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Geographically, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park is a marvel to behold. Located in southwestern Uganda, it straddles the eastern edge of the Albertine Rift Valley, bordering DR Congo’s Virunga National Park.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park, commonly referred to at “the Mountains of the Moon” covers portions of the Bundibugyo, Kabarole, and Kasese districts, with its crown jewel, the Magherita peak on Mount Stanley, standing proudly and visible on a clear day.

Mount Stanley’s Margherita Peak reaches a staggering height of 5,109 meters, making it Africa’s third-highest peak after Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. Beyond Mount Stanley, the park boasts an array of glaciers, snowfields, and cascading waterfalls, creating a landscape of unparalleled beauty.

The park was established in 1991 and was later listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 and a Ramsar site in 2008.

The Rwenzori is not volcanic like East Africa’s other major mountains but is a block of rock that up-faulted through the floor of the Western Rift Valley.

The mountain is among the unique mountains that are located along the Equator but has permanent snow on the peaks. The Mountain has 5 major peaks with Magherita peak being the highest. Other peaks include Mount Stanley and Mount Baker.

Established in October 1993, Semuliki National Park sprawls 219 square kilometres across the floor of the Semliki valley, on the western edge of the Rwenzori Mountain, enveloping East Africa’s sole lowland tropical rainforest.

Located along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Semuliki National Park finds itself embraced by the dramatic landscapes of the Albertine Rift. It is dominated by the easternmost extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Congo. It is in Semuliki National Park where the equatorial rain forests of Central Africa meet the East African savannah.
In Semuliki, the majestic Rwenzori Mountains dominate the horizon, while the northern boundary is traced by the tranquil waters of Lake Albert. The Semuliki River forms the international boundary between Uganda and DR Congo.

Within this picturesque setting, the park’s elevation ranges from 670 to 760 meters above sea level, offering a diverse terrain for its inhabitants to thrive.
Renowned for its extraordinary biodiversity, Semuliki National Park stands as one of Africa’s most biologically rich regions, teeming with an array of flora and fauna. One of the park’s distinctive features is the presence of the Semliki and Lamia Rivers, serving as vital watering holes for the myriad of wildlife that calls this habitat home.

Murchison Falls National Park, established in 1952, is a gem of Uganda’s natural and historical heritage. At its core is the awe-inspiring Murchison Falls, where the Nile River narrows to 8 meters and crashes into a gorge, creating a thunderous roar and a rainbow spectacle. The park’s diverse landscapes range from savannas and riverine woodlands in the north to dense forests in the south, home to over 144 mammal species and 556 bird species.

Murchison Falls has also been a cinematic backdrop, famously featured in “The African Queen” with Humphrey Bogart. The park is a haven for wildlife, including elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, and crocodiles, and has attracted notable visitors like Winston Churchill and Ernest Hemingway.

As Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area, Murchison Falls National Park epitomizes the country’s dedication to preserving its natural and cultural treasures.

Kibale Forest National Park covers 795 square kilometers, ranging from 1,100m to 1,590m in altitude. This diverse elevation supports an impressive variety of flora and fauna, including 351 tree species, some over 200 years old and towering above the forest floor.

The park’s lush wilderness creates an enchanting atmosphere. The air is fresh with morning dew and the scents of endemic flowers, mingled with the musty odors of monkeys swinging through the canopy. The symphony of sounds includes the hoots of red colobus monkeys, exotic bird calls, and occasionally the rumble of elephants moving through the dense foliage.

Kibale is renowned for its chimpanzee population, the largest in Uganda, with over 1,500 individuals. It is a prime destination for tracking wild, habituated chimpanzees. The park also hosts 13 monkey species, including the grey-cheeked mangabey, red colobus, and the rarely seen L’Hoest’s monkey.

Bird enthusiasts will find Kibale particularly rewarding, with over 375 species recorded, such as the Kibale Forest thrush and African grey parrot. The park adjoins Queen Elizabeth National Park, creating a 180km wildlife corridor that enhances its ecological importance.

The smallest of Uganda’s national parks (34 sq-km), Mgahinga Gorilla National Park sits high in the clouds, at an altitude of between 2,272m and 4,127m. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Afromontane tropical rainforest, with a montane forest belt, a bamboo forest zone and an alpine zone.

The park is nestled in the corner of south-western Uganda within the Kisoro District, approximately 10 km south of Kisoro town. It is bordered by the Republic of Rwanda to the south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to the west.

Mgahinga National Park forms an integral part of the proposed transboundary protected area known as the Virunga Conservation Area – a collaborative effort that involves neighboring Parc National des Virunga in the DR Congo and Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda, collectively safeguarding the rich biodiversity of the region.

For a park of its size, it really has got more than enough to offer – from Gorilla tracking/trekking, golden monkey tracking, volcano climbing/hiking, birding the Albertine endemics and meeting the Batwa pygmies.

Nestled in the rugged landscapes of Uganda’s northeastern corner lies a hidden gem of wilderness and biodiversity: Kidepo Valley National Park. Spanning an impressive 1,442 square kilometers, this national park in the Karamoja region offers a captivating blend of untamed savannah, towering peaks, and winding rivers, making it a haven for both wildlife enthusiasts and adventurers seeking a raw African experience.

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 570 kilometres from the capital, Kampala while some routes are longer – reaching over 700 kilometres.

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.

Located in western Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park stands as a testament to the country’s dedication to preserving its rich biodiversity. Established in 1952 under the name Kazinga National Park, it was later rechristened in honor of Queen Elizabeth II following her visit in the early 1950s. Spanning an impressive 764 square miles across the districts of Kamwenge, Rukingiri, Rubirizi, and Kasese, this iconic park is a haven for both wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.

The park’s diverse landscape encompasses a myriad of ecosystems, ranging from lush forests and expansive woodlands to vast plains and tranquil lakes. Surrounded by the majestic Rwenzori mountain ranges, Queen Elizabeth National Park enjoys a unique microclimate that ensures verdant greenery year-round, distinguishing it from other renowned safari destinations like the Maasai Mara or Serengeti.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Great Rift Valley. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it is a natural gem that captivates the imagination and stirs the soul.

The 331sq-km World Heritage Site that is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of Africa’s most ancient and most biologically diverse rainforests. It harbours ten tree species which don’t occur anywhere else in Uganda.

It stands as a testament to the raw majesty of nature and serves as a sanctuary for an array of captivating wildlife. This national park, with its rugged terrain, dense foliage, and dramatic landscapes, holds a special allure for adventurers and nature enthusiasts alike.

At the heart of Bwindi’s allure lies its most iconic inhabitants – the endangered Mountain Gorillas. Here, amid the lush greenery and mist-shrouded hills, resides around 500 of the world’s mountain gorilla population and has 21 habituated groups/families.

These magnificent creatures, shrouded in myth and mystery, roam freely within the sanctuary of the forest, offering visitors a rare and privileged glimpse into their world.

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 game 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.