10 Things to do When Visiting Uganda: Uganda, on the other hand, is a safe and exciting environment for the most part. Hippos humph across the swamps, and lions recline among the acacias. It’s a country of rain-stained woods and hazy slopes teeming with chimps. It has the lapping waves of Lake Victoria as well as the twisting channels of the Victoria Nile. Vistas of rock-ribbed mountains and isolated volcanoes dominate the outskirts, soaring up to rugged summits where waterfalls and thunderstorms congregate. On the other hand, Kampala is a buzzing metropolis rich in tribal culture and activity. It’s a fantastic African journey all around!
10 Things to do when visiting Uganda.
Explore Kampala City
The ancestral home of the Buganda kingdom is also the capital of modern-day Uganda. And it has a lot of flair and charm for an African first metropolis, 10 Things to do When Visiting Uganda. You can still see some of the former glory years’ thatched relics at the Kasubi Tombs, or you can taste the frenetic energy of day-to-day Ugandan life between the sun-cracked streets of Kampala Capital City; a place of throbbing markets (the city’s Owino market is said to be the largest in Central-east Africa), and echoing mosque minarets (the soaring Gaddafi National Mosque is a must!). Nakasero Hill, on the outskirts of town, is a more formal neighborhoods with well-to-do homes housing the country’s elite and foreigners mingling in the ramshackle taverns.
Trek Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park.
You will not be disappointed if you go into the vast Kibale National Park‘s lush jungles and swamp woods! What waits is one of the world’s most incredible concentrations of wild chimp groups, and you can witness these majestic simians of Central Africa scouring through the undergrowth and commanding the canopy on a variety of game drives and safari trips.
There are also a plethora of other interesting tiny monkeys to see, such as the uncommon L’Hoest’s and the Ugandan red colobus. It’s also possible to gaze up at old fig trees and view some of the area’s more recent initiatives to build sustainable coffee farms.
Visit Ssese Islands
The Ssese Islands archipelago is Uganda’s response to the tropical treasures of the East African coast on the Indian Ocean, with golden sands worthy of Latin America, sun-kissed beaches, and lapping waves. They are regarded the country’s greatest rest and leisure site, peppering the waters of Lake Victoria, with the famed Buggala Island and Bulago at the top of the menu.
You might relax at one of the lakeside villas, or you can wax up your walking boots and go for the highlands, where hippo-dotted wetlands lie between the slopes. Buggala also has kayaks and other watersports accessible.
Trek Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park truly lives up to its reputation! It is a place of high peaks and limitless green, with some of Africa’s oldest primeval woods.
The richness – imagine geckos next to Mountain Gorillas next to a slew of interesting insects – earned the area a UNESCO World Heritage designation, yet most safari visitors come here to see colobus monkeys and chimps.
The Albertine Rift is known for its stunning vistas. They climb and fall to uncharted valleys and heights, with quartzite massifs and teak-shrouded river ways here and there. It’s definitely one to brag about!
Don’t Miss Murchison Falls National Park.
The wilds of Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda are certainly some of the most stunning in north-western parts of the country, named for the thundering cascades that slash right through their centre. With approximately 4,000 square kilometers between its borders, the protected region is really the country’s largest national park.
The main draw is, of course, the spot at where the Victoria Nile rushes through a narrow valley and over a 40-meter-high cliff. However, visitors may expect to see lions, giraffes, elephants, and other animals.
Explore Entebbe City.
Entebbe, at least for most international tourists, will serve as the country’s entry point.
Entebbe International Airport is located here, with its runways butting up to the shores of Lake Victoria.
Most will also depart on time, on their route to Kampala or one of the country’s other remote safari sites. Those who stay may enjoy a laid-back atmosphere that still hums to the melody of the old British Protectorate — after all, it was here that the English colonists established their headquarters in previous decades. The exquisite National Botanical Gardens are a legacy of that era, as are elegant churches and the president’s formal residence: the Ugandan State House, 10 Things to do When Visiting Uganda.
Queen Elizabeth National Park.
This vast expanse of wilderness, located on the banks of Lake Edward and the Democratic Republic of the Congo border in the west, is Uganda’s most well-known national park.
Every year, hundreds of people come to watch the languid Congo lions and swinging chimpanzees that may be seen interacting between the Maramagambo Forest and the open plains.
The entire area is also scarred by several volcanic features, ranging from the magnificent Katwe craters to vast rifts in the ground, making it an exciting and eye-catching site to visit on safari drives and game-seeking expeditions.
Pay a visit to Mount Elgon National Park.
The Mount Elgon National Park’s rock-ribbed, jungle-topped slopes are dotted with so many natural wonders that it’s impossible to explain them all at once. Waterfalls, damp cave systems, and steep canyons cascade down from the extinct caldera of one of Africa’s oldest volcanoes.
Visitors may also experience geothermal activity at a succession of hot springs, or look up to see African goshawks and exquisite bush-shrikes flitting through the air. There are De Brazza’s and colobus monkeys, as well as blue monkeys and various other unusual simian species.
Journey to Lake Mburo National Park.
Despite being one of Uganda’s smallest national parks, Lake Mburo’s waving savannah grasses and riparian ecosystems strike a powerful impact.
They are dotted with buffalo herds and zebras, are traversed by prancing reedbucks, and are pursued by hyenas. Much of the region is now covered with new forestry, which has sprung up from the swamplands that dominate the banks of the namesake lake.
During the dry season, when the animals cluster around the watering holes, these make for excellent game watching. Furthermore, Lake Mburo National Park is one of the easiest to get to, having easy access along the route from Kampala, Uganda’s capital.
Explore the beauty of Kidepo Valley National Park.
The Kidepo Valley National Park is an excellent fly-in destination in Uganda’s northern reaches (in one of the country’s most problematic and dangerous areas). It is located 700 kilometers from the city and is recognized for its isolation. The region is the historic stomping ground of the Dodoth pastoralists, completely unspoilt and unaffected by major safari tourists.
These semi-nomadic people shared the savannah and mud plain environments with buffalo, hippo, oryx, and wild dogs, which may still be seen darting between the grey-haired acacia trees and marshes today.
If you are planning a wildlife safari to Uganda anytime soon, you might want to consider visiting any of these amazing places during your stay in the ‘Pearl of Africa.’
