The start of a new year often brings about annual resolutions, whether they be material or not. Some people aim to lose weight, buy a new car, or get married. One common resolution is to travel.

Over the past three years, travel has been uncertain due to disruptions and COVID-induced restrictions, causing many people to avoid it. However, with the world fully open and having resolved to live with COVID-19, this year is expected to see a return to certainty in travel.

Make a Uganda safari travel resolution

As such, travel is likely a prominent resolution for many people. The next question to answer is where to go? If you are a nature enthusiast and an African safari sounds like the perfect trip to you, have you been considering a mountain gorilla or chimpanzee trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Kibale National Park? If so, a Uganda safari including gorillas and chimpanzees trekking will help you fulfill that resolution. And to be honest, this isn’t just about us boasting.

CNN Travel best destinations to visit in 2023

CNN Travel has recently released its list of the best destinations to visit in 2023, and Uganda has made the cut. The country is looking to appeal to both regional and international visitors by offering more than just safaris and wildlife spotting. 

In addition to its mountain gorillas and savannah game, Uganda has a lot to offer, including the shores of Lake Victoria, the Rwenzori Mountains, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the Virunga volcano chain, and the Victoria Nile. There is also an emphasis on connecting visitors with local communities and immersing them in Ugandan culture. 

To that end, last year saw the launch of the Uganda Cycling Trail, a 1,600-kilometer route with 22 stages that caters to all levels of cycling ability. Uzuri Uganda Safaris offers a range of tours in the country, including ones focused on great apes, wildlife, adventure, birding, and more.

What CNN has had to say about Uganda:

There’s considerable change brewing in Uganda’s travel offerings at the moment with the East African country looking beyond the traditional staples of safari and wildlife spotting to appeal to both regional and international visitors.

Keen to revitalize post-Covid tourism in all corners of the country, not just the big-ticket businesses offering wealthy visitors a glimpse of the Big Five beasts or mountain gorillas, it’s turned to marketing its other attributes.

And why not? From the expansive shores of Lake Victoria to the snowy Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda is a beautiful wilderness playground, with opportunities for adventure including treks through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or up to the craters of the Virunga volcano chain or whitewater rafting along the Victoria Nile.

Safari/Trip Ideas to Uganda

Gorilla Tracking/Trekking

Trekking up a mountain in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda’s most iconic experience for safari goers and nature lovers. Whether you are a solo traveler, a couple, a family, on your honeymoon, or a big group looking to bond in nature, a safari to Uganda to see the endangered mountain gorillas will be worth it. The experience will more than live up to its high billing.

In terms of gorilla tracking/trekking, visitors can choose to either go for the classic gorilla trek or the gorilla habituation experience. With the classic gorilla trek, visitors are only allowed 1 hour in the presence of the gorillas once they have trekked up to the specific gorilla family/group they have been allocated.

The gorilla habituation experience, on the other hand, is when guests get to spend 4 hours in the presence of one of the two gorilla families/groups that visitors can track on a habituation experience in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Talk to one of our travel consultants at Uzuri Uganda Safaris to choose the experience that’s right for you.

Gorilla Permits

To visit Uganda for a gorilla safari adventure, you need to secure your gorilla permits before anything else. Gorilla permits and habituation permits need to be secured 6 months in advance, with time to spare, especially if you intend to travel during the busy months of June, July, August, December, January, and February, when permits sell out quickly. Our advice is to talk to us once you have determined your travel dates, and we will be able to help you secure your permits.

In terms of gorilla permits, the price changed to USD 700 for foreign nationals, USD 600 for foreign residents, and Ugx 250,000 for East Africans, effective July 1, 2020. Habituation permits remained at USD 1,500 for foreign nationals, USD 1000 for foreign residents, and Ugx 750,000 for East Africans.

Uzuri Uganda Safaris can help you check the availability of either gorilla trekking or habituation permits by sending us an email or via WhatsApp (+256 772 425294) when you speak to one of our safari consultants.

Where to Stay?

