Top 7 Uganda safari activities in 2022; Uganda is one of major safari destinations in the world and one of the most visited country in Africa due to its unique and interesting activities. Uganda is a home of 10 national park including Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, kibale forest national park, queen Elizabeth national park, Murchison falls national park, Kidepo valley national park, Mount Rwenzori national park, Semuliki national park, Mount Elgon national park and Lake Mburo national park. Each national park offers unique and interesting activities including gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, chimpanzee trekking, mountain climbing, guided nature walks, game viewing/ drives, boat cruise, cultural tours, bird watching among others.

Top 7 Uganda safari activities in 2022

Uganda offers a wide range of interesting and fascinating safari activities that tourists can engage in during the safari and this article will highlight the top 7 safari activities that shouldn’t be missed during your safari in Uganda in 2022 including,

1. Gorilla trekking in Uganda

Gorilla trekking is the most famous activity in Uganda and it involves moving on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Uganda harbors over 459 mountain gorillas with about 22 habituated gorilla families which are available for trekking on a daily basis. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in two destinations which are Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park. Gorilla trekking in both destinations starts with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow at the park headquarters. After the briefing you will be grouped into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and a park guide who is well conversant with gorilla trekking trails. Trekking of mountain gorillas takes about 30 minutes to 7 hours depending on where the mountain gorillas are located and during trekking you will be able to view different wildlife species including mammals, different bird species, plants, other primates among others. Once the gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their behaviors, habits, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, grooming young ones, take photos and record the breathtaking moments to show people back home after the safari. Gorilla trekking is an adventurous activity in Uganda and visitors who want to engage in the activity are required to acquire a gorilla trekking permit which costs 700 USD per person for foreign non residents, 600 USD per person for foreign residents and 250,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.

2. Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda

Chimpanzee trekking is the second best activity in Uganda after gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park. Chimpanzee trekking involves moving into the tropical rainforest in search of the chimpanzees and once found spend one hour with them in their environment. Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda is done in different destinations including Kibale forest national park which harbors the highest number of chimpanzees, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth national park, Kalinzu forest, Budongo forest in Murchison falls national park and Toro Semuliki wildlife reserve. Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda starts early in the morning just like gorilla trekking with a briefing at the park headquarters. After the briefing you will be allocated a habituated chimpanzee family and start trekking in the forest with an experienced park guide. Chimpanzee trekking takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will be able to view other primates, plant and tree species, birds among others and once the chimpanzees are located, you will be able allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you a chance to learn about their habits, behaviors, lifestyle, watch them feed, hunt, fight, play, rest, take photos and record videos. Cost of chimpanzee trekking permits vary depending on the destination you want to visit for example a chimpanzee trekking permit in Kibale forest national park costs 200 USD per person for foreign non residents, 150 USD per person for foreign residents and 150,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.

3. Golden monkey trekking in Uganda

Golden monkey trekking is a fascinating and active activity in Uganda that involves moving on foot into the forest in search of the unique golden monkeys and once found spend one hour with them in their habitat. Golden monkey trekking in Uganda is only done in Mgahinga gorilla national park and the activity starts with a briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations. Golden monkey trekking takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours depending on where the golden monkeys are located because they are active primates which like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking you will follow trails or leftover bamboo shoots, leaves, fruits among others and once the golden monkeys are found. You will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to watch them jump up in trees, watch them feed, play, take photos and record the incredible moments to show people back home after the safari. A golden monkey trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park costs 60 USD per person for foreign non residents, 60 USD per person for foreign residents and 40,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.

4. Bird watching in Uganda

Bird watching is an interesting activity and Uganda is a home of over 1,085 recorded bird species including 25 Albertine rift endemic species, water birds, forest birds, savannah birds and migratory birds which makes it one of the best birding destinations.  Bird watching in Uganda is done in different areas and all the protected areas including queen Elizabeth national park which is the top birding destination in Uganda with over 600 bird species, Kidepo valley national park, Mabamba swamp, Bigodi wetland sanctuary which harbors about 200 bird species, botanical gardens, Budongo forest with over 350 bird species, Murchison falls national park which harbors over 450 bird species, Bwindi impenetrable national park with about 350 bird species, Mgahinga gorilla national park with over 180 bird species, Kibale forest national park with over 375 bird species, Lake Mburo national park with over 351 bird species, Semuliki national park with over 441 bird species, Rwenzori national park with about 177 bird species among others.

5. Wildlife viewing/ game drives in Uganda

Wildlife viewing/ game drives is one of the major activities in Uganda that gives visitors an opportunity to watch abundant wildlife species including the big five mammals which include elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards and rhinos. Wildlife viewing or game drives in Uganda are best done in Kidepo valley national park, Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Lake Mburo national park and Pian Upe wildlife reserve. Game drives in Uganda can either be done very early in the morning or in the afternoon in a comfortable pop up safari vehicle with a professional driver guide who is well conversant with different game tracks to follow. During the game drives, you will be able to view animals like buffaloes, waterbucks, elephants, Uganda kobs, Jacksons hartebeest, oribi, impalas, elands, topi, zebras, giraffes, warthogs, bushbucks, view predators like lions, leopards, hyenas, cheetahs among others if you are lucky and some bird species thus Top 7 Uganda Safari Activities in 2022.

6. Boat cruise in Uganda

Boat cruise is an interesting and one of the top safari activities that tourists shouldn’t miss during their safari in Uganda in 2022. Boat cruise in Uganda is done in different destinations such as Lake Victoria, Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale, source of the Nile, Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth national park, Nile River in Murchison falls national park, Lake Mburo national park among others. The boat cruise offers tourists an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery, view different animals drinking water along the shoes, view large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view aquatic bird species among others.

7. Cultural tours in Uganda

Cultural tour is an exciting activity in Uganda which gives tourists an opportunity to interact with the local people in the neighboring villages. During the cultural tour, you will interact with the Batwa/ pygmies in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park, the Karamajong and IK people in Kidepo valley national park, visit the royal palace of Buganda, Toro palace, Busonga palace, Bunyoro palace, visit different museums in Uganda among others. During the cultural tour you will be able to learn about the local people’s culture, tradition, way of living, visit their homesteads, farmlands, taste their traditional meals, listen to their ancient stories, enjoy their cultural entertainments among others.

Best time to go for Uganda safari activities in 2022

Safari activities in Uganda can be done all year round though the best time is during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February. During the dry season there is less or little rainfall in the national parks therefore access roads and trekking trails will be dry and passable. Also during the dry season vegetation will be thin therefore viewing of wildlife species will be easy and animals will gather around the water bodies to drink water which helps you to have clear views of abundant wildlife species.

Safari activities in Uganda can also be done in the wet/ rainy season in the months of March, April, May, October and November because that’s the best time for bird watching where bird lovers will be able to view colorful migratory birds from Europe.

Are you hungry for experience this 2022s, Uganda is the best destination to visit in that it offers unique and interesting safari activities. For more information about the top 7 Uganda safari activities in 2022, you can reach out to us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for affordable gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, wildlife viewing, golden monkey trekking, boat cruise, culture and bird watching safari packages.