Uganda on 52 Places to Go

Uganda featured on New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2020

Uganda Ranked as one of the 52 Places to Go in 2020 by The New York Times Travel desk

Uganda has been listed on the New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2020, a popular American Newspaper that is trusted by millions of world travelers. Once again Uganda is proving itself as a must visit destination.

Uganda featured on New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2020

Uganda featured on New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2020

On the New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2020, Uganda featured as number three (3) of the African countries on the list and 30th of the 52 places to Go in 2020.

Four (4) other African countries featured on the list and these were Kenya, Lesotho, Egypt and Ethiopia. On the published article, the highlight statement is that,

“A primate capital and birder’s paradise becomes more accessible”

As described by VIVIAN SONG from the New York Times travel desk, Uganda is very well described as;

“Landlocked in east-central Africa, Uganda has long been in the shadow of Kenya, Tanzania and other countries more popular with visitors on safari. But the “Pearl of Africa,” with its own rich wildlife, is set to become more accessible, thanks to the resurrection last summer of the country’s national carrier, Uganda Airlines. Uganda is one of the world’s primate capitals with 15 species (four of which are endangered) and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, a renowned mountain gorilla sanctuary.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site, in southwestern Uganda, is home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. The park’s gorilla-trekking safaris limit contact to eight visitors per gorilla group per day, and proceeds from their trekking permits go towards conservation efforts and protecting the animals from poachers.

The dense forest mountain park, which ranges in elevation between 3,810 feet and 8,880 feet, also features a scenic waterfall trail framed by ancient ferns and wild orchids, and is a birder’s paradise, with 350 species of forest birds”.

How the 52 Places to Go in 2020 were chosen

Every year, The New York Times travel desk chooses their list of the 52 Places that tourists can go to in that year out the thousands of spots from the world.

This is done using different strategies, however, for the 2020 list Amy Virshup from New York Times states that;

“Where would you go if you could go anywhere?”

Was the question posed to the members of the Times Travel desk at the beginning of September 2019 at the kickoff launch for the 2020 edition of the annual 52 Places to Go list. From then to the date of publication, there were months of debate, research and as many synonyms for “argument” as you can hope.

The regular contributors, Time’s foreign and domestic correspondents suggested places that seemed newly fresh and compelling.

It is also added that it is not enough for a place to be beautiful, amazing and culturally significant, it also has to answer the question, why now? Why this place, this year.

Surely Uganda answered all of this to its beauty and that’s how it made it to the list of 52 places to Go in 2020. Thanks to the revived Uganda Airlines that is making the destination more seemingly accessible.

Uganda is on the list because it limits the number of gorilla trekking permits in Bwindi Forest and ensures the proceeds help protect the animals. Check full list of 2020 Places to Go here

A detailed Explanation of The New York Times statement on Uganda on their 52 Places to Go in 2020

Uganda is stated as the primate capital and the birder’s paradise, however, do you know much about what this means and the abundance of primates and bird species that Uganda is blessed with? Here Kabira Safaris team gives you an insight of what this means;

Primate capital: Uganda is referred to as one of the world’s primate capital because it is home to 15 primate species.


Chimpanzee Tracking at Kibale National Park | Uganda

Uganda is indeed the primate capital of the world because as across Africa primates are under threat, thousands of them survive in Uganda, mostly at Kibale Forest National Park.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority confirms that Kibale Forest alone has a total of 13 primates including the recently discovered Dwarf Galago.

The primates in Uganda include Chimpanzees, mountain gorillas, black-and-white colobus, red-tailed monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, L’Hoest’s and blue monkeys, Olive baboons, and golden monkeys. Nocturnal primates include the bush babies and potto.

With the latest results of the mountain gorilla census from Bwindi Forest, Uganda still stands as home to 51% of the world’s total mountain gorilla population.

Find details of the census, numbers and how it was done by clicking this link, Total mountain gorilla population increases in latest 2018 census.

Birder’s Paradise: Avid birders will appreciate the fact that Uganda is a birder’s paradise with almost 50% of Africa’s bird species and 11% of the world’s total.

Birding Uganda is a top choice for many avid birders on Africa birding tours because of about 1,083 confirmed bird species in Uganda including the latest addition being the Pectoral Sandpiper that was spotted at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC).

