10 National Parks To Inspire A Trip To Uganda

Home to 10 national parks, Uganda is one of the most diverse destinations on the African continent. These parks offer classic safari experiences, gorilla trekking, and hiking pursuits alongside cultural encounters with local communities. Here is what to know about each of Uganda’s national parks. 

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

This national park is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and the habitat of nearly half the world’s mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking is the main reason to visit Bwindi, although it is also home to forest elephants and around 350 species of birds. Travelers can connect with the local Batwa people alongside wildlife encounters.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

This smaller park in the Virunga Mountains is another place to see mountain gorillas as well as golden monkeys. It’s not as famous as Bwindi, which means the trekking experiences feel more intimate. The extinct volcanoes of Muhavura, Gahinga, and Sabyinyo create a dramatic backdrop. 

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Queen Elizabeth National Park

Uganda’s most visited park offers the classic savanna safari experience – the main reason why many travel to Africa – in addition to boat trips across the Kazinga Channel in search of hippos and crocodiles. 

Murchison Falls National Park

Bisected by the River Nike, Uganda’s largest park fuses the dramatic Murchison Falls with an abundance of wildlife. Safari outings typically include sightings of elephants, lions, giraffes, buffalo, leopards, antelope, hippos, crocodiles, and waterbirds.

Kidepo Valley National Park

This remote national park in northeastern Uganda is considered the country’s most beautiful. These vast savannas and swathes of mountains host lions, cheetahs, and leopards as well as ostriches — a species rarely found in Uganda. The Narus Valley is primed for game drives, while the rugged Morungole Mountains offer hikes and cultural visits with the Karamojong people. 

Lake Mburo National Park

Uganda’s smallest savanna national park offers an incredibly rich biodiversity in a compact area. The predominant species at Lake Mburo include zebras, impalas, elands, giraffes, hippos, and crocodiles. This is one of the few parks offering walking and cycling safaris, which makes for a closer connection with the landscape and wildlife.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park

This UNESCO World Heritage Site protects the Rwenzoris, also known as the “Mountains of the Moon”. This snow-capped mountain range comprises glaciers, waterfalls, tropical forests, and alpine flora. Forest elephants, chimpanzees, and rare birds such as the Rwenzori turaco reside within this otherworldly ecosystem. 

Mount Elgon National Park

Named for an extinct volcano, Mount Elgon has all the drama of the Rwenzoris but with half the crowds. Hikes traverse the vast caldera, bamboo forests, and highland moorlands with the Sipi Falls just beyond the park perimeter. Wildlife includes elephants, buffalo, primates, and the endangered lammergeier (bearded vulture). 

Kibale National Park

As the “primate capital of the world,” Kibale is home to 13 species, including chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys. Chimpanzee tracking is the park’s number one activity, while local community projects and eco-lodges around the park enhance its appeal.

Semuliki National Park

As part of the Albertine Rift Valley, Semuliki protects an extension of the Congo Basin rainforest and comprises a lowland tropical forest ecosystem rarely seen in East Africa. The presence of Nkulengu rail and piping hornbills makes it a premier birding destination whereas the Sempaya Hot Springs attract locals and tourists. 

Contact Darby at Darby’s Destinations to design a bespoke travel itinerary in Uganda. 

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