Lying across the Equator in Eastern Africa at an elevation of 1100m, Uganda spans over 236580sq.km. Despite being a landlocked country, Uganda is endowed ecologically, a destination where the East African savannas meet the West African jungles. It is in Uganda where you can watch lions roam freely in the savanna plains, find great apes right in their natural habitat including golden monkeys, chimpanzees and mountain gorillas.
With abundant wildlife, birdlife and floral species, there are multiple opportunities to explore and experience Uganda. In this article, we bring 5 of the best destinations one shouldn’t miss visiting with a rental car in Uganda for a memorable road trip.
Below are the top 5 Uganda destinations to visit by car on your next trip
Jinja
Located in Eastern Uganda, Jinja is well-known as the adrenaline adventure capital of East Africa. It is in Jinja where you can perfectly explore and experience the Source of the Nile River. From Kampala to Jinja is about 2 hours’ drive and tourists can enjoy a spectacular road trip inclusive of numerous stopover points in areas like Mabira Forest, one of the few natural rainforests Africa is left with and lies between Uganda’s biggest cities –Kampala and Jinja.
At Jinja, there is a chance to marvel at the Source of the Nile as you cross the new bridge and later embark on adrenaline adventures. Some of the adrenaline adventures to consider on Jinja tour include horseback riding, sundowner, boat cruise, white water rafting, quad biking, cycling, tubing, sunset cruise and more.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
No destination brings you close to great apes –mountain gorillas in their natural habitats like Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Situated in the far Southwestern Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a perfect spot to locate the rare mountain gorillas on foot. Over 459 of the earth’s 1063 mountain gorillas survive peacefully in Bwindi National Park’s lush rainforest. The park spans over 331sq.km and contains 20 fully habituated families each to be visited by maximum of eight (8) guests per day. A single permit for gorilla trekking in Bwindi is issued to guests at USD 700 and for extra-ordinary gorilla habituation experience, a permit costs USD 1500 per person.
Visiting Bwindi National Park is beyond seeing mountain gorillas. There is a chance to engage in birding, nature/forest walks, cycling, and community visits at the Bakiga or Batwa communities. You can go on a self-drive or driver-guided road trip to Bwindi, start your journey from Kampala or Entebbe, and drive for 8-9 hours via Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale/Kisoro. From Kigali city, it will be a short road trip of about 4 to 5 hours through Chanika border to Kisoro town or Katuna via Kabale town.
Murchison Falls National Park
Visit Murchison Falls National Park, and marvel at the powerful Murchison Falls with its remarkable roar while it squeezes itself into a narrow rock measuring 7m. This park is set at the Northern edge of the Albertine Rift Valley, Northwestern Uganda. The park was first created as a Game Reserve in 1929 and features as the largest of Uganda’s National Park. Spanning over 3840sq.km, Murchison Falls NP is host to more than 76 mammal species and a total of about 451 species of birds.
Murchison Falls National Park exists in two sections created by the Victoria Nile. The Victoria Nile River forms the powerful and dramatic Murchison Falls. Walk to the top of the falls or drive and witness the magic of the Nile River as it forces itself into the narrow rock, 7m wide.
The park’s extensive area shelters the country’s finest wildlife including African elephants, cape buffaloes, Nile crocodiles, hippos, Rothschild giraffes, warthogs, lions, leopards, oribis, hartebeest and others. Murchison Falls NP is a perfect place to embark on a guided game drive, birding, launch cruise, hiking, sport fishing, and chimpanzee trekking, and more.
Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park is one of Uganda’s finest parks, dominated by lush tropical rainforests. Kibale is truly the primate capital of the world, home to 13 primate species and 375 species of birds. Within Kibale Forest National Park, there exist primates such as the endemic Uganda Mangabeys, l’hoest monkeys, localized red colobus monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, pottos, bush babies and others.
Other species that survive within Kibale National Park include forest elephants, numerous antelopes, buffaloes, and birds like the green breasted pittas. The main highlights of Kibale include chimpanzee trekking, chimpanzee habituation experience, nature walks, cultural heritage and nature trail, and birding.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Dubbed a medley of wonders, Queen Elizabeth National Park is a spectacular tourist destination and nature lovers’ most preferred spot to watch diverse mammals such as lions, elephants, buffaloes and hippos. Extending over 1978sq.km, Queen Elizabeth NP inhabits wildlife such as the tree-climbing lions, and over 620 species of birds.
The interesting things to experience on a safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park include game drives, birding, chimpanzee trekking, launch/boat trip, lion tracking, nature walks and others.
In conclusion, Uganda has plenty of places to visit for a holiday but the above stand out and each has unique animals or experiences for visitors to enjoy.