Birding tours in Uganda offer birding opportunities in the different habitats including forests, swamps/wetlands, savannah parks and water bodies.


Birding Uganda – Rwakobo Rock and Lake Mburo National Park

From the 24 Albertine rift endemics to the predominantly Central African bird species in Semliki National Park can all be seen in Uganda.

If you are interested in knowing more about the birds of Uganda, check out this link on birding in Uganda.

These have by highlighted by The New York Times 52 places to Go in 2020 as must see and do activities and truly they will be rewarding.

However, this is not all Uganda has to offer, there are many more attractions and activities that a travler on safari to Uganda can choose to see and do and these are;

Things to do in Uganda

Uganda Wildlife Safaris


Amazing Wildlife Safari in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda

Wildlife safaris in Uganda are an immersive way to get in touch with nature. A trip to Uganda, the “pearl of Africa,” is well worth the effort because to the abundance of unique experiences you’ll have on a wildlife safari there. The national parks and reserves of Uganda are where the vast majority of wildlife safari tours take place.

Uganda, located in East Africa, is home to numerous impressive landscapes, including the origin of the world’s longest river. The term “wildlife” is used to describe any species of animal or plant that exists in an undomesticated setting. Our Uganda Wildlife Safaris are adventures to see wild animals in their natural habitats.

Golden Monkey Trekking

You may simply combine your gorilla trip with a golden monkey trekking adventure. In Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla Park, visitors can get up close and personal with habituated gorilla groups.

One of Uganda’s twenty primate species is the Golden Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis), which may be found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The golden monkey is found only in Mgahinga, which is a portion of the huge Virunga Mountains. The golden monkey is a type of ape native to the Old World. Four national parks—Mgahinga in southwest Uganda, Volcanoes in northwest Rwanda, and Virunga and Kahuzi-Biéga in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo—are located in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, where the disease is endemic. It can only be found in the bamboo-rich forests of the highlands.

White Water Rafting

White water rafting Jinja Uganda is an Ultimate Lifetime adventure activity for tourists on the white water rafting Safari in Uganda. White Water Rafting (Jinja) Uganda Price, Rafting Nile River. Jinja source of the Nile River offers world-class rafting experiences with Grade 5 extreme rafting, Grade 3 full day raft, and Grade 2 family float. Raft the Nile and have a lifetime white water rafting adventure.

White Water Rafting Jinja; The Nile River at Jinja is home to the world’s finest grade 5 white water rafting as well as other adventure activities. The Nile River is the world’s longest river and Jinja in Eastern Uganda is home to the source of the mighty Nile River. For any adventure traveler on Uganda safaris, white water rafting at the source of the Nile River in Jinja is the best adventure sport.  The rafts on the Nile River explode their volumes of white water through huge walls and drift through flowing with rapids northwards. 

Mountain Climbing

Mountain Climbing and Hiking in Uganda are referred to as Walking Safaris. Mountain Climbing in Uganda offers the Best Mountain Trekking Trails. Include Rwenzori Mountains, Mountain Elgon, Mgahinga Volcano, and Bwindi Forest. Uganda is an all-inclusive safari destination with a hiking spot for all kinds of hikers depending on your hiking ability. Mountain Climbing Safaris are a great way to see the several flora species, butterflies, and different Vegetation spread across the different altitudes.

Cultural Tours

Uganda Cultural Tours and Safaris, visit cultural sites in Uganda. Cultural Safaris tours in Uganda offer an experience of the different people of Uganda through music, dance, drama, and much more. Discover & Learn more about Uganda Culture Safaris and Traditions, Uganda Culture facts, and Uganda Cultural Characteristics. Cultural Tours in Uganda is culturally diverse with unique cultures in each region of the country.  Uganda cultural tours are the best way of understanding the traditions of the people who call Uganda home. Cultural tours in Uganda offer an experience of the different people of Uganda through music, dance, drama, and much more.

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The authors are a team of local consultants and Local Guides at Kabira Safaris. At Kabira safaris, we identify a topic our users may be interested in, and we let each safari consultant & Local Guide peach in making the article remarkable & Excellent. The article was edited by the Team of Safari consultants and published by the IT & Marketing Department.
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