5 Memorable Uganda Wildlife Safari Discoveries

A post COVID-19 Lock-down safari to the Pearl of Africa offers Memorable Uganda wildlife discoveries. Uganda opened up for tourists on 1st October and is among the Must Visit wildlife safari destinations in East Africa.

Arriving tourists are expected to have tested negative for COVID 19 within 72 hours prior to arrival. On departure one is again required to test 72 hours before departure to ensure that he/she left the country safe. All these tests must be done from a credible health facilities and will be required at the airport.

Below are some of Uganda wildlife discoveries you will enjoy while on a safari to this beautiful country.

1. Mountain Gorillas

These rare apes inhabit the forested mountains of Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga gorilla parks in southwestern Uganda. The total mountain gorilla population on the entire planet is estimated at 1063 and Uganda has half in Bwindi. Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi and Mgahinga offers finest Uganda wildlife discoveries as you meet the gorillas in the wild.

A gorilla trek starts in the morning taking 1 to 6 hours depending on the movement of the gorillas. As you hike the forested mountains you encounter other wildlife species in the park especially birds.

When on a visit to Uganda ensure to have a mountain gorilla trek on your bucket list. Gorilla tracking can be done anytime of the year and permits for international tourists cost USD 700 per person.

Mountain Gorilla Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Mountain Gorilla in Bwindi Uganda. Courtesy Photo

2. Shoe-bill Storks at Mabamba Swamp

Mabamba swamp is located in Entebbe on the northern shores of lake Vitoria. The swamp is one of the best birding spots in Uganda with over 300 bird species. The swamp is home to the rare shoe-bill storks that are incredible Uganda wildlife discoveries while on birding excursions.

Mabamba is one of the best places in Uganda for spotting the shoe-bill stork often attracted by the lungfish. Lungfish is the Shoe-bill storks favorite food and shoe-bill storks are often seen on the lookout for fish.

There are over 12 shoe-bill storks here and the best time for a shoe-bill stork excursion is 7:00 am. You can as well try out late evening like from 5:00 pm and also get to enjoy the African sunset. Other notable bird species at Mabamba swamp include African Fish eagles, African Jacanas, Black-headed herons, blue swallow Egrets and others.

Shoebill Stork at Mabamba Swamp. Safari Experiences
Shoe-bill stork at Mabamba Swamp. Photo by Ryan Wilkes

3. Chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park

Uganda is no doubt East Africa’s primates haven with the largest chimpanzee population in the world in Kibale National Park. There are several chimpanzee families with over 30 individuals that are often encountered here.

Chimpanzees are mans’ closest primate species with over 95% DNA similar to humans. They live in a setup of families just like human beings headed by dominant male chimpanzees. These determine the days routine and spend most of the day feeding and looking for fresh feeding areas.

Trek with the chimpanzees of Kibale forest national park for memorable Uganda wildlife discoveries of the primate world. A chimpanzee permit for international tourists cost USD 200 but they are on high demand. Ensure to have your chimpanzee permit booked on advance in order to be part of this wildlife adventure.

Chimpanzee Kibale Forest National Park Destination Uganda
Chimpanzee in Kibale Forest National Park. Photo by Jonathan Benaiah

4. Snow capped Rwenzori Mountains

These are located in western Uganda in Rwenzori mountains National park a habitat to unusual wildlife species. Rwenzori mountain ranges stretch along the Uganda DRC border with the highest peak Margherita at 5,109 meters above sea level.

The Mountains are very unique as the upper parts are snow capped and with glaciers forming incredible wildlife features. A number of adventurous mountain climbers often take on the Rwenzori challenge to have fun and explore the snow.

The slower slopes of the Rwenzori mountains are covered with various vegetation types from tropical rainforests. These act as homes to wildlife including the rare three horned chameleon. A hike to the snow capped Rwenzori mountains no doubt presents unique Uganda wildlife discoveries.

Rwenzori Mountains. Uganda Wildlife Discoveries
Snow capped Rwenzori Mountains. Photo by Ssebuuma Ivan

5. The Nile River at Murchison Falls National Park

The Nile River is Africa’s longest river that start its journey north through Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterranean sea. The River is one of Africa’s hopes of life as it supports a number of wildlife species.

In Uganda the Nile river forms the great Murchison falls as its squeezed in a 10 meters gorge. With this pressure, the falls form a thunderous sound and a permanent rain-ball; quite a spectacular sight to watch.

As the Nile river leaves the gorge, it gives a breath of life with incredible wildlife species often seen here. These include Nile Crocodiles, Africa’s giants like Elephants usually seen at the river banks feeding. All these can be well explored while on the Murchison falls bottom of the falls boat cruise.

Murchison falls is Uganda’s finest Savanna national park with wildlife like Buffaloes, giraffes, warthogs, antelopes usually explore on game drives. The park is a 5 to 6 hours drive from Kampala Uganda’s Capital City and can be accessed by road. In-case you don’t want this drive then you can fly from Entebbe to Pakuba airstrip located within the park.

