Uganda’s strongest case as a safari destination is variety in a compact country: mountain gorillas in Bwindi and Mgahinga, chimpanzees in Kibale, savanna game in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls, the Nile, the Rwenzori Mountains and more than 1,000 bird species, at lower prices than Rwanda and with far fewer visitors than the big parks of Kenya and Tanzania. It is less suited to travellers who want vast herds, the wildebeest migration or short, easy transfers. This guide sets out what Uganda does better than other African safari countries, and where another destination may suit you more.
1. Mountain gorillas at a lower price
Mountain gorillas live only in Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo, and Uganda holds about half of the roughly 1,000 left. Bwindi has around 20 habituated families open to visitors across four sectors, plus one in Mgahinga, so permits are easier to find than in Rwanda. A permit costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November, against US$1,500 in Rwanda.
Uganda also offers the Gorilla Habituation Experience, about four hours with a family still getting used to people, for US$1,500 (US$1,800 from 2027). See our permit price comparison.
2. Primates beyond gorillas
Kibale National Park is one of the best places in Africa to track wild chimpanzees, with habituated communities and success rates that are usually very high. The same forest holds red colobus, black-and-white colobus, L’Hoest’s monkeys and grey-cheeked mangabeys among its 13 primate species. Chimps can also be seen in Budongo near Murchison Falls and in Kyambura Gorge, and golden monkeys in Mgahinga. Rwanda also has chimps in Nyungwe, but Uganda’s range of primate sites is wider. See our guide to chimpanzee tracking in Kibale.
3. Savanna safaris without the crowds
Uganda’s savanna parks have lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, hippos and many antelopes, though not in the numbers of the Serengeti or Masai Mara. What they offer instead is space. In Queen Elizabeth you can take a boat along the Kazinga Channel past hippos and elephants and look for tree-climbing lions in Ishasha. In Murchison Falls you can see Nubian giraffes, then take a boat up the Nile to the foot of the falls, where the whole river forces through a gap about 7 m wide.
Kidepo, in the far north-east, is among the wildest parks in East Africa and rarely busy, with cheetahs, ostriches and big buffalo herds in a ring of mountains.
4. Some of Africa’s best birding
More than 1,000 bird species have been recorded in Uganda, an exceptional total for a country about the size of the United Kingdom. Highlights include the shoebill in the swamps of Mabamba and the Murchison delta, and some two dozen Albertine Rift endemics in Bwindi, Mgahinga and the Rwenzoris, such as the African green broadbill and Rwenzori turaco. Even non-birders tend to notice the colour and variety. See why Uganda has so many birds.
5. Landscapes and adventure
Within one trip you can raft the Nile at Jinja, walk among crater lakes near Fort Portal, canoe on Lake Bunyonyi, hike the Virunga volcanoes and trek in the Rwenzori Mountains, whose glaciated peaks reach 5,109 m. The country is green for much of the year, and Lake Victoria, the source of the Nile, lies beside the main airport at Entebbe. Read about the nickname Winston Churchill gave Uganda in 1908.
6. Value and people
Mid-range lodges, guides and park fees in Uganda generally cost less than comparable trips in Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania or Botswana, and English is an official language and widely spoken. Ugandans are known for their warmth, and community walks, cultural centres and village stays are easy to add. Tourism money also supports conservation directly: communities around the gorilla parks receive a share of park fees and US$10 from every permit.
When another country may suit you better
If your priority is huge herds, big-cat sightings on every drive or the wildebeest migration, Tanzania and Kenya are better choices, and many travellers combine them with Uganda for the gorillas. If you have only two or three days, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is 2.5 hours from Kigali, while Bwindi is 8–10 hours by road from Entebbe or a short flight. Uganda’s roads are improving but drives are long, and some lodges are simple. Our comparisons of Uganda and Rwanda and Uganda and Tanzania go into detail.
Uganda is generally safe for visitors on organised trips, but check your government’s travel advice before booking. Same-sex couples should be aware of the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023 and read the relevant guidance carefully.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, especially if you want gorillas and chimpanzees as well as game drives. If the Big Five in large numbers is your main goal, Kenya or Tanzania may suit you better.
Yes. A permit costs US$800 (US$600 in April, May and November) in Uganda against US$1,500 in Rwanda.
Lions, leopards, elephants and buffalo live in the national parks. Rhinos are found only in sanctuaries, at Ziwa and Ajai, where you can track them on foot.
Four or five days for gorillas alone, and 8–12 days to add chimps and savanna parks.
