Uganda National Parks & Game Reserves: A Definitive List
Many are unaware that Uganda, referred regarded as the “Pearl of Africa,” boasts numerous national parks and reserves that provide unparalleled wildlife encounters and a diverse array of stunning scenery. From deep tropical rainforests inhabited by endangered species like mountain gorillas and the black crowned crane to vast savannahs abundant in variety, there is much to discover. Uganda’s protected regions serve as a sanctuary for nature and animal aficionados, as well as adventure seekers.
Although Uganda is primarily recognised for its iconic gorilla trekking, its vast fauna—including magnificent big cats, formidable game, and a wide array of primates—renders it an outstanding traditional safari locale. Uganda, with its flourishing national parks and reserves teeming with biodiversity, provides experiences beyond mere proximity to mountain gorillas.
Whether you are undertaking a gorilla trekking trip or a safari in Uganda, these premier national parks guarantee memorable interactions with the continent’s most emblematic species.
Uganda National Parks & Game Reserves
The natural splendour of Uganda has not gone unnoticed. In 1909, Sir Winston Churchill referred to it as “the Pearl of Africa,” a phrase that is now commonly expressed by modern travellers who admire the nation’s diverse populations, wildlife, and ecosystems.
Uganda is situated at the confluence of western and eastern Africa. The highland rainforests harbour the renowned Mountain Gorillas and an abundance of exquisite avifauna; the tropical rainforests are inhabited by chimpanzees, while the savannas are filled by large mammals. This elucidates the many environments, encompassing woods, wetlands, moorlands, mountains, rivers, and lakes, with over 20% of the nation being water-covered.
It is unsurprising that Lonely Planet designated Uganda as the top destination on its Best in Travel list for 2012, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the nation’s independence. Although years have elapsed since that time, the country’s splendour remains undiminished. In a nation characterised by superlatives—the largest free-standing volcano globally, the second-largest freshwater lake, Africa’s highest mountain range, and the source of the world’s longest river—how does one select the most worthwhile activities in Uganda?
Uganda’s ten national parks, its reputation as one of Africa’s premier birding locales (boasting approximately 1,050 species—50% of the continent’s total and 11% globally), its 18 primate species, and its extensive array of outdoor pursuits, such as fishing, mountaineering, rafting, community-based ecotourism, and cultural tourism, can easily induce a sense of overwhelm.
To assist in refining your options, below is an overview of the Uganda National Parks available for exploration on an Kabira small-group or private group Uganda safari.
Uganda National Parks & Game Reserves
1. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, despite its modest size of 321 square kilometres, is vitally significant as it harbours the biggest population of critically endangered mountain gorillas globally. The park houses around one-third of the 1,000 individuals now alive, while the remainder resides in the Virunga conservation area, which is jointly managed by Rwanda and Congo. For additional information regarding gorillas and the experience of visiting one of Bwindi’s ten habituated gorilla groups, refer to Tracking Gorillas: The Bigger Conservation Picture.
Bwindi, located on the periphery of the Rift Valley in southwestern Uganda, was founded in 1991 as a conservation initiative to protect mountain gorillas. Three years later, this island of residual forest—one of Africa’s most affluent and ancient, perhaps 25,000 years old—was designated by UNESCO as a natural World Heritage Site.
In addition to the gorillas, Bwindi teems with diverse wildlife. It is, in fact, one of the most affluent ecosystems in Africa, comprising 120 mammalian species, 350 avian species (which has garnered it the designation of the Best Birding Destination in Africa by Travel Africa magazine), 200 species of trees, 310 species of butterflies, 88 species of moths, 51 species of reptiles, and 27 species of frogs, geckos, and chameleons.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
2. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
At a tiny 33.7 square kilometers, Mgahinga is Uganda’s smallest national park, wedged up against the international border in the far southwest. While it may be modest in size, it is part of the much larger (and incredibly significant) Virunga conservation area, which spans for thousands of square kilometers across protected areas in Uganda, the DRC, and Rwanda.
