Updated
The best wildlife areas in Uganda are Bwindi for mountain gorillas, Kibale for chimpanzees and other primates, Queen Elizabeth for the widest mix of savannah game and birds, Murchison Falls for big herds and the Nile, and Kidepo Valley for remote wilderness and species found nowhere else in Uganda. Lake Mburo, Mabamba Swamp and the Rwenzoris add zebras, shoebills and mountain endemics. Here is what each place does best and how to choose.
1. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Bwindi holds around half of the world’s mountain gorillas and is the main reason most visitors come to Uganda. It also has about 350 bird species, including over 20 Albertine Rift endemics, plus l’Hoest’s monkeys, black-and-white colobus, forest elephants and giant forest hogs, though these are seen far less than gorillas. The gorilla permit costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November. See our Bwindi guide.
2. Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale has 13 primate species, one of the highest counts of any forest in Africa, and the most reliable chimpanzee trekking in East Africa. Red colobus, grey-cheeked mangabeys and l’Hoest’s monkeys are common, and the forest has over 370 bird species. The chimp permit is US$250, rising to US$300 from 1 January 2027. Read our Kibale Forest guide.
3. Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth has over 600 bird species and about 95 mammal species across savannah, crater lakes, swamp and forest. Highlights are the Kazinga Channel boat trip with hippos, buffaloes and elephants, lions on the Kasenyi plains and in Ishasha, and chimps in Kyambura Gorge. It sits between Kibale and Bwindi, so it fits most routes. See our guide to Queen Elizabeth and the Kazinga Channel.
4. Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison is Uganda’s largest park and the best for classic big game in numbers: elephants, Rothschild’s giraffes, buffaloes, Uganda kob, hartebeest, lions and leopards on the northern bank, and hippos and crocodiles on the Nile. The boat trip to the base of the falls and the Nile delta, where shoebills are sometimes seen, are highlights. Many visitors stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary on the way, the only place to see rhinos in Uganda. See our Murchison animals guide.
5. Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo, in the far north-east, has fewer visitors and species found in no other Ugandan park, such as cheetahs, striped hyenas, bat-eared foxes, ostriches and Kori bustards. Large buffalo herds, elephants and lions use the Narus Valley. It is remote, so most visitors fly or allow two days each way by road. Read our guide to Kidepo Valley.
6. Lake Mburo, Mabamba and the Rwenzoris
Lake Mburo, on the road to Bwindi, is the only place in southern Uganda for zebras, elands and impalas and allows walking and cycling safaris. Mabamba Swamp near Entebbe is the easiest place to see shoebills from a canoe. The Rwenzoris are for hikers, with Rwenzori turacos and giant plants. See our Lake Mburo guide.
How to choose
For a first visit, combine Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth and Kibale, which covers gorillas, chimps and savannah game in about eight to ten days. Add Murchison for bigger herds and the Nile, or Kidepo for a wilder ending. The long dry seasons, June to September and December to February, are easiest for game drives and trekking. Our 10-day itinerary shows how the parks link up.
Frequently asked questions
Queen Elizabeth gives the widest variety, best combined with Bwindi for gorillas and Kibale for chimps.
Lions, elephants, buffaloes and leopards live in Murchison and Queen Elizabeth; rhinos only at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Kibale, with 13 species including chimpanzees.
Yes, if you want remote wilderness and species like cheetahs and ostriches not found in other Ugandan parks.
