Explore the wild in Uganda’s savannah parks

Explore the wild in Uganda’s savannah parks.Uganda is one of the top tourist destinations that is blessed with unique wildlife species, especially the big game mammals that roam across its various savannah parks. These include Kidepo Valley National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park. These parks harbor several wildlife species among which are the big 4 mammals.

Kidepo Valley National Park is the best place to see the wild animals of Uganda as it has several species and in large numbers. Murchison Falls National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park are other places where tourists can see animals, including the big four like the lions, elephants, buffaloes and leopard. Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest savannah park close to the city with animals like the zebras which are not seen in other parks except Kidepo Valley National Park.

To watch different wild animal species in Uganda’s national parks, tourists need to be part of the different activities that are usually organized in the park. These activities are safe for both the tourists and the animals, and they include game drives done both during day and night as well as the nature walks where tourists use their feet and get to the animals.

Game drives in Uganda’s savannah parks

Game drives are the best way tourists can spot different wild animals in the park as these come with opportunities to access most of the park areas. Inside the savannah parks, are game tracks which tourists use to reach different park areas, looking out for different wild animals. The drives are carried out in the morning and evening hours, while some parks do have night drives to enable tourists to spot the nocturnal animals.

Day game drives in Uganda are done in all savannah parks and the tourists are able to see most of the park animals such as lions, buffaloes, elephants, spotted hyenas, giraffes, cheetahs, hartebeests, leopards, topis, defassa waterbuck, Uganda kobs, impalas, elands, sitatungas, hippos, side stripped jackals, monkeys, olive baboons, warthogs, zebras, and much more.

Some parks like Kidepo Valley will give you an opportunity to encounter animals that are endemic to the Albertine rift region, and among these include bush baby, reedbuck, cheetah, aardwolf, caracal, black backed jackals, greater and lesser kudus to mention but a few. Zebras will only be seen in Lake Mburo National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park while giraffes are seen in Kidepo Valley, Lake Mburo, and Murchison Falls National Park.

Night game drives in Uganda are carried out to see nocturnal animals which are animals active at night. In Uganda, the only savannah parks where such an activity can be done are Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park. These come with chances of spotting leopards and lions in the night as they hunt and eat their prey.

Nature walks in Uganda’s savannah parks.

Besides Game drives, nature walks in Uganda are carried out in all savannah parks to enable tourists to get close to nature. Tourists get to have a closer look at the wild animals and other park attractions like the falls in Murchison Falls National Park, the salt lick in Lake Mburo, Lake Katwe in Queen Elizabeth, and areas around Apoka Rest Camp in Kidepo Valley National Park.

During the nature walks, armed ranger guides take tourists to safe places that do not have animals that could be dangerous to human beings. The nature walks enable tourists to see animals graze or rest, for example zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, water sources, and much more.

Boat cruises in Uganda’s savannah parks

Another way to see animals in Uganda’s savannah parks is by taking part in boat cruises. Even though you may not see all the wildlife of the park, you will be able to see aquatic animals and some of the park animals on the water shores. Murchison, Lake Mburo, and Queen Elizabeth National Park have crocodiles, and hippos. On the shores, you will see the antelopes, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, and many more animals come to drink water or graze on the fresh vegetation cover.

The best time to explore the wild in Uganda’s savannah parks

The best time to explore the wild in Uganda’s savannah parks is during the morning and evening hours. Morning hours are when animals are starting to look for what to eat, and for tourists who go very early, find the nocturnal animals before going back to their hiding places. Evening is another good time for game drives, the animals are done resting and are back to the wild to feed

Another good time to explore the wild in Uganda’s national parks is during the dry season from June to September and December to February. These months have little or no rainfall and plenty of sunshine, which keeps the game drives dry and easier to drive through. The trekkers are able to access most of the park areas, which allows them to see most of the park animals.

During the dry season, most animals are easily spotted around the water sources, looking for water and fresh vegetation cover. The rainy season may still be used to visit the parks for wildlife viewing. The park will have tall vegetation cover, which may result in unclear views of the wild animals. When the rain is heavy, some areas of the park might not be accessible.

Are Uganda’s savannah parks safe?

Yes, tourists who intend to visit Uganda should know that the country is safe for visits. The national park has armed ranger guides who are available to take you around the park. Tourists who don’t have licensed driver guides to take them around the park do hire rangers. For night game drives, it’s always a must to get armed ranger guides to move with you around the park during the night.