This elevated park was created mainly to safeguard the mobility of the region’s endangered, forest-inhabiting Mountain Gorillas and Golden Monkeys. This area is also part of the ancestral land of the indigenous Batwa people.
The park features striking landscapes, including the cones of three extinct volcanoes and the impressive Virunga Range, renowned for its abundant wildlife.
3. Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park, encompassing 3,840 square kilometres and located about 300 kilometres northwest of Kampala, is Uganda’s largest protected natural area. It is the oldest, having been formed in 1952.
Renowned for Murchison Falls—the resounding cataract where the Nile River constricts through a six-meter aperture before descending 43 meters—the park also attracts ornithologists and wildlife enthusiasts. This location is home to 450 bird species, including the rare shoebill stork and several endemics, as well as 76 animal species, four of which are part of the Big Five (excluding the rhinoceros, which resides in the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary).
While game drives are a traditional method for wildlife observation in this area, a unique game cruise on the Nile offers a tranquil opportunity to appreciate the park’s evolving scenery. The vistas of the water’s edge and the waterfalls are unforgettable, as is the trek from the boat landing to the falls, which are observable from both below and above.
4. Queen Elizabeth National Park
Situated in the southwest approximately 400 kilometres from Kampala, Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s second-largest and most renowned conservation area. The area of 1,978 square kilometres was initially designated as Kazinga National Park in 1952, but its name was altered two years later to commemorate a visit from the British monarch.
The park’s acclaim is primarily attributable to its stunning biodiversity. The park, located in the Albertine Rift Valley, encompasses savanna, acacia woodlands, tropical forests, lush wetlands, and lakes, serving as a sanctuary for over 600 bird species and 95 animal species, including elephants, hippos, African leopards, and 10 primate species. The QENP has been acknowledged by Birding International as an International Birding Area.
The park offers two distinctive animal experiences: chimpanzee tracking in the Kyambura Gorge and observing the rare tree-climbing lions that rest in the towering fig and acacia trees of the Ishasha section. Additional highlights include a two-hour boat excursion along the Kazinga Channel, guided treks in the dim Maramagambo Forest, and cultural interactions with local populations, like as the salt workers at the Lake Katwe evaporation pans.
5. Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park is distinguished by two prominent features: its globally renowned endangered chimpanzees and the variety of its ecosystems.
A medium-sized park (795 square kilometres) adjacent to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale encompasses a unique area featuring both lowland and montane forests, including the last significant span of pre-montane forest in eastern Africa. In total, over 350 tree species have been documented in the park’s diverse and verdant woodlands.
Kibale is particularly renowned among visitors for its habituated chimpanzees and twelve additional primate species. Accompany a Uganda Wildlife Authority guide for a day to understand the habituation of chimpanzees and explore other forest denizens.
Alongside the chimpanzees, over 50 additional terrestrial mammals and more than 350 avian species benefit from their mobility along the significant 180-kilometer ecological corridor that encompasses the park.
6. Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park encompasses about 370 square kilometres of marshes and trees and is located a short distance from the major highway, around 235 kilometres west of Kampala.
Initially a regulated hunting zone and subsequently a game reserve, it was designated as Uganda’s smallest savanna national park in 1983. It currently serves as a safeguarded habitat for 350 avian species and 69 mammal species, including zebras, buffalo, leopards, and hippos. It is the sole park in Uganda that houses impalas.
Lake Mburo, encircled by the national park, is a component of a 14-lake, 50 km-long wetland system that was designated a Ramsar Wetland in 2006. The wetland system constitutes around one-fifth of the park’s size, with the remainder comprising savanna and forests.
Common park activities include birdwatching at the lake, a premier birding location in Uganda, and in the adjacent Rubanga forest. Game drives, guided nature hikes to salt licks, and cultural encounters with local Banyankore community groups are also available.
7. Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Similar to Bwindi, Rwenzori Mountains National Park was established in 1991 and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site three years thereafter, due to its exceptional mountain flora richness, the most extensive in Africa. Its 996 square km in western Uganda abut the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and provide a breathtaking background to Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The park, renowned for its iconic “Mountains of the Moon” (the Nile’s source), is a premier location for hiking and mountaineering. Safaris in this region traverse a diverse array of ecosystems, encompassing rainforests, alpine meadows, and a spectacular landscape of glacier-formed valleys interspersed with lakes. These areas are rich in unusual alpine flora and host over 70 animal species, many of which are endangered, as well as 217 bird species.
Visitors will find the exploration of Bakonzo culture through village walks equally captivating.
8. Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park, Uganda’s most remote national park, is situated in the semi-arid valleys and savanna of the country’s far north, showcasing some of Africa’s most breathtaking wildness.
The park encompasses 1,442 square km, distributed between the Kidepo and Narus river valleys. During the dry season, water diminishes to seasonal oases—wetlands and residual pools—adjacent to Apoka, in the Narus Valley.
Kidepo is ideal for observing the 475 bird species and 77 mammal species residing in the park, including ostriches and cheetahs, during Jeep safaris along the dirt roads that traverse its southern and western areas.
9. Semuliki National Park
For an experience of Central Africa without departing from Uganda, Semuliki National Park, the nation’s most recent park established in 1993, is available. Semuliki is located in an expansive, level valley to the west of the Rwenzori Mountains, adjacent to the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This region represents the eastern boundary of the extensive and ancient Ituri Forest inside the Congo Basin, renowned for its biodiversity.
The park hosts 441 documented bird species and 53 mammalian varieties, and it is among the rare African forests that endured the previous Ice Age. Four ethnic groups inhabit the vicinity of the park, including the Batwa, previously referred to as pygmies. Semuliki encompasses 220 square kilometres, featuring a genuine lowland tropical forest (the sole one in East Africa) and savanna grassland, a significant portion of which is susceptible to flooding during the wet season.
Visitors can experience this during birdwatching and game-viewing excursions, as well as while traversing the 13km Kirumia Trail. Visitors should also explore the renowned hot springs, including Sempaya Hot Springs (capable of boiling an egg in 10 minutes) and the Mumbuga spring geyser.
10. Mount Elgon National Park
The principal characteristic of Mount Elgon National Park is Mount Elgon, the significantly eroded remnants of an extinct shield volcano that was formerly the tallest mountain in Africa.
At 4,321 meters, it is currently the ninth tallest mountain in Africa, possessing the greatest base globally. This is the largest and oldest isolated volcanic peak in East Africa, spanning 80 km in diameter, with a caldera of 40 square kilometres.
Mount Elgon National Park, situated in eastern Uganda along the Kenyan border, encompasses 1,279 square kilometres, with the majority (1,121 square kilometres) located in Uganda. It hosts a diverse array of temperatures (shaped by elevation), numerous mammals of varying sizes, and over 300 species of birds.
Park visitors seek to investigate the waterfalls, gorges, hot springs within the caldera, accessible caves (noted for animals licking salt from the cave walls), and particularly, the high summits. Available activities encompass vehicle excursions, self-guided walking routes, and wildlife observation, including both animals and birds. The two-hour trek to the summit of Mount Elgon’s Wagagai Peak is never the final objective, since numerous individuals continue to investigate the expansive caldera.
Uganda National Parks & Game Reserves
Following decades of adversity under politically repressive regimes, Uganda is finally reclaiming its identity and endeavouring to rectify several injustices. Tourism is a pivotal sector propelling the nation’s socio-economic change.
It is important to note that the Uganda Wildlife Authority, responsible for managing Uganda’s parks, allocates 20% of all park revenues to neighbouring communities for the development of infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, water systems, and roads. Expenditure on wildlife conservation enhances quality of life and fosters a more stable balance between humans and animals.
Lastly, remember to visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. Situated near Kampala in Entebbe, it is the largest wildlife conservation orphanage in the nation and attracts more visitors annually than all of Uganda’s national parks combined. The centre provides a glimpse of Uganda’s wildlife, featuring savanna, wetlands, forest, and hills on 72 hectares of safeguarded territory.
