“Oh Uganda, land of beauty” is the opening line of this east-central African country’s national anthem, and it is certainly true! But apart from beautiful green landscapes, pleasant tropical climate and richly diverse fauna and flora species, Uganda also offers friendly people, a safe travel environment and good tourism infrastructure.
The country is located on the east African plateau with a rim of mountains around it, and averages about 1,100 metres (3,609 ft) above sea level. Although landlocked, Uganda contains many large lakes, including one that influences much of the country’s south, Lake Victoria, the largest tropical lake on Earth. Uganda has a wide variety of different habitats, including mountains, hills, tropical rainforest, woodland, freshwater lakes, swamps and savannah. The country has a huge amount of biodiverse flora and fauna reflecting this range of habitats. Some 345 species of mammal and 1060 bird species have been recorded in the country, along with 4,500 species of plants, 142 species of reptile, 86 amphibian species, 501 species of fish and 1,242 butterfly species. A treasure trove of fauna and flora indeed!
Some of Uganda’s key mammal species are Eastern Gorilla (Mountain subspecies), Chimpanzee, Angola Colobus, Ugandan Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Eastern Red Colobus, L’Hoest’s Monkey, Guereza, Blue Monkey, Lion, Leopard, African Golden Cat, Serval, African Buffalo, African Elephant, Kob (Uganda subspecies), Sitatunga, Beisa Oryx, Giraffe (Rothschild’s subspecies), Forest Hog and Hippopotamus. There are also several near threatened bat, shrew and rat species, along with Jackson’s Mongoose, Spotted-necked and African Clawless Otter.
Top avian species include the iconic Shoebill, Grey Parrot, African and Green-breasted Pitta, Nahan’s Francolin, Papyrus Gonolek, Many-coloured, Luhder’s and Bocage’s Bushshrike, Dusky and Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo, Blue Malkoha, Black Bee-eater, Blue-throated Roller, Afep Pigeon, Great Blue Turaco and many others.
Uganda boasts 60 protected areas and 10 national parks. Some of them are considered among Africa’s premier safari and wildlife destinations, including
• Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – proud home of the only wild rhinos in Uganda and a successful private-government conservation cooperation project
• Murchison Falls National Park – named for the stunning waterfall where the Nile river crashes through a narrow gorge, but also home to fantastic birds and mammals
• Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve – one of the hidden gems of the Albertine rift valley, blessed with incredible views of Lake Albert and the Blue Mountains
• Kibale National Park – home to an incredible 13 species of primates, and the best place on earth to see our closest relative, the Chimpanzee
• Queen Elizabeth National Park – famous for its 95 mammal species, 500 bird species and dramatic volcanic features
• Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and most notable for its population of about 400 Mountain Gorillas
• Lake Mburo National Park – the smallest of Uganda’s savannah national parks and home to 350 bird species and stunning wetland scenery
We offer some fantastic trips to Uganda, including our
For your chance to join us on an amazing adventure in the “Pearl of Africa” in August 2020 get in touch with us at info@naturetravelafrica.com.