There are very few countries in Africa where you can be on safari, tracking big game one day, and trekking for mountain gorillas the next. Add to that the allure of Lake Victoria, the continent’s largest lake and the main source of the River Nile, and you have a destination ripe for exploration. With its unspoilt rainforests, the thunder of Murchison Falls, and abundant wildlife, Uganda truly lives up to its name as the “Pearl of Africa.” Yet nothing compares to the thrill of pursuing mountain gorillas through the lush greenery of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, one of their last remaining strongholds.
In Uganda’s southwest lies the UNESCO-listed Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Together, these reserves shelter around 400 mountain gorillas — nearly half the world’s remaining population — divided among 14 habituated groups.
While Uganda’s primates are its biggest draw, the country offers so much more. Queen Elizabeth National Park is home to shy sitatunga antelope, large herds of Uganda kob, spotted hyena, and elusive leopard. In the Ishasha sector, lions rest in giant fig trees, while chimpanzees thrive in Kibale Forest. The Kazinga Channel teems with elephants, hippos, and prolific birdlife. At Jinja, the Nile begins its epic journey north, and Murchison Falls National Park dazzles with its cascades and thrilling white-water adventures.
On the way to Murchison, you can stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where white rhinos roam once more. Uganda’s largest park, Murchison Falls National Park, is named after the dramatic cataract where the Nile squeezes through a seven-metre gorge before plunging 43 metres. It is also home to bush elephant, kob antelope, Rothschild’s giraffe, and more than 450 bird species.
