Located on the shores of Lake Victoria, Entebbe lies 40 km south of Kampala, Uganda's bustling capital. As the country’s primary gateway, it serves as both a peaceful retreat and a starting point for exploring Uganda's natural wonders. The city sits in a lush landscape, with sprawling green spaces and a shoreline dotted with fishing villages. The Entebbe Botanical Gardens, established in 1898, showcase a wide variety of plant species, from indigenous tropical forest to cultivated horticultural displays. The gardens are home to a diverse bird population, including the palm nut vulture and giant kingfisher, and provide a haven for primates like the black-and-white colobus. A short trip west leads to the Mabamba Swamp, a Ramsar Wetland, where visitors can explore by dugout canoe in search of the rare shoebill stork. Lake Victoria itself invites fishing, leisurely cruises, and excursions to Ngamba Island, a sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees, where visitors can observe the chimps roaming freely across 40 hectares of forested land.
Kibale Forest National Park, situated in Western Uganda, is famous for its high density of primates, breathtaking crater lakes, and thick, beautiful jungle. Thirteen primate species inhabit the beautiful tropical forest, including red-tailed monkey, L’Hoest's monkey, grey-cheeked mangabey, red colobus, and black and white colobus monkeys. Visitors may spot some of the 300 bird species and 250 butterfly species, and buffalo, forest elephants, leopards, bushbucks, and sitatungas also live in the park but are generally shy. The area is decorated by around 50 enthralling crater lakes and numerous pristine hiking trails. Several cultural tours are on offer which delve into the rich traditions of the Batoro people, giving travellers a chance to see Batoro dancing, singing and traditional healing up close.
Located in southwestern Uganda, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is said to be Africa’s oldest rainforest. It is world-renowned for its excellent gorilla-sighting opportunities - the forest is home to half of the remaining mountain gorillas on earth. This gorilla experience takes place among a rugged landscape of dense jungle, cascading waterfalls, sparkling mountain streams, deep valleys, and steep ridges. The untouched forest has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its breathtaking natural beauty and unique ecological significance, and aside from the amazing gorilla interactions, there are other drawcards such as a network of forest walks, over 340 species of bird to spot, and a variety of brightly-coloured butterflies to identify. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the spectacular Virunga Volcanoes, three of which are still active.
