AR
20-35 years of age
Amazing wildlife, but among crowds of people
Tanzania is a wonderful country to visit, I stayed over a month, and could see just a corner. Besides the well known parks in the north corridor, there´s the more tranquil parks in the south, some of them scarcely visited, and of course Zanzibar is a mandatory destination, and many more places worth your time if you are in the mood for some adventure. Unfortunately, wherever there´s a main tourist attraction, entry fees are extremely high. Outside the north corridor, distances are long and travel is slow. Public transportation leaves room for desire. Wildlife is just unbelievable. Accomodation ranges from very poor to extremely luxurious, you can stay by very cheaply (outside the parks) or enjoy an incredible confort in amazing locations, but in this cases -inside the national parks- prices are very high by any standart. BE careful when choosing your safari company.
US
35-50 years of age
Review about Queen Elizabeth National Park by Chrissy Olson
Abundant wildlife & perfect weather
US
35-50 years of age
Review about Bwindi Impenetrable National Park by Chrissy Olson
We went gorilla trekking in Bwindi. It's an incredibly lush rainforest filled with exotic sounds and smells. We found the Mubare group of gorilla’s after about 2 hours of trekking and spent a blissful hour among the gentle giants.
NL
20-35 years of age
Review about Mgahinga Gorilla National Park by GreenDK
Great scenery, on the border with Rwanda and the DRC! One can go see gorillas and probably birding is great there too. I went for the scenery and for a dive in the (perfect) crater lake on top of the volcano! For this specific trip all is not too polished. I guess that (for the price) a gorilla visit should be a lot smoother...
Review about Murchison Falls National Park by liesje
The falls and the river make this park different, but it's also very touristy.
An alternative, adventurous safari.
Many different animals to see, and a very unspoilt view because almost no tourists go there. Besides the rides in our car, we also did a walking trip, which was nice, because it's very different. Our ranger was very professional and a nice and interesting person. We camped in the park and cooked our own food on a fire, which adds to the 'bush vibe', but if you want a lot of comfort it's probably not the best place. Also the (long) journey through the country to get to the park was very interesting in my opinion. If you have time, it's a very good choice.
AR
20-35 years of age
Review about Murchison Falls National Park by Ezequiel
Easy introduction to safari experience, you´ll see plenty of animals, although big cats are not for granted. It is the most popular safari place in Uganda, hence more crowded, but still nothing compared to some parks in neighboring countries.
AR
20-35 years of age
Amazing landscape, all yours to enjoy in splendid solitude.
Kidepo valley is a fascinating place, there´s a real adventure feel to it. There´s hardly any tourist, so you can enjoy the place pretty much to yourself and your group. The trip to get there is also an amazing route across barely visited areas of the country. The wildlife is not so abundant as in some other parks of East Africa, but in the three days we spent there we got to see at close-up lions, giraffes, giant herds of buffalo and zebras everywhere, among several others. And an elephant who was seating in front of the car , over the only road, and refused to leave, for hours. Great experience, Kidepo.
US
20-35 years of age
Excellent safari location!
I visited Murchison Falls National Park in July 2010 for my first safari experience ever. I'm from the U.S. and had never been to Africa, so this was a really fun new experience for me. I stayed at the Paraa Safari Lodge, which was very comfortable: clean rooms, good selection of food (compared to other places in Uganda), and a swimming pool!
The weather was warm, 80-85 degrees, and was a mix of sunny and overcast throughout the five days I was there. I was on the trip with my father, who had a personal friend who was also a guide take us out on the safari. This was nice, because it was just the three of us in the vehicle and we could go out for however long we wished, and stop for whatever my father and I wanted to look at.
The wildlife was beautiful... fifteen minutes into our first drive out we had to stop for a giraffe crossing the road right in front of us. We saw dozens of giraffes, elephants, baboons, water buffalo, hippos, and more. The only popular animal we didn't see was a lion... they are really tricky to spot, considering they are the best predator out there. However, when my brother made the same trip with my father a month later, they saw a lion, so they can be found, you just have to be patient and look!
Overall, it was a fantastic experience. I have hundreds of photos and video footage to keep forever. My tips would be to pack plenty of clean clothes you can sweat in. I completely changed outfits 2-3 times a day from being so covered in dirt, sunscreen, and sweat. Driving out in the bush will get you very dirty. Also, bring long shirts, pants, and bug spray. My father got malaria from a mosquito bite out there and was dangerously ill for weeks. Visit a doctor and get malaria pills to take before this trip!
US
35-50 years of age
The jewel of East Africa, a MUST-SEE travel destination!
We spent the first 3 days of our trip in Kampala with side trips to Jinja, Entebbe and Ngamba Island. On day 4 we were picked up by a private tour guide. He would be with us for the remaining 5 days of our trip which included Gorilla trekking in Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth NP and other sights along the way. Our guide spoke decent English, was very affordable and his knowledge of the local flora & fauna, wildlife and history made him an invaluable part of our Ugandan experience. We asked him to show us the ‘real’ Uganda and he delivered! He took us to visit with local families, we watched a group of local men make alcohol from fermented bananas and stopped by a wedding in progress where we were greeted by friendly locals and invited to join the party.
The weather was perfect, cool in the mornings and evenings and warm throughout the day (never hot). The Ugandan country side is simply stunning….green patchwork covers the mountainous terrain and the people are some of the friendliest I have ever encountered. We also had incredible food throughout our journey including a delicious tilapia dinner on the shore of Lake Victoria (for the low price of $1.30).
The gorilla trekking was the highlight of our week but we also did a boat tour of the Kazinga channel which was wonderful!
I've travelled all over the world and I can honestly say that Uganda was my absolute favorite destination. The friendly people, incredible scenery, affordability and abundant wildlife make Uganda a “must-see”!!
