What to see and do on a Uganda western circuit safari
Uganda is one of the best destinations when it comes to tourism. Located in the Eastern wing of Africa, Uganda is blessed with a number of national parks and other tourist attractions. The majority of the national parks, lakes, and rivers as well as mountains are concentrated in the western region hence the name “western circuit.” There is a way these destinations are linked to one another and each of them has something new to offer to travelers. Embarking on the Uganda western circuit safari is the best way of combining the beauty of Uganda in one safari trip.
The safari will introduce you to multiple animal species such as lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, zebra, warthog, Uganda kob, mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, Thomson’s gazelle, kopje, bushbuck, to point out just a few. You will drive through the rolling hills, savannah vegetation lush in a glace whose fragrance is reflected in the green trees swinging from side to side in obedience of the cool winds.
Imagine visiting Uganda’s top national parks. These include; Murchison falls national park, Rwenzori Mountains national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Kibale national park, Semuliki national park, Bwindi Impenetrable national park. Each of these offers a unique attraction that is the Big 4 animals (Murchison falls national park), Snow-caped Rwenzori Mountains (Rwenzori Mountains National park), Sempaya hot springs (Semuliki national park), tree climbing lions (Queen Elizabeth national park), Chimpanzee (Kibale national park) and then mountain gorillas (Bwindi Impenetrable national park.
Having said that let us take you to the amazing region on of Uganda as you explore the Pearl of Africa and turn moments into memories.
1. Murchison Falls national park
Murchison Falls National Park was named after the magnificent Murchison falls, also known as the Kabelega falls. It is the largest in Uganda and covers an estimated area of about 3840 sq. km, bigger than any other conservation area in Uganda.
It’s situated in the northwest, which is about 90 kilometers from Masindi town, it comprises of Bugungu and Karuma Wildlife reserves, where River Nile explodes viciously from end to end of a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to fall into a frothing pool 43m below. Its banks are always thronged with crocodiles, Hippos, waterbucks and Buffaloes coming to quench their thirst on the river during sunny afternoons. The mixture of Savannah grasslands, riverine forest and Savannah woodland distinguish Murchison vegetation from the other national parks, making it extremely a unique destination!
Game drives in Murchison falls national park are done very early in the morning before the sun rises and there is a lot of wildlife to see in the park via several tracks i.e. Albert Buligi and Queen in the northern sector of the park. Tourists can enjoy the view and observe wildlife on the green hillsides at Nyamusika Cliffs. This is a 3-4 hours game drive. Please ensure you’re accompanied by a tour guide. The best time to embark on this trip is either 07:00hr or 16:00hr in the evening where you can view plenty of animals grazing in the plains of Murchison falls national park.
Nature walks are done in Rabongo forest situated in the south eastern sector of Murchison falls national park; here you’re offered a chance to explore this compact forest on foot; the communities, Vegetation, Birds and animals and Kaniyo Pabidi in Budongo are gently observed.
The boat cruise from the board point to the fore view of Murchison Falls is one of the striking activities in Murchison Falls National Park that makes a highlight for any Uganda safari. On this Nile cruise you will see Birds i.e. kingfishers, ducks, bee-eaters, fish eagle, heron and water animals like Hippos and crocodiles as well as mammals like buffaloes and elephants.
The morning boat takes off at 08:00am for 3 hours, which is 17 kilometers to and fro but there other boats that operate on this route between 0800-0900 am every day, and afternoon boats take off at 2:00 pm every day; whereas the 28 km boat trip from Paraa jetty to the Delta and back takes about 4 to 5 hours.
Get a chance to explore the top view of the Murchison falls go right up to the water’s edge. You can have an opportunity to hike to the top of the falls and to get proxy to the narrow gorge through which the river explodes into the falls after the boat has landed. As you hike you get to see Campsites, picnic sites and the historical Devil’s Cauldron. The devil’s Cauldron is a good place to take lifetime photographs and appreciate the beauty of the world’s most powerful waterfalls in the world - Murchison falls.
