6 Best Self-Drive Safari Parks in Uganda you Should Visit:
Our list of Self-Drive Safari Parks in Uganda presents every nature enthusiast a remarkable opportunity to unlock the country’s abundant wonders at their own pace. Lying in the heart of East Africa, Uganda is a complete destination with plenty for you unearth from primates to savanna wildlife and unique cultures.
Uganda is one of the safest destinations for self-drive safaris in Africa. You can embark on a self-drive gorilla tour or self-drive wildlife safari, etc. Here are some of the best self-drive safari parks in Uganda;
The Top Self-Drive Safari Parks in Uganda:
Queen Elizabeth National Park for a self-drive trip.
Situated in Western Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park is a 1978sq.km. The Park holds over 95 mammal species, over 620 species of bird species and other several reptiles, etc. Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best destinations in Uganda that you shouldn’t miss to explore on a self-drive tour.
While on Uganda self-drive safari in Queen Elizabeth Park, some of the exciting experiences to enjoy include game drives along Ishasha sector where tree climbing lions live or Kasenyi Plains, birding, boat cruise on Kazinga channel, chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge, and others.
Diversity of species of fauna that make Queen Elizabeth Park a biodiverse destination include lions, leopards, African bush elephants, cape buffaloes, lions, warthogs, hippos, waterbucks, topis, giant forest hogs, spotted hyenas, chimpanzees, Nile crocodiles, leopards, and others.
Getting to Queen Elizabeth Park on a self-drive tour is easier by road. You can drive from Kampala through Masaka-Mbarara-Bushenyi route which is approximately 7-8 hours’ drive. Or drive off from Kampala via Mityana –Mubende to Fort Portal tourism city then to Kasese where you can easily connect to Queen Elizabeth National Park –the entire trip may last for about 7 hours.
Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo National Park boasts of its abundant wildlife and is also Uganda’s most accessible destination. On a self-drive tour, Lake Mburo Park is accessible within 4-5 hours’ drive from the heart of Kampala city.
Lake Mburo Park protects a huge concentration of wildlife including warthogs, zebras, spotted hyenas, buffaloes, elands, leopards, topis, reedbucks, hippos, zebras, giraffes, crocodiles, and a total of about 350 bird species.
The key safari activities to do while in Lake Mburo National Park include normal game drives, horseback ride, boat or launch cruise, cycling, sport fishing, nature walks, and birding.
Kidepo Valley National Park.
Lying in the extreme Northeastern part of Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park is one of the best parks in East Africa that guarantee nature enthusiasts authentic wilderness experiences. The park was established in 1962 and today, it spans on the land area of 1442sq.km.
Myriad of wildlife can be spotted while in Kidepo Valley National Park. They include lions, African bush elephants, cape buffaloes, lesser and greater Kudus, cheetahs, aardwolf, guenther’s dik-dik, caracals, reedbucks, leopards, zebras, giraffes, and more.
Birds –over 475 species of birds live in Kidepo Valley National Park and include ostriches, hartlaub’s turacos, rufous chatterer, golden pipit, fox’s weavers, ring-necked spur fowl, dusky turtle dove, pallid harriers, red spotted barbet, Taita fiscal, white bellied go-away bird, black winged pratincole and others.
Kidepo National Park is ideal for exciting activities such as game drives, nature walks, birding and so much more.
Getting to Kidepo takes visitors about 10-12 hours’ drive starting from Kampala/Entebbe city. A 4×4 safari vehicle is most ideal for your road trips to and from Kidepo National Park.
Self-drive to destination Murchison Falls National Park.
Lying in Northwestern Uganda, Murchison Falls Park is an ideal self-drive safari destination. It is the biggest of all the 10 National Parks in Uganda and covers the land area of 3840sq.km inhabiting variety of wildlife and birds.
Wildlife in Murchison Falls National Park include hartebeests, warthogs, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, oribis, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes, lions, leopards, and has a total of 451 species of birds. While on Murchison Falls National Park self-drive safari, expect to enjoy safari experiences such as game drives, boat cruise, birding, nature walks, and a lot more.
Access to Murchison Falls National Park is possible by road where you can spend about 6-7 hours to drive from Kampala via Luweero route.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for self-drive gorilla tour.
Found in Southwestern Uganda, Bwindi National Park is a premier gorilla trekking destination. This UNESCO site is home to over 459 mountain gorillas, colobus monkeys, yellow-backed duikers, golden cats, striped jackals, giant forest hogs, buffaloes, and more.
The self-drive gorilla safari to Bwindi allows you to indulge in gorilla trekking adventure, gorilla habituation experience, birding, forest or nature walks, and others.
Driving to Bwindi takes 8-9 hours’ drive if you are setting off from Kampala and from Kigali, you will spend 4-5 hours on the road which includes crossing the Katuna/Cyanika border.
Kibale National Park for self-drive chimpanzee tours.
Situated in Western Uganda, Kabarole District, Kibale National Park offers the best chimpanzee trekking experiences. A self-drive to Kibale is a great chance for you to look out for the habituated chimpanzee community.
Kibale protects up to 1500 chimpanzees which peacefully live together with 12 more primates including l’hoest monkeys, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, etc.
Away from primates, Kibale National Park also protects 375 species of birds including black-capped apalis, green-breasted pittas, Abyssinian ground thrush, the red-faced woodland warblers, dusky crimson wings, black-capped apalis and many others. A self-drive tour in Kibale allows you enjoy chimpanzee tracking, chimpanzee habituation experience, birding, nature or forest walk and a lot more.
