Stunningly divers, incredibly beautiful, accessible to travel and very friendly people. Uganda is a great destination to get off the beaten track from countries such as Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda has several safari destination throughout the country. I haven’t experienced much of that aspect of the country, but as far as I have, I can safely state that on some levels it can easily compete with the better parks in Kenya and Tanzania.

It may not have such a diverse and big concentration of impressive wildlife as, say Maasai Mara, it also isn’t packed with so many tourists and the prices are quite reasonable in comparisation.

For birdwatchers Uganda might actually be the best country to visit in the whole of Africa. I am not one myself, but visiting Uganda made me very much aware of the beauty of birds for the first time in my life.

On one hand, I had a number of great wildlife encounters with lions, leopards, gorillas and many other species in three of the country’s national parks over a period of nine days. On my way south western Uganda, I visited Lake Mburo National Park. In the middle of an extensive rich acacia woodland lies one of Uganda, Lake Mburo National Park.

Though just 371sq km in size, Lake Mburo has varied landscape full of interest and color. The park is refreshing and full of life given its strategic location near the Kampala – Mbarara highway.

Lake Mburo is a gem of a park, conveniently located close to the western high way that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda. It is very special place with a medley of habitats ranging from dry hillsides, rocky outcrops, bushy thickets, open and wooded Savannah to forest, lakes and swamps.

The park is remarkably different from other parks. It is the best park to view the gigantic eland, Impala, zebra and acacia associated birds. Common mammal species include Warthogs, Buffaloes, Oribi, Defassa, Water bucks, reed bucks and the eland antelopes. Leopards and Hyenas are also present and Lions have also returned to the park after years of poaching and near extinction.

The five lakes within the park attract hippos and crocodiles while fringing swamps hide secretive papyrus specialists such as the sitatunga antelope and red, black and yellow papyrus gonalek. The park also has an impressive shoe bill, papyrus, yellow warbler, African fin foot, Saddle billed stork, Brown chested wattled plover, Carrutter’s cisticola, Tabora cisticola, Great snipe, and Abyssinian ground horn bill and white winged warbler. Acacia woodland bird species are especially we represented.

Several activities can be conduction while in Lake Mburo National Park, like nature walks, game drives. Nature walk is conducted on foot with help of an armed guide who explains to the visitors about the various flora and fauna.

Game drive is done while in the visitors’ own vehicle. The boat is another interesting activity in Lake Mburo, a visitor gets a chance to see a variety of wildlife e.g crocodiles, hippos and birds like African fish eagle, African fin foot, Cormorants, kingfishers, heron etc. Horse riding is conducted by African All-Terrain vehicles. It given a spectacular view of the park’s terrain and wildlife. Visitors can ride closer without the animals getting scared.

From Lake Mburo I extended my safari trip to south western Uganda in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park home to more than half the population of the remaining 1063 mountain gorillas in the wild. Bwindi forest offers a unique birding opportunities, cultural experiences, a scenic stunning hills and lush vegetation inhabited by the elusive primates. The gorilla trekking safari experience is the most enchanting experience in this forest. You will have an experience of a life time watching at close range these majestic apes as they feed, play and relax.

Everything in this tour was unique being the roads you pass while going to Bwindi driving through the rolling hills, sleeping in the same forest where you will be trekking the mountain gorillas and then having the close range with the gorillas makes it more unique. This is a main tourist draw and its focus on hospitality and learning should be considered a model for the other parks.

The gorilla trekking is an adventure of a lifetime. A well-traveled individual, this definitely become the most eye-opening, adventurous, and stunning journey of my life – something I will remember, draw upon, and cherish for many years to come. I recommend Gorilla Safaris Tours.