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Despite being a smaller nation than some of its neighbouring countries, Uganda is brimming with dramatic scenery. It is home to a wealth of stunning sights, including deep lakes, stunning waterfalls, towering mountains and incredible wildlife, all of which make for impressive viewing on any Uganda holiday.
The various national parks protect over half of the world’s Mountain Gorillas, along with chimpanzees, rare golden monkeys and a classic safari checklist including lions, elephants, leopards and hippos. It is also a birdwatcher’s paradise, with over 1000 bird species found here and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest having more species per square kilometre than anywhere else in the world.
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Uganda holidays are famed for giving travellers the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the endangered Mountain Gorilla on a gorilla tracking adventure at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. However this captivating country is also home to many other highlights, such as the Queen Elizabeth National Park, which gives you an opportunity to encounter much of Africa’s impressive big game, including elephants, hippos and tree-climbing lions. Wildlife viewing is at its best during the park’s two dry seasons from January to February and from June to July.
You also have the opportunity to see chimpanzees in the wild, with your best chances of a sighting being at Kibale National Park, Semliki Wildlife Reserve and Kyambura Gorge. Kibale Forest shelters a total of 13 primate species, including some 1,500 chimps, and it is also home to over 200 different tree species, creating a truly remarkable landscape. As a result, no Uganda holiday is complete without a visit to this incredible expanse.
Aside from the wildlife, other spectacular sights found in Uganda include Murchison Falls, the country's largest conservation area, where the River Nile descends dramatically towards Lake Albert. Regular visitors to the riverbanks include elephants, giraffes and buffaloes, while hippos, Nile crocodiles and aquatic birds are permanent residents. Uganda is also home to the glacier-topped Rwenzori Mountains, which have regularly been selected as being one of the ‘World’s Best Hikes’ by National Geographic.
Where you stay on your holiday to Uganda is crucial, and so at Africa Travel we have rounded up a selection of our top accommodation picks. Top of any list must be the Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, which is arguably the country’s most luxurious safari lodge. Tucked away deep inside the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is uniquely located to maximise your chances of seeing the famous mountain gorillas, and is indeed frequently visited by families of gorillas. Also not to be missed are the opportunities to interact with the Batwa Pygmy community and to visit the philanthropy project at the Bwindi Community Hospital. For those who are less mobile, this is also the perfect place to stay as specially-designed chairs allow guests to be carried into the forest to track the gorillas so no one misses out.
Overlooking the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is Bwindi Lodge, also a location where the gorillas are known to visit, and home to one of the country’s best spas. Buhoma Lodge also enjoys spectacular views across Bwindi's verdant forest canopy and is ideally sited just a short distance from the starting point for treks into the jungle, as is Mahogany Springs Lodge, which takes its name from the 400-year old mahogany tree that towers majestically above the lodge gardens.
Moving to Kibale, Primate Lodge is the prime property, located in the heart of the Kibale Rainforest National Park, Uganda’s primate paradise. The secluded guest rooms and cottages are set deep in the forest for maximum privacy and a natural ‘living in nature’ feel.
The Queen Elizaberth National Park is an animal-lover’s delight, and at its heart lies Mweya Safari Lodge, located on a peninsula with fantastic views over the Kazinga Channel and Lake Edward, from where the famous hippo cruises are available. Found in the Park’s remote southern sector is the Ishasha Wilderness Tented Camp, which consists of ten spacious canvas tented rooms, each having a private verandah overlooking the Ntungwe River.
A little further afield outside the Park’s boundaries up on the hillside is Katara Lodge, which has commanding and sweeping views over the savannah and the Rwenzori Mountains beyond, and then there is Kyambura Gorge Lodge, a former coffee processing plant which is the perfect setting for tracking chimps in the Kyambura Gorge.
Semliki Lodge is located within the secluded Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve, with lucky guests gifted the entire Semliki Valley to explore, providing a very private safari experience, and last but by no means least there is Baker's Lodge, which enjoys an enviable position on the banks of the Nile and is perfectly located for excursions into Murchison Falls National Park. Named after the English explorer Samuel Baker, guests can experience the river as it cascades over the 40 metre high falls through an eight metre wide gap and also when it is more serene as it flows peacefully through a large papyrus delta.
Whichever areas you wish to visit, for a once in a lifetime experience, book your Uganda holidays today to indulge in a combined trip of nature and adventure. Contact Africa Travel for your dream holiday to Uganda and let our experts help create your perfect trip.
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Chris joined Africa Travel directly from university in 1992 and knows both the company and Africa extremely well.
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Julia’s love for travel began at a young age. Born in Cape Town, she spent many a holiday exploring Southern Africa with her family before starting her career in travel.
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Felicity, who joined Africa Travel in 2004, has worked in the travel industry for over 30 years and originally comes from South Africa's KwaZulu Natal province
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Christine fell in love with Africa over 30 years ago, and has been managing the Cape Town office since 2008, and is looking forward to exploring Namibia more.
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Shaun joined the travel industry just over 10 years ago, working first for an online travel booking portal and an ecotourism company, specialising in sustainable travel in Southern and East Africa.
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Debbie joined Africa Travel in May 2009 and has been in the travel industry for over 20 years, enjoying a number of roles, from airline ticketing to accounting.
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Christine first came to Africa as a young woman and immediately felt a connection which has never allowed her to leave. She lived in Johannesburg and in Knysna on the Garden Route, but came to Cape Town 22 years ago and realised it was where she wanted to be!
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Alyson grew up in Zimbabwe and it was her parents who influenced her a great love of the African bush. It was not just a love of the wildlife but the plant and bird life and everything that is associated in the wild spaces of Africa.
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