Queen Elizabeth National Park

From open savannah to rainforest, from dense papyrus swamps and brooding crater lakes to the vastness of Lake Edward, it is little wonder that Queen Elizabeth national park (1978sq km) boasts one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any game reserve in the world and in Uganda as a country. Almost 100 mammal species and a remarkable 606 bird species makes this superb safari territory, with elephant, a profusion of hippos, the elusive giant forest hog and handsome Uganda kob all regularly sighted around the tourist village on the Mweya Peninsula - which also boasts a marvelous waterfront setting in the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains. Nearby, the remote Ishasha Sector is famed for its tree-climbing lions, the Kyambura Gorge harbours habituated chimps, the Imaramagambo Forest is home to an alluring selection of forest monkeys and birds, and flocks of flamingo are resident on the crater lakes.
What to do:
Exciting launch trips on the spectacular Kazinga Channel offer great game viewing and birding for the avid birder, as do game and birding drives around Mweya. There is also chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge and guided walks in Maramagambo Forest. There is fruitful birding along the trails to the crater lakes.

Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls is by far Uganda's largest national park, protecting a chunk of untamed African savannah bisected by the mighty river Nile. This vast national park (3840 sq km) is named for the dramatic Murchison Falls, where the world's longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43m below. Uganda Wildlife populations have largely recovered from the poaching of the 1980s. In the lush borassus grassland to the north of the Nile, elephant, buffalo, giraffe and a variety of antelope are regularly encountered on game drives, while lion are seen with increasing frequency. To the southeast, Rabongo Forest is home to chimps and other rainforest creatures. The Nile itself hosts one of Africa's densest hippo and crocodile populations, in addition to prolific bird life including the world’s most accessible and most sought after wild population of the rare shoebill stork.
What to do:
One can take Launch Trips to the base of the falls. On these Launch Trips, there are chances of fine game viewing and birding. One can also take boat trips to the Lake Albert delta where there are good chances of sighting the rare Shoebill. There is also chimpanzee tracking at Rabongo Forest, and en route from Masindi in the Budongo Forest. There are also game drives on a good network of roads to the delta where there are chances for fine game viewing and birding. 

Lake Mburo National Park

Lying in the one part of Uganda covered in extensive acacia woodland, Lake Mburo, the smallest park in Uganda, has markedly different fauna to other reserves. Lake Mburo is the best place in Uganda to see the gigantic eland antelope, as well as zebra, topi, impala, and several acacia-associated birds. The five lakes within the park attract hippos, crocodiles and a variety of waterbirds, while fringing swamps hide secretive papyrus specialties such as the sitatunga antelope. The birdlife in this park is prolific as 313 different bird species have been recorded. They include the rare Shoebill stork, White-winged Warblers, Black-billed Barbet, Crested Francolin, Brown Parrot, Red necked Spur, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Temminck’s Courser, common Quails, Greenwood Hoopoe, Blue-napped Mouse bird, Barefaced Go-away bird, African-grey Hornbill, Nubian Woodpecker, Trilling Cisticola, Lilac-breasted Roller, Coqui Francolin, Red necked spur fowl, Black Bellied Bustard, African-wattled Plover Rufous napped, Flappet larks, Rufous chested Swallow , Southern Red Bishop and Yellow-throated Long claw etc. The fringing swamps in the park also hide secretive papyrus specialists such as the red, black and yellow Papyrus Gonolek.
What to do:
Popular tourist activities in this park include game drives which provide fine game viewing, walking safaris and nature walks on the many nature trails in the park, boat rides on Lake Mburo, sport fishing, fine game viewing at the salt lick, and birding among others.

Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National park is located in north- Eastern part of Uganda, 700km from Kampala, straddling the borders of Uganda, Kenya and Sudan making it the most isolated park in Uganda. It covers an area of 1,442 sq km. It lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys of Karamoja province; those that make the long journey north would agree that it is one of the most attractive parks. The park harbours scenery not found in any other park of East Africa as well as great numbers of fauna and flora. The vegetation can best be described as open tree Savannah which varies in structure and composition. Mountain forest dominates some of the high places, while areas along the Lorupei River support dense Acacia geradi forests.
What to do:
Popular tourist activities include game viewing as the park has over 80 mammalian species with around 28 of them not found in any other national park in Uganda. They include Caracal, Bat-eared Fox, Klipspringers, and Cheetah. Other mammals include elephants, common zebras, buffaloes, Bohor Reedbuck, Waterbuck, Kongoni, spotted Hyena, Leopard, Lion, Oribi, Guenther’s Dikdik, Senegal Galagos, Side-striped Jackal among others. Another activity here is birding as the park boats of an extensive avifauna. 465 species have been recorded including the Ostrich and the Kori Bustard which are principally associated with arid areas. The park also has an outstanding number of birds of prey. 58 species of these have been recorded here 14 of which are believed to be endemic to Kidepo and the Karamoja region. Cultural entertainment is another attraction here  as the local community near the park stages cultural dances and performances. Traditional dances such as the Emuya of the Naporre and Nyangia, Larakaraka and Apiti dances of the Acholi are interesting to see and participate in them too. Other activities in this park include hiking, nature walks among others. 

