Many visit Uganda to see the rare mountain gorillas living in the dense rain-forests. But the attractions of Uganda don’t stop there. From rural villages filled with enthusiastic locals to incredible wildlife on the banks of world’s longest river, Uganda consistently captures the attention, imagination and hearts of travelers worldwide. Below we introduce you to 17 Top Tourist Attractions and Places to Visit in Uganda.
A List of Top Places to Visit in Uganda:
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Kibale Forest National Park
- Kidepo Valley National Park
- Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
- Jinja And The Nile River
- Lake Bunyonyi And Lake Mutanda
- Lake Mburo National Park
- Mabamba Swamp
- Sipi Area
- Equator
- Semuliki Valley
- Rwenzori Mountains
- Kampala
- Lake Victoria And Ssese Islands
1. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Wild gorillas are the main attraction of this popular Uganda national park. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in the south west of the country is home to nearly half of the world’s remaining 1,063 mountain gorillas.
More than 20 habituated gorilla families here can each be tracked by up to 8 visitors every day. Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest often entails a steep and relatively demanding hike of 2 to 7 hours through dense undergrowth.
On other days it might involve a short, flat 30-minute stroll. Either way, a face-to-face encounter with these gentle giants – who share about 98% of their DNA with humans – is an unforgettable, and for some life-changing, experience.
Read More: A Guide to Gorilla Trekking in Uganda.
2. Queen Elizabeth National Park
It is difficult to know where to start when it comes to singing the praises of this biodiverse protected area. Perhaps the most obvious place is the Kazinga Channel, where herds of thirsty elephants and buffalos gather alongside resident pods of hippos below the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains National Park.
Boat cruises on this scenic waterway are a highlight of visits to Queen Elizabeth National Park. So, too, are game drives in the nearby Kasenyi Plains, where large herds of Uganda kob (a type of antelope) attract plenty of predators.
Elsewhere, the attractions of Queen Elizabeth National Park include tree-climbing lions in the plains of Ishasha sector, and daily chimpanzee trekking tours in the bordering Kyambura Gorge and Kalinzu Forest Reserve.
And the birdlife is extraordinary. Though smaller than blockbuster safari destinations of East Africa— the Serengeti in Tanzania or Maasai Mara in Kenya— Queen harbours considerably more avian species: over 600, in fact, a number that, according to BirdLife International, no protected area in Africa can beat.
Read more: A Boat Trip on the Kazinga Channel
3. Murchison Falls National Park
Sir Samuel Baker, the British Explorer called Murchison Falls, the explosive centerpiece of Uganda’s biggest national park, “the most important object on the entire course of the Nile River”. Leisurely boat cruises to the bottom of this spectacular waterfall confirm this assessment, while also offering incredible wildlife viewing.
You would see plenty of hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds from the boat, along with African elephants, African buffalos and various antelopes.
Elsewhere, lion and Rothschild’s giraffe are common on game drives north of the Nile River, while boat tours to the delta area where the Nile River enters Lake Albert regularly offer great sightings of the rare Shoebill stork.
Read More: Animals You Will See in Murchison Falls National Park
4. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the only place in Uganda where wild rhinos can be seen today.
Even better, it is one of the few places in the world that offers visitors the chance to track these giant prehistoric-looking creatures on foot, with sightings being nearly guaranteed.
Sadly, rhinos were in fact quite common in Murchison Falls National Park in the 1960s, only to be poached out in the turbulent post-independence era.
The white rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary have been bred up from 6 individuals that were translocated to Uganda mostly from Kenya in the early 2000s.There are plans to move some of these rhinos from Ziwa Sanctuary to the national parks of Uganda.
Until this happens, however, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary will remain one of the best places to visit in Uganda for people who want to see all the Big Five animals of Africa.
Read more: Ziwa Rhino Tracking
5. Kibale Forest National Park
Not only does Uganda offer all-but-guaranteed sighting of gorillas in their natural habitat and a fair chance of spotting African Big Five animals, it is also the most straightforward place in Africa to track wild chimpanzees, our closest living relatives.
Kibale National Park is the best place to do this if you want to be reasonably sure of a sighting, although other sites such as Kalinzu Forest, Budongo Forest Reserve and Kyambura Gorge are cheaper and not as busy.
Kibale Forest has a lot more to offer than chimpanzees. Over the course of a visit, you might easily see a dozen species of monkeys including Black and white colobus, Blue monkeys and the Uganda mangabeys, which are unique to the country.
A wonderful variety of colorful forest birds include Great blue turaco, Double-toothed barbet, Red-headed bluebell and the endemic African Green-breasted Pitta.
