Game Drives in Uganda’s Wilderness

Game drives in Uganda’s wilderness well known as the pearl of Africa are certainly a highlight for anyone who intends to visit this great east African nation. With the country being situated in the heart of the Great Rift Valley, it surely has favored the existence of varied wildlife that you might want to include on your to-do list while on a visit to Uganda.

Games drives in Uganda are most successful in the early morning as early as 6 am and in the afternoon at 4 or evenings with every game drive lasting for up to 2-3 hours to a full day. In the savannah plains of Uganda’s national parks, it’s advisable to use a 4WD in order to maneuver in the unforgiving yet breathe taking sceneries with its species. You may go on a game drive with the Uganda wildlife authority ranger guides or with the tour operator guides.

Where to do game drives in Uganda’s Wilderness

With the park being situated in the western part of the country, it unveils an unforgettable safari experience with the most intriguing part of its whole being the Ishasha sector in the southernmost part of the park- the tree-climbing lions that call this place home. The opportunity of seeing the king of the jungle and queen mothers resting in the shady fig trees’ branches is like no other, a skill which they master right from the day they are introduced in the African savannah.

Kasenyi and north Kazinga plains also provide some great viewing adventure with the likely hood of seeing buffaloes, elephants, antelope, warthogs, lions, odd leopards among others plus sightings of birds with over 600 species inhabiting this area.

This is Uganda’s largest and oldest national park with its game drives normally centered on the delta area which is close to Lake Albert. Other areas in this park also provide great sightings for animals, for example, the northern bank of the river Nile is a good spot for sighting predators as they wait for prey that comes to quench their thirst on the river bank.

Game Drives in Uganda’s Wilderness

Giraffe in Murchison Falls National Park

These game drives can also be done in the Bugili peninsula which is a triangle of grassland where water birds can be viewed plus hippos. The southern part of   Murchison falls national park is mostly covered by bush and thicket but also good for game drives thanks to its high of Uganda kob which attracts lions. The translocation of giraffes in January 2016 to this area also makes it possible to view these gentle giants on a game drive

With the parks’ wildlife existence having been threatened in the past with the need to get rid of tsetse flies in the region, need for ranches, and poaching, the parks’ wildlife has surely stabilized in Uganda’s smallest savanna national park. The park boasts of animals such as the zebra, eland, defassa waterbuck, leopard, and hyena but also the recently introduced giraffes can also be encountered.

Alternatively, a night game drive can be arranged where you can be the hope of seeing rare species such as pottos, bushbaby, and leopard with the help of a ranger guide.

Kidepo valley national park also known as the true African wilderness is the true Africa as it used to be. Located in the eastern part of Uganda in the rugged savannah transacted by river Kidepo and Narus that appear in the wet season, is another highlight on a Ugandan game drive. Getting here is certainly tough but it’s never impossible.

Though the park is still recovering from the Amin era, some animals have become locally extinct but that shouldn’t stop you from the fact the park still boasts of other animal species. On your game drive, don’t be shocked to see the highest concentration of buffaloes in one herd, among other animals.

Kidepo’s game drive worthy of every penny and dollar spent as it is the only place where the Cheetah can be found. Ugandan game drives therefore not only offer the chance to see the big five but also many other animal species including birds since Uganda is continuously growing as a birding destination with over 1073 species recorded making up to 50% of Africa’s bird species.

Game drives can be done all year round i.e. all seasons in the wet or dry seasons but preferably the dry season because the animals normally concentrate on water points to quench their thirst

Game Drives in Uganda’s Wilderness

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