Mountain Gorillas Baby Boom in Uganda’s Forested National Parks

Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Uganda
An Infant gorilla with its Mother in Bwindi, Uganda. Photo by Bishop Skyler

Updates from Uganda’s mountain gorillas national parks indicate an increase in births with six mountain gorilla babies having been born in just six weeks. 5 baby  gorillas have been born in Bwindi Impenetrable national park in the different sectors of the park and 1 baby gorilla in Mgahinga gorilla park.

About Mountain Gorillas

Mountain gorillas are endangered primate species that live in the forested mountains of East and central Africa. Their population had declined due to poaching, human encroachment on their habitats and civil wars. After several conservation efforts, the total mountain gorilla population has increased steadily now estimated at 1063 gorillas.

East Africa is a home to these primates living in the forested mountains of Uganda, Rwanda and DRC.

Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable forest has the highest gorilla population of all the gorilla destinations. The park has over 15 habituated mountain gorilla groups that are open to tourist visitation. With the new and increased gorilla births we just hope for the best especially for conservation and gorilla tourism.

Those interested in mountain gorilla tracking  can have a gorilla tour arranged to one of the destinations.

While on the mountain gorilla trek, tourists are allowed in the presence of mountain gorillas for strictly one hour. This helps to limit contact to avoid disease spreading among gorillas and humans.  Mountain gorillas have 95% DNA similar to humans with chances of transmitting diseases easily if interaction is not limited.

In case you want more time with the gorillas in then you can opt for a mountain gorilla habituation experience. This experience is where gorillas are accustomed to human beings presence in the wild. Tourists on the gorilla habituation experience stay for 4 hours in the presence of the gorillas.

Note is that mountain gorilla tours are on high demand with need to book gorilla permits in advance. The gorilla permits usually get sold out in the high season from June to September and from December to March.

You can have a mountain gorilla tour arranged anytime and visit one of the two gorilla parks in Uganda.  The best gorilla trekking experiences can be had in the dry season with minimal rainfall disturbances.

Mountain Gorilla Census Reveals an Increase in Population

Mountain Gorilla in Democratic Republic of Congo
Mountain Gorilla in Virunga National Park. Photo by Blue Skye Photos

A mountain gorilla census was conducted in 2018 in Bwindi Impenetrable forest in Uganda and Sarambwe reserve in the DRC.  This was aimed at establishing the mountain gorilla population in the two primates wildlife ecosystems. The mountain gorilla census results were released in December 2019 showing a steady increase of the mountain gorilla population. This is from an estimated 400 in the 2011 census to 459 as per the released results in December 2019.

With this, total mountain gorilla population is now estimated at 1063 gorillas when combined with those in the Virunga massif. The Virunga massif covers Volcanoes national park Rwanda, Mgahinga gorilla park Uganda and Virunga national park in DRC.

The Conservation Journey

The mountain gorilla conservation journey has not been an easy one but has over time yielded positive results. The population increase portrays conservation efforts as in 1980’s the population in the Virunga massif was as low as 240.

Many gorillas were killed in civil wars, poached and disease since they have a DNA similar to humans. The mountain gorilla habitats had been also encroached on which affected them further making their numbers shrink this low.

At the time, mountain gorillas had been listed as critically endangered primates species by the IUCN. There was therefore urgent need for mountain gorilla conservation to restore numbers and habitats for them.

A 2016 mountain gorilla census of the Virunga massif indicated gorilla population increase from 240 in the 1980’s to 604. With this, the mountain gorillas status in the IUCN Red list records was changed from critically endangered to endangered.

Mountain gorilla conservation has been supported by collaborative efforts from wildlife authorities in the 3 countries with the Mountain gorillas. With teams from these countries, surveys are easily done and with information sharing it makes the whole work very easy.

There has been more continued support from government and mountain gorilla conservation organizations like the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

Mountain Gorilla Tourism

The forested mountains of Bwindi and Virunga massif have habituated mountain gorilla families that are open to tourist visitation.

Because of need for conservation, only 8 tourists are allowed to track one mountain gorilla family per day. These tourists buy gorilla permits and part of the money from gorilla permits is used in mountain gorilla conservation.

Another percentage of the money from gorilla permits is given back to the community around the mountain gorilla national parks. This is because these people around where initially forest dwellers who entirely depended on the forests for livelihood. They were now resettled at the edge of the national parks to reduce on gorilla habitat encroachment and poaching.

 A gorilla tour to the misty mountains offers remarkable encounters that most tourists term as once in a life time experience.  Mountain gorilla tours  always leave lasting African safari  and primate tracking memories. 

A gorilla trek can be done any time of the year guided by trained ranger guides in gorilla national parks.

Mountain gorilla tours and safaris are on high demand therefore gorilla permits easily get fully booked. The peak travel seasons from July to September and from December to March is the most busy one.

You can have a Rwanda gorilla tour in Volcanoes national park that is a 3 hours drive from Kigali.  A Uganda gorilla tour can be enjoyed in Bwindi or Mgahinga gorilla park all located in the southwestern part of the country. Lastly, you can visit Virunga for a Virunga gorilla tour in DRC’s Virunga national park. 

We advocate for more conservation efforts towards all wildlife species including the endangered mountain gorillas.  We hope that in the next mountain gorilla census we will notice a further increase in the population. A number of baby gorilla births have been recorded in the three major mountain gorilla national parks.