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Michelle
US
Visited:
September 2015
Reviewed: Sep 22, 2015
Email Michelle | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Huge potential in Uganda if tourism experience can be improved and conservation is better emphasized
Wildlife conservation can be greatly improved in Uganda, and I think it is something that the country's government doesn't especially value. The communities around the parks have a very challenging existence with wildlife, and the use of snares and indiscriminate killings of animals is common. I read this in the newspapers and heard about it from the tour operators. In Queen Elizabeth National Park, I was so surprised how low the animal density was (with the exception of some species such as Ugandan Kob). In Lake Mburo National Park, I was concerned to see local ranchers chasing zebras
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into the bush so that their cattle could feed on the low grass outside of our lodge. Ranching and subsistence farming has really encroached into traditional spaces for wildlife. Parks are not fenced and perhaps this is something that contributes to territorial issues with residents and wildlife.Tourism infrastructure could benefit from a number of small improvements. Park fees are not posted transparently online, and there is an archaic process of receipt-keeping for entering the parks. Visitor Centers could do more to help improve education and awareness of conservation and local species. Amenities such as toilets and other conveniences were not well maintained. The exception to this was in Bwindi National Park, home to many of the country's mountain gorillas. This is a main tourist draw and its focus on hospitality and learning should be considered a model for the other parks.
Early September is the beginning of the rainy season, and on many occasions I had the parks open to myself. There were very few tourists, and this was a nice improvement from other experiences I've had.
Terrill
UG
Visited:
March 2016
Reviewed: Apr 6, 2016
Email Terrill | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Uganda is disproportionately diverse for its small size. You find snow-capped mountains and sweltering swamps, cool savannahs, and dense jungles. The big five megafauna here here, as are nearly 1500 bird species. Add to that several dozen ethnic groups and around 45 languages from three major language families. You are free to travel anywhere in the country (even Karamoja is safe, despite information online). Uganda is amazing.
Jiri Machacek
CZ
Visited:
July 2022
Reviewed: Sep 26, 2022
Email Jiri Machacek | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Uganda is an interesting safari destination but its wildlife is obviously under a great pressure
For such people Kenya/Tanzania are better options.
Uganda is about some special animal (shoebill, chimps, gorillas, other primates, birds) and special landscape (lakes, Virunga, Ruwenzori, a margin of Congo rainforest basin) targets.
We knew that, we are strongly oriented to wildlife but anyway - Uganda was a partial (with the focus on PARTIAL) disappointment.
When I was a child the classical Ugandan national parks like Murchison Falls and Queen Elisabeth were symbols of the African wildlife beauty. They are still here but obviously under a great poaching pressure and some parts of QE (esp. Ishasha sector) are simply dying ecosystems. Without any change in NP management Uganda can expect even further decrease of safari visitors.
There were also 2 and 1/2 disappointments with the activities which were expected to be the Uganda safari
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highlights:* Disappointment 1 : chimpanzee trekking in Kibale - IMO this is a cheat from definition - this is no trekking but cca an hour of standing in a dark forest and staring at a chimpanzee back high and far in the trees. I can understand it is made as it is possible but with all the marketing and for the price (a half of the gorilla permit) ... ? But I do believe that for chimps is Kibale a good place to live. Which is a good message.
* Disappointment 2 : tree-climbing lions in Ishasha/QENP - we saw just one older cub which was seriously and repeatedly injured (the older injury from poacher snares, the fresh new injury - as we were told - made by an aggressive male lion ). Add the evening/night shooting at elephants (to keep them out of the crop fields) and the fact that one half (really) of Ishasha sector is completely burnt down. A depressive place.
* 1/2 of Disappointment : gorilla trekking in Bwindi - this is no cheat (compared with chimps trekking in Kibale), it is a real rainforest trekking crowned with gorillas observation from a close distance - we spent a half an hour with a female and cca 10-month-old baby (nice) and we could hear other group members (incl. silverback) in the undergrowth nearby. But when the female with her baby was leaving we were told by our leader guide we could not to continue in observation because of a wasp nest (it was really there but it was there all the time and could be easily bypassed when trying to follow gorillas which were apparently nearby). So we finished our session after a half an hour and returned to the base where we were waiting another half an hour until the "easy group" returned (we were the "medium group"). I suppose the gorilla trekking is no cheat from definition (as I suppose the chimps trekking in Kibale is) but we simply had a hard luck with our leader guide. You didn't travel so long distance and didn't spend so much money to skip a half of the activity for such a vague reason.