Read More: What Should You expect on Kibale Forest Chimp Trek??
6. Kidepo Valley National Park
The most remote national park of Uganda is located in the far northeast and shares a border with South Sudan. Due to this remote location, it receives relatively few visitors compared to Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks.
But this has nothing to do with the quality of wildlife game viewing.
In Kidepo National Park, animals you will see include thousand-strong herds of African buffalos, and large numbers of African elephants and Rothschild’s giraffes, together with Plains zebra, patas monkey and numerous antelopes.
Kidepo Valley National Park is the only place in Uganda where all Big Cats (lions, leopards and cheetahs) might all be encountered. A long bird checklist includes the Common Ostrich and East Africa’s only wild population of the striking rose-ringed parakeet.
Read More: Animals in Kidepo Valley National Park
7. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is often dismissed as the second-best place see mountain gorillas in Uganda. This is a totally unfair assessment.
Yes, there is only one gorilla family that can be visited here, so permit numbers are very limited. But this is also one of the most enjoyable gorilla families to visit in Uganda, since it contains 3 huge silverback males and tends to live in a more open bamboo forest than its counterparts in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park also has many other assets. It is the only place in Uganda where you can do a beautiful hike to see golden monkeys.
And the park’s location on the forested slopes of the volcanic Virunga Mountains, three of which can be climbed on challenging scenic day hikes, is absolutely thrilling.
8. Jinja and the Nile River
Wildlife viewing dominates most Uganda tour itineraries, and reasonably so.
This attractive town overlooks the source of the Nile, where the world’s longest exit Africa’s largest lake to begin its long journey north to the Mediterranean Sea via the Sahara Desert. Jinja is dotted with architectural relics of the days when it was the second-largest city of Uganda, along with a fun selection of restaurants, modern cafes and nightclubs.
For adrenaline junkies, the Nile River offers thrilling white-water rafting on Grade 5 rapids as well as kayaking, bungee jumping, tubing, and quad biking.
Read More: Best Things To Do In Jinja.
9. Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mutanda
Located in the same southwestern highlands that harbor Uganda’s mountain gorillas, Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mutanda have much in common.
Both are lava dammed lakes that comprise submerged river valleys dammed naturally by lava flows from the Virunga Volcanoes.
Scenically, both are encircled by steep terraced slopes and dotted with beautiful islands. Also, they are both considered safe for swimming, thanks to the absence of bilharzia (a snail-borne disease common at lower altitudes), crocodiles and hippos.
Where the two lakes most obviously differ is in their level of tourist development. Lake Bunyonyi is a well-known post-safari chill-out spot, and it offers a large choice of resorts to suit all budgets and tastes. By contrast, Lake Mutanda has a rather remote feel and is serviced by a handful of small mid-range and upmarket lodges.
Still can’t decide? Well, on a clear day, sundowner view across Lake Mutanda to the Virunga Mountains is one of the most beautiful anywhere in Africa.
10. Lake Mburo National Park
Situated about 4 hours’ drive west of Uganda’s capital, Kampala, Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest savannah national park of Uganda.
The park is mostly home to herbivores like antelopes, zebras, giraffes, and buffalos, but there are no elephants or lions here.
This means that it is a much safer place to roam around than the other parks, making it the ideal spot for outdoor activities like game walks, horseback riding, cycling tours, or bird-spotting walks, without running the risk of being trampled on or turned into a tasty meal for a big cat. Lake Mburo National Park is a perfect place to stop for night on your way back to Kampala from the southwest.
If your budget will stretch, stay at the fabulous Mihingo Lodge, one of the Uganda’s best safari lodges, which boasts luxury boutique log cabins with private verandas overlooking the park, and a swimming pool with one of the best views in Africa!
Read More: Top Weekend Trips from Kampala
11. Mabamba Swamp
Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport has a remarkable location on the northern shore of Lake Victoria (Africa’s largest lake) in Entebbe City.
Better still for new arrivals, Entebbe is only a short boat ride or drive from Mabamba Swamp, a bird-lover’s paradise run as a community ecotourism project.
Mabamba Swamps heads the list of best places to visit in Uganda (actually, make that anywhere on African continent) to see the shoebill.
This is pre-historic looking bird that feeds on lungfish, frogs, snakes, and baby crocodiles and claps together its massive shoe-shaped bill like castanets when disturbed.
Other iconic Uganda birds likely to be seen on canoe trips into Mabamba Swamp include African fish eagle, Palm-nut vulture, Goliath heron and African jacana.
