Uganda is gifted with three types of national parks; Forested national parks, Savvanah parks, and Mountainous parks. The Mountainous national parks are among the least visited national parks in Uganda.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The mountainous national parks are Rwenzori mountains national park and Mountain Elgon national park. These are mainly known for mountaineering and short day hikes.
Savannah Park Vs Rain Forested Parks
Uganda has a total of three forest national parks and five savannah national parks. The forested national parks are also known as the primate national parks of Uganda. These include; Bwindi impenetrable national park, Mgahinga gorilla national park, and Kibale Forest national park.
All the forest national parks are found in the southwestern part of Uganda.
In regard to the Savannah national park, Uganda has a total of four; these are Lake Mburo national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Murchison falls national park, and Kidepi valley national park. Semuliki national park has its own category; it does not have hikes or game drives. It simply offers nature to the hot springs and birding.
What You Should Know About Forested National Parks in Uganda
The forested national parks offer the best birding experiences in Uganda. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park stands out as the leading birding destination among forest national parks while Kibale stands out for the highest concentration of primates.
Butterfly watching is also a popular activity among forest national parks in Uganda. You should not expect any game drives in the forest national park. However, in the case of Kibale forest national park, you are likely to find olive baboons on a number of occasions.
Nature walks are quite a common activity in forested national parks. Though it is not common to encounter animals during nature walks, you get an opportunity to learn about the biodiversity of the forests as well as the ecosystem.
Nature walks are a common feature in both Savannah parks and rainforested parks. The guests here get to enjoy more relaxed opportunities to explore the wildlife, relief, drainage features, and breathtaking views of the forest covers, hot springs, and also birds.
There are also a number of communities in and around the forest national parks that often offer memorable cultural experiences. Campfires are not so common among the forested parks unless it is at the lodge or campsite.
Gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking are the leading tourism activities in Uganda’s forest national parks.
Last but not least, the forested national parks are the place to go to if you want to avoid uncomfortable temperatures in Uganda. In these locations, the temperature is bearable for all people from different parts of the world.
What You Should Know About Savannah National Parks in Uganda
Uganda’s savannah national parks are found in Central, Northern, and South western in Uganda.
Three of Uganda’s savannah parks have part of them covered by forests. That is Budongo forest in Murchison falls national park, Lake Mburo, and Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth national park. However, in the case of Lake Mburo, the forest is not too thick and there is no opportunity for walking into its forest.
Due to the existence of forests in Murchison falls national park and Queen Elizabeth national park; these two parks also offer chimpanzee tracking. However, it is important to note that Chimpanzee tracking in the Budongo forest is more reliable than chimpanzee tracking in the Kyambura gorge forest.
Lake Mburo national park has the least temperature among all savannah national parks in Uganda followed by Queen Elizabeth national park. Murchison falls national park and Kidepo valley national park are the hottest savannah national parks in Uganda. If you need a cold drink in Murchison or Kidepo, the fridge is a primary necessity.
The savannah national parks are popular for game drives. Among the four savannah national parks, it is only Lake Mburo national park where you should not expect to encounter a lion. All the other Savannah parks offer the opportunity to spot lions and elephants.
Lake Mburo national park is Uganda’s most popular destination for Zebras, Impalas, and Giraffes. It is also the only savannah national park in Uganda that offers walking safaris during the day.