Uganda Game Parks, Uganda Wildlife Sanctuaries

Uganda National Parks, Game Sanctuaries in Uganda, Bwindi, Murchison, Queen Elizabeth

Murchison Falls National Park
Area - over 4,000 square kilometers
Approx. distance from Kampala: 300 Km estimated transit time: 4 1/2 - 5 Hrs

The largest park in Uganda, renowned for its scenic beauty and the spectacular Falls from which it gets its name.No visit to Murchison Falls would be complete without a visit to the magnificent falls. They can be viewed from the top where the Nile River narrows from 50 meters to crash through a 7-meter gorge, falling 45 meters to the rocks below. Avid bird watcher will want to seek out some of the 424 species identified in the park. Fishermen can test their skills above and below the Falls, waiting patiently for 20-70 kg. Nile perch. Other game fish found in the Nile include Barbel, Electric Catfish and Tiger fish. While on the game drives, Cape buffalo, Rothschild's giraffe, Uganda kob, hartebeest and waterbuck are commonly seen. You may also spot oribi, bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, shy sitatunga, bush duiker, warthog and bush pig. Large carnivores include lion, leopard and spotted hyena.

Chimpanzees and olive baboons head the list of six species of primates found in the park. Crocodile and hippo will be seen along the banks of the Nile. Some of the more common birds that can be seen include goliath heron, Egyptian geese, pelican, bee-eaters, kingfishers, hornbill, cormorant, saddle-bill stork and the rare shoebill stork. A boat cruise to the delta is a highlight for the avid bird watcher.

Lake Mburo National Park
Area - 260 square kilometers
Approx. distance from Kampala: 230 km estimated Transit Time: 3-4 Hrs

It lies along Mbarara Road within easy access of Kampala. It is ideal for a transit stop to/from the gorilla sanctuaries or Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is an attractive park of rolling hills and open grassy valleys, interspersed with thickets, woodlands and rich wetlands. Find here herds of zebra, Cape buffalo and eland. Oribi and Topi are easily approached. Along with a game drive, many visitors enjoy a boat trip on Lake Mburo. Bird watchers, will enjoy the more than 250 species of birds found in Lake Mburo including Papyrus Gonolek, Brown faced Lapwing. Carruther's Cisticola, the extraordinary White winged Warbler and Bare-Faced-Go- Away bird.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Area – 34 square kilometers
Approx. distance from Kampala: 510 km estimated transit Time: 8-10 Hrs

It is the Ugandan part of the Virunga Conservation Area, where half of the world's mountain gorillas make their home, this park shares boundaries with Rwanda and Congo/Zaire. The park is comprised of parts of three extinct volcanic mountains, Mt. Muhavura (4127 m), Mt. Gahinga (3475 m) and Mt. Sabyinyo (3645 m). The vegetation of Mgahinga is typically afro-montane, with a forest belt, a bamboo zone, an ericacious belt and an alpine zone. The park supports a variety of animal species including gorilla, rare golden monkey, buffalo, elephant, leopard and several cat. There are also over 180 species of bird found in the region. Among these are the handsome fancolin, the Rwenzori touraco and the side-breasted tit. About 45 mountain gorillas use the Mgahinga sector of the Virunga Conservation Area seasonally.

Gorilla trekking is available here when the gorillas are in the park. They are usually resident in the months of April, May and June and October, November and December. Mgahinga also offers a number of other exciting half-day hikes and the challenge of a full-day climb to the summit of Mt. Muhavura or Mt. Gahinga, or the breathtaking Sabyinyo Gorge.