Most trips to Uganda will probably involve the capital city of Kampala, although it’s worth mentioning that the international airport is actually in Entebbe. It will take you at least an hour to get to Kampala from Entebbe.
Hang out in Entebbe to escape city pollution and traffic. Spend few days relaxing on the shores of Lake Victoria at the Protea Entebbe, you will find it to be a nice refuge away from the city.
Head to the Mabamba Swamp, where the famous Shoe bill Storks live. Alternatively, take a boat ride out on Lake Victoria or relax in the Entebbe Botanical Gardens.
Enjoy self-drive to Jinja “the adventure capital of East Africa.” The city of Jinja is located at the source of the Nile River. Yes, the world’s longest river starts right in Jinja, making it a hotspot for tourists in Uganda.
Spend few days here relaxing on the great Nile River and enjoying some delicious coffee and cafe treats at The Deli. Of course, the highlight of the time in Jinja is white water rafting down the Nile. White water rafting on the Nile is one of the most popular things to do in the country. Local Ugandan guide is an experienced rafter and spends a good deal of time instructing on the basics of paddling and what to do in emergencies.
Rafting the Nile is extremely fun not to be missed out while in Jinja. Jinja is also famed for having ATV Quad bike Safaris and bungee jumping over the Nile. Or you can say screw the whole adventure thing and opt for a brewery tour of the Nile Brewery.
The self-drive with rooftop tent adventure takes you to Murchison falls. It’s hard to believe that the entire Nile River squeezes itself through just a 7-meter-wide gap making Murchison Falls. The waterfall is 43 meters high and makes for an impressive sight to see.
Besides the beautiful falls, Murchison National Park is the home of 76 mammals and 451 birds. It also holds Uganda’s largest population of crocodiles, so I wouldn’t recommend sunbathing along the river banks. A boat trip to the base of the falls runs visitors $30 per person.
Head to Kibale National Forest if you want to come face-to-face with our closest living relative. Located about an hour’s drive from Fort Portal, Kibale National Forest is the world’s primate capital. With 13 different species of primates, it’s no wonder where they get their name.
Visitors flock here to get an up-close encounter with our closest relative – the chimpanzee. The Ugandan Wildlife Authority can organize chimp permits. AT $200, they come in as a much cheaper alternative to gorilla trekking in Uganda.
Book your permits before getting to Uganda. Finding the chimps takes less than an hour, and you observe them at a close distance once you spot the first troop. Visitors are given an hour of observation time with the chimps, during which you can see about 20 different chimps.
The male chimps are the most habituated to humans and are the least shy group. You can hear them call and interact with one another and even grooming! You can see female chimps, but they tend to hang out high in the trees with their young.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is 1978km in size. 95 African animals and over 600 different species of birds call the park home! Queen Elizabeth is the perfect place to head before or after you visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on your self-drive adventure.
Head to the southern region of the park is known as Ishasha. It is a great spot to search for some famous tree-climbing lions. The tree-climbing lions only hang out in two places worldwide (Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania is the other). You go into the park just before sunset, and low and behold, 30 minutes in, you will spot the tree climbing lions.
The next day you self-drive through the park to reach the Mweya peninsula. You can road trip with rooftop tent on the main road through the park without paying vehicle or park fees. The whole time you stand a chance of spotting Africa’s famous wildlife.
You can set out to see the crater lakes of Queen Elizabeth. The drive around the crater lakes is one of the most stunning in all of Africa. The pockmarked land with dozens of crater lakes makes you feel small. Two hours on the road, you may not see anyone else in a two-hour drive along the rim of the craters.
Drive to Bwindi National Forest famed for its population of mountain gorillas. The UWA offers the unique experience of a trek into the forest to catch a glimpse of critically endangered species. It is a highlight and draws many tourists who come to Uganda, one of Africa’s most incredible experiences.
Gorilla trekking permits are not cheap at $700 a permit; however, the experience is unforgettable. You trek high into the Bwindi Forest to find a family of 17 gorillas. Visitors are given an hour with the gorillas to watch the group play, eat, and socialize.
Check out Lake Bunyonyi one of Africa’s most beautiful lakes. It is a lovely lake that is perfect to relax on for a few days. Lake Bunyonyi is said to be the “place of many birds,” so if you are even slightly into birding, it’s a perfect place to watch birds.
A popular thing to do on Lake Bunyonyi is to take a small boat around to visit the various islands that occupy the tiny lake. Akampene, Bushara, Kyahugye, Bucuranuka, Bwama, and Njuyeera are some of the more popular islands to visit.
Lake Bunyonyi is the perfect place if you just don’t want to do anything at all. You will find great joy in just sitting with a coffee while overlooking the peacefulness of our surroundings.
While on self-drive, enjoy one of the remotest parks in northern Uganda. Kidepo is about as far north as you can get in Uganda and lies right next to Sudan and Kenya. It takes about ten hours to get to Kampala, isolating the park.
Its isolation is what many visitors dream as they will have almost the entire park to themselves to see some of the 77 different species of mammals. The park is best visited during the dry season when animals flock to the few watering holes near Apoka.
