Uganda is a diverse destination for travellers. Most people are aware that the holiday season is coming soon, with long breaks for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve, and so stay put for the rest of the year. But smart travellers know that there are tons of deals to take advantage of around this time — not to mention the tropical weather is so lovely in what would typically be some of the coolest places in the world. Here are the top things to do in Uganda.
White water rafting and Source of the Nile tour
A great start to a Uganda adventure holiday. The Nile River perhaps one of the longest rivers in the world gives rafters a grade 5 rafting adventure on the white waters. Most of the resorts have reopened for the season and are preparing for the onslaught of guests during the holidays. But there are rooms to spare and crowd-free activities between November and January— where you won’t have to stand in line for a beer or a beach chair.
Apart from white water rafting, this eastern town district of Jinja is also a great destination which is rich with a number of attractions like the source of the River Nile, Bungee jumping, Kayaking, Horseback riding, Quad biking, Speed boating for travellers who love staying in the wilderness, the Mabira tropical rainforest along the way to Jinja can give one a total wilderness experience of earth. While in the forest enjoy forest walks, bird watching, and different tree species like Mahogany. The weather that’s great for exploring the Busoga Cultural heritage. Still in Jinja, you’ll find exciting art and craft and restaurants well worth the trip.
Mountain Gorilla Trekking
If a nice, long break is what you need, head to Uganda’s best and star attraction and a highlight of any trip to Africa as well, where between November and January are the best months to visit these gentle giants and the rarest of any species in the world. Uganda is home to more than half a population of world’s mountain gorillas and it’s only Uganda in the whole world where you can meet or trek mountain gorillas in two different ancient rain forest parks that is Bwindi impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga gorilla National park. The trek in the thick forested jungles in search of mountain gorillas is a tiresome exercise that can take between 2-6 hours but once you come face to face with a silverback, the dominant male all the fatigue is all forgotten and disappears as you look into the communicating eye of the gorilla. This activity is rated as the best in the world and for any traveller who takes gorilla tours in Uganda rate the experience as a moment of a lifetime!
Chimpanzee tracking
Kibale Ancient forest national park in western Uganda is known for the most concentration of primate species in Africa. Chimpanzee tracking and Chimp habituations experience being the main activities of the park, in addition this park is also known for other primates like Olive Baboons, Black and white colobus, red tailed monkey, Varvet monkey, blue monkeys, l’host monkey among others, watch out for all this along the trails during your chimpanzee trek. The park has variety od accommodation units and staying a night in this forest is something a bit more intimate, opt for the tree house and sleep in tree branches. Other mammals spotted in the forest include elephants, Antelopes, lions and more. Also watch out for creater lakes as the region has the most number of crater lakes in the world. For those who love to play golf there is a nearby golf course in fort portal city.
Other areas in Uganda where you can track chimpanzees in the wild include Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The uniqueness about the gorge is tracking chimps in an underground forest. Budongo forest in Murchison falls national park is another hot spot to track chimps in the wild. Ngamba Island in the middle of lake Victoria is a small unique island reserved for these human closest relatives, visiting chimps on this island will enable you live like chimps as it’s a full day activity, you will be able to feed ad care give these threatened world species, you can also do the optional forest walk.
Boat Cruises
The boat cruises in Uganda are one of the most spectacular as well as most rewarding in terms of wildlife viewing. The cruise takes you up-close to the river banks that have a high concentration of wildlife that include mammals like elephants, buffaloes, Water bucks, hippos, crocodiles and variety of birdlife. This cruises along Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison falls National parks draw visitors for its charming population of hippos, it’s believed these spots have the highest population of hippos in Africa. Uganda wildlife Authority operates a number of different boat cruises locations such as along Kazinga Channel, Murchison falls and Lake Mburo National park.
Other operators include Mweya Safari Lodge, Paraa Safari Lodge, Bush Lodge and Community Boat Cruise along Kazinga Channel with the start point at Katungulu in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Most of these boat cruises are scheduled.
Beach Holiday
Ssesse Islands in the middle of Lake Victoria is where we find the best place for honey mooners, the island being characterised by beautiful wide sand beaches. Lake Victoria is the largest fresh water Lake in the world. For those honey moon make plans to head to the Ssesse Islands, off the stress and noisy towns—accessible by ferry via Nakiwogo Entebbe or Masaka to the district of Kalangala major town. It’s best known as one of the few places for the beautiful view of sunset and it’s got some of Africa’s most stunning stretches of sand situated along the line of Equator. Once you get there, it remains fairly affordable—some of the activities to enjoy in particularly include, swimming, boat ridding, Forest walks, Quad biking, beach soccer, beach volley ball. The festive season is officially the best time to go. The weather is perfect almost all year round so favourable to plan your trip.