12. Sipi Area
Sipi Area is situated at 1,775 meters above sea level in the foothills of Mount Elgon in Eastern Uganda close to the border with Kenya.
It is a relaxed hill town that makes a great location for a weekend break away from Kampala. Thanks to its fresh mountain air, rolling hills and craggy cliffs it is popular with adventure enthusiasts, particularly hikers and hill runners.
The area gets its name from three beautiful waterfalls – and a hike to see them, which takes the best part of a day, is the main attraction of the area.
But there are variety of other outdoor adventures enjoy here, from tours of the local coffee plantations, to bird watching walks, to hill running, to rock climbing on one of 14 bolted sport routes and even abseiling down the side of the main 100-meter waterfall!
Read More: 13 Best Scenic Day Hikes In Uganda everyone can do.
13. Equator
Another easy and popular place to visit in Uganda is the Equator.
Uganda sits right on this imaginary geographical line, offering a rare chance to stand in the middle of the Earth with one foot in the Northern Hemisphere while the other in the Southern and pose for a photo!
The points where the Equator line crosses major roads are all marked with circular monuments, but the main place to see it is at Kayabwe, on the Masaka-Mbarara highway, about 77km from Kampala.
Here there are cafes, restaurants and craft stalls and you can watch a demonstration that proves that water does indeed circle down a plug hole in opposite directions on either side of the Equator.
14. Semuliki Valley
The Semliki Valley in western is one of country’s more remote wilderness regions, unspoilt by mass tourism and considered by many (particularly bird lovers) to be one of the Uganda’s best-kept safari secrets.
This beautiful valley runs the short length of the Semliki River from where it enters the country until it empties into Lake Albert and encompasses two distinctive protected areas: the Semuliki National Park and the Semliki Wilderness Reserve.
The contrasting characters of the two wilderness areas – from ancient forest to gentle rolling savannah – ensure an astonishing variety of biodiversity.
Read more: Semuliki Valley, Uganda’s best kept safari secret.
15. Rwenzori Mountains
Another worthy addition to our list of the 15 Top Tourist Attractions and Places to Visit in Uganda is visit the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains!
A UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site in western Uganda, the Rwenzori Mountains is a hiker’s dream destination.
You can have short day hikes or tackle more challenging, multiday treks. Mountaineers can have a go at Africa’s third tallest peak (5,109 m)!
The vegetation in the mountain’s misty heights is unusual and exotic, and the trails are quiet as this block mountain is very remote and little-known.
It is an incredibly beautiful corner of the Uganda that is a must-see for anyone who loves the drama of mountains!
16. Kampala
Though most people travel to Uganda for the wildlife and scenery, most Uganda safari trips will start or end in Kampala, and no guide to places to visit would be complete without mentioning it.
Kampala has a reputation for being noisy and crowded, but it is also the beating heart of Uganda: full of vibrancy, hustle and bustle.
Originally built on 7 hills, and now sprawling out over 20, Kampala can be confusing to navigate, but the centre is compact and well-organised, with plenty to see and do.
You can learn about Uganda’s history and the brutal regime of Idi Amin at Mengo Palace (Kabaka Palace) – where you can see Amin’s chilling former torture chambers – or check out the last burial place of the former Kings of Buganda Kingdom at the Kasubi Tombs.
Stroll along Parliament Avenue to take in some of the best colonial architecture, shop for souvenirs or African art in one of the many craft markets and art galleries, or avoid the traffic by hopping on the back of a boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) and whizzing across the city (not for the faint-hearted, but an excellent and cheap way to get around).
Read More: The Most Exciting Things To Do In Kampala.
17. Lake Victoria and Ssese Islands
Uganda is landlocked, but what it lacks in sea views it makes up for with the mighty Lake Victoria. This massive water body sits on the south side of the country, across the borders with Tanzania and Kenya.
And with a surface area of just under 70,000 square kilometers, Lake Victoria, it is Africa’s largest lake by area, the world’s largest tropical lake, and the world’s second-largest freshwater lake by surface area after Lake Superior in North America.
The best departure point to see Lake Victoria is Entebbe. Enjoy a sunset cruise to enjoy the calm waters, or take a trip out to Ngamba Island Sanctuary to see orphaned chimps.
The top highlight is the Ssese Islands, an archipelago of 84 islands featuring soft white sands, and thick forests – which make for a fantastic off-the-beaten-track tropical island experience.
The main island, Buggala Island is easily accessible by ferry from Entebbe, and is a popular weekend destination for Kampala residents, with many beachfront hotels and bars. Read More: Where to stay in Ssese Islands?
