5 Best Places to Visit in Uganda in 2024–2025. Uganda is one of the most exciting African countries, nicknamed “the Peral of Africa” after British Prime Minister Winston Churchill used the phrase in regard to the country’s lush scenery. Uganda is situated in central Africa and borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda.
Uganda is home to an extraordinary array of natural wonders, including the tallest mountain ranges, the source of the Nile, the world’s longest river, and Africa’s biggest lake. Lake Victoria, commonly known as Victoria Nyanza, covers approximately 69,484 square kilometers (26,828 square miles). Uganda is also the world’s second-largest freshwater lake, behind Lake Superior in North America.
Uganda is home to the UNESCO-listed Rwenzori Mountains National Park. The Rwenzori Mountains are Africa’s tallest mountain range, with Mount Margherita as its third highest peak. Uganda is a fantastic safari place for exciting thrills. The land has a diverse range of intriguing wildlife species, culture, and natural beauty. Here are five of the top spots to safari in Uganda in 2024–2025.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the top five safari destinations to visit in Uganda in 2024–2025. The park is located in the southwestern section of the nation, in Kanungu District. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, located in southern Uganda, was established in 1991 and covers 321 square kilometers. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is home to around 400 mountain gorillas, who account for half of the world’s surviving sizable population.
The national park is one of the few sites on earth where you may see these intriguing primates in their natural setting. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is home to over 25 habituated mountain gorilla families, and gorilla trekking is the main highlight of any safari in Uganda, making it one of the most popular safari destinations in the country. Aside from mountain gorillas, the park is home to around 350 bird species, 125 animal species, 200 butterfly species, 324 tree species, and 12 additional primate species, including chimpanzees.
Beyond the major attraction, gorilla trekking, the park provides other fantastic safari activities for travelers on a Uganda safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Visitors on a gorilla trekking safari can also participate in other safari activities like gorilla habituation, nature walks or treks, and community encounters with the Batwa ethnic group and the Indigenous population that lives in the wooded areas, among others.
Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park is also one of the top five safari destinations to visit in Uganda in 2024–2025. A magnificent national park in northwest Uganda is the country’s largest protected region and home to some of the most diverse species. Murchison Falls National Park is home to one of the world’s most powerful waterfalls, Murchison Falls, and was named for them. It is a breathtaking waterfall where the Victoria River squeezes through a small valley before tumbling 43 metres into the Albert Nile.
The national park is home to a wide range of wildlife species, including four of Africa’s five largest animals: buffalo, lion, elephant, and leopard. Giraffes, antelopes, spotted hyenas, and chimps are among the other animal species. There are also over 450 distinct types of colorful birds. During your safari in Murchison Falls National Park, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to participate in a variety of exciting activities, including game drives, boat cruises, nature walks, birdwatching, hot air balloon rides, chimpanzee tracking in Budongo Forest Reserve, bush camping, and cultural encounters, among others.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is also one of the greatest sites to visit during a Uganda safari in 2024–2025.
The park is the only area in the world where you may see tree-climbing lions. It also supports a remarkable diversity of animals, including chimpanzees, enormous school hippos, and over 600 bird species. The park offers breathtaking vistas of the Rwenzori Mountains, the Kazinga Channel, the vast marsh, the grandeur of the open savannah surrounding Lake George, the stunning crater lakes, and much more.
During your safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, you will have the option to participate in a variety of tourism activities, including boat cruises along the Kazinga Channel, game drives, chimp trekking in Kyambura Gorge, bird viewing, cultural interactions, and fishing, among others.
Kibale Forest National Park.
Kibale Forest National Park is a well-known and must-see destination during your Uganda safari. The national park is a biodiverse sanctuary famed for its abundant chimpanzee population.
Kibale Forest National Park is commonly referred to as the “Prime Capital of the World.” It is home to an estimated 1,500 chimpanzees, making it one of the greatest places in Africa to see these intriguing primates in their natural environment.
Aside from chimps, Kibale Forest National Park is home to primates like L’Hoest’s monkey, red colobus monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys, among others. Other fascinating animals found in the forest are buffaloes, elephants, leopards, a vast variety of reptiles, and butterflies, as well as bird species such as the great blue turaco, African grey parrots, and the uncommon green-breasted pitta. During your safari in Kibale Forest National Park, you will have the chance to participate in a variety of activities such as chimp trekking, forest walks, chimp habituation experiences, night walks, birdwatching, cultural visits, and children’s activities, among others.
Lake Bunyonyi
Lake Bunyonyi, often known as “The Place of Little Birds,” is a beautiful and soothing freshwater body. It is thought to be Africa’s second-deepest lake, after the majestic Lake Tanganyika, with a depth ranging from 40 to 900 meters in different areas.
The water temperature ranges between 24-250 °C, and it is one of the few lakes devoid of bilharzia, making it safe to swim in. It is surrounded by verdant hills and is an excellent retreat destination. Lake Bunyonyi is a birder’s dream, with over 200 species, including the grey-crowned crane. Furthermore, the lake is home to around 29 islands, all of which are located in the lake’s center.
These islands include Akampene, Bushara, Bwama, Bacuranuka, and many more, each having its own fascinating mythology. The picturesque lake is also home to a variety of fish, including crayfish. Mud also provides canoe sailing on calm and peaceful waterways. The canoe journeys take place both during the day and at night, while listening to the songs of frogs, crickets, and nocturnal birds. This encounter is both thrilling and meaningful. Swimming, birdwatching, nature hikes, batwa, and Bakiga community visits will all be highlights of your Lake Bunyonyi safari.
