Explore Uganda- off the beaten path, discover the country’s hidden gems in comfort. Nothing is as rewarding as embarking on a trip to less explored and off-the beaten path destinations in Uganda, a country that was nicknamed the Pearl of Africa by Sir Winston Churchill during his African Journey in the early 1900s. Exploring these destinations offers lifetime experiences, you get to discover the least visited places hence guaranteeing authentic African experiences. Here are the best five destinations to visit in Uganda;
Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo National Park still stands out as the least visited destination in Uganda, offering typical of the off-beaten path experiences. Located in the far remote Northeastern Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park is best referred to as “a lost Eden.” It was even ranked the 3rd best African park by CNN. Few make it to Kidepo and they experience true authentic wilderness, typical of the off-the beaten paths.
Kidepo sits on the land area of 1442sq.kms and it was established in 1962. Key areas of interest while at Kidepo National Park; game drive to see diversity of its wildlife including cheetahs, leopards, lions, buffaloes, elephants, hyenas, antelopes, giraffes, zebras, birds and more.
Semuliki National Park
Located in Western Uganda, Semuliki National Park is one of the forgotten destinations by tourists. Boasting of its unbeatable sceneries, Semuliki is a true hidden gem. It is one of the only two destinations in Uganda where night game drives can be done. Other activities include chimpanzee tracking, nature walk, fishing, birding, cultural encounter and more.
Semuliki National Park is accessible from Kampala through Fort Portal 5-6 hours’ drive and from Kampala via Masaka-Mbarara through Kasese 7 to 8 hours.
Semuliki shelters a huge profusion of Uganda Kobs, 441 bird species making it the birder’s paradise. The birds of Semuliki include the red-throated alethe, blue swallow, Abyssinian ground thrush, blue shouldered robin chat, white starred robin, fire-crested alethe, Northern bearded scrub robin, swamp palm bulbul, lowland akalat, capped wheatear, red eyed puffback, etc.
The mammal species in Semuliki include forest elephants, pygmy antelopes, chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, grey cheeked mangabeys, leopards and others.
Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park, a compact gem and the most accessible protected area from Kampala city center/Entebbe. Located in Western Uganda, Lake Mburo National Park is about 240kms off from Kampala city center and in the surrounding, there are about 4 districts; Lyantonde, Kiruhura, Isingiro and Mbarara.
Wildlife at Lake Mburo National Park; 350 bird species and several mammals, reptiles live here. The notable wildlife; elands, impalas, zebras, Defassa waterbucks, oribis, crocodiles, topis, hippos, leopards, lions, reedbucks, buffaloes, giraffes, bushbucks, etc.
It is possible to undertake a guided game drive -day starting at as early as 6:00am or night running from 6:30 to 7:00pm. Night game driving is all about getting exposed to the park’s nocturnal wildlife such as leopards, bush babies, nocturnal birds, etc.
Murchison Falls National Park
Located in the Northwestern Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park is the largest African park in the Pearl of Africa occupying up to 3840sq.kms. This makes up part of the vast Murchison Falls Conservation Area and protects diversity of wildlife of Uganda safari travelers’ interest.
Wildlife in Murchison Falls Game Park: the Rothschild giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, hippos, crocodiles, hartebeest, oribis, Uganda Kobs, lions, warthogs, leopards, 451 bird species including the Senegal thick-knee, Abyssinian ground hornbill, grey crowned cranes, black-headed lapwing, yellow fronted tinkerbird, standard winged nightjar, grey headed kingfisher, shoebill stork, goliath heron, secretary bird,
Black bellied bustards, lesser flamingos, saddle billed stork, swamp flycatchers, Denham’s bustard, blue headed coucal, sandpipers, black billed barbet, long-tailed nightjars, African jacanas, osprey, yellow fronted tinker bird, malachite kingfishers, etc.
Pian Upe Game Reserve
The Pian Upe Game Reserve is a large protected area in North Eastern Uganda. This is Uganda’s second largest protected area and it is a virgin area that has been less covered by tourists who travel to East Africa.
The park is one of the best places for game drives and you will see lots of big game in undisturbed grasslands and woodlands. During your wild safari, expect to see large mammals such as lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and a variety of antelopes.
Would you like to go birding? Pian Upe has a bird checklist of over 242 species. It is a true birder’s haven and some of the birds not to miss include the large ostriches, superb starlings, hornbills etc.
