Uganda is one of the top destinations to visit in Africa with over ten top destinations to visit which include National Parks, game reserves plus different Cultural sites. These destinations are scattered in different regions of the country hosting a wide range of wildlife primates and species to discover. Uganda is located in the Eastern part of the African Continent bordering Kenya in the East, South Sudan in the North, Democratic Republic of Congo in the West, Rwanda and Tanzania in the South.
Uganda as a country has a wide scope of attractions for tourists in its diversity and that’s why it’s called “The Pearl of Africa”, some of the mostly wanted attractions in Uganda’s diversity are listed below: –
Mountain Gorillas
These are ground dwelling herbivorous apes which feed on stem, leaves, foliage and fruits. They are tailless and huge by size, they reach up to 1.5 meter when standing in height, mountain gorillas use small huts constructed out of leaves and tree branches for shelter, and they are black in color and usually live in a group named “Troop” being led by Silver back.
In Uganda Mountain Gorillas are found both in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda is known to be hosting the most part of World’s gorilla population in its two National Parks. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is known to be hosting the most part of Uganda’s gorilla population with over fourteen habituated Gorilla families for trekking but Mgahinga has only one habituated gorilla family for trekking.
To visit mountain gorillas in Uganda you must buy a permit which issues you permission for the gorilla trekking safari activity and this permit costs $700 USD per person and once this money is paid its non-refundable, you can also do the habituation experience which costs $1500 USD per person and this goes for a full day while in the Jungle with these apes.
Visiting mountain gorillas in the Jungle there are some rules you must follow for the better excursion and are as follows, for conservation purposes if you are suspected to be having any infectious disease you are not allowed to go for the trekking because you may spread to these apes, please keep your voice at low tone while in the Jungle, move slowly in the Jungle as you may scare these apes, do not run after the gorillas, keep a distance while in the presence of these apes, do not eat in the presence of these apes and do not use flush cameras when taking photos of these apes.
Chimpanzees
These are primates who are rated to be the closest to human relations; they are herbivorous thus feeding on tree leaves, stem, grass and fruits. They are tailless and black in Color with its legs longer than the fore limbs, these primates move both on ground and on tree branches.
In Uganda Chimpanzees are found in Kibale Forest National park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, the permit for tracking these chimps’ costs $200 USD per person and if you opt to do the chimpanzee habituation experience the permit costs $250 USD per person for a full day and this is only done in Kibale Forest National Park.
African Big Fives
These are great animals found almost in all Uganda’s National Parks and among these animals we have the Rhinoceros, African Elephant, Leopards, Buffaloes and Lions. They were termed to be the African Big Fives by the game hunters because they were very difficult to hunt by foot. These animals are defined to be the most dangerous to human beings as there are not human friendly, the most suitable places to see these big fives in Uganda are:- Kidepo Valley National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where the Rhinoceros are only found.
Golden Monkeys
These are species of old world monkey found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, they prefer a habitat composed of fruits and bamboo leaves and stem, that’s why mostly are found in bamboo forests. Golden Monkeys in Uganda are only found in Mgahinga National Park located in the Western part of Uganda, Golden Monkey tracking in Mgahinga costs $50 USD per person.
Bird Species
Uganda is a good haven for bird watching with over 1061 species of birds recorded sightable in different birding sites, some of bird species include : Ostriches, Grebes, Shearwaters and petrels, Cormorants, Darters, Pelicans, Bitterns, herons and egrets, Hammerkop, Rare Shoe bill , Ibises and spoonbills, Storks, Flamingos, Ducks, geese and swans, Osprey, Hawks, kites and eagles, Secretary bird, Caracaras and falcons, Pheasants and francolins, Partridges, Guinea fowl, Cranes, Flufftails, Rails, crakes, gallinules and coots, Sungrebe and fin foots, Bustards, Buttonquails, Jacanas, Painted-snipe, Oystercatchers, Avocets and stilts, Thick-knees, Pratincoles and coursers, Plovers and lapwings, Sandpipers and allies, Gulls, terns, and skimmers, Sandgrouse, Pigeons and doves, Old World parrots, African and New World parrots, Turacos, Cuckoos, Barn owls, Typical owls, Night jars, Swifts, Mouse birds, Trogons and quetzals, Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Typical rollers, Hoopoes, Wood hoopoes, Horn bills, Barbets, Honey guides, Woodpeckers and allies.
Batwa People
These are local people who are believed to have migrated from the Ituri Forest reserve of democratic republic of Congo in search of what to eat since they were hunters, these people used caves and big trees in the forest as their shelter plus tree leaves as their medicine.
After gazetting Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park as places for protecting wildlife primates like Mountain Gorillas, the Batwa people were chased out of these places to free the primates from hunting and poaching. The Batwa trail experience is done in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and it costs $80 USD per person.