Top 10 activities to include on your Uganda safari itinerary : What should be in your Uganda safari itinerary/ bucket list? The question that everyone should ask himself/herself when planning a Uganda safari tour is this one simply because the activities in your itinerary is all what determines whether you will have unforgettable and enjoyable safari experience or not. A safari in Uganda might be an action-packed, uplifting, or lasting memory and this depends on your safari activities included in your itinerary. If you don’t have a plan for what to do while in Uganda, it’s also possible that your safari vacation will be less exciting, underutilized, or even annoying.
The best safari location in Africa is Uganda, notably for viewing mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga National Parks. However, Uganda also has a wide variety of other sights to see and things to do that will make your safari journey more enjoyable. In addition to mountain gorilla trekking, you may also visit the Queen Elizabeth National Park to view tree-climbing lions, the Murchison Falls National Park to see the Big Five, or the cities of Jinja and Kampala to experience a cultural trip. What should you include on your Uganda safari itinerary to enhance the enjoyment of your trip? Here are some things you may add to your itinerary for your Uganda safari to make it more enjoyable.
- GORILLA TREKKING
A Uganda gorilla trekking trip involves exploring the bush while looking for the renowned mountain gorillas feeding their young or being their beautiful selves, among other things. The best gorilla trekking experiences may be had in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Remember to follow your ranger’s directions, get in shape for a lot of walking, and take part only if you’re healthy to avoid infecting the gorillas. Gorilla trekking is a heart-pounding adventure that is well worth your time.
- CHIMPANZEE TREKKING
With over 13 distinct primates, including chimpanzees, Uganda is a primate hotspot. There are several national parks where you can go chimpanzee trekking, including Kibale Forest National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park in the Kyambura Gorge, Kalinzu Forest, Tooro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve, and Budongo Forest. You can sign up for the longer chimp habituation experience rather than the shorter chimp trekking trip if you want to spend more time with chimpanzees in the wild. You can see orphaned, rescued chimps at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Uganda Wildlife Education Center, among other places. Enjoy watching chimpanzees go about their regular activities while eating fruit and grooming each other.
- BIRD WATCHING
With more than 1050 different bird species documented in Uganda, a safari there would be lacking without going birding. Many birds live in the savanna, wetlands, tropical rain forests, and lakeshores. One of the must-see birds is the renowned shoebill, which can be seen on Mabamba Island. A trip to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park would take you to the Albertine Rift Endemics, the Bigodi Wetlands, where you might see a Great Blue Turaco; the Murchison Falls National Park, where you might see endemics of the savanna like the Denham’s Bustard; the Mabamba Swamp, where you might see the shoebill; and the Semuliki National Park, where you might see species from central Uganda.
- CULTURAL EXPERIENCES
Not only Uganda is famous for Mountain gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, but also the presence of divers culture make it one of the best safari destination in Africa to go for cultural tours. The Uganda culture is a colorful, gustatory, visual, and auditory concoction. You can find unique food, cultural dress or sense of style, language, traditional music, and dance in each tribe and neighborhood. While learning about Uganda’s culture and traditional foods, try the well-known Luwombo from Buganda, Eshabwe from Ankole, Atapa from the area of Teso, Malakwang from Acholi, and Maleewa from the Bagisu in the east. You can get a sense of Ugandan culture by taking part in the Batwa Trail, visiting the museum, the Igongo Cultural Center, the Ndere Center, the national theater, visiting a family while in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and shopping at souvenir stores in and around Kampala city.
- WATER RAFTING
While on your Uganda safari tour, white water rafting should be on your bucket list because of the River Nile’s powerful current, electrifying breeze, and adrenaline-inducing waves. Along the 25 kilometers of the River Nile, this exhilarating trip lasts roughly 6 hours. Not for the weak of heart, water rafting is for those with wild hearts who yearn for a breathtaking tour of the Nile, one swift immersion at a time. The alternatives include Grade 3 Full Day Rafting, Grade 5 Extreme Rafting, Raft River Board, and 2-Day Water Rafting. After this thrilling experience has quenched your hunger for adventure, local music, bonfires, barbecue, and dancing are waiting for you on the banks of the Nile.
- CANOEING ON LAKE BUNYONYI
29 islands dot the scenic scenery as Lake Bunyonyi curves and turns, all of which are encircled by neatly terraced food gardens. While canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi, you can listen to the local legends about the lake and observe the birds as your eyes stroll along the hills and as far down into the waters as they can go. As you travel from island to island, your mode of transportation will be a traditional dugout boat. Canoeing on Lake Bunyonyi is something you should put on your bucket list because of the peace it delivers and how far it takes you into the Bunyonyi Region.
- GAME DRIVES
A game drive includes 4X4 wheels, an open roof, binoculars, a good camera, your eyes, the forest breeze, and wildlife. It is the most practical method of watching wildlife. Your compass will be the tour or ranger guide, who will know where to take you to see animals like lions that can climb trees, warthogs, elephants, giraffes, herds of buffalo, ostriches, hyenas, zebras, and birds. Kidepo Valley National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park are among the Savannah parks that provide this activity. Game drives can be taken in the morning, the afternoon, or at night.
- VOLCANO HIKING
Uganda is a country of mountains, valleys, scenic plains, and volcanoes. Mount Elgon, which has the world’s largest caldera and is located to the east of Uganda, is 4,321 meters high. Mount Mgahinga, Muhavura, and Sabinyo, which stand at 3,474 meters, 4,127 meters, and 3,645 meters, respectively, in the west of Uganda, are part of the powerful Virunga Ranges and call to those who are daring, Top 10 activities to include on your Uganda safari itinerary
The ascent of a volcano involves more than just a steep ascent; it also involves a stroll through the thick woods that grow on the fertile slopes of the volcanoes, a glimpse of the gorillas who roam the Virunga Ranges, and a visit to the rare birds that have made these highlands their home. A trek up a volcano is a test of willpower and stamina, and it culminates in an accomplishment that makes you feel more confident in your abilities than you did before the hike.
- BOAT SAFARIS
Tourists on a boat safari along the Kazinga Channel, one of the best places for a boat safari in Uganda, are entertained by the swish-swash of light waves. When you go on a boat safari at the Murchison Falls, you might see water birds, hippos drenching themselves in fresh water in the middle of the day, and wild animals ambling to the shoreline to satisfy their thirst. One of activity that should be on your bucket list of things to do while on a safari in Uganda is a boat safari because it is relaxed and one of the most peaceful ways to visit Uganda.
- KAMPALA CITY TOUR
Uganda’s capital, Kampala, is currently perched atop 22 hills. It would be unfair to your Uganda safari to explore Uganda without visiting Kampala, whether you opt for a bicycle trip, a car ride, or a walking tour. The Uganda Martyrs’ Shrine at Namugongo, Rubaga Cathedral, Namirembe Cathedral, the Baha’i Temple, the Hindu Temple, the Independence Monument, and the Kasubi Tombs are just a few of Kampala’s architectural and historic landmarks. Remember to eat a Rolex while on your tour of Kampala one of the local food most loved by Ugandans.
