Situated at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the sweeping Bunyoro escarpment meets vast, palm-dotted savanna, lies the Murchison Falls National Park. Established as a game reserve in 1926, this conservation area is the largest and oldest in Uganda, boasting a diverse array of wildlife, including 76 species of mammals and 451 species of birds.
Undoubtedly Uganda’s most popular tourist destination, the Queen Elizabeth National Park boasts an impressive array of diverse ecosystems, including sprawling savanna, shady humid forests, sparkling lakes, and fertile wetlands. This makes it an ideal habitat for classic big game, ten primate species (including chimpanzees), and over 600 species of birds.
Located 700km from Kampala, Kidepo Valley lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys between Uganda’s borders with Sudan and Kenya. Gazetted as a national park in 1962, it boasts a profusion of big game and hosts over 77 mammal species, as well as around 475 bird species.
Kibale National Park, located in western Uganda, boasts of being one of the most beautiful and diverse tropical forests in the country. Covering an area of 795 km², the northern and central parts of the park are dominated by a mix of forest cover interspersed with patches of grassland and swamp, all resting on an elevated plateau.
Located in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s mist-covered hillsides are blanketed by one of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests, which dates back over 25,000 years and contains almost 400 species of plants.
Semuliki National Park sprawls across the floor of the Semliki Valley on the remote western side of the Rwenzori Mountains. The park is dominated by the easternmost extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Congo basin, one of Africa’s most ancient and biodiverse forests that survived the last ice age around 12-18,000 years ago.
Mt Elgon boasts the largest volcanic base in the world, covering an area of 4,000 km2. As the oldest and largest solitary volcanic mountain in East Africa, its vast form stretches 60km in diameter, rising over 3,000 meters above the surrounding plains. The cool heights of the mountain provide a respite from the hot plains below, offering a refuge for flora and fauna at higher altitudes.
Lake Mburo National Park (LMNP) is a small but charming Savannah national park located in the Kiruhura Districts of Western Uganda, approximately 30 kilometers east of Mbarara, the largest city in the sub-region. The park’s location is about 240 kilometers west of Kampala, the capital and largest city of Uganda. LMNP’s coordinates are 00.36S, 30.57E (Latitude: 0.6000; Longitude: 30.9500).
The Rwenzori Mountains, also known as the fabled Mountains of the Moon, are located on the border between Western Uganda and Congo. The mountain range boasts of Equatoria snow peaks, including the third-highest point in Africa, while the lower slopes are covered in moorland, bamboo, and lush montane forest. Huge tree heathers and colorful mosses drape across the mountainside, while giant lobelias and everlasting flowers create an enchanting, fairy tale scene.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a high-altitude park, sitting between 2,227m and 4,127m above sea level. It was established primarily to protect the mountain gorillas that call its dense forests home, as well as the endangered golden monkey. The park also holds great cultural significance, particularly for the indigenous Batwa Pygmies. As the forest’s first people, their ancient knowledge of its secrets remains unparalleled.
