Despite Uganda being a landlocked country, it has been described as pearl of Africa due to its amazing and charming nature. To a diverse array of ecosystems which are fascinating to explore Uganda and, untouched and wild, they are stunning to behold. Uganda is beautifully gifted of 10 national parks which are Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Bwindi Impenetrable national park, Mgahinga national park, Semuliki national park, Lake Mburo national park, Mt Rwenzori national park, Mt Elgon national park and kibale national park. Uganda is best destination for gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, game drive, birding, culture tours, nature walk, hiking and many more.
Murchison falls national park
The park is located in western part of Uganda in Masindi district as the largest and oldest park. The park is discovered on the journey safari of Uganda which is known to have the most powerful falls in the whole world, inhabits the big five mammals like elephants, Rhinos, Buffalos, Leopards, Lions and birding paradise for bird lovers. Murchison falls national park covers 3890sqkm above the sea level followed by Queen Elizabeth with about 1978sqkm above the sea level. The park is also best destination for chimpanzee tracking at budongo forest.
The park can be accessed despite which direction you’re derived from, either by road or flight from kajjasi or Entebbe International airport using the northern entrance gate or southern entrance gate.
Getting to Murchison falls national park by road can be buses or private car perhaps self –drive or pick up from the airport by a tour company that organized your trip taking about 5 hours using northern entrance of the park which is about 305km. the main gate of the park is called kachumbanyobo gate from masindi town taking about 85km passing via kaniyo pabidi forest and paraa in the southern part of the park or using bugungu gate which is 135km and Tangi gate which is 110km from karuma falls across the River Nile.
By flight; Murchison falls national park can be accessed by air transportation from kajjasi air strip or Entebbe International Airport to pakuba or chobe or bugungu airstrip in the park. It is advised to book 6 months before the trip to avoid congestion especially during peak season since chartered flights are always on high demand.
Queen Elizabeth national park.
Queen Elizabeth national park is the oldest second largest park in Uganda and rich in diversity harboring lakes. Rivers, savannah grassland, wetlands, forests serving as the large mammals in the country. The park is a home of 95 mammals, 200 birds and many more covering an area of 1978sqkm above the sea level in south western part of Uganda.
The park gives incredible scenery of rivers, lakes and green vegetation which habits mammals like elephants, buffalos, mongoose, giraffes, lions climbing trees in Ishasha sector, chimpanzee in kalinzu and kyambura gorge, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, warthogs and entertains culture tours, boat cruise, nature walks and hiking.
Queen Elizabeth national park name was derived after the visiting of Queen Elizabeth 2 from England and the park best be visited during dry season when the roads in the park are slippery and is the best time to spot various mammals and various birds which some of them are endemic birds, forest birds, water birds and savannah birds. These include grey crown crane, ring necked bird, kingfishers, white egrets, owls, Egyptian birds,long-horned billed bird, and many more.
Bwindi Impenetrable national park
Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in south western part of Uganda and best known destination for gorilla trekking, birding, culture and nature walk. The park neighbors Virunga national park in Congo and Volcano national park in Rwanda which happen to be sharing mountain gorillas in the whole world. The park is known to be harboring half of mountain gorillas along with mgahinga national park. Bwindi park is bisected into four sectors and these are Rushaga sector, Ruhija sector, Nkuringo sector and Buhoma sector however each sector involves mountain gorilla families thus adding up to the half of the gorillas with Nyakagezi in mgahinga national park.
It takes about 9-10 hour to reach the park from kampala by the road but takes about 1-2 hours from kajjasi or Entebbe International airport. Visitors are expected to pack comfortable hiking boots, cameras, rain coat, water & snacks, hiking sticks, long trousers, long t-shirts and long stockings.
Mgahinga national park.
Mgahinga national park is located in southwestern part of Uganda and is well known for habiting one gorilla family called Nyakagezi and is best destination for golden monkeys and birding for bird lovers. The park covers 33.7sqkm and is a gazetted area since 1991 and mgahinga name was derived from gahinga which are piled volcano stones that were cleared from farmland at the foot of volcanoes.
The park is known to be part of virunga conservation area which shares mountain gorillas in three countries only and these are Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. Golden monkey permits in mgahinga park costs $100 per person (foreigners) but 100,000 for East African.
Mt Rwenzori national park
Mt Rwenzori national park covers 100,000 ha and is the third highest peak in the world located in western part of Uganda. The park is highly visited by visitors interested in hiking to the peak, culture encounters, birding and nature walks with the help of guides who are professional with fluent English and many more. Mt Rwenzori national park neighbors Democratic republic of Congo which is well known for instability which have affected their tourism industry. The park has beautiful sceneries due to rivers and lakes, snow white, mammals, birds, vegetation and many more.
Lake Mburo national park
Lake Mburo national park are the smallest national park and newest in records of Uganda. The park covers 370sqkm and take about 4 hours from kampala which is between masaka –mbarara route. It can be accessed by bus, private cars and pick up cars from kampala to Mbabara district however the visitors may air transport which takes one hour from Entebbe International airport or kajjasi airstrip.
The park receives many visitors despite being Small Park due to game drive, boat cruise, horse riding, birding, fishing, nature walks, and cultures thus making the park the best destination for touristic attractions.
Mt Elgon national park.
Mt Elgon national park is located north eastern part of Uganda approximently 140km of Lake Victoria covering 1279sqkm above the sea level. The park boarders Kenya at 1110sqkm and 169sqkm respectively and is well known for harboring culture tours, biking, birding, hiking and flora & fauna. Mt Elgon national park can be accessed by road or flight from international Entebbe airport or kajjasi.
Despite the fact that mt Elgon is a best destination for hiking, visitors are briefed to pack comfortable hiking boots, caps, cameras,, long trouser, rain coats, water &snacks, hiking sticks and many more. Although visiting uganda is annually, there are best time to visit Mt Elgon are June to September and December to February where the roads are easy to pass through and mount Elgon is easy to hike.to the top.
Semuliki national park
Semuliki national park lies in western part of Uganda neighboring kibale national park and Queen Elizabeth national park and also known as sempaya male and female due to hot spring that you don’t wish to miss out on a safari. The park is the oldest with thick tropical forest which is a home for birds like grey crowned crane, owl, white egrets, kingfisher and many more, mammals like forest elephants, bush pigs and many more. The park is known for having the most beautiful scenery of hot spring which visitors are free to take as many photos as they want and boiling eggs and matooke on it as you enjoy the beauty of think forest of flora and fauna.
Kibale national park
Kibale national park is located in western part of Uganda covering an area of 776sqkm harboring 1200 chimpanzees, 150 birds, and mammals like forest elephant,warthogs, bush bucks and13 primates like Red tailed monkeys, black and white monkeys, vervet monkeys, baboons and many more.. The places to stay while in the park include primate lodges, Rwenzori view guest house, kibale forest camp, kitojo guest cottages, nyinabulitwa country resort and many more which some are luxury, mid-range and budget. The park is known as a tropical forest that harbors various primates like blue tailed monkeys, baboons, L,hoest monkey, red colobus and many more.
