Wild animals can be dangerous. They should be treated with respect and caution. Most Uganda safari camps and lodges are unfenced.

And dangerous animals like elephants, buffaloes, hippos, and lions can (and do) wander through the camps, especially at night.

Listen to lodge/camp staff and guides. You should take the safety advice and precautions seriously and follow them strictly.

Avoid wander off on your own without a guide. It can even be dangerous to your room at night.

Buffalos, hippos, and elephants are impossible to see after dark, even a few meters.

Don’t leave your rooms at night. And avoid walking along riverbanks/lake shores (crocodiles and hippos kill many people every year).

Watch animals silently and with minimal disturbance to their natural activities. Standing up on game drive vehicles and loud talking can frighten animals away or cause an aggressive animal reaction.

Never attempt to attract the attention of the wild animal. Don’t imitate their sounds, clap your hands, pound the vehicle or throw objects. Please respect your driver-guide’s judgement about proximity to predators and large animals like elephants.

If you drive your vehicle too close to the animals, it can hinder a hunt or cause animals to abandon a hard-earned meal. This as well trigger a charge. Littering in the wildlife safari parks, in addition to being unsightly, can choke or poison animals and birds.

Never attempt to any wild animal on foot without a guide/range. And never feed the animals in the wild. Lodges and camps suffer the consequences as these animals may become accustomed to humans – leading to danger for all involved.

Refrain from smoking on wildlife safari game drives. The dry bushveld of Africa ignites very easily, and a fire can kill animals and destroy their grazing areas. Do not leave young children unattended while on wildlife safari in Uganda. Noisy children can also irritate other guests.

Also, to predators such as leopards, children often sound like prey animals making distress calls.

Young children that are unsteady on their feet can trigger an attack from even small animals that would typically avoid humans. For these reasons, some safari lodges in Uganda do not allow children on game drives or even allow them at the lodge.

The best time for wildlife viewing in Uganda is during the dry seasons – from June to early September and December to February.

This  when there is less vegetation to hinder your view and when animals are more likely to congregate near water sources.

The dry months are generally more popular with safari goers, although this is partly because it coincides with the long northern-hemisphere summer break. These peak months are usually dry (although rain can fall at any time).

Book well in advance if tracking gorillas, as Uganda gorilla permits sell out months in advance.

Really, though, Uganda is a year-round destination. The country sits squarely on the equator and the average altitude of about 1,000m tempers the heat. March to May and October to November see the highest rainfall. But gorillas are still lurking in the mist – although trekking to find them will be slippery and slower. Uganda safari accommodation can be much cheaper at this time.

Also, most animals have their babies during the wet seasons, when there is more to eat and drink. 

Babies are a delight to watch, and predators hunt very successfully at this time because the young animals are easy prey. And bird watching is generally better during the wet summer months, when many birds are breeding, vocal and visible, and when migratory birds are present.

Photographing Uganda wildlife is good all year round – from the vibrant colours and clear air of the rainy months to the smoky air and subtle colours of the dry months. Resign yourself to the fact that your camera equipment may get wet in the wet season and dusty in the dry season.