National Parks in Uganda

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most popular savanna park in Uganda and the best place to see lions including the Tree Climbing lions making it the perfect destination for an Uganda Wildlife Safari. It prides itself on a great diversity of habitats that include: lakes, savannah grasslands, forests and wetlands that serve as home to the biggest variety of large mammals in the country. The park is home to 618 bird species which is the 6th highest diversity in the world and the highest in Africa making it a perfect destination for Uganda Birding Safaris, in addition to 10 primate species like chimpanzees and 95 mammals including big game. read more read less

Akagera National Park is the largest and only Savannah park in Rwanda. The relatively warm and low-lying plains of Akagera comprise savannah, woodland, wetland and a dozen lakes.  In partnership with African Parks, they have reintroduced lions and rhinos, meaning once again visitors can hope to see the Big Five on safari drives. Apart from the big five mammals, tourists can also spot zebra impala, oribi, bushbucks, eland, tsessebe, hippopotamus and crocodiles. Akagera National Park is one of the best places for birding in Rwanda. It has a great concentration of water birds which thrive on the park’s vast marshes and wetlands. 425 species of birds have been recorded including the shoebill stork and the papyrus gonolek. read more read less

The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that forms part of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, one of the richest ecosystems in Africa. This park is perhaps one of Uganda’s most remarkable destinations for visitors. Although small—just 321 square kilometers—Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is of crucial importance as home to the world's largest population of critically endangered mountain gorillas. The park contains about one-third of the 1,000 or so alive today, with the remainder in the Virunga conservation area shared by Rwanda and Congo. Preserved on the edge of the Rift Valley in southwest Uganda, Bwindi was established in 1991 as part of the conservation effort to save the mountain gorillas. Three years later, this island of remnant forest—one of Africa's richest and oldest (dating back about 25,000 years)—was recognized by UNESCO as a natural World Heritage Site. Beyond the gorillas, Bwindi is full of other life. In fact, it is one of the richest ecosystems in Africa, with 120 species of mammals, 350 species of birds (earning it the title of the Best Birding Destination in Africa by Travel Africa magazine), 200 tree species, 310 butterfly species, 88 moth species, 51 reptile species and 27 frogs, geckos and chameleons. read more read less

The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that forms part of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, one of the richest ecosystems in Africa. This park is perhaps one of Uganda’s most remarkable destinations for visitors. Although small—just 321 square kilometers—Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is of crucial importance as home to the world's largest population of critically endangered mountain gorillas. The park contains about one-third of the 1,000 or so alive today, with the remainder in the Virunga conservation area shared by Rwanda and Congo. Preserved on the edge of the Rift Valley in southwest Uganda, Bwindi was established in 1991 as part of the conservation effort to save the mountain gorillas. Three years later, this island of remnant forest—one of Africa's richest and oldest (dating back about 25,000 years)—was recognized by UNESCO as a natural World Heritage Site. Beyond the gorillas, Bwindi is full of other life. In fact, it is one of the richest ecosystems in Africa, with 120 species of mammals, 350 species of birds (earning it the title of the Best Birding Destination in Africa by Travel Africa magazine), 200 tree species, 310 butterfly species, 88 moth species, 51 reptile species and 27 frogs, geckos and chameleons. read more read less

The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that forms part of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, one of the richest ecosystems in Africa. This park is perhaps one of Uganda’s most remarkable destinations for visitors. Although small—just 321 square kilometers—Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is of crucial importance as home to the world's largest population of critically endangered mountain gorillas. The park contains about one-third of the 1,000 or so alive today, with the remainder in the Virunga conservation area shared by Rwanda and Congo. Preserved on the edge of the Rift Valley in southwest Uganda, Bwindi was established in 1991 as part of the conservation effort to save the mountain gorillas. Three years later, this island of remnant forest—one of Africa's richest and oldest (dating back about 25,000 years)—was recognized by UNESCO as a natural World Heritage Site. Beyond the gorillas, Bwindi is full of other life. In fact, it is one of the richest ecosystems in Africa, with 120 species of mammals, 350 species of birds (earning it the title of the Best Birding Destination in Africa by Travel Africa magazine), 200 tree species, 310 butterfly species, 88 moth species, 51 reptile species and 27 frogs, geckos and chameleons. read more read less

Open savannah merges into woodland, tropical forest, and evergreen rainforest; creating one of the last expanses of land in Uganda to boast both lowland and montane forest. The 80,000ha Kibale Forest National Park’s biodiverse terrain is home to the highest diversity and concentration of primates found on the entire continent; ranging from L’Hoest’s monkey to the red colobus monkey, and other endangered chimpanzees.  Comprised of what are widely considered to be Uganda’s most pristine tropical rainforests, Kibale Forest National Park covers an area of 795 kilometres over varied altitudes. read more read less

Lake Mburo National Park is a compact gem, located conveniently close to the highway that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda. It is the smallest of Uganda’s savannah national parks and is underlain by ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks which date back more than 500 million years. It’s home to 350 bird species as well including zebras, impalas, elands, buffalos, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, leopard, hippo, hyena, topi and reedbuck. Together with 13 other lakes in the area, Lake Mburo forms part of a 50 km-long wetland system linked by a swamp. Five of these lakes lie within the park’s borders. Once covered by open savanna, this supports the healthy population of Buffalos, Wathhog, bushpigs and hippopotami. Lake Mburo National Park now contains much woodland as there are no elephants to tame the vegetation. In the western part of the park, the savanna is interspersed with rocky ridges and forested gorges while patches of papyrus swamp and narrow bands of lush riparian woodland line many lakes. Lake Mburo is notably blessed with over 315 bird species and probably the best place to view acacia-associated birds, Rwonyo is a good zone to see the mosque swallow, black-bellied bustard,bare-faced-go away bird and Ruppell’s starling. A handful of birds have been recorded essentially the southern ground hornbill and black-throated barbet. read more read less

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the most popular savanna park in Uganda and the best place to see lions including the Tree Climbing lions making it the perfect destination for an Uganda Wildlife Safari. It prides itself on a great diversity of habitats that include: lakes, savannah grasslands, forests and wetlands that serve as home to the biggest variety of large mammals in the country. The park is home to 618 bird species which is the 6th highest diversity in the world and the highest in Africa making it a perfect destination for Uganda Birding Safaris, in addition to 10 primate species like chimpanzees and 95 mammals including big game. read more read less

Mt Elgon was once Africa’s highest mountain, far exceeding Kilimanjaro’s current 5,895m. Millennia of erosion have reduced its height to 4,321m, relegating it to the 4th highest peak in East Africa and 8th on the continent. At 4,000km²  Mt. Elgon has the largest volcanic base in the world. Located on the Uganda-Kenya border it is also the oldest and largest solitary, volcanic mountain in East Africa. Its vast form, 80km in diameter, rises more than 3,000m above the surrounding plains. The mountain’s cool heights offer respite from the hot plains below, with the higher altitudes providing a refuge for flora and fauna. Mount Elgon National Park is home to over 300 species of birds, including the endangered Lammergeyer.  The higher slopes are protected by national parks in Uganda and Kenya, creating an extensive transboundary conservation area which has been declared a UNESCO Man & Biosphere Reserve. read more read less