Uganda, a lush green paradise, surrounded by mountains, lakes and dark forests. It is filled with friendly people, wildlife and over a thousand species of birds.  Home to the Mountain Gorilla, this incredible country has so much more to show to her guests.
The Great Lakes region is undoubtedly one of the most diverse areas in Africa. Uganda has a wealth of primates, over 1000 bird species with 27 endemics. Good game viewing includes Uganda Kob, Giant Forest Hog, Forest & Cape Buffalo, as well as a healthy population of lion, leopard, elephant, and antelope - it also boasts some of the largest Nile crocodiles you will ever see!
Uganda is made up of dramatic mountains - the Ruwenzoris are permanently ice-capped - lush green hillsides, dark forests full of birds and primates, enormous lakes and rivers, dormant volcanoes, and open plains dotted with game. For the fishermen there is a challenge of catching Nile Perch. Join Wild Frontiers on a safari to discover this emerald jewel of Africa!
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest - The park is located in South-western Uganda, covering parts of Rukungiri, Kisoro, and Kabale Districts. It is situated in a hilly countryside, which, together with some remnant lowland forest outside the boundary, constitutes an important water catchment area for many rivers, supplying the agricultural land of the surrounding region. This is the richest forest in Uganda, in terms of the number of plant species, as the area is one of the few large expanses of forest in East Africa where lowland and montane communities merge. The valley bottoms contain a dense ground cover of herbs, vines, and shrubs with only a few trees hence its name, the impenetrable forest. This is one of the richest faunal communities in East Africa. There exists about one half of the world's population of the endangered mountain gorillas. There are also several endangered species of birds with limited ranges. Gorilla tracking began on 1st April 1993. It is advisable to make reservations at least 3-6 months before your intended date of visit.
ACCESS: It is 100 km to the Park Headquarters at Buhoma from Kabale, which is 414 km from Kampala. Driving the Kabale-Buhoma road requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
Chamburu Gorge - Kyambura (or Chambura) Gorge lies on the north-east boundary of Queen Elizabeth Park and has thick treetop canopies and vines dangling down to the forest floor - the perfect home for chimpanzees.
Entebbe - Entebbe is a small town, located on the edge of Lake Victoria. Depending on your time of arrival, you may like to spend some time exploring the town on foot, or you can take a taxi in to Kampala and visit the craft and curio markets there, the Kasubi Tombs and Museum. In Entebbe there is the Wildlife Education Centre, and you can see close up the large slow-moving Shoebill Stork, or you can try your hand at golf on the local 9-hole course.
Kabale - Kabale is in the Kigeza area, which tourist brochures are fond of dubbing the "Switzerland of Africa", this southern corner of Uganda is certainly very beautiful, with its intensively cultivated and terraced hills, forests and lakes.
Kasinga Channel - The Kasinga Channel alone is said to contain the world's largest concentration of hippos, but interestingly enough not many crocodiles! Other wildlife includes warthogs, buffalo, rare aquatic sitatunga antelope, giant forest hog, beautifully horned Uganda kob, topi, waterbuck, elephant and leopard adding to the bio-diversity of this area.
Kibale - Kibale, 766 km2 is one of Uganda's enchanting forested parks. Here, you can hike in the park for hours observing the drama of life in a rain forest. The park contains pristine lowland tropical rain forest, montane forest, and mixed tropical deciduous forest. In addition to forest, you will also notice areas of grassland and of swamp. The forest is rich in wildlife. It is most noted for its primate population. Some of these are red-tailed monkey, diademed monkey, olive baboon, chimpanzee, black and white colobus, and red colobus. Some of the other mammals you might see are bushbuck, Harvey's red duiker, blue duiker, bush pig, and African civet. More difficult to spot are buffalo, waterbuck, hippo, warthog, and giant forest hog. Herds of elephant once travelled back and forth through the area. These elephants have become more and more rare, and now are seldom seen. The birdlike in the forest and grasslands of the forest is abundant. There are almost 300 species, which have been identified here. One particularly worth noting is the endemic to Kibale forest. There are 144 species of butterfly in the park and a diverse population of moths and other insects. A system of trails has been developed within the park, and tour guides are available to guide visitors.
ACCESS: The park is located 35 km south of Fort Portal. A 4-wheel drive vehicle os recommended, especially during the rainy season.
Kidepo - Kidepo, with an area of 1344 km2, is one of the most spectacular parks in Uganda. In the vast panorama from the veranda of the park's Apoke Rest Camp, you can watch a constant parade of wildlife: elephant, cheetah, zebra, buffalo, countless antelope and over 200 species of bird. As Kidepo is the most remote park in Uganda, it is easily the most tranquil, tucked into the corner of Uganda's border with Sudan and Kenya. The park has spectacular mountains and savannah landscape. The Napore Nyangea Range is located to the west of the camp and the Natera Hills to the east. In the north you can see the 236-meter high peak of Mt.Lotukei. Two game viewing loops connect the Rest Camp with prime wildlife areas near the Winwing River and with the rock escarpment to the south west into which Grand Kataru Lodge is being built. Further tracks take you to the Lokadul Palm Tree Forest, at Kananorok Hot Springs on the Park's Northern border with Sudan.
ACCESS: It is 840 km from Kampala to Kidepo by road. The journey takes a day or two through a variety of physical features and ends up in the total wilderness of Karqamoja. There is also an airstrip near Apoka. Chartered light aircraft can be arranged through tour operators in Kampala.
Kisoro - Kisoro district is located in the South Western corner of Uganda and borders with Rukungiri district to the North, Kabale district to the East, Rwanda to the South and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the West.
Lake Bunyoni - Lake Bunyoni in Kabale District, southwestern Uganda is reputed to be one of the deepest in Africa. There are no fish in the lake but it does contain a large population of freshwater crayfish. The surrounding hills are the home of the Bakiga people who are cultivators by tradition.
Lake Mburo - Lake Mburo, 260km2 was gazetted in 1982 as Uganda's fourth national park. It is composed primarily of grassland, wetland, and acacia woodland habitats. At the centre of the park lies Lake Mburo, which together with 14 other lakes in the area forms part of an extensive wetland system. The park has topi, eland, kilpspringer, zebra, buffalo, oribi, sitatunga, leopard, an excellent variety of water and acacia savannah bird species, like crested crane, marabou stork and bronze-tailed starling.
ACCESS: By road from Kampala, it is 4 hours to the park headquarters and rest camp at Rwonyo. On the way places of interest include, Mpambire Drum shop, the Equator, Kinoni for papurus mats, and Kyazanga for Gonja roasted bananas. Four-wheel vehicles are recommended inside the park.
Lake Victoria - The world's second largest fresh-water lake, with 68,000 sq. km is as large as Ireland. Lake Victoria lies at an altitude of 1133m and is widely accepted to be the main source of the Nile, as it receives more water as rainfall than all its combined tributaries provide. Rivers from large areas of Western Kenya, Northern Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda gather in this shallow (only 80m deep) lake and begin, as Victoria Nile, their 6000km journey to the Mediterranean Sea. The lake's high rate of evaporation due to its location on the Equator makes this immense body of water a major factor in the local climate. In the morning the area is usually cloudy, but during the day the sky clears up. The northern, Ugandan shore is characterized by countless small and larger islands and long, finger-like peninsulas. In between, swampy bays reach deep into the mainland, their Papyrus-swamps providing a preferred habitat for the Sitatunga-Antelope. Small fishing villages along the shore signify the importance of this trade, with the huge Nile perches, the tasty Tilapia and the tiny Omena being the main catches.
Masindi - Masindi Town is in the Bunyoro Kingdom which used to stretch from North of the Nile to Karagwe in Tanzania and across Lake Albert into the Congo. Palm lined sand covered roads, sandy beaches strewn with fishing nets and dug out canoes give a picturesque view, which has changed very little in the last century. The old airstrip still flies a windsock, reminiscent of the days of Hemmingway's legendary trip to the district, where he was involved in two plane crashes in the space of a week. The first at Murchison Falls and the second at Butiaba airstrip. Hemmingway stayed at the Masindi Hotel on his return to Kampala.
Mbarara - One of Uganda's major towns, Mbarara serves as a good overnight stop for visitors going to the western Mountains of the Moon region or the south-western mountains and forests of Kabale and Kisoro. The Town has an interesting history. When the Batchwezi kingdom folded around AD 1500, the Ankole kingdom was formed, with Mbarara as it's Capital.
Mgahinga - The park, gazetted in 1991, covered an area of 33,7 km2. It is found in the extreme southwest corner of Uganda, which borders with DRC and Rwanda. It includes parts of Muhavura, Mgahinga and Sabinyo Volcanic Mountains. The summit of Muhavura has a small crater lake and forms the highest point in the Park. The summit areas are dominated by wort and dwarf heath vegetation. This emerges into bamboo and broad-leaved montane forest, down the mountains. The lower slopes have high altitude savannah woodlands with lots of lichens and mosses. This park is home of the rare Mountain Gorilla in Uganda. Other animals in the area include golden monkey, leopard, giant forest hog, bushbuck and buffalo. There is a wealth of birdlife.
ACCESS: The park can be reached by road through Kablae and Kisoro, 510 kms from Kampala.
Murchison Falls - This is the largest National Park in Uganda with an area of 3840 km2. The River Nile divides the park into the north and south sectors and forms Falls where it flows over the western rift valley escarpment. Here, the river is forced through a 3-metre gap in the rocks and cascades into a boiling pot 30 metres below. A boat cruise up-stream to the falls provides an unforgettable experience. The falls can also be viewed from the top, which gives a completely different impression. The visitor is able to watch a variety of animals. These include elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion, hippo, crocodile, several antelope species and a lot of bird life along the Nile. In the southern sector of the park, the Rabongo Forest is home to chimpanzees. One of the greatest attractions in the Chobe sector is sport fishing for Nile Perch, which can weigh up to 100 kg.
ACCESS: By road, it is a 3-hour drive from Kampala to Masindi, 217 km on tarmac and 40 km in high-grade murram, then an additional 2 hours from Masindi to the falls on murram. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is advisable as the Masindi-Paraaroad is rough. The park can be reached by air charter services. There are airstrips at Paraa, Pakuba, Chobe and Rabongo, which can accommodate light aircrafts up to six seater capacity.
Ngamba Island - Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary Trips, Uganda. Chimpanzees are an endangered species found only in the forests of Africa. Experience a rare and incredible opportunity to visit chimpanzees in a near-wild setting while helping to conserve their precious habitat and contribute to the conservation of their species. Ngamba Island is part of the Koome group of islands located on Lake Victoria 23km south of Entebbe, Uganda. It consists of approximately 100 acres, 98 of which are forested and separated from the visitors area by an electric fence. Ngamba Island was officially opened to visitors in October 1999 and is currently home to over 30 orphaned chimpanzees.
Ngamba Island is a project of the Chimpanzees Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT), established in 1997 by the Born Free Foundation (UK), International Fund for Animal Welfare (USA), the Jane Goodall Institute (Germany and Uganda), The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre Trust (UWECT) and the Zoological Board of New South Wales (Australia) and it provides these orphaned chimpanzees with a secure home to live out their lives, since a return to their natural habitat is not possible, while educating visitors and local communities about their remarkable species and the importance of conserving their fragile forest habitat.
You can help support this project by visiting. The entrance and activity fees paid goes directly towards helping cover the recurring costs of the island sanctuary and ensuring the well being of the chimpanzees.
Queen Elizabeth - The park spreads over an area of 1978 km2 in the western arm of the Great East Rift Valley. It is a home to a variety of wildlife including elephant, lion, hippo, buffalo, and Uganda kob, baboon, and birds, all typical of riverine and savannah habitats. In the southern part of the park is the Ishasha are with tree climbing lions and the Maramagambo, one of the largest surviving natural forests in Uganda. The northern part of the park is traversed by the equator and is dominated by the scenery of crater lakes with lots of flamingos on some of them. A launch trip from Mweya along the Kazinga channel, which joins Lake Edward and Lake George, provides one of the most memorable experiences of the park.
ACCESS: By road, the park headquarters is 64km from Kasese, which is 418 km from Kampala via Mbarara and Katunguru. The journey takes approximately 6-7 hours. Air charter services are possible to the landing strip near Mweya, Kasese or Ishasha.  Ishasha is very close to Bwindi, approximately 2-3 hours on scenic roads.
Rwenzori Mountains - These fabled, mist-covered “Mountains of the Moon” 120 km in length and 48 km in width, were formed from a block, which was thrust up during the creation of the western area of the Great East African Rift Valley, Uganda. At the centre of the range, there are 6 peaks carrying permanent snow, three with glaciers. The highest peak is Mt Margherita rising 5100 metre above sea level. The Ruwenzori Mountains were gazetted as a Notional Park in 1991. The Park covers 996 km2 of rugged mountain terrain.
Whether an experienced climber or casual day hiker, Ruwenzori Mountain National Park offers the visitor a unique experience of an Afro-Montane rainforest. The main attraction is the luxuriant vegetation found above 3000m, which includes the giant forms Lobelias, Heather and Groundsel. Ruwenzori Mountains National Park is also home to the hyrax, blue monkey, chimpanzee, giant forest hog and many unique bird species such as the Rwenzori Touraco, the handsome francolin and the olive pigeon. The best time for mountaineering is during the dry seasons from mid-December to the end of March and from June through mid-August.
ACCESS: The Park is 25km from Kasese. Take a left turn after 4km on the Kasese-Fort Portal road.
Semliki - Semliki National Park, contains a secluded forest area at the base of the Ruwenzori Mountains on the border of DRC. The park's out of the way location makes it an ideal place to spend a few days relaxing away from the rest of the world. Semuliki is the only park in Uganda to be composed primarily of tropical lowland forest. The land is quite flat, creating a startling contrast to the rugged Ruwenzori Mountains nearby, and the forest is very dense. It contains a mosaic of different microhabitats, which provide for diversity of wildlife. The Semuliki River is a watering point for many animals. There are a number of natural hot springs in the area, which attract a large number of shorebird, and supply salt for other animals. There are grasslands and wetlands and bamboo forest in the park as well. Some of the animals present include elephant, buffalo, leopard, civet, scaly tailed flying squirrel, and bush baby. The park has an established trail, which loops around the hot springs. Visitors are also welcome to arrange hikes to other parts of the forest.
ACCESS: The park is locates 2 to 3 hours form Fort Portal, on the Fort Portal Bundibugyo Road. This is a rough road, which requires a vehicle with high clearance. It is accessible by public transport from Fort Portal. The hot springs are located at Sempaya, and the headquarters are closer to Bundibugyo at Ntandi.
Ssese Islands - The jewel in Lake Victoria’s crown is the Ssese Archipelago, whose 84 islands - some large and dotted with local fishing villages, others small and uninhabited – are all well-watered and lushly forested. Mainlanders traditionally revere Ssese as the Islands of the Gods, and one specific island called Bubembe is regarded to be home to Mukasa, the spirit presiding over Lake Victoria. The Ssese Islands make for an ideal retreat after a long safari, and they also offer superb opportunities for birdwatching and for hooking heavyweight Nile Perch.
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