Tree-climbing lions, Nile hippos, Rothschild's giraffes, rhinos on foot and elephants on the Kazinga Channel. East Africa's savannah, without the crowds.
Uganda and Rwanda are famous for primates, but their savannah parks deliver classic big-game safaris too, often with a fraction of the vehicles you'd share a sighting with in the Masai Mara or Serengeti. Add gorillas and chimps, and you get a combination no other region offers.
| Animal | Best places |
|---|---|
| Lion | Queen Elizabeth (including Ishasha's tree-climbers), Murchison Falls, Kidepo, Akagera |
| Leopard | Queen Elizabeth (Mweya, Kasenyi), Murchison, Lake Mburo on night drives, Akagera |
| Elephant | Queen Elizabeth, Murchison, Kidepo, Akagera |
| Buffalo | Everywhere in savannah parks, with huge herds in Kidepo |
| Rhino | Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (Uganda, on foot), Akagera (Rwanda: black and white) |
More detail is in the Big Five in Uganda.
Kasenyi game drives, the Kazinga Channel cruise and Ishasha lions.
Giraffes, big herds, the Nile launch trip and the falls.
Remote Karamoja, cheetahs and buffalo herds in the hundreds.
Zebras and impala, with walking and horseback safaris.
Rwanda's Big Five comeback park, with boat trips on Lake Ihema.
A 7–10 day route through Murchison or Queen Elizabeth plus Bwindi covers savannah, chimps and gorillas in one trip. It is the most popular itinerary we run. See the gorilla and wildlife combo.
| Group | Species you may see |
|---|---|
| Big cats | Lion (including tree-climbing lions), leopard, cheetah (Kidepo), serval, caracal |
| Large herbivores | Elephant, buffalo, hippo, white rhino (Ziwa), black and white rhino (Akagera), Rothschild's and Masai giraffe |
| Antelopes | Uganda kob, topi, Jackson's hartebeest, waterbuck, eland, impala, oribi, bushbuck, sitatunga, reedbuck, duikers, kudu (Kidepo), roan (Akagera, Pian Upe) |
| Primates | Mountain gorilla, chimpanzee, golden monkey, black-and-white colobus, red colobus, L'Hoest's monkey, baboons, vervets |
| Other mammals | Warthog, giant forest hog, spotted and striped hyena, jackals, mongooses, zebra |
| Reptiles | Nile crocodile, monitor lizards, chameleons |
| Birds | Shoebill, crowned crane, fish eagle, kingfishers, bee-eaters, turacos and over 1,000 more |
Our 9-day Uganda primates and Big Five safari covers this route with gorillas added.
Game viewing is best in the dry seasons (June–September and December–February), when grass is short and animals concentrate around water. Kidepo is best from November to March. The wet seasons bring green landscapes, newborn animals, excellent birding and fewer visitors, and game viewing is still good in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison. See best time to visit.
For savannah parks, choose lodges inside or close to the park, so you're in position for dawn drives. At Queen Elizabeth, the Mweya peninsula or Kasenyi. At Murchison, the north bank near Paraa. At Akagera, a lakeshore or northern lodge. At Kidepo, Apoka. We match lodges to your budget. See luxury safaris and budget safaris.
Kenya's Masai Mara and Tanzania's Serengeti have greater game density and the wildebeest migration. Uganda and Rwanda offer fewer vehicles, gorillas and chimps, unusual species such as tree-climbing lions, shoebills and Uganda kob, and a more varied landscape of forests, mountains, lakes and savannah. For travellers who want primates plus big game, Uganda is hard to beat. Many first-time safari-goers visit both regions on separate trips.
Uganda's rivers and lakes offer some of Africa's best boat safaris. On the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth, you glide past hundreds of hippos, buffalo and elephants at the water's edge, crocodiles on the banks, and flocks of pelicans and skimmers. On the Nile in Murchison Falls, the launch trip heads upstream to the foot of the falls past elephants, giraffes, hippos and huge crocodiles. In Lake Mburo and on Lake Ihema in Akagera, smaller boats give intimate views of hippos and birds. Boat safaris are relaxing, suit all ages, and are excellent for photography. See boat cruise safaris.
Seeing wildlife on foot is thrilling. At Ziwa, you track white rhinos with rangers. In Lake Mburo, you walk among zebras, eland and impala. Kidepo and Queen Elizabeth offer guided nature walks, and in Kibale and Bwindi, forest walks reveal primates and birds. Walking safaris focus on tracks, plants and smaller creatures, as well as big animals.
Uganda's wildlife suffered badly in the 1970s and 1980s, when poaching wiped out rhinos and reduced elephants and other species. Since then, populations have recovered strongly. Elephant numbers in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison have grown significantly, and mountain gorillas have increased. White rhinos are breeding again at Ziwa, and Rothschild's giraffes have been moved to new areas. Tourism revenue is a key part of this recovery. Your visit helps fund rangers, research and community programmes.
After dark, a different cast of animals appears. Night drives in Lake Mburo, Akagera and parts of Queen Elizabeth use spotlights to find leopards, hyenas, genets, civets, porcupines, bushbabies and nightjars. Rules vary by park, and places are limited, so we book them in advance. Night drives add excitement to any wildlife safari.
Yes, across different sites: lions, leopards, elephants and buffalo in the national parks, and rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Yes, especially if you want primates as well as big game. Game density is lower than in the Serengeti, but so are the crowds.
Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls have the richest game viewing. Kidepo is the wildest.
Akagera has lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, rhinos, giraffes and zebras. Volcanoes and Nyungwe add gorillas, golden monkeys, chimps and colobus.
Yes. A good pair (8x42 or 10x42) for each traveller makes game drives and birding far more rewarding.
Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and Kidepo have the largest populations, often seen from the Kazinga Channel and Nile boat trips.
Yes, most often in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and on night drives in Lake Mburo, but sightings take luck.
Five to seven days covers two savannah parks, such as Murchison and Queen Elizabeth, plus chimps. Add 2–3 days for gorillas.
Both are excellent. Murchison has giraffes and the falls, and Queen Elizabeth has the Kazinga Channel and tree-climbing lions. Many itineraries include both.
Yes, in the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the few places in the world where lions regularly climb trees.
A 7–9 day trip covering Murchison Falls (with Ziwa rhinos), Kibale and Queen Elizabeth, with Bwindi gorillas if time allows.
Yes. Guides know the parks well and follow park rules, and walking activities are led by armed rangers.
Yes, ideally. Park tracks can be rough and muddy, and a pop-up roof gives the best views and photos.
Tell us your dates, budget and interests. We reply within 24 hours with a costed itinerary.