For accommodation in Murchison falls national park, click on the link below.
2. Kibale National park
While on the Uganda western circuit safari, you will get chance to visit Kibale forest National Park for chimpanzee tracking experience. Kibale forest national park covers an area of about 795 square kilometers. This park is acknowledged to have one of Uganda’s most gorgeous tropical rain forests in Uganda next to Mabira forest (located along the Kampala –Jinja highway). Kibale forest is a habitat for most of the forest wildlife and among these includes the primates along with chimpanzees. The forest occupies the northern as well as the central part of the park. Kibale in the northern part has a peak of about 1590m above sea level. The northern part is also well known as the wettest area with an annual rainfall of about 1700mm. The rainy months include March-May as well as September-November. However you can do the chimpanzee tracking throughout the year.
The most favorite of Kibale’s walks embarks on from the Kanyanchu Visitor center because Chimpanzee are the most sought after primate by visitors, but you should look out for the black & white Colobus, red tailed monkey or the grey cheeked mangabeys. Your guides will be able to show you pittas & different bird species and will give details of the traits of the plant species within the forest.
For accommodation in Kibale forest national park, follow the link below
3. Rwenzori Mountains national park
Rwenzori Mountains National Park is located in southwestern Uganda on the east side of the western (Albertine) African rift valley. It lies along Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and borders the DRC’s Virunga National Park also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for 50 km (31 mi). Furthermore, the park is situated in the Bundibugyo Kabale, and Kasese districts, 25 km (16 mi) from the small town of Kasese. This park is 996 km (246,117 acres) in size, 70% of which exceeds an altitude of 2,500 m (8,202 feet). The park is also 120 km (75 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) wide.
It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 because of its outstanding natural beauty described by UNESCO and as “an isolated forest of outstanding biological richness.”
The park comprises most of the Centre and eastern half of the Rwenzori Mountains, a mountain range rising above dry plains located just above the equator. The Rwenzori Mountains are higher than the Alps and are ice-capped. Mount Stanley is located in the park. Margherita Peak, one of Mount Stanley’s twin summits, is Africa’s third highest peak with a height of 5,109 m (16,762 feet). Africa’s fourth and fifth highest peaks (Mount Speke and Mount Baker) are also located in the park. The park has also got glaciers, snowfields, waterfalls, and lakes and one of Africa’s most beautiful mountain areas. The park is noted for its botany, which has been described as some of the most beautiful in the world. There are five distinct vegetation zones in the park, which change according to changes in altitude. The park has 89 species of birds, 15 species of butterfly, and four primate species. Its wildlife varies with elevation, and its species include the forest elephant, chimpanzee, black and white Colobus, duiker and Rwenzori Turaco.
The magical “Mountains of The Moon” lie in Western Uganda on the Congolese border, with snow-covered, equatorial peaks rising to height of 5110 m and lower slopes blanketed in moorland and rich montane forest with bamboo on the lower slopes. Most of the park is accessible to hikers with outstanding panorama and 19 Albertine Rift endemics, amongst them; Rwenzori Turaco and Shelley’s Crimson-wing, would be ample reward for the courageous, backpacking birder. The Rwenzori Mountains have been selected as one of the World’s Best Hikes by National Geographic. Rwenzori Mountain service in conjunction with Uganda wildlife Authority organizes the hikes. Hiking any of these massifs during your Uganda western circuit safari is an opportunity for you to make the best of the memories.
Follow the link below for an insight on accommodation while in Rwenzori Mountains National Park
4. Queen Elizabeth national park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is located within the Albertine Rift in Bukonjo region, western Uganda overlooking the Rwenzori Mountains. Queen Elizabeth National park is arguably Uganda’s premier and the most popular savanna reserve. Additionally, it is the second largest safari park after Murchison falls national park covering a total area of 1,978 km2 of hills, plains, forest, and swamp. Queen Elizabeth National park is continuous with Parc National des Virunga in Congo and therefore forms one of the largest protected area systems in eastern Africa, in the Greater Virunga Landscape.
