ATTRACTIVE NATIONAL PARKS IN UGANDA-TRAVEL TOUR SAFARIS

QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK

Size: 1978 sq km.

Location:
Western Rift Valley, South west Uganda near Kasese.

Getting there:
5-6 hours on a surfaced road via Mbarara 420km/260miles.
Mweya Safari Lodge has an air strip.

When to Visit; Any time of the year.
What to do there;
Morning and Evening game drives
Boat cruise on Kazinga Channel
Exceptional and Excellent bird watching
Chimp tracking in Kyambura gorge
Guided walks in Maramagambo Forest
Relaxing and eating superb meals
Swimming as you watch astoundingly beautiful scenery

Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth;
Queen Elizabeth has more Mammal species than any other park in Uganda with 95 recorded species both Savannah and forest species. These Include:

Lions,
Elephants,
Buffalos,
Baboons,
Leopards,
Sported Hyena,
Several monkey species,
Chimpanzee,
Hippos and
Mongoose.

MUGAHINGA GORILLA NATIONAL PARK.

Size: 38sq km

Location: South West Uganda in Kisoro District. It adjoins Rwanda volcano and the Virunga National park of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Getting there;
It takes about 8hrs via Kabale from Kampala.
It's about 540kms from Kampala to Kisoro and about 13kms from Kisoro town to the park gate.
Once in Kisoro one can hike, take a special hire i.e. if one does not have private means.
Kisoro has an air strip flights can be arranged with Eagle Air.

When to Visit: All year around but the park experiences too wet rainy seasons i.e. Feb-May and Sept-Dec.

What to do there:
Gorilla tracking
Volcano Climbing, Mt Sabinyo 3669m,Mt Gahinga 3474m,Mt Muhavura 4127m.
Site seeing from the park viewing point.
Visit to the Garama Cave
Bird Watching
Relaxing in the cold climate of the hilly south western Uganda.

Wildlife in Mugahinga National Park;
The Mountain Gorillas,
Buffalos,
Elephants,
Bush backs, the threatened golden monkeys.
Birds include; Rwenzori turaco (Pix), crowned hornbill, Black kite, crowned crane.

Accommodation and Meals:
Range from Full board luxurious hotels to basic camp sites
Travelers Rest camp
Sky blue Hotel
Mt Mugahinga Rest camp
Virunga Hotel
Mgahinga Safari lodge
Rugingana camp site
Mubano Hotel
At the park gate, there is a community camp. It has ample space for "Do it your self camping".

KIBALE NATIONAL PARK.

Location;
Kibale forest is situated in Western Uganda near Fort Portal town.
About the Forest; it's a tropical rain forest with a fascinating diversity of animals and birds.
It has one of the highest density of animals in Africa.
The forest has a camp at Kanyachau River camp also on Kampala
road is Sebitoli Forest center.

What to do there;
Chimpanzee habituation
Primate walk
Forest hike
Kids Activities -managed by Jane Good all institute.
Best research center for forests and other Educationists.
Accommodation and Meals;
Kanyanchu River camp offers bandas and has a food canteen. Also Kanyanchu offers a Sky Tree House over looking Elephant wallow accommodate 2.
Sebitoli Forest center has provision of two beds.

Wildlife in the forest;
Chimpanzee
Red colobus monkey
l'Hoesti monkeys
Chuhed Mangabey
Red tailed monkey
Bush babies and pottos
Forest elephants
Buffalos
Bush pigs
Bats
Dnikers and Birds such as; yellow spotted aicator, yellow rumped tinker bird, little green bull, green breasted pita, the African pita, crowned eagle, black bee-eater, great blue turaco. Getting there;
Sebitoli forest center is at 290kms from Kampala and 12kms from Fort Portal town.

LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK

Size; 370 sq km

Location;
It's located in Mbarara district in Western part of the country. Getting there; it's a 3.5 hours journey from Kampala. From Masaka - Mbarara road turn to the left into the park, 13kms from lyantonde at Nshara gate or at Sanga 27kms from lyantonde.
When to visit- Any time of the year.

What to do there;
Game drives
Zebra tracking
lmpala tracking
lakeside tracking
Boat rides on Lake Mburo
Guided walks
Nature trail
Salt lick
Fishing.

Wildlife found in Lake Mburo;
Zebras,
Impalas,
Buffaloes,
Topis,
Elands.
The park has 68 different species. There are more than 315 different species of birds; shoebill stock, papyrus yellow warbler, African fin fool, saddle billed stork, brown chested wattled plover,cirticolo, tabora,caruthe, great snipe. Abyssinian ground horn bill, white winged warbler.
The forest also has good woody vegetation for viewing.

Accommodation and Meals;
6 Tents at Rwonyo Park head quarters.
3 Campsites.
Lake Mburo restaurant located by the lake side provides meals on order.
Mantane tented camp which is located 3.5kms from Rwonyo.
Can drive to near by Mbarara town for meals and accommodation at very good hotels e.g. Agip Motel.

SEMLIKI NATIONAL PARK - Size; 220 sq km.

Location;
The Park is situated in the extreme west of Uganda in Bundibugyo district. Its at the border with DRC and lies in the western Rift valley.

Getting there; there are two routes from Kampala;
Kampala via Fort portal-300kms about 4-5 hrs drive.
Kampala via Mbarara-510kms about 7-8 hrs drive.
When to Visit; Any time of the year.

What to do there;
Jungle life in Semliki is breath taking especially for birders, butterfly, and plant lovers.
Park drive through the meandering Bundibugyo road.
Visiting the two hot springs situated in a track of hot mineral sucrusted swap land.

Wildlife in Semliki;
Mammals-forest buffaloes, blur dinker, beecrofts flying squirrel, pigmy squirrel, little collared fruit bat, water chevrotain, target rat.
Primates-chimpanzees, blue monkey, vervet monkeys, olive baboons and a host of birds.

Accommodation and Meals;
Semliki Safari lodge has accommodation and meals.
Also can stay in neighboring Fort portal town.
There is a camp site at Buwaga 3kms from sempaya gate.

KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

Size1442 sq km
Location;
The Park is in North Eastern Uganda tucked into Uganda's border with Sudan and Kenya. Getting there; The Park can be reached by road and air, but driving is rewarding as vast parts of Karamoja are scenic and total wilderness. Advice need to be sought first on condition and safely on the road. Chattered Air crafts available at Entebbe air port.

There are 3 routes by road;
Kampala via karuma-lira-kotido-kidepo-705kms
Kampala-mbale- soroti-moroto-kidepo-792kms
Kampala-mbale-sironko-kotido-kidepo-740kms
When to visit; Climate and activities at the park are accessible all the year through but safety.

What to do In Kidepo;
Game watching
Bird viewing
Guided walks to enjoy park beauty and scenery.
Entertainment by the local traditional dances of the Acholi people.

Wildlife of Kidepo;
Bat eared fox,
Stripped hyena,
Aard wolf,
Caracal,
Cheetah,
Hunting dog,
Kudu,
chandters,
Reedbuck,
Dikdik,
kupspringer,
Bush elephants,
burchells zebra,
bush pig,
warthog.

Unique to kidepo region;
Giraffes,
Cape buffalo,
Eland,
bush buck,
defassa water buch,
boho reedbuck,
Jackson hartebeest, and oribi.

Primates;
Kavirondo bush baby.

Carnivores; lions,leopards,several small cats, spotted hyenas, black buched jackals and side stripped jackal.

Birds;
has about 58 species of which 14 are endemic to kidepo, i.e.
Varreaux eagle,
Egyptian vulture and
pygmy falcon also are hornbills.
Karamoja apalis

Accommodation and Meals;
The park has a catering hostel in 14 bandas at each 2 beds.
Visitors should bring there own food for the duration of stay.
The park has to do your self camps, out camping equipment are not provided.

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