Uganda’s 10 National Parks

Uganda’s 10 National Parks

Uganda’s 10 National Parks : Uganda dubbed as the Pear of Africa is gifted with spectacular Nature and a variety of wildlife including the Africa’s Big Five and the endangered Mountain Gorillas which are the main attraction.

Other amazing attractions in Uganda include diverse array of ecosystems worth exploring, untouched wild, mountains, rivers such as River Nile, Lakes among others.

Most of the attractions in Uganda are protected in the 10 national parks and these include

1. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the most popular national park in Uganda and the world as well, Bwindi is a premier destination as it is the best place to trek mountain gorillas and is a home to half of the World’s population of mountain gorillas estimated to be over 600 individuals.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the SouUgandath Western  on the edge of the Albertine Rift, the impenetrable forest is one of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse forests dating back to 25,000 years containing almost 400 plant species.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to numerous animals, birds, butterflies, reptiles, trees and plants.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offers thrilling and adventurous activities including gorilla trekking, gorilla habituation experience, camping, hiking, biking, bird watching and village walks on which you get to learn about the Batwa Pygmy culture.

2. Kibale National Park

Kibale National Park is a primate capital known for hosting the largest population of chimpanzees in East Africa, the park is home to 13 primate species including chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, Ugandan red colobus, Red tailed monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, grey cheeked mangabeys, Uganda Red Colobus and Demidoff Galago.

Kibale Forest National park is found in Western Uganda protecting the moist evergreen rainforest, at a size of 766 square kilometers the park is located between 1,100 meters to 1,600 meters in elevation.

In addition to the 10 primate species, Kibale National Park is home to warthogs, African buffaloes, leopards, elephants and more than 375 bird species.

Kibale National Park offers thrilling activities including chimpanzee trekking, chimpanzee habituation experience, hiking through amazing scenery, swim in crater lakes, bird watching, explore caves and vanilla plantations.

3. Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park is the most isolated national park in Uganda, the park lies in the far north of the country on the border with South Sudan.

Kidepo Valley National Park is dubbed as the True Africa Wilderness with its beauty that has mostly gone unnoticed as stated by CNN Travel, the park is the perfect wilderness to visit.

Kidepo Valley National Park is about 1,442 square kilometers hosting about 77 mammal species, 475 bird species several reptiles and flora. Animals in Kidepo Valley National Park include lions, leopards, cape buffaloes, cheetahs, Ostriches, Karamoja Apalis which is endemic to Kidepo Valley National Park.

Safari activities offered in Kidepo Valley National Park include game viewing, bird watching, hiking and visiting the IK and Karamoja people.

4. Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is the closest national park to the capital city, the park is dubbed as Whispers of the Wild. From Kampala, the park is only 240 kilometers.

At a size of 370 square kilometers, Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest savannah national park in Uganda.

Lake Mburo national park is home to 330 bird species and 68 mammal species including impala, warthog, common eland, African buffalo, jackal among others. Since 2005, the park was designated as a Lion Conservation Unit.

Safari activities done in Lake Mburo National Park include game viewing, boat cruise on Lake Mburo, Nature Walks, bird watching and horseback riding.

5. Mgahinga National Park

Mgahinga National Park is the second gorilla park in Uganda and is the smallest parks in the country at size of 33.7 square kilometers and rises to a height of 2,227 meters – 4,127 meters above the sea level.

Mgahinga National Park is home to mountain gorillas and the golden monkeys living in the elevated bamboo forest, the park is also home to gigantic forest pigs, forest buffaloes, golden cats, black fronted duikers and many others.

Mgahinga National Park sits on three of the Virunga’s volcanic summit including Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhavura and Mount Sabinyo.

Amazing Uganda safari activities in Mgahinga National Park include mountain gorilla trekking, bird watching, golden monkey trekking and guided nature walks.

6. Mount Elgon National Park

Mount Elgon National Park stretches around Mount Elgon Uganda’s oldest physical feature found in Eastern Uganda at the border with Kenya, Mount Elgon hosts the world’s largest Volcanic base of 80 kilometers in diameter.

Mount Elgon National Park covers an area of 1,279 square kilometers and is divided between Kenya and Uganda, the Ugandan portion of the park encompasses 1,110 square kilometers while the Kenyan portion encompasses 169 square kilometers. The Kenyan portion was gazetted in 1968 and Ugandan portion was gazetted in 1992.

Mount Climbing is the major activity done in Mount Elgon National Park.

The park hosts a variety of wildlife including antelopes, buffaloes, elephants, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and more than 300 bird species.

Other attractions to explore in Mount Elgon National Park include caves, gorges, caldera, hot spring and the spectacular Sipi Falls.

Tour coffee plantations, fish for trout on the Sipi River and hike to see the prehistoric Nyero Rock Paintings.

7. Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is a stunning national park and home to Murchison Falls – the most powerful waterfalls in the world, the park is the oldest and largest safari park covering 3,840 square kilometers.

Murchison Falls National Park also known as Kabalenga Falls National Park straddling through districts of Nwota, Buliisa, Kiryandongo and Masindi, the park is part of the Great Murchison Falls Conservation Area together with Bugungu and Karuma Wildlife Reserve.

The park is hometo about 76 mammal species including elephats, buffaloes, lions and leopards and over 450 bird species, aquatic species, butterflies, reptiles and many more.

Murchison Falls is the greatest attraction in the park, the falls are formed as the Nile River water squeezes through a 7-meter rock gorge toppling 43 meters below, the waters form a thunderous roar as residual water spray forms a beautiful permanent waterfall.

Uganda safari activities done in Murchison Falls National Park include wildlife game viewing, birding, boat cruise, hiking to the top of the falls, sport fishing and chimpanzee tracking.

8. Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most popular park in Uganda located in western Uganda, covering an area of 1,978 square kilometers, the park is divided by the Equator line and is home to over 95 mammal species.

Queen Elizabeth National Park extends from Lake George in the northeast to Lake Edward in the southwest.

The park is home to a variety of wildlife include Nile Crocodile, African leopard, lions, chimpanzees, hippos and many birds including pelican, stork, kingfisher among others.

Queen Elizabeth National Park features a diversity of habitats like savannah grasslands, lowland forests and wetlands.

 Queen Elizabeth National Park is best explored on game drives, nature walks, bird watching, boat cruise on Kazinga Channel, lion tracking experience and cultural tours in the local community.

9. Rwenzori Mountains National Park

Rwenzori Mountains National Park stretches around the foothills of Rwenzori Mountains “Mountains of the moon”, the park is the ultimate hiking destination in Uganda with the highest peak at 5,109 meters above sea level.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park is found in western Uganda, this park is one of the most beautiful parks in Uganda with its beautiful accentuated by waterfalls, lakes, trees, flowers and snowfields and glaciers.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park hosts over 70 mammal species, 217 bird species including 19 Albertine rift endemics, animals in the park include elephants, black and white colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, hyraxes and chameleons among others.

Memorable activities to do in Rwenzori Mountains National Park include mount climbing, nature walks, mountain stream fishing and visits to the Ruboni village where you will learn about their culture with dancing and drumming lessons.

10. 10. Semuliki National Park

Semuliki National Park is a unique national park possessing features more common in Central Africa such as its landscapes, animal species and ethnic communities.

Semuliki national park is home to one of the most ancient forests on the African continent providing habitat to more than 400 bird species in addition to various animals and reptiles.

Some of the amazing features to encounter during your safari include hot springs with boiling geysers, chimpanzee trekking and hiking and nature trails. Some of the animals you will see in the park include hippos, pygmy antelopes, leopards, flying squirrels, crocodiles, forest elephants and many bird species.