Uganda

A wildlife paradise not to be missed

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Highlights

Famous For

Bwindi: The Impenetrable Forest is a haven for rare mountain gorillas
Kibale: Primates galore including chimpanzees and colobus monkeys
Lake Mburo: See unusual wildlife like white rhino and Rothschild’s giraffe

When To Visit

Peak Season: June to August
Driest and easiest gorilla trekking conditions
Green Season: March to May
Seasonal rain makes for fewer crowds
Shoulder Season: January to February
Generally good weather for trekking

Travel Advice

We’ve put together all the information you need to prepare for your trip to Uganda

Why Visit Uganda

Mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, white rhino, Rothschild’s giraffes, shoebill storks… for a small country, Uganda more than punches above its weight when it comes to phenomenal wildlife experiences. The main attraction is, of course, seeing endangered mountain gorillas families in their natural habitats in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mgahinga National Park and even parts of the Rwenzori Mountains, a fantastical landscape of waterfalls, lakes and glaciers. Trekking can be tough going if the gorillas are on the move as Uganda has steep trails but the long mid-year dry season makes conditions much easier. The Ugandan government’s commitment to preserving these majestic primates means that 75 percent of your permit fee goes to conservation and 10 percent to the immediate community.

Itineraries to inspire you

Here are our favourite Uganda Itineraries to inspire you. All of our itineraries can be tailored to meet your specific requirements.

Luxury itineraries

Exemplary accommodation that offers welcome touches that are a step up and provide an extra level of indulgence.

Gorillas and Chimpanzees

Bwindi | Queen Elizabeth National Park | Kibale | Murchison Falls
DURATION: 11 NIGHTS

Complete Uganda

Kibale | Queen Elizabeth National Park | Bwindi
DURATION: 9 NIGHTS

Focus on Gorillas

Entebbe | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
DURATION: 4 NIGHTS

Comfortable itineraries

Very congenial surroundings with everything you need for an enjoyable safari grounded in tried-and-tested camps and lodges.

Classic Uganda

Entebbe | Bwindi | Queen Elizabeth National Park
DURATION: 6 NIGHTS

Our Favourite Uganda Destinations

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi is known as ‘the Place of Darkness’ by the Batwa people because the thick forest canopy can make it gloomy and rather spooky. But it is this exact blanket of trees that allows mountain gorillas to survive here in small family groups, each headed by a dominant silverback. Different trekking routes (Ruhija, Buhoma, Nkuringo and Rushaga) take you to different troops, where you can spend an hour marvelling at how their gestures and expressions mirror our own. En route, keep an eye out for the 90 other mammal species and myriad birds that also call Bwindi home.

Kibale

If you’re mad about monkeys and crazy about chimps, put Kibale on your itinerary. This national park is a wonderful sanctuary for chimpanzees (faster moving than gorillas so you have to be fit to keep up with them), black-and-white colobus monkeys with their trademark fluffy tails, grey-cheeked mangabeys and even, if you’re lucky, nocturnal galagos. In addition to primates, Kibale neighbours the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary where you can search for the aquatic sitatunga antelope and nearly 200 unusual birds like the great blue turaco and rare papyrus gonolek. The greatest number of chimpanzees in Uganda live in Kibale.

Murchison Falls

The Murchison (or Kalabega) Falls are where the Nile River courses through a narrow opening down a deep precipice, causing an impressive display that nourishes the surrounding emerald-green rainforest. Chimps live in the Kaniyo Pabidi mahogany forest while white rhinos are protected in the Ziwa Sanctuary. Along the river, massive crocodiles and insectivorous rock pratincoles sun themselves while in the savannah, kob antelope, shy forest elephant and Rothschild’s giraffe go about their days as they always have. If you are a keen birder (or even enjoy seeing rare wildlife), Murchison Falls National Park is a wonderful place to look out for shoebill storks.

Queen Elizabeth

Boating down the Kazinga Channel, which forms a silvery ribbon between Lakes Edward and George, you’ll be able to take in the antics of swooping African fish eagles, their iconic call one of the most indelible memories you’ll take home from any safari. Below them, hippos and herons live on the riverbank while, further afield, kob antelope dodge the lions and leopards that lie in wait for them. At night, listen out for the soft hooting of African wood owls. If you can, head to the Kyambura Gorge to see chimpanzees in this national park that is packed with wildlife.

Options to extend your Uganda itinerary

Here are a few of our favourite options to add to your Uganda itinerary. These extensions are here for inspiration. We know that time is a precious commodity and we can tailor them to meet your requirements.

Offbeat Kenya

Meru | Tsavo West | Greater Amboseli
DURATION: 8 NIGHTS

Mara Migration

Masai Mara | Olare Motorogi
DURATION: 6 NIGHTS

Infinite Wilderness

Nyerere | Ruaha | Zanzibar
DURATION: 10 NIGHTS

Explore Uganda

Why book with Biggestleaf Travel

We Sell What We Love: We are genuinely passionate about African travel and safaris. Every itinerary we design is shaped by first-hand knowledge, personal experience and a deep respect for the destinations we represent. It is company policy that our consultants experience the destinations and lodges they sell, giving them practical insight into the areas, logistics and overall journey.
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Tailor-Made – Not Template – Trips: No two travellers are the same. Every journey we create is fully personalised and customised, designed around your interests, pace and expectations. This may take longer to organise but it means our clients get an unforgettable experience.
Established, Stable & Experienced: Founded in 2014, we are proud that we still have our first consultants working with us today. This continuity reflects the strength of our team culture, depth of experience and the long-term relationships we build with our staff, clients and safari partners.
Responsible Travel & Carbon Offsetting: We believe in protecting Africa’s wild places for generations to come. As part of our commitment to responsible travel, we offset our travellers’ carbon footprint through bed-night calculations, and fully offset all kilometres driven by our vehicles through verified carbon credits. Every journey therefore contributes to conservation, climate responsibility and the long-term sustainability of the destinations we love. Visit our Sustainable Travel page for more information.

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