Uganda

PEARL OF AFRICA

CLIMATE
tropical savanna & monsoon/rainforest

DENSITY
407 people per square mile

% OF LAND UNDER CONSERVATION
16%

POPULATION
37,900,000

COUNTRY SIZE
93,000 square miles

CONSERVATION SCORE
7/10

Welcome to the “Pearl of Africa”. Uganda is well known as having the world’s highest density of primates, it’s home to the endangered mountain gorilla as well as chimpanzees. As astounding a claim to fame as this may be, the country also offers a lot more besides. Uganda is also home to long sought-after source of the Nile River which allows for some spectacular white-water rafting.

Uganda has a lot of big draws for a small country with its dramatic and diverse geography. It’s home to the continent’s largest lake, Lake Victoria. Murchison Falls is the nation’s largest national park where the Victoria Nile tumbles down into Lake Albert and is home to a wide variety of animals including Rothschild giraffes, elephants, lions, hippos, and waterbucks. A world heritage site, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a steep mountain rainforest and home to an estimated 340 gorillas as well as a host of other wildlife. Kidepo Valley National Park is known for many animals found nowhere else in Uganda, including cheetahs, bat-eared foxes, aardwolves, caracals, and greater and lesser kudus.

Besides safaris, Uganda provides many other adrenaline pumping activities. Avid climbers can try summiting the snowcapped peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains, the highest in the country. Mt. Elgon presents a less technical and somewhat easier climb. While the Virunga Volcanoes in south-western Uganda presents a more rugged climb but the opportunity to see gorillas and many rare bird species. Sport fishing is popular since one-third of the country is covered in water.

As a rule, Uganda is not first on the list for safari destinations as traveling here is not as “easy” as many other African countries. The strong pay off here though is that the slightly more challenging destinations usually offer the greatest rewards and this is very true here. A visit to Uganda leaves visitors awestruck with the diversity of the landscapes, ecosystems, prolific birdlife (over 1000 species), volcanic geology, tropical forests, lakes and the beautiful savannah.

Uganda

PEARL OF AFRICA

CLIMATE
tropical savanna & monsoon/rainforest

DENSITY
407 people per square mile

% OF LAND UNDER CONSERVATION
16%

POPULATION
37,900,000

COUNTRY SIZE
93,000 square miles

CONSERVATION SCORE
7/10

Welcome to the “Pearl of Africa”. Uganda is well known as having the world’s highest density of primates, it’s home to the endangered mountain gorilla as well as chimpanzees. As astounding a claim to fame as this may be, the country also offers a lot more besides. Uganda is also home to long sought-after source of the Nile River which allows for some spectacular white-water rafting.

Uganda has a lot of big draws for a small country with its dramatic and diverse geography. It’s home to the continent’s largest lake, Lake Victoria. Murchison Falls is the nation’s largest national park where the Victoria Nile tumbles down into Lake Albert and is home to a wide variety of animals including Rothschild giraffes, elephants, lions, hippos, and waterbucks. A world heritage site, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a steep mountain rainforest and home to an estimated 340 gorillas as well as a host of other wildlife. Kidepo Valley National Park is known for many animals found nowhere else in Uganda, including cheetahs, bat-eared foxes, aardwolves, caracals, and greater and lesser kudus.

Besides safaris, Uganda provides many other adrenaline pumping activities. Avid climbers can try summiting the snowcapped peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains, the highest in the country. Mt. Elgon presents a less technical and somewhat easier climb. While the Virunga Volcanoes in south-western Uganda presents a more rugged climb but the opportunity to see gorillas and many rare bird species. Sport fishing is popular since one-third of the country is covered in water.

As a rule, Uganda is not first on the list for safari destinations as traveling here is not as “easy” as many other African countries. The strong pay off here though is that the slightly more challenging destinations usually offer the greatest rewards and this is very true here. A visit to Uganda leaves visitors awestruck with the diversity of the landscapes, ecosystems, prolific birdlife (over 1000 species), volcanic geology, tropical forests, lakes and the beautiful savannah.