This park boasts an astounding 5000 hippos, 2500 elephants and over 10,000 buffaloes flourishing in its grasslands and shorelines, this is the only safari park that guarantees sightings of some of Africa’s most elusive species. Hearing the echoes of elephants’ calls across Queen’s valleys filled with craters is an amazing experience. Other common herbivores include warthogs, waterbuck, Uganda kob and topi, as well as the Sitatunga antelope. One of the most popular species among the primates within this park is undoubtedly the chimpanzee and other ten species of primates that enjoy the park’s diverse habitats. Vervet and black-and-white colobus monkeys are always in the trees where they can be easily spotted, but the boldest of all are the baboons –car windows ought to be kept closed to avoid likely food thefts!
The park’s most renowned attractions are the big cats, notably the elusive tree climbing lions which thrive in the southern sector of Ishasha, where they rest on the limbs of fig trees as well as an incredible number of up to 200 readily sighted Lions. Solitary leopards are nocturnal and fiendishly clever, well camouflaged, while making those fierce glimpses making the experience all the more rewarding! The smaller cats are also predominantly nocturnal and spotted more clearly during night game drives.
During your Uganda western circuit safari, do not dare miss this amazing destination.
For accommodation in Queen Elizabeth national park, follow the link below
5. Semuliki National Park
Semuliki National Park is one of Uganda’s smallest safari destinations covering an area of 220 sq. km. It is an impeccable spot perched at the boarder of Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda in Bwamba County, Bundibugyo district in the extreme west of the country. Lying within the Albertine Rift, the western arm of the Great Rift Valley; it is included within the Eastern Afro montane biodiversity hot spot. It is one of the most recent national parks in Uganda, gazetted in October 1993.
Being separated from the rest of East Africa and from the Ituri forest of the DRC by the Rwenzori Mountain ranges and Semuliki River respectively, Semuliki National Park forms one of the richest areas for both flora and fauna in Africa particularly the birds, making it a prime birder’s haven for Uganda. Semuliki National Park Uganda sprawls across the floor of the Semuliki Valley on the remote, western side of the Rwenzori. The park is dominated by the eastern most extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Congo Basin.
Semuliki national park Uganda is a peculiar wildlife safari destination. The forest is home to 53 mammals of which 27 are large mammals. 11 species are endemic to the park including the pygmy antelope and two flying squirrel species. It is also home to the rare water chevrotain, known as the “fanged deer.” Mammals include leopards, hippos, elephant, forest buffalo, hippopotamus, civets, potto, bush babies, Mona monkeys, water chevrotains, and nine species of Duikers, including the Bay Duiker and the Pygmy Flying Squirrel that occur nowhere else in East Africa.
Like the nick name suggests, Semuliki national park is a true birder’s haven which you must not miss on your Uganda western circuit safari.
Click here for accommodation in Semuliki national park
6. Bwindi Impenetrable national park
Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in South West and is characterized by thick vegetation cover. This trait explains why it is called impenetrable. The thick forest that also lies on a high altitude that gets foggy. However, this experience is what makes gorilla trekking in Uganda worth it. Apart from the mountain gorillas, Bwindi impenetrable national park is also home to the Batwa community. The Batwa are a group of pygmies that thrive in Bwindi and have been able to amicably live the Mountain gorillas without much interruption and clashes. So if out there and looking forward to the Uganda western circuit safari, Bwindi Impenetrable national park should be number one on your list as it is just the place to be. While in this jewel, you will experience beautiful sceneries, mouthwatering delicacies and variety of flora and fauna. Whatever you may be yearning for, Uganda has it in all forms and colors.
For accommodation in Bwindi Impenetrable national park, follow the link below
In a nutshell therefore, do not get stranded while looking for an amazing safari in Uganda, think about the western circuit. All we have talked about above is just a few of what these national parks have got to offer. Talk about spectacular stopovers, cultural encounters, Lakes like Lake Bunyonyi, Edward and George joined by the amazing Kazinga channel, to mention but a few. Beyond Travel is here to design your trip in the most affordable and amazing way.