In 1907, Sir Winston Churchill penned “My African Journey” and dubbed Uganda as the Pearl of Africa. While many ask, “Why visit Uganda at least once in your lifetime?”, here’s a quote from Churchill:
The kingdom of Uganda is a fairy-tale. You climb up … and at the end there is a wonderful new world. The scenery is different, the vegetation is different, the climate is different, and, most of all, the people are different from anything elsewhere to be seen in the whole range of Africa … I say: ‘Concentrate on Uganda’. For magnificence, for variety of form and colour, for profusion of brilliant life – bird, insect, reptile, beast – for vast scale — Uganda is truly the pearl of Africa.
Truly, Uganda is unlike any other part of the world, and everyone should visit it at least once in their life. These are 7 of the reasons why.
1 – East African Savannah meets West African Jungle
Uganda is ecologically endowed with diversity that rivals larger countries. On one part, it is a fertile mystic jungle that provides habitat to a glorious avifauna and different primate species including the rarest ones in the planet. On another part is an East African savannah that features major lakes like Lake Victoria and a wide array of wildlife.
Uganda is bordered by the mysterious Virunga mountains, the beautiful Rwenzori Mountains which is Africa’s third highest peak, and Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake.
2 – Impressive diversity of wildlife
As a country bursting with bird- and wildlife, Uganda never fails to amaze its visitors. Its 60 protected areas (including 10 national parks) contain about 330 mammal species including lions, elephants, zebras, hippos and buffaloes; plus 1,061 recorded bird species that’ll leave any visitor unwilling to put down their binoculars.
Although a country with sheer animal diversity, the main highlight to any trip to Uganda is the primates. It is not surprising why as Uganda holds a variety of primates incomparable to any other African country. In fact, if you explore the jungles, you can find these primates in so little effort – and we’re not just talking about the endangered mountain gorillas but also over 10 other monkey species.
3 – Superb gorilla trekking safaris
Did you know that there are only about 900 mountain gorillas left in the world? More than half of them can be found in the Virunga mountains, making Uganda the most ideal gorilla trekking destination.
Compared to other gorilla trekking countries, Uganda offers varied opportunities such as meeting a troop of great apes for 1 hour or habituated gorillas for 4 hours. What makes it even better? Their permits cost almost twice cheaper!
4 – World-class birding
Yes. 1,061 bird species and counting. To think those are just the only ones recorded so far…
The fantastic avifauna in Uganda ranges from ostriches, pelicans, herons and storks to the rarest ones like green-breasted pitta, shoebills, Great blue turaco and bar-tailed trogon. The country also holds 60 species out of the 233 species of hawks, kites and eagles in the world. For caracaras and falcons, Uganda boasts 16 out of 62 species in the world. Guineafowls also have 6 species worldwide and half of them occur in Uganda: helmeted, crested and vulturine guineafowl. The long list goes on and one thing’s for sure: Uganda is truly every birder’s paradise.
5 – Chimpanzee trekking
Uganda is not all about the endangered gorillas, the birds and the glorious scenery. It is also blessed with a large population of our closest relatives, the chimpanzees.
Chimpanzees are not very easy to track or keep up as they move very fast and swing on the trees playfully. With the help of professional rangers, you will be able to spend an entire hour with these famous resident primates and you will be able to experience the thrill of not knowing where the chimps will lead you.
6 – Unique experiences
You can go on game drives, walking safaris, hot air balloon rides, etc. in many parts of Africa but experiences such as gorilla trekking and world-class birdwatching make Uganda unique and a must-visit at least once in every person’s lifetime. Also, there are other activities you can do in Uganda – activities that you could easily add to your gorilla trekking safari.
How about standing on Earth’s northern and southern hemispheres at the same time? Or standing right on the equatorial line?
Also, there is Murchison Falls as well as Lake Bunyonyi. Murchison Falls is where the Victoria Nile River surges through a narrow gap over a gorgeous massive drop. You can go on a boat safari to cruise under the waterfall and see amazing wildlife and birdlife around it. In Lake Bunyonyi, you can go canoeing, island hopping, swimming, etc. An underrated beauty tucked in the Gorilla Highlands, Lake Bunyonyi exhibits a magical view of small birds by its waters. It is also believed to be Africa’s second deepest lake.
7 – White water rafting at River Nile
It just makes sense that Uganda is one of the top destinations for white water rafting. It is, after all, the source of the world-famous River Nile.
So for adventurous travelers looking into doing something out of the ordinary in Africa, this should definitely be in your African bucket list!
Takeaway
Uganda is a wonderful blend of savannah and forest parks, and that alone is something you can’t just find in every other country in the world. With such a compact size, you can see a lot and do a lot of things, especially gorilla trekking. Plus, Uganda is very near ultimate safari destinations such as Kenya and Tanzania! In fact, you can easily take a flight or a bus (or you can drive) to either Tanzania or Kenya! Bus rides may take 24 hours, more or less, but the journey can still be captivating. But, if you’re in a hurry, you can always fly to these prime safari countries! Another good thing to note is that there is this East African visa wherein you can freely enter Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. Although Tanzania is not part of the package, acquiring a visa is not that difficult at all (given that you have the right documents and of course $50-$100 for the visa fee).
So what are you waiting for? Don’t just plan it, do it!