The lodge where you stay on your gorilla safari depends on where your gorilla permits have been secured. If, for example, your permits have been secured in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, we will propose the different accommodation options in the Buhoma sector that fit your budget. If your permits have been secured in the Rushaga sector, we will propose the options in Rushaga that fit your budget. Let us know your budget for your gorilla safari, and we will recommend a lodge that will provide comfort and value for your money.

Getting to Bwindi/Mgahinga

Booking your gorilla permits yourself and traveling by public transport is possible, but there are some potential pitfalls to be aware of. One potential downside of making your own arrangements is that you may end up incurring more costs. If, for example, you miss your bus or it breaks down, you may miss your gorilla trek. Gorilla permits are not refundable, so if you arrive a day late, you will have missed your slot. Most visitors, therefore, travel on a scheduled group tour or book an exclusive trip with every detail taken care of.

Another pitfall to avoid when arranging gorilla tracking yourself is booking accommodation that is a long way from the gorilla family you are tracking. You will have to be up very early on the morning of your trek, so you want to stay as close as possible to the park headquarters. Uganda’s gorilla families/groups are spread several hours apart, and the terrain and roads between the different sectors can be challenging.

When you book your trip with Uzuri Uganda Safaris, you can either get to Bwindi or Mgahinga by road when your driver/guide picks you up at your hotel in Entebbe/Kampala, or you can fly to Kihihi or Kisoro, which are close to Bwindi or Mgahinga. Aerolink offers daily scheduled flights from Entebbe to Kihihi or Kisoro, and charter flights can also be arranged. Speak to one of our travel consultants if you prefer this option. Here are a few safari programs we offer:

• 12 Days Discover Uganda – Uzuri Uganda Safaris (uzurisafaris.com)
• 17 days Uganda Birding – Uzuri Uganda Safaris (uzurisafaris.com)
• 4 Days Fly-in Gorilla Safari – Uzuri Uganda Safaris (uzurisafaris.com)

Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest of Uganda’s savannah game parks – measuring 370 square kilometres. Given that safari drives to all of Uganda’s major games parks in the southwest are long – lasting more than 9 hours, Lake Mburo National Park has emerged as a common stop to break the drives.

Lake Mburo National Park is the only place in southern Uganda to see Zebras and the only park in Uganda with Impalas. On a game drive, you can also look for hyenas, leopards, topi, the rare eland and the recently reintroduced Rothschild’s giraffe.

Some of the 325 bird species include martial eagles and red-faced barbets in the acacia wooded savannah and papyrus yellow warblers and African finfoots in the wetlands.

Together with 13 other lakes in the area, Lake Mburo forms part of a 50km-long wetland system linked by a swamp. Five of these lakes lie within the park’s borders. Once covered by open savannah, Lake Mburo National Park now contains much woodland as there are no elephants to tame the vegetation.

In the western part of the park, the savannah is interspersed with rocky ridges and forested forges while patches of papyrus swamp and narrow bands of lush riparian woodland line many lakes.

Adjacent to the park is the ranches of the local Banyankole/Bahima people, who look after the famed long-horned Ankole cattle, a common sight and attraction here.

Getting to Lake Mburo National Park

The nearest game park to Kampala, the capital, Lake Mburo is found 228 kilometres from Kampala and 60 kilometres from Mbarara town (the nearest town to this under-rated park). A drive to Lake Mburo from Kampala takes about four hours and the drive from Mbarara takes about one hour. 

Accommodation in Lake Mburo National Park

Visitors to Lake Mburo National Park can choose from levels of comfort including budget lodge, mid-range lodge and luxury lodge. Some of these lodges include; Mihingi Lodge, Kimbla Mantana Tented Camp, Eagles Nest Lodge Mburo, Rwakobo Rock Lodge, Mburo Safari Lodge to mention but a few. 

Things to do and see in Lake Mburo National Park

Bush/ Nature Walks

Accompanied by an armed ranger guide, visitors to Lake Mburo National Park can go on a bush/nature walk to experience nature at close quarters. At Rwonyo, the park’s HQ, a guided walk leads you to a salt lick where many of the park’s animals are attracted to the salty rocks. On the western side of the lake, walks begin at 7am and last two hours. At this time of the day, you may encounter hyenas returning to their dens and hippos retreating to the lake. A hike to the top of the hill rewards visitors with a spectacular view of 9 of the region’s 13 lakes. Birders can take a walk to Rubanga forest in the company of a ranger.

Game viewing on horseback

Viewing wildlife on horseback is arranged by Mihingo Lodge in Lake Mburo National Park and this needs to be booked in advance. If you need us to add this to your Lake Mburo stop, inform us ahead of time and we will do the rest. On a horseback ride through the park, you will view game including eland and buffalo. Also commonly sighted are warthog, topi, impala, duiker, bushbuck, waterbuck and zebra. A four-hour ride can take visitors to hilltop viewpoints with the option of bush breakfast or sundowners. 

Boat Cruises/launch trips

Boat cruises on Lake Mburo largely explore the wildlife-rich/ birdlife-rich edges of the lake. These can be explored during a tranquil two-hour boat cruise. Be on the lookout for crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes as well as colourful Kingfishers, magnificent Fish Eagles not to mention the mythical Shoebill.

Sport Fishing

Lake Mburo National Park is one of those wild places designated as ideal for sport fishing. Out of the 5 lakes located within the park, sport fishing can be carried out in Lake Mburo, the largest of the 5 lakes. The Uganda Wildlife Authority has set aside Mazinga as the designated fishing spot because it is crocodile and hippo free. The tilapia is a local favourite will likely be your catch among the 6 fish species in the lake. You could have your tilapia prepared for you at your place of residence when you catch it.

Day & Night Game Drives

The small park is home to 69 mammal species including Zebras, Eland Buffalos, Impalas, Giraffes, Common Duiker, Defassa Waterbuck, Bush Pigs and others. You may explore Lake Mburo during the day or at night on game drives. On a day game drive, you will explore the small park from end to end while taking in the beautiful scenery and you are likely to see most of the mammals that call the park home. A nocturnal/night game drive is one of the memorable activities one can do here. Spot the creatures of the night such as leopards. You can even spot Bush Babies, Porcupines – all the mammals that move at night. The drive is normally about two and half hours and you can choose to have dinner before or after the night game drive. Spotlights are used to point out various animals that without them you might miss. On a night game drive, you are accompanied by an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) ranger.

Birding in Lake Mburo

Lake Mburo National Park has a variety of birds that are easy to spot. Visitors will spot forest birds, savannah birds and water birds. The birds to look out for in Lake Mburo National Park include; Red-winged Francolin, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Barefaced Go-away Bird, Blue Quails, White-headed and Black-billed Barbet, Greenwood Hoopoe, Blue-breasted and Shining-blue Kingfishers, Black-winged Bishop, African Fish Eagle, Herons, Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, Rufous-chested Swallow, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Wing-snapping Cisticolas and more. Rubaga Forest, Miriti and Warukiri as well as the platform above the salt lick have been pointed out as the best birding spots at Lake Mburo National Park.

Kidepo Valley National Park is considered to be one of the most remote safari game parks in Africa. The park lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys between Uganda’s borders with Kenya and South Sudan – over 650 kilometres from the capital, Kampala.

Gazetted as a national park in 1962, Kidepo has a profusion of big game and hosts over 77 mammal species as well around 475 bird species including the majestic Secretary Bird that stalks the open savannah plains.

The park is most notable for being home to a number of animals found nowhere else in Uganda, including cheetahs, bat-eared foxes, aardwolves, caracals and greater and lesser kudus. There are also large concentrations of elephants, zebras, buffaloes, bushbuck, giraffes, lions, jackals, leopards and hyenas.

To travel ‘off the so-called beaten track’ is to visit Kidepo Valley National Park. Kidepo is so remote that those who have dared to make the trip get rewarded by the absence of crowds. When you visit Kidepo, you have the expansive savannah all to yourself.

Besides the amazing game, the park also offers some of the most stunning scenery characterized by rolling, short grass savannah not to mention the amazing horizon courtesy of the mountains that ring it as well as the rocky outcrops that the lion Kings of Kidepo patronize occasionally to look out across their kingdom.