Game Drives
No trip to Uganda is worth complete without getting yourself on a game drive —it is awesome and the best way to appreciate of the attractions Uganda has to offer in terms of wildlife, Uganda also known as the pearl of Africa is one of the few countries in the world where you are guaranteed of the Big five safaris, these include Rhinos, Elephants, Lions, Leopard and buffalos. Others include; giraffes, hynas, Jackals, Hippos, Zebras, Crocodiles, different antelope species, including the Eland, Topi and Uganda Kob. The birdlife is so stunning including those that are endemic to Uganda
The Isasha Sector, south of Queen Elizabeth National Park is unique and one of the few places in the world where you can see tree climbing Lions, they are always seen roaming on the tree branches resting almost the entire day. Game drives also enables you appreciate the view of stunning topography
Mountain Climbing
Mountain Rwenzori being the 3rd highest point in Africa, behind Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya respectively offers one of the best trekking experience in the world, its the only place in the world where you can experience different climate zones, Savannah climate, Tropical Climate, bamboo, Alpine type of climate among others.
The snow capped peak Margarita stands at 5109 metres above sea level is one of amazing and coolest place on earth. The trekking experience is range from 5 to 10 days of trek to the highest peak Margarita. The Mount Rwenzori region also known as ‘Mountains of the moon’ is drawing visitors from around the world with its highest concentration of Crater Lakes,
Mount Elgon, Mount Moroto are other stunning mountains where trekking is curried out. The climbing in the Elgon region can be combined with the visit to view the beautiful waterfalls of sipi River that stems from the peaks of Elgon mountain.
Beautiful Water Falls
Uganda has a number of beautiful and stunning waterfalls, the mighty Murchison falls in the heart of Murchison falls National Park, provides an unbelievable thunder sound that happen as a result of the River Nile waters forcing itself through a narrow gorge 7 meters wide before spreading 30 meters wide at the bottom. The trek to the top of the falls rewards a stunning view of the beautiful scenery that is one of its kind in the world. Itanda falls in the eastern district of Jinja provides yet another outstanding view of the Nile River flowing on top of the rocks making amazing waterfalls.
Sipi Falls is a series of three waterfalls in Eastern Uganda in the district of Kapchorwa, northeast of Sironko and Mbale. The waterfalls lie on the edge of Mount Elgon National Park near the Kenyan border. Well, with a cooler climate than most of the country Sipi Falls is a nice place to unwind, relax and literally chill out. Since it is situated on the foothills of Mt. Elgon
Zip lining
You are led topass through ancient trees by experienced sky captains/sky guides across the network of 5 zip – lines that stretches 250 metres across river musamya. Using strict international safety standards with imported climbing gears and art high ropes fromAmerica, participants are belad up the first tree, brought through the whole system and reppelled on a 78m diagonal zip. High up in the canopy oneis able to enjoy a view of the forest layers, animals like grey cheeked mangabeys and red tailes monkeys , birds like palm nut voltures African fish eagle, great blue turacle and the roaring griffin falls making your zip a memorable one
The hike back from the skyway takes you passed the beautiful griffin falls and back to the camp which offers accommodation meals, mountain biking among others. This takes a maximum of 4 hours.
Kisiizi falls developed a 3 stage zip line that entertain the visitors in addition to the water fall, the suspencion bridge takes travellers closer to the waterfall and the impressive monument that demonstrate history where pregnant unmarried girls used to be thrown over the waterfall as a punishment. Oral history says that the practice was stopped after one of the victims pulled her father and brother down the cliff.
Golden Monkey tracking
Golden monkeys are one of the unique and rarest species of earth and tracking them is worthwhile because of their naughty behaviours while playing in the tree branches, in Uganda they can be tracked in only one forest Park, Mghahinga National park. By the fact they share the same conservation area with the Mountain Gorillas, Gorilla trekkers find it as another amazing activity to trek Golden monkeys in addition to gorilla trekking adventure.
Cultural tour experiences
Uganda is among the few countries with rich Cultural heritage and a Uganda safari takes you through historical sites and kingdoms that date way back as far as 14th Century when the interlucustrine kingdoms were formed like the Buganda Kingdom and Tooro Kingdom. The local People are very hospitable and receptive to foreigners. Cultural sites such as Kasubi Tombs, Uganda Museum and Namugongo martyrs’ shrines have attracted both local and international tourists. Dance and drama is one aspect that has been crucial in the lifestyles of all tribes in Uganda. There was music for every social function and aspect of life and generations
Bird Watching
Uganda is a Birder’s paradise, being endowed with thick rain forests in the Albertine rift as well as numerous water bodies, means good inhabits of lots of bird species while other species are migrants from other parts of the world including Europe. Beautiful birds like Crested Crane, Great blue Turaco, Flamingos, and African fish Eagle, harmerkops, Pelicans, among many. While on Uganda bird watching trip, enjoy beautiful birds of Uganda, with over 1061 bird species found in the pearl of Africa with 26 bird species endemic to Albertine rift.