Named the pearl of Africa by sir Winston Church, Uganda is indeed a natural beautiful tourist destination one must visit. Uganda is a land locked country located in East Africa and the source of the great river Nile the longest river on the planet. The country has a number of wildlife attractions that can be explored and enjoyed by tourists searching for true African wildlife adventure.
A drive from Kampala, Uganda’s main capital city towards the countryside introduces you to the true natural beauty of Uganda as you explore the major wildlife wonders the pearl has to offer. From Kampala to the source of river in Jinja, one goes through the magnificent Mabira forest one of the natural forests in Uganda. Bisected by the Kampala Jinja highway, Mabira forest is an eco tourism destination tourists should not miss visiting. The forest is a home to a number of wildlife species including over 300 bird species, primates like monkeys, baboons, mangabey, a number of butterflies and insects among others. Tourists visiting the Mabira forest reserve can engage in a number of adventure activities like forest walks as they view the different birds, primate tracking, birding and so much more.
Just after Mabira, you come across the great river at Jinja in its early stages where it forms a number of rapids that adventurous tourists capitalize on as they engage in white water rafting across the five different stages of the rapids including the most thrilling stage where the rafting boat is over turned by the great force of the waters of the Nile. White water rafting is not an activity for the fearful and weak hearted ones but much as its very freaky, its very enjoyable especially to the tourists interested in thriller. While in Jinja, one can also go a boat cruise to the source of river Nile, go for bungee jumping or even horseback riding.
Exploring Murchison falls national park offers yet another adventure with great scenic of the Murchison falls that forms a permanent rainbow. The falls can be toured while on a launch cruise that takes tourists to the bottom of the falls who later hike to the top for more clear views.
Being a home to over 75 mammal species and 450 birds, Murchison falls national park is one place in Uganda that offer great opportunity of viewing wildlife. While in this national park, one cannot miss seeing giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, Nile crocodiles, hippos, antelopes, baboons and many others. There are many other savanna national park in the country where one can view other wild animals while on game drives and boat cruises.
The mountain gorillas in the forests of Bwindi impenetrable and Mgahinga gorilla national parks are other natural wonders one should not miss while in Uganda. These great apes are highly endangered and the total population remaining on the planet is estimated at only 900. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park has half of the mountain gorillas (450) with 12 habituated mountain gorilla families that are open to tourist’s visitation. Each mountain gorilla family is visited by a group of 8 tourists a day who trek through the forested in search the allocated mountain gorilla family, which they spend with an hour learning more about them and taking, photographs. Spending time with these great apes on a gorilla safari in their habitats is very remarkable and exciting and it’s truly an experience one should not miss while in Uganda.
All the wildlife experiences in Uganda can be enjoyed at any time of the year. What makes the wildlife experiences in Uganda are the very hospitable and welcoming people especially the guides who have enough knowledge and information about the major wildlife species and therefore always answer all the burning questions.
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