Group Safari on a Uganda Tour.
Planning a group safari in Uganda is one exciting adventure that will take the entire group through some of the most breathtaking landscapes and wildlife in Africa. Uganda is famous for its amazing national parks; these unique features and attractions make it ideal for group safari visitors.
Here is a list of some of the best parks you can consider visiting and what to expect in terms of animals, birds and activities.
Murchison Falls National Park
The park, Murchison Falls National Park, is the largest of Uganda’s national parks and a great place to visit on any group safari. The park is renowned for the mighty Murchison Falls, where the river is forced to squeeze through a narrow crack in the rocks before thundering down. It’s home to elephants, lions, giraffes, buffaloes and crocodiles. Bird lovers may also be fascinated with the view of different bird species such as shoebill storks, kingfishers, herons, Abyssinian ground hornbills, red-throated bee-eaters, black-headed lapwings, grey-crowned cranes and nightjars, among others.
While on a group safari, the park offers a variety of exciting activities to visitors on a group safari, such as game drives, Nile boat safaris, birdwatching and guided hikes to the waterfalls. The park’s landscape features savannahs, riverine forests and waterfalls, providing a diverse environment for both animal and bird species.
The park is famous for its large elephants and lions, and one would expect exceptional game viewing here. The boat trips on the river also provide close-up viewing opportunities for hippos and crocodiles basking on the banks.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
The park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, is renowned for its mountain gorillas. It’s a thick bamboo and montane forest containing half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas. Visiting Bwindi is a unique experience for groups interested in gorilla trekking, an activity that involves hiking through jungles to track down those gentle giants. Apart from gorillas, the park also boasts other primates such as chimpanzees, L’Hoest’s, blue, red-tailed and black-and-white colobus monkeys. There are also olive baboons, pottos and several galagos, among others.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is also one of the best birding areas in Africa. The park is home to over 360 species of birds, of which 23 are among the 36 Albertine Rift Valley endemic species. Some of the bird species you may spot here include the scarce African green broadbill, Grauer’s rush warbler, and handsome francolin.
While on a group safari here, visitors have the chance to embark on a variety of exciting activities, such as gorilla trekking, bird watching and visiting communities that contribute to the conservation of their regions.
Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale Forest National Park is the primate capital of the world. It is a dense, tropical rainforest that is home to several species of primates, such as chimpanzees, red colobus monkeys, black-and-white colobus, red-tailed monkeys and L’Hoest’s monkeys. The main attraction of the park is the habituated community of over 1,450 chimpanzees.
The park is an excellent place for group safaris focusing on birding and primate viewing. Kibale National Park, known as a birding destination in Uganda, hosts over 370 bird species, including numerous forest specialists. Some of the bird species include the green-breasted pitta, great blue turaco, African grey parrot, and various hornbills. Birding can be done in the Kanyanchu area and the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary.
While on a group safari, tourists have the opportunity to embark on a thrilling activity such as chimpanzee tracking, primate viewing, guided nature walks and birdwatching.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
The park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, is situated in southwestern Uganda and lies in the districts of Rukungiri, Kasese and Rubirizi, covering an area of 1,978 km². The park is renowned for its undulating savannah, lakes and variety of wild animals, making it an ideal place to go for a group safari in Uganda.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the best of Uganda, with 95 species of mammals and more than 600 birds, including the famous tree-climbing lions in Ishasha, large pods of hippos along the Kazinga Channel and chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge.
Other frequently seen animals are elephants, buffalo, leopards, Uganda kobs, and giant forest hogs. While on a Uganda group safari, tourists have the chance to engage in a variety of activities such as game drives, boat safaris along the Kazinga Channel, bird watching, lion tracking, chimpanzee trekking, sport fishing and community visits, among others. With such a wide range of terrains, animal life and activities, Queen Elizabeth is the place to be for an unforgettable group safari in Uganda.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
The park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, is situated in the Virunga Mountains in southwestern Uganda. It sits near the borders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The park is Uganda’s smallest national park, covering an area of about 33.9 km², but it is also known for gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking safaris. The park’s rugged terrain and volcanic landscapes make it a captivating destination for group safaris in Uganda. Gorilla treks here are similar to Bwindi but with fewer crowds, providing a more intimate experience.
Golden monkeys, a major highlight, are frequently seen travelling in troops through the forest canopy. The park also provides trails for hiking to the top of Mount Muhabura and Mount Gahinga with panoramic views of the hills and lakes.
Birdlife includes the Ruwenzori turaco and the bar-tailed firefinch, making for good birding. Visitors planning to embark on a Uganda safari on a group tour can embark on an activity such as mountain gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking, volcano hiking, and birdwatching, among others.
Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park is another destination to embark on for those planning group tours. The park is the only national park in Uganda located close to Uganda’s capital city of Kampala, making it easily accessible for visitors wanting to go on a Uganda group safari. The park is located in Western Uganda, in Kiruhura District, east of Mbarara town. Covering a total area of 370 sq km.
One of the main attractions of Lake Mburo National Park is its variety of wildlife. Lake Mburo National Park is home to a varied wildlife of 69 mammalian species; many of these park’s herbivores are rare and some are endemic to the region. Lake Mburo is the only park in Uganda that holds impalas and the only one in western Uganda where you can see giraffes, zebras and elands. Other animals found here include buffalo, hippos, jackals, leopards, oribi, reedbuck, topi, warthogs, waterbucks and more.
The park is also home to over 350 bird species, such as the African fish eagle, martial eagle, black and yellow papyrus gonolek, Abyssinian ground hornbill, saddle-billed stork and white-winged warbler. The park also hosts the papyrus yellow warbler and the brown-chested wattled plover, among others. If travellers are birdwatchers on a group safari in Uganda, then this will be an exciting park because of the large number and variety of birds. Apart from birding, the park offers game drives, walking safaris and boat trips on Lake Mburo that can take you to crocodiles and hippos relaxing in the water.
Kidepo Valley National Park
For an unforgettable group safari in Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park should be at the top of your destination list. It is situated in the northeastern corner of Uganda, bordered by South Sudan and Kenya. Kidepo Valley National Park is one of the most isolated and untouched parks in Africa. The park covers an area of about 1,442 square kilometres. Kidepo is renowned for its landscape, including savannahs, mountains, and rivers. The park is the least visited national park in Uganda, hence offering unforgettable memories to visitors while on a group safari.
The park has outstanding biodiversity, including the highest density of wildlife in the country, with large herds of buffalo and elephants. It is the only park in Uganda with cheetahs and ostriches, and it also has lions, leopards, Rothschild’s giraffes, zebras and a variety of antelope. Kidepo Valley National Park is a top birding destination with more than 475 species. It is also famous for some rare birds such as the Lammergeier, Verreaux’s Eagle, Common Ostrich, Kori Bustard, Secretary Bird and the Karamoja Apalis.
While on a Uganda group safari in Kidepo, tourists have the chance to engage in a variety of activities, such as guided game drives, guided nature walks, birding safaris, and cultural tours, among others. The park also has beautiful places like Narus Valley and Kanangorok Hot Springs; there, you can enjoy a good picnic and relax.
