2 min summary Best time to visit Map & highlights Gorilla tracking Chimpanzee tracking Wildlife White water rafting Murchison Falls NP Queen Elizabeth NP