But there were also very good points in our Uganda safari tour :
* shoebill in Mabamba swamps
* rhinos trekking in Ziwa RS
* Nile delta boat cruise (private small boat)
* giant forest hogs close to Buffalo lodge/QE
* Kazinga channel boat cruise (private small boat)
* Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga NP (by far best of the primate trekking)
* Lake Mulehe birding (private small boat)
* Lake Bunyonyi birding (private small boat)
* birding !!!
And the trip organization by Africa Adventure Vacations was excellent. The tour was discussed and planned with Robert and we were guided with Ceasar and Daphne. I can highly recommend all of them, the tour organization was simply great and we would like to thank them once more at this place.
To sum up - I'm far from being sure to visit Uganda again but if we do that we'll ask Africa Adventure Vacations (Robert, Ceasar, Daphne) to organize our trip again.
Balint
HU
Visited:
August 2024
Reviewed: Aug 27, 2024
Email Balint | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional beauty and poverty.
I visited the western half of Uganda that is full of green and wonderful. Murchison and Queen Elizabeth National Parks provide the opportunity to meet lots of wild species, and In Bwindi Impenetrable Forest you can visit gorillas. The beauty of Bunyonyi lake is go beyond everything. The country is basically safe, the lodges are below European standards, but the surroundings and athmosphere make them unforgettable experiences. The Ugandan kitchen is really good with mainly pork, chicken, beef and fish dishes, and a lot of fruits (mainly water melon and ananas). While taking the long routes between national parks you can watch the villages, markets and people along the road.
Astrid EM
ZA
Visited:
December 2024
Reviewed: Jan 20, 2025
Email Astrid EM | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A quick visit with amazing experiences to friendly, beautiful Uganda
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giraffes and buffalo as well as various antelopes and birds. By lunchtime I was on a cruise boat chugging along the Nile, stopping for lovely sightings of crocodiles, hippos, elephants and many birds. Late that evening due to the incredibly bad traffic conjestion I was back in Entebbe for my very early morning international flight.
Andsov
Visited:
November 2010
Reviewed: Nov 18, 2011
The friendliest place I have ever been
The scenery was beautiful, and so inspiring! Our breakfast at the lakeside cafè was of decent quality at best, but it was amazing to see all the animals, birds and to enjoy the lake view while having our breakfast. Our accomodation was parted; two people stayed at the spectacular and luxurious Mihingo Lounge. The other two stayed more or less in the bush, in a one-room house with toilets outdoors. We
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ran into animals on our way to the bathroom! Fascinating, and slightly scary. Food at Mihingo Lounge was excellent, food at the lakeside restaurant was decent. We had a teenager from the park collecting us from the restaurant at nighttime on a boda boda. It was a thrill to ride through the park at nighttime.The safari included a boatttrip, which was great for birding, and a walking safari. The latter was the safari highlight; a two hour walk on the green steps, surrounded by buffalos, topis, waterbucks and a bucnh of other animals I cannot rememeber right now. Our guide was fantastic. A friendly, intelligent young man with a heart for nature. And a great storyteller he was too!
As for Uganda, it was marvellous. I have not been there for the last time.
The Far Horizons
Visited:
April 2012
Reviewed: Jun 4, 2012
Uganda is an unspoiled destination, because it has never suffered the mass tourism of Kenya and Tanzania. The people are friendly and welcoming by nature, and there is plenty of opportunity to get out of the vehicle and explore on foot and to interact with the locals.
Game densities in some places are very good, but here, you have to work a little harder to spot your game than in other, more popular destinations. Also, top end accommodation can be hard to find in certain areas. However, Uganda has a beguiling charm, and will get under your skin. At the end of a multi-country African safari, Uganda will linger as one of your fondest memories, sometimes for reasons you can't quite put your finger on.