Kibale Forest National Park

This is the most accessible of Uganda's major rainforests, and is home to a remarkable 13 primate species, including the much localised Red Colobus and L'Hoest's Monkey. Kibale's major attraction, however, is the opportunity to track habituated chimps. These delightful apes, more closely related to humans than to any other living creature, are tremendous fun to watch as they squabble and play in fruiting trees. A network of shady forest trails provides much to delight botanists and butterfly lovers, while birders are in for a treat with 335 species recorded including the endemic Prirogrine's Ground Thrush. The elusive forest elephant, smaller and hairier than its savannah counterpart, moves seasonally into the developed part of the park, while other terrestrial mammals include buffalo, giant forest hog and a half dozen antelope species.

What to do:
Chimpanzee tracking is the main tourist activity here. There is a well-established Chimpanzee-tracking program with a high success rate. Forest walks will also reveal other primates like Guereza Colobus, Olive Baboon, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, L'Hoest's Gentle (Blue) and Red-tailed Monkeys, etc. You may also find evidence of Elephant, Bush Pig and Bufalo along the trails, whilst Bushbuck, Blue, Harvey's and Peter's Duickers are other shy inhabitants of the forest interior. Birders should not miss out on Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a superb community development fringing the park. A field of beautiful crater lakes lies between Fort Portal and Kibale Forest. 

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national Park

A gorilla adventure safari in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest .Bwindi Forest is a magnificent verdant swathe across the steep ridges of the Albertine Rift Valley - one of the few in Africa to have flourished throughout the last Ice Age - is home to roughly half of the world's mountain gorillas.  The forest was proclaimed as the impenetrable in forest reserve in 1942 and its official name until 1991 where it was gazetted as a national park and named Bwindi. Tourism in Bwindi focuses on gorilla safaris. Slightly more than half of the world’s mountain gorilla population is resident in Bwindi, An estimated 280 -320 living in 15 troops. Looking deep into the expressive brown eyes of these gentle giants is surely the most exciting and poignant wildlife encounter that Africa has to offer – however we should not let it distract from Bwindi's broader biodiversity, a result of its immense antiquity and an altitude span from 1,160 to 2,607m. Thhis ancient rainforest has 90 mammal species, including 11 primates, of which the Black and White Colobus, with its lovely flowing white tail, is prominent. Forest birding here ranks with the best in Uganda, with 23 highly localised Albertine Rift endemics present.
Safari activities in Bwindi gorilla forest:
The most popular activity here is mountain gorilla adventure safaris in Buhoma and Ruhija sections of Bwindi. Bwindi Impenetrable forest has gorilla groups that have been habituated for gorilla tracking. Buhoma and Nkuringo, Mubare  Habinyanja , Rushegura ,Nkuringo . It should be noted however that gorilla tracking is one of Uganda’s most popular tourist activity. Bookings should be made in advance to ensure that permits for your requested dates are available when you come. Nature and forest walks also provide a more relaxed opportunity for birding safaris and other primate tracking while exploring one of Uganda’s most attractive rainforests. There are also community visits and cultural performances where the visitor is immersed into the village life. Hardcore birding is carried out on the Main Trail in Buhoma, at “The Neck” en route to Ruhiija, and at Mubwindi Swamp in Ruhija. 

 Uganda is a home to mountain gorillas, found in the virunga regions that is Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park.Uganda is found in the eastern part of Africa neighboring Rwanda, Kenya,Tanzania and Congo.
Uganda alone has more than 50% of the total population for mountain gorillas. Mountain gorillas in Uganda are found in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park.In Bwindi  we have more than 10 gorilla  families which include Oruzogo, Mubale, Mishaya, Nkuringo, Rushegula, Bitukura, Kahungye,Habinyanja among others. A gorilla Safari in Bwindi Safari is one of the spectacular safaris every one wishes to go for how ever it is expensive since one gorilla permit is 500 US Dollars.