Situated in the heart of East Africa, the pearl of Africa is a land of stunning contrasts among various attractions. Uganda is a rich source of experiences for adventurers and nature lovers. The country is a composure of various attractions for instance from the country’s misty dense forests to the roaring rapids of the Nile then to its snow-capped mountains not forgetting its rich and diverse eco system.
Uganda offers a wide range of adventures to every traveler whether you are looking for a thrilling outdoor activity, immersive cultural experience, scenic drives, Uganda is your number one destination.
From the heart pounding thrill of white-water rafting on the Nile to the serene encounters with chimpanzees in their natural habitant then to different sounds of the birds in the trees all depict why Uganda is the pearl of Africa
This article is going to explore the 10 of the most popular activities that are done with in Uganda, with each presenting a unique window into the country’s divergent eco systems and rich traditions and they include.
GORILLA TREKKING IN UGANDA
This is the top tourism activity carried out within the pearl of Africa. Gorilla trekking is done in two national parks. That is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Uganda is one of the unique and out standing popular destinations since it has half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable national park. The park is situated in the southwestern parts of Uganda, and it is 502km from Uganda’s capital city, Kampala.
How is gorilla trekking done
Gorilla trekking is among the thrilling activities all over the world because it gives you an opportunity to come face to face with the mountain gorillas in their habitant. Upon meeting with these gorillas, only 1 hour is offered to you to spend with mountain gorillas. However, if you wish to spend more time with gorillas, then you can opt for the gorilla habituation experience which offer four hours with gorillas or go for the double gorilla trekking with an opportunity of visiting two terrains.
Gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation will give you a chance to observe gorilla behaviors as they are playing, feeding or participate in other activity daily activity. As you observe their behaviors, you will also have a chance to enjoy the photogenic moment with these endangered great apes in their natural habitats.
The cost of gorilla trekking in Uganda
However, one of the most important things to note is that before engaging in gorilla trekking, you must have obtained a gorilla permit. A gorilla permit in Uganda can be obtained through booking with Uganda wildlife authority (via online) or book with a trusted tour operator. The current price of a gorilla permit in Uganda costs $800 for foreign non residents.
Today in Uganda a lot of tourists visit Uganda to enjoy an iconic adventure with the great apes in its parks especially Bwindi national park.
CHIMPANZEE TREKKKING IN UGANDA
To all primate lovers, Uganda park known as Kibaale national park is the primate capital of the world and is one of the must-see places while on a safari in Uganda. Chimpanzee trekking is among the most popular activities to do in Uganda, and it also offers unforgettable experiences.
Kibale national park is in western parts of Uganda, and it is approximately 5 hours drive from Kampala capital city. Chimpanzee trekking gives a more active and dynamic experience compared to gorilla trekking. This is because the chimps are more active and playful. The activity starts with a briefing at Kanyanchu visitors centre, here it involves learning about the rules and regulations to follow while in the forest.
After the briefing, you will have to go in the forest and enjoy looking for the chimpanzees. Upon meeting with the Chimpanzees, only 1 hour will be offered to you. This one hour includes taking photos, see them feed and play among others.
The current price of a chimpanzee permit in Uganda is $250 for foreign non residents. This permit can be obtained through booking online from (Uganda wildlife authority) or book with any trusted tour operator.
CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS.
The pearl of Africa is the best destination for all those seeking to connect and learn about culture. Uganda has over 50 indigenous tribes with many natural heritage sites. Cultura encounters mainly involve interacting with the locals and having prior knowledge about their culture.
Some of the local cultures to encounter within Uganda include the Batwa cultural experience, Karamojongs, Ike and many more. The Batwa are one of the most welcoming people and are mainly found around Bwindi and Mgahinga parks. Visting this group of people is among the unique things that spice up one’s trip.
Batwa People
A visit to the Batwa leaves you immersed into their culture for instance learning more about their culture, see them dance their traditional dances, listen to them as they sing plus also story telling.
There are many things to learn more about the Batwa such as how to make fire using sticks, their hunting techniques, different trees and plants that used to serve as their herbal medicines.
The Batwa are very welcoming people and deeply have an interesting culture that is extremely exhalating to explore.
The Karamojong
These are other renowned group of people that are very good to visit, especially to tourists interested in discovering more about the hidden interesting cultures. The Karamojong are mainly found in the northern parts of Uganda near Kidepo valley national park.
A visit to the Karamojongs is exceedingly one of the rewarding activities to carry out while in the northern parts of Uganda. While at their land you will learn more about their culture and listen to their stories of long ago and many more.
There are many different tribes in Uganda each with its unique culture that is appealing and eye catching to tourists. The pearl of Africa is one of the few places in Africa that allow tourists to enjoy the rich cultures of its people.
Boat Safaris
This is among the popular activities to do within Uganda. Uganda is composed of many rivers and lakes thus allowing tourists to enjoy a boat cruise. The boat cruise can be carried out from Kazinga Channel, lake Bunyonyi, source of the River Nile, and at Murchison falls national park.
The boat safari around Murchison falls and Kazinga channel are the most popular ones, and they offer the best to tourists including a sight at the serene waters, scenic views of the lakes, animals like hippos, crocodiles, bird species and many more. However, on the other hand you can still do a boat cruise on Lake Bunyonyi.
Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda
Lake Bunyonyi is sometimes referred to as the Switzer land of Africa due to its stunning scenery and surrounding.
The Lake is one of the deepest lakes in Africa very popular for offering thrilling boat cruises. During the boat cruises, you can see various bird species and visit some of its island including the punishment island. There are many activities that can be done around Lake Bunyonyi such as canoeing, and many more.
EXPLORING THE SOURCE OF THE NILE IN JINJA
Jinja is also known as the adventure capital of East Africa, and it is where the River Nile begins its journey from Lake Victoria. Adventuring the source of River Nile is among the popular activities to do with in the pearl of Africa. There are many things to do with in Jinja such as from cultural tours, community tours, historical tours, and many more.
Jinja is a hub of many adventure activities for instance white water rafting, bungee jumping, kayaking, quad biking, and many more. The ideal time for visit to the Nile and enjoy the adventure activities is the dry season. This is because during the dry season there a few rains thus easy carrying out of activities.
MOUNTAIN HIKING IN UGANDA
This is one of the top activities that are carried out with in the pearl of Africa. Different tourists come to carry out hiking. Hiking is usually done on Uganda famous snow-capped mountain called Rwenzori among other volcanic and rift valley mountains. Mountain Rwenzori is also termed to as the mountain of the moons and it lies among the UNESCO world heritage sites. The mountain is the third tallest mountain in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya.
Hiking mountain Rwenzori enhances your discovery for instance you look at its diverse landscapes, bird species, tropical rainforests, alpines and its snow-capped peak Margherita. Furthermore, talk about its wide range of flora and Fauna, different vegetation zones, and many more. The mountain summarizes Africa in one go.
The best time and advisable time to visit Mountain Rwenzori is generally the dry season. (December to February, June to August). This is because there are less rainfalls, and the slopes are less slippery thus easy hiking.
GAME DRIVES IN UGANDA
This is one of the popular tourism activities that is carried out with in Uganda. Game drives are usually carried out in Uganda’s savannah national parks. Game drives are extremely one of the thrilling activities to do with in the park since they offer chances to have a look at the big five animals, bird species nature and many more.
They can be conducted in parks such as Queen Elizabeth national park, Murchison falls national park, Lake Mbulo national park and Kidepo valley national park.
BIRD WATCHING IN UGANDA
Uganda is indeed a birders paradise with over 1000 bird species. Bird watching is among the popular activities done in the pearl of Africa.
Many birds can be seen in Uganda both endemics and migratory because of the diverse eco systems such as the rain forests, the vast savannas, the wetlands and the alpine zones thus supporting the living of these birds.
Some of the best birding destinations include Mabamba swamp where you will find the rare shoebill stock and the different national parks. Some of the birds to see in Uganda include the rare shoebill stork, Green breasted pitta, African finfoot, Africana jacana, African Darter, African fish eagle, African openbill, Crested crane, crowned hornbill, Rwenzori Batis, Narina Trogan, yellow billed Duck, Speckled mouse bird, Grey throated barbet and many more.
Best time to carry out Bird watching
Bird watching is an all-year-round activity implying that it can be carried out at any time of the year, however it has the best time for carrying it out. The ideal time is generally the wet season during the months of November and April. This is the breeding period of many birds especially the Albertine rift endemics.
The pearl of Africa is among the must-see destinations to all tourists interested in an incredible bird watching safari because its a haven of many bird species.
RHINO TRACKKING IN UGANDA
This activity is also key among the popular activities done with in Uganda. Rhino tracking is mainly done at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, a place that was gazetted mainly to conserve rhinos. Ziwa Rhino sanctuary is situated with in Nakasongala district very close to Kampala and is the only current home known for conserving white rhinos in Uganda.
Rhino tracking is done very early in the morning with a briefing, and after here tourists embark on trekking the rhinos. When you venture into rhino tracking, you are able to learn about the rhinos, know different measures put down to conserve them, and many more.
KAMPALA CITY TOUR
This is among the popular activities done with in the pearl of Africa. Exploring Uganda’s capital city is indeed rewarding since it helps you discover a variety of things whether historical, cultural or political significance.
Some of the places to visit during the city tour include the king’s palace, Kasubi tombs, the Uganda museum, Gaddafi Mosque, Rubaga cathedral, Namirembe cathedral, Nakasero market and many more.
Tourists have time to interact and bond with the local, learn more about the locals. The city tour is a mixture of history, culture, adventure and urban life. The above are some of the top 10 popular activities to do in Uganda with each offering a unique and unforgettable experiences to tourists who venture into the pearl of Africa.
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