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The game you come across in
park includes elephant, hartebeest, leopard, lion, giraffe, buffalo, hippo, crocodiles and many species of antelopes. Upstream of
Murchison Falls are
Karuma Falls, where
Nile cascades over 23 kilometres of rapids. Here you have some of
most exciting white water in Africa. Murchison Falls is located 330 km from Kampala.
The Queen Elizabeth National Park is another outstanding treasure. It is a UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserve for Humanity. The recognition arises from
tropical forest, green meadows, savannah and swamps that constitute
park. In terms of wildlife, you find elephant, buffalo, hippos, baboons, chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds. The park occupies 2,000 sq km and is situated 440 km from Kampala. At
northern end of
Queen Elizabeth, you find Kibale. This park has a unique forest habitat and has an excellent diversity of animal and plant life. It is at Kibale that you find
highest number of primate species in Uganda, and one of
highest primate densities and diversities in
world.
Traveling from Kampala to
Queen Elizabeth or Bwindi, most visitors break at Lake Mburo National Park. The park is 230 km west of Kampala along
Mbarara road and is
most accessible in
country. It is a very attractive park of rolling hills, open grassy valleys, interspersed with thickets, woodlands and rich wetlands. In addition to viewing game including zebra, cape buffalo and eland, you can relax by taking a boat trip on Lake Mburo.
The fairly flat terrain of
country is interrupted to
west by
Rwenzori Mountains and to
east by Mount Elgon. Rwenzori, otherwise known as "Mountains of
Moon" has
third highest peak in Africa after Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro. The Rwenzori is part of
national park of
same name and contains 6 snow-capped peaks. You can hike
trails of this mountain without any special climbing equipment unless you want to go for
peaks. The mist covered mountain range stretches for about 100 km.
Mount Elgon sits by
Kenyan border and is
shell of an ancient volcano. The main attractions here are
waterfalls, caves that were once used by indigenous people, hot springs,
mountains vegetation,
various peaks,
Suam Gorge and
caldera itself. After millions of years of erosion,
oval shaped caldera now measures roughly 7 by 8 kms, one of
largest in
world.
The traveler with a sense of history will want to visit
Source of
Nile at Jinja. Jinja is 60 km to
north east of Kampala and is easily accessible by road. This is where
White Nile begins, as it exits Lake Victoria on its 5,600 km journey to
Mediterranean. The source of
Nile was a thousand year old mystery that was decisively settled by
explorer John Speke in 1862.
If you are keen about culture, go for
The Kabaka's Trail. This is a unique journey through a part of Uganda's rich heritage that has been shaped by
region's kings over
years. The Kabaka is
ceremonial king of
Baganda and his lineage goes way back to
14th century. The Trail combines a series of cultural sites, all within easy reach of Kampala. You can easily combine
Kabaka Trail with your Search of
Nile excursion to Jinja. The Trail offers much more than sightseeing and you will learn about
hidden and forgotten history of Uganda. You will also experience an authentic tribal culture - with traditional dance, music, craft making, spiritual healing and storytelling.
There are international standard hotels in Uganda, especially in
main towns of Entebbe, Jinja and Kampala. The quality is variable in
smaller towns and rated accommodation is scarce. All of
major national parks offer accommodation in game lodges and tented camps.
If you want to drive around Uganda, you need to show an international drivers license to hire a vehicle. Rental cars in Uganda are available in Entebbe and Kampala. Roads radiate from Kampala and are of varying quality. In
north of
country
security situation is still doubtful and so are
roads. Its is a good idea if you are on self drive to get local advise about
condition
roads you intend to use.
Uganda enjoys a tropical climate tempered by altitude. The hottest period of
year is from December to February when temperature rise to 29 degrees Celsius. For
rest of
year, temperatures range between 21 to 25°C.The country experiences two rainy seasons: April to May and October to November, with April being
wettest month. The best times to visit are December-March and June-September. Light informal clothing is generally adequate. But you need warmer wraps and sweaters for
evenings and early mornings. You are also advised to carry some rainwear, just in case.
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Andrew Muigai is the editor of AfricaPoint Insider online newsletter. It is part of AfricaPoint.com- the Africa travel website that has helped thousands of travelers discover Africa. You can view more info on Uganda safari and tours at the website.