Uganda is an incredible destination for all-round wildlife-watching. A plethora of experiences can be enjoyed, against a stunning backdrop of volcanoes, crater lakes, fog-filled forests, reed-lined channels and lush savannah.
A relatively small country, Uganda landscapes are intense – and this means its wildlife offering is unexpectedly huge. Mountain gorillas are its most famous inhabitant, of course, and they are what lures many safari-goers here. Chimpanzees, baboons, lions, hippos, elephants, eagles, buffalos, rhinos... keep flicking through your field guides, and there are few creatures you won’t find shuffling through Uganda’s rainforests, swamps and grasslands.
Uganda is widely known for its mountain gorilla population - a key draw to the country. With just over 1,000 of these gorillas left in the world, over half of these can be found on Uganda’s western edge, in the verdant Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.Working with our expert local guides, we take you on a journey through the bush for anything from 2 to 10 hours in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Buhoma, Mgahinga or Nkuringo) in search of this amiable primates. Permits are limited and you will only be able to spend up to an hour in the company of these majestic animals before heading back to your lodge with the tale of a lifetime.
These apes are our closest living relative (aside from bonobos) sharing approximately 98.8% of our DNA. Tracking the closest primate to mankind, the chimp, is a thrilling experience as they swing through the forest, drum on buttresses, and hoot to their fellow troop members. Despite their noise, they can be fairly elusive and hard to spot! To see them in slightly less strenuous circumstances, the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary offers an incredible opportunity in the near-wild circumstances and by visiting you will contribute to the conservation of their habitat and, indeed, the species survival.
Whilst out on safari in Uganda, any tourist will quickly learn to keep personal belongings out of the reach of nimble-fingered baboons. Highly intelligent, these primates can jump through open windows in safari vehicles and grab a packed lunch for a quick snack. Baboons however are not the only smaller primates seen in Uganda. Ververt monkeys, black and white colobus and golden monkeys can all be spotted in national parks.
Spend your time in Uganda immersing yourself in a true primate focussed safari, staying in the best accommodations on offer. Begin with your chimpanzee tracking experience before heading to the famous Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
From 23000 per person
With only a short time to get away, this is the perfect trip which you will always remember. Fly inyo Entebbe and straight onto Bwindi Impenetrable National Park so you can start tracking the gorillas the next day.
From 8000 per person
There is no need to leave Uganda if you fancy to add on a big game safari to your holiday. Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and the remote Kidepo Valley National Parks are all home to four of the Big Five: lions, leopards, buffalo and elephants. The latter two are widely seen on river cruises and game drives.
Lions are rare to spot, naturally, and well camouflaged, but with an experienced guide there’s a decent chance of spotting them lounging in the sandy grass, or perhaps sprawled in the branches of a fig tree in Ishasha – one of only two places in Africa where these felines are known to climb trees.
Uganda is a haven for a multitude of avian species. For a country the size of the United Kingdom, Uganda has over 1,000 species of bird! Twitchers flock to this country in search of the shoebill, a rather prehistoric-looking stork standing at over a metre tall with an enormous bill and steel-coloured feathers. Rarely seen, this incredible bird can be found in the wetlands of Murchison Falls National Park and is one of the best places on Earth to catch sight of it. Other iconic species include the grey-crowned crane, giant kingfishers, red-throated bee eaters, African fish eaters and goliath herons.
