Highlights of what to expect at Uganda’s National Parks

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

If you want guaranteed sights of mountain gorillas in an utterly wild setting, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the place.

Stretching over 321 km² on the edge of the river valley, this park is home to the biggest mountain gorilla population on the planet. In all, some 450 gorillas find refuge here together with large packs of chimpanzees and over 350 bird species. Having been successfully gazetted over two decades back, it is their permanent home.

Gorilla tracking fees are still at $800, unlike Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, where the rates were doubled four years ago from $750 to $1,500.

The main reason you’d visit is the certainty of encountering the gorillas no matter the time of the year. 

Kibale National Park

Kibale has the biggest population of chimpanzees in East Africa, boasting over 1,000 individuals. They are just one of the thirteen primate species that have earned Kibale National Park a solid reputation as Africa’s primate capital, or should we say primate kingdom?

Other wildlife include red colobus monkeys, Ugandan mangabeys, L’hoest monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervets, blue monkeys and baboons, among others. On the other hand, the top three nocturnal specials include potoos and bush babies. Altogether, it has 70 mammal species and 375 bird species.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is in a rift valley that was formed 25 to 30 million years ago. Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to 600 recorded bird species, tree-climbing lions, leopards, buffalos, elephants, bushbucks, topis, Uganda kobs, hippos, crocodiles, and more. The list goes on.

Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo is a semi-arid destination, but at the right time it can be green and lush. Kidepo Valley National Park is famous for its rich concentration of lions, and prides of up to 6 are not uncommon. Plentiful zebras, giraffes, and antelopes roam the area, and leopards also inhabit the park.

Nocturnal animals are few, but you are likely to see a cheetah during the night game drive. This is thanks to the flat open landscape, which makes animals easy to spot.

Other specials include elephants, bat-eared foxes, side-striped buffalos, and black-backed jackals. The park is a well-conserved haven of 12 antelopes, including elands, Jackson’s hartebeest, klipsringer, oribi, and Uganda kob.

For more information about Uganda safari destinations, don’t hesitate to contact us at African Vacation Safaris.