Uganda National Parks
6 Best Uganda National Parks To Visit in 2023/2024
6 Best Uganda National Parks to visit in 2023-2024: Uganda is a nature-based tourism destination, home to 10 beautiful National Parks each offering unique wilderness experiences. Unlike destinations like Tanzania or Kenya, Uganda is compact and it is easier to explore it even when you have limited time.
In Uganda National Parks, you won’t only find the endangered mountain gorillas but also a variety of other animals. These include cape buffaloes, lions (plus the tree-climbing lions), leopards, elephants, antelopes like bushbucks, waterbucks, roan antelopes, impalas, elands, topis as well as zebras, hippos, crocodiles, giraffes.
Adventure seekers are also covered with thrilling mountaineering or hiking tours in the volcanoes or mountain ranges. Parks like the Rwenzori Mountains National Park feature the world’s most sought Mount Rwenzori which offers a world-class of mountain climbing experience. Volcano hiking is excellently done on Mount Sabyinyo, Muhabura, and Gahinga in the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Come 2023-2024, here are some of the best 6 Uganda National Parks to add on your bucket list.
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP)
- Murchison Falls National Park (MFNP)- Kiryandongo
- Kibale National Park (KNP)
- Semuliki National Park (SNP)
- Kidepo Valley National Park (KVNP)- Karamoja Region
- Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP)- Kasese
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park -Kanungu
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in Southwestern Uganda and supports over 120 mammal species which include the highest mountain gorilla population. This makes it a bio-diverse protected area and in 1994, it was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for a good reason.
mountain gorillas in Bwindi
The other animal species that survive within the lush Bwindi Impenetrable Forest N. Park include buffaloes, bush pigs, elephants, yellow-backed duikers, black-fronted duikers, side-striped jackals, and bats. 10 other primates to find in Bwindi besides mountain gorillas include the red-tailed monkeys, De Brazza monkeys, chimpanzees, pottos, L’hoest monkeys, spectacled galagos, Demidoff’s galagos, baboons, blue monkeys, and many others.
Bwindi National Park also houses over 360 bird species and includes 23 endemic Albertine rift species plus 14 species not found anywhere else in Uganda. The Park’s birds to identify include the Western bronze-napped pigeon, Shelley’s crimson-wing, Grauer’s broadbill, Fraser’s eagle, Mountain-masked and collared apalis, purple-breasted sunbird, white-bellied robin chat, and more.
Which activities should you expect to do in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park? The top exciting safari activities to do while in Bwindi include guided mountain gorilla trekking, forest/nature walks, birding or bird-watching, cycling or biking, mountain gorilla habituation experience, and cultural encounter in the adjacent communities.
Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park is one of the 6 best Uganda National Parks to visit in 2023/2024. Lying in the Northwest of Uganda, Murchison Falls NP offers a remarkable blend of primate and savanna wildlife encounters. This Park was founded in 1952 and features among Uganda’s oldest National Parks and occupies the largest portion of the area, estimated to be 3840sq.km.
Murchison Falls National Park hosts over 76 mammal species and includes 4 of the big 5 games. The diverse wild animals to find on Uganda safari in Murchison Falls NP include warthogs, Rothschild giraffes, spotted hyenas, waterbucks, oribis, bushbucks, jackals, Jackson’s hartebeest, and primates such as chimpanzees, olive baboons, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys.
Murchison Falls National Park
Over 451 bird species reside within Murchison Falls NP making it a special birding destination of its own. The Park protects a diversity of birds such as shoebill storks, malachite kingfishers, blue-headed lapwing, red-throated bee-eaters, palm-nut vulture, goliath heron, giant kingfishers, Denham’s bustards, black-billed barbets, African qualifinch, Abyssinian ground hornbills, blue-headed coucal, silver bird, pia-piac, speckle-fronted weavers, Eastern grey plantain-eater and more.
Top activities of visitor interest on the Uganda tour in Murchison Falls N/Park include birding, launch or boat cruises, hot air balloon tours, game drives, nature or forest walks, hiking to the top of Murchison Falls, and chimpanzee tracking.
Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park is amazingly the best place to experience the authentic African wilderness. Lying in isolation in the Karamoja region, Northeastern Uganda, Kidepo shelters 4 of the big 5 and cheetahs. This Park was gazetted in 1962 and occupies a vast area of 1442sq.km making it Uganda’s 3rd biggest National Park.
Leopards in Kidepo Valley National Park
Boasting its sweeping plains, Kidepo National Park features a rugged savanna landscape, and accessing it takes a 10-12 hours drive from Kampala. Over 86 mammal species dwell within this Park and including lions, bush elephants, giraffes, cape buffaloes, hyenas, elands, foxes, zebras, leopards, and 475 bird species.
Special birds in Kidepo include rose-ringed parakeet, pygmy falcon, fox kestrel, Abyssinian scimitar bill, Abyssinian roller, rufous chatterer, Jackson’s hornbill, Golden pipit, white-bellied go-away bird, purple grenadier and more. Kidepo National Park offers excellent game drives in its sweeping and rugged savanna grassland.
Queen Elizabeth National Park- Rukungiri
Located in Western Uganda is a beautiful Queen Elizabeth National Park. This is a spectacular savanna park, home to the rare tree-climbing lions and other wildlife. The Park was gazetted in 1952 ad covers over 1978sq.km of land area. Within the vast savannas, wetlands, and tropical forests of Queen Elizabeth National Park, there exist a variety of animal species including over 95 mammal species, 620 bird species, and floral species.
Crater Lakes in Queen Elizabeth National Park
The animals to see in Queen Elizabeth National Park include topis, giant forest hogs, hippos, buffaloes, Nile crocodiles, African bush elephants, warthogs, chimpanzees, spotted hyenas, lions, leopards, and more.
A myriad of exciting activities is available for tourists to enjoy in Queen Elizabeth NP including game drives, boat cruises along the Kazinga channel, chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge, nature walks, bird watching, and community visits.
Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park is a rich primate destination lying in Western Uganda. Here, there are over 13 primate species to be explored and include 1500 chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, vervet monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys.
Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale was gazetted in 1993 and occupies 795sq.km of land area. Besides primates, there are more than 375 bird species to be spotted in Kibale Forest and including the rare African green-breasted pittas, blue-headed bee-eaters, papyrus gonoleks, white-collared olive back, papyrus canary, white-winged warblers, black-capped apalis, red-faced woodland warblers, Dusky crimson-wings, and others.
At Kibale Forest National Park, the amazing tourist activities to do include chimpanzee tracking, birding, forest walks, chimpanzee habituation experience, bush and craft activities, etc.
Semuliki National Park
Semuliki National Park is located in the District of Bundibugyo and it is most famous for its most powerful Sempaya hot springs. The Park lies close to the border of Uganda and Congo, sheltering a vast section of the Ituri Forest, and by nature; it holds a diversity of Central African species.
Semuliki National Park is a compact hidden gem and supports amazing primates, 441 bird species, and other mammals, reptiles, and flora. The unique animal species of Semuliki include l’hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, chimpanzees, bush babies, grey-cheeked mangabeys, pottos, red colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys.