Getting to Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park is located in the far northeast of Uganda – over 700 kilometres from Kampala. The remote park can be reached either by road or air. 

By road – visitors can get to Kidepo via the eastern route or western route which passes via Murchison Falls. When using the western route, visitors drive from Kampala via Karuma, Gulu, Kitgum and then onto Kidepo which is 571 km and is a 10-hour drive.

When using the eastern route, drive from Kampala via Mbale, Sironko, Moroto, Kotido, Kaabong and then to Kidepo which is 740 km and takes about 12 hours to drive. When using this route, you can also drive from Kampala to Mbale, Soroti Moroto, Kotido, Kaabong and onto the park’s gate, which is 792 km and is a 13hour drive.

By Air – Aerolink operates scheduled and charter flights to Kidepo from Entebbe and Kajjansi airfields to Kidepo airport or Apoka airstrip. Aerolink flies to Kidepo every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. When departing Entebbe to the park the flight departs at 12.30pmm and arrives at 14.45 pm and when coming from Kidepo, the airline will depart at 15.00 pm and arrives at Entebbe at 16.30 Hrs.

Things to do and see in Kidepo Valley N.P

Game Drives

When you go on a game drive in Kidepo Valley National Park, you are likely to take either the Narus valley game drive or the Kidepo Valley drive – each of these routes offering you a different perspective of the stunning game park.

Narus valley game drive – drive to the south of the Narus valley as this part of the park contains the only permanent water points. Because of the permanent water, wildlife congregates here for much of the year. Look out for buffalo and elephant in the swamps along the valley floor, giraffe and eland on the drier slopes above and scan the rock kopjes for lions.

Kidepo valley drive – the sandy Kidepo valley is short on the big game but massive on scenery. This drive takes you to the Kanangorok Hot Springs – passing some beautiful landscapes. 30 kilometres north of the park’s tourism hub at Apoka, the road crosses the dry, sandy bed of the Kidepo river.

This leads you into an expansive plain lined to the east by the Morungule mountain range and to the north by the looming Jebel Lotuke mountain in South Sudan. Mammals are rare in this area but ostriches and secretary birds can be seen often.

Birding

The Apoka Rest Camp at the Uganda Wildlife Authority HQ is a great place to begin your Kidepo birding experience. 

However, if you made the drive to Kidepo from Murchison Falls National Park with time to spare, I can guarantee you will have made birding stops en-route to Kidepo simply because your safari route to Kidepo is all prolific for birds.

Inside the park, birding can also be done on the fringes of the Narus and Namamukweny valleys. Among the birds, you will see include the Abyssinian Roller, Purple Heron, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill and Clapperton’s Francolin, which is found only in Kidepo.

Birders can go out in the morning or afternoon although it’s advisable to go out with parked lunch to avoid driving back to the lodge.

Hiking/Nature Walks in Kidepo Valley N.P

With an armed ranger in tow, visitors can hike to the Lomej Mountains, take leisurely walks through the banks of borassus palm forest.

The Lomej Mountains can be reached on foot in 4 hours starting at 7.00 am. Shorter guided walks of around 2 hours can be taken through the Narus Valley extending over a 5-kilometre radius from Apoka Tourism Centre.

Visitors can also wander along the splendid Kidepo River Valley between banks of attractive borassus palm forest. Namamkweny valley can be reached in 1-hour from Apoka. Visitors can also meet members of the IK tribe during pre-arranged hikes to the Morungole Mountains outside the park.

Cultural Encounters

Visitors who would like to meet the locals can visit the Lorokul Cultural Group who are members of the cattle-herding Karamojong people, who occupy this part of the country. Discover the unique culture of this remote tribe with the Lorokul Cultural Group, located just outside Kidepo Valley National Park.

Accommodation in Kidepo Valley National Park

Given its remoteness and few visitors, the accommodation options in Kidepo have been limited but this is changing. Today, visitors can stay at Apoka Safari Lodge, Kidepo Savannah Lodge, Adere Safari Lodge, and the Uganda Wildlife Authority Bandas.