National Parks in Uganda – The Major Tourist Destinations in Uganda
National Parks in Uganda are tourists attractions that act as major places to visit in Uganda. Uganda, the Pearl of Africa has 10 national parks that are managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). The same government body also manages 12 Wildlife reserves; 5 Community Wildlife Management Areas; and 13 Wildlife Sanctuaries among others. The 10 National Parks in include Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park where mountain gorillas in Uganda are found. Others are Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, Lake Mburo, Kidepo Valley, Kibale, Semuliki, Mount Elgon and Rwenzori Mountains. These parks display the best in East Africa. Their Rift Valley landscapes and tropical forests make dramatic backdrops to an extensive variety of flora and fauna. All major Uganda safaris and tours run around these attractions spread across the country. Uganda is a landlocked an East African land locked country whose diverse scenery comprises of the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains and a massive Lake Victoria. The country’s plentiful wildlife includes chimpanzees as well as rare bird species like the shoebill stork. The distant Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a distinguished mountain gorilla nature reserve. Murchison Falls National Park in the northwest is known for its 43 metre tall waterfalls and a plenty of wildlife.
National parks of Uganda offer traditional savanna safaris along with boat cruise tours, forest walks, mountain climbing adventure as well as wildlife research activities. Uganda is unbeatable on the African continent as a birding destination with approximately 1,000 bird species. Most of these birds are found nowhere else on the globe. Uganda is also a home 13 types of primates comprising of over half of the world’s endangered Mountain Gorillas and chimpanzees, the closest relative of man.While visiting the game parks in Uganda, explore the wild Kidepo Valley national park, spot the tree climbing lions in Ishasha Sector of Queen Elizabeth national park. Trek up to the summit peak of the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains, trek gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable forest and Mgahinga. Learn learn primordial tribal traditions and handicrafts or relax at your lodge bounded by the delightful sights and sounds of Africa’s most welcoming destination. Visit and explore Uganda on the trip of discovery in the safest and most hospitable parks in Africa!
Uganda National Parks
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda ins a home to the endangered mountain gorillas which are organized into 20 gorilla families. The park that covers 331 km2 (128 square miles) is divided into 4 gorilla trekking sectors including Nkuringo, Ruhija, Rushaga and Buhoma sector. with a total of 20 gorilla families.
Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Rwenzori Mountains National Park is a Ugandan national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Rwenzori Mountains. Covering around 1,000 square kilometres, the park has Africa’s third highest mountain peak and many waterfalls, lakes, and glaciers. The park is known for its beautiful plant life with trekking as the major activity.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in the south western Uganda near the Uganda-Rwanda-Congo border is the second gorilla habitat in Uganda after Bwindi National Park. The park with one gorilla group, the Nyakagezi Gorilla Family occupies an area 34 square kilometres featuring 3 extinct volcanoes, mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.
Mount Elgon National Park Uganda
Mount Elgon National Park is a national park found 140 kilometres northeast of Lake Victoria in Eastern Uganda. The park covers an area of 1,279 square kilometres and is divided by the border of Kenya and Uganda. The Ugandan part of the park covers 1,110 km² while the Kenyan part covers 169 km². Hiking and nature walks are the major tour park activities.
Murchison Falls National Park Uganda
Murchison Falls National Park sits on the shore of Lake Albert, in northwestern Uganda and famous for Murchison Falls, where the Victoria Nile River gushes via a narrow cavity over a massive drop. This park has animals like Giraffes, Buffaloes, Uganda kobs, Bushbucks, Elephants, Hartebeests, Oribs, water-bucks, warthogs, hyenas and many more.
Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park is a national park located in Nyabushozi County in Kiruhura District near Mbarara City in western Uganda. Tourist activities include game drive, boat cruise, horse riding and nature walks. Lake Mburo National Park animals include zebra, impala, topi, eland, bush buck, buffalo, warthog, leopard, hyena and jackal.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is known for its abundant wildlife, including African elephant, African buffalo, Ugandan kob, hippopotamus, topi, water-buck, warthog, giant forest hog, Nile crocodile, leopard, spotted hyena and lion. The vast park also feature crater lakes, wildlife reserves, Kazinga Channel and lakes among others.
Semuliki National Park
Semuliki National Park is found in Bundibugyo District of Western Region Uganda. The park covers 219 km² of East Africa’s only lowland tropical rain forest is found in the park. Activities in this wildlife reserve include chimpanzee trekking, Game viewing, tour of Sempaya Hot Springs, bird watching and nature walks.
Kibale Forest National Park Uganda
Kibale National Park is known for chimpanzee tracking as it has the biggest population of chimps in Uganda. The park is also a home to red and blue duikers, bush bucks, sitatungas, bush pigs, giant forest hogs, common warthogs, and African buffalo. Chimpanzee trekking and nature walks are the main tourist activities in the chimps park.
Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park is a 1,442 square kilometres national park in the Karamoja region in the far remote northeastern Uganda. Kidepo is rugged Savannah, dominated by the 2,750 metres Mount Morungole and bisected by the Kidepo and Narus rivers. Wildlife safaris, nature walks as well as community tours are the major tourist activities at the park.