too. It was a dream come true for my son to see all these animals live which he used to see on TV.

Promised to take him to another national park when he performs well in class.For more information on Lake Mburo National Park check next page here

Kibale Forest National Park

This park is so quite to the extent of Ghahinga National Park…..It is composed of thick plantation unlike other national parks like its neighbor of queen Elizabeth National Park.

This mature tropical rainforest supports the highest number of primate species in Uganda, and one of the highest primate densities and diversities in the world. Among the animals I saw were:-

Red colobus monkey,

Black-and white colobus monkey

Olive baboons

And several communities of chimpanzee.

There were many birds and butterflies.

For more information on Kibale forest National Park click here

Semliki National Park

Semliki national park is far from people.

It’s much hidden behind the hills of Bundibugyo district facing the eastern side of Congo.

And though I was there, I sensed that really I was in another world.Because when you see either sides, you see mountains and every thing was total quite and no matter this place is said to be still a virgin land among other parks in Uganda.

and even the animals are very few ,its untapped lush tropical lowland habitat provides an inspirational setting for hikers and nature lovers to spend a few quiet days relaxing and exploring unspoiled Africa.The eco-system of tropical lowland forest is continuous with the Ituri forest of Zaire, divided only by the Semliki River.

This location, as a kind of stepping stone between East and West Africa, helps explain the great diversity of wildlife in the park, possibly the greatest in all of East Africa.

Among other animals the common one are

• Uganda kob

• Elephant

Velvet monkey

Sempaya Hot Springs were so amazing the water from this hot spring is so hot to the extent that you can see it from the distance

For more information on semliki National Park check next page here

Kidepo Valley National Park

It lies in the north-eastern horn of Uganda in Karamoja district bordering Kenya.

I set out and boarded the bus up to Kotido town passing Mbale and Soroti .

Though the place was very far, I was determined to see what is in its possession.

Its secluded location provides the traveler a certain air of peace and tranquility in which to relax and enjoy the dramatic scenery and wildlife of northern Uganda.

This place being very hot compare to other National Parks in Uganda, supports different types of animal that can’t be found in any other park in Uganda like this on down here.

It is on record that this pack alone has more than 80 species of mammals and that alone made me feel to see ,I wish you can also come and see for yourself.

And for the first time in my tour life, I saw the cheetah and gazelle which were among my top priority of going to Kidepo Park.

This is the only Park you can see these animals (cheetah and gazelle).

Interesting also was the ostrich and kori bustard and there are so many varieties of birds so in short Kidepo is a must for any one who likes wild game.

for more information click hereFor more information on Kidepo National Park check next page

Mt Elgon National Park

the place is good but the animals are few compared to other national parks in Uganda I have visited.

I managed to see an oval shaped caldera that learned in my A. level measuring roughly 7 by 8 kms, one of the largest in the world. This park shares its eastern border with Kenya. This land provides an opportunity for visitors to enjoy the wonderfully wild and exciting scenery of this mountainous area.
And if you like then don’t miss your chance on Mt Elgon.

Its main attractions are its waterfalls, caves once used by indigenous people, Hot Springs, the mountains vegetation, the various peaks, the Suam Gorge and the caldera itself.Among the animals I saw were • Cape buffalo

• Bushbuck,

• Bush pig.

They also told us that Leopard hyenas are also there but all this was not simple to see because these animals fear people as poachers almost finished them out.

There, we were also taken to the falls which you can’t miss to enjoy Don’t miss to go for the kumi Nyero paintings on your next vacation .

You can get more information on Mt. Elgon National Park on the next page

Katonga wildlife Reserve

The 'local canoe' being used is in a very poor condition. The canoe can sit 8 persons but where will it pass?.

The Canal trip has the potential to be a very good experience but the canal needs a management plan to keep the passage open from encroachment by Papyrus.

At the time we passed there, the 2 km circular passage was not possible to complete due to the size of the canoe, shallow water and blockage of the canal by vegetation.

I got the opportunity to see Sitatunga antelope which was my main priority of the visit. Reedbuck, Defassa Waterbuck, Warthog and Bushbuck was also seen at close quarters on a nature walk.

A troop of Black and White Colobus monkeys inhabits the riverine forest adjacent to the canal. Bird life is excellent with wetland, savannah and forest species present.

You can get more information on Katonga Wildlife Reserve on 6the next page

Rwenzori Mountain National Park

Rwenzori Mountains National Park was proclaimed a World Heritage Site to protect the natural beauty, flora and fauna of the area.

I was contacted by my Danish friend to escort him to his mountaineering in the Rwenzoris, and with me a chance like that will never be missed.Click here for more information about my story on mountaineering adventure in rwenzori mountains

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