Uganda Holidays

Interesting things to do in Uganda

Uganda holidays are famed for giving travellers the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the endangered Mountain Gorilla on a gorilla tracking adventure at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. However this captivating country is also home to many other highlights, such as the Queen Elizabeth National Park, which gives you an opportunity to encounter much of Africa’s impressive big game, including elephants, hippos and tree-climbing lions. Wildlife viewing is at its best during the park’s two dry seasons from January to February and from June to July.

You also have the opportunity to see chimpanzees in the wild, with your best chances of a sighting being at Kibale National Park, Semliki Wildlife Reserve and Kyambura Gorge. Kibale Forest shelters a total of 13 primate species, including some 1,500 chimps, and it is also home to over 200 different tree species, creating a truly remarkable landscape. As a result, no Uganda holiday is complete without a visit to this incredible expanse.

Aside from the wildlife, other spectacular sights found in Uganda include Murchison Falls, the country's largest conservation area, where the River Nile descends dramatically towards Lake Albert. Regular visitors to the riverbanks include elephants, giraffes and buffaloes, while hippos, Nile crocodiles and aquatic birds are permanent residents. Uganda is also home to the glacier-topped Rwenzori Mountains, which have regularly been selected as being one of the ‘World’s Best Hikes’ by National Geographic.

The best places to stay in Uganda

Where you stay on your holiday to Uganda is crucial, and so at Africa Travel we have rounded up a selection of our top accommodation picks. Top of any list must be the Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, which is arguably the country’s most luxurious safari lodge. Tucked away deep inside the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is uniquely located to maximise your chances of seeing the famous mountain gorillas, and is indeed frequently visited by families of gorillas. Also not to be missed are the opportunities to interact with the Batwa Pygmy community and to visit the philanthropy project at the Bwindi Community Hospital. For those who are less mobile, this is also the perfect place to stay as specially-designed chairs allow guests to be carried into the forest to track the gorillas so no one misses out.

Overlooking the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is Bwindi Lodge, also a location where the gorillas are known to visit, and home to one of the country’s best spas. Buhoma Lodge also enjoys spectacular views across Bwindi's verdant forest canopy and is ideally sited just a short distance from the starting point for treks into the jungle, as is Mahogany Springs Lodge, which takes its name from the 400-year old mahogany tree that towers majestically above the lodge gardens.

Moving to Kibale, Primate Lodge is the prime property, located in the heart of the Kibale Rainforest National Park, Uganda’s primate paradise. The secluded guest rooms and cottages are set deep in the forest for maximum privacy and a natural ‘living in nature’ feel.

The Queen Elizaberth National Park is an animal-lover’s delight, and at its heart lies Mweya Safari Lodge, located on a peninsula with fantastic views over the Kazinga Channel and Lake Edward, from where the famous hippo cruises are available. Found in the Park’s remote southern sector is the Ishasha Wilderness Tented Camp, which consists of ten spacious canvas tented rooms, each having a private verandah overlooking the Ntungwe River.

A little further afield outside the Park’s boundaries up on the hillside is Katara Lodge, which has commanding and sweeping views over the savannah and the Rwenzori Mountains beyond, and then there is Kyambura Gorge Lodge, a former coffee processing plant which is the perfect setting for tracking chimps in the Kyambura Gorge.

Semliki Lodge is located within the secluded Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve, with lucky guests gifted the entire Semliki Valley to explore, providing a very private safari experience, and last but by no means least there is Baker's Lodge, which enjoys an enviable position on the banks of the Nile and is perfectly located for excursions into Murchison Falls National Park. Named after the English explorer Samuel Baker, guests can experience the river as it cascades over the 40 metre high falls through an eight metre wide gap and also when it is more serene as it flows peacefully through a large papyrus delta.

Whichever areas you wish to visit, for a once in a lifetime experience, book your Uganda holidays today to indulge in a combined trip of nature and adventure. Contact Africa Travel for your dream holiday to Uganda and let our experts help create your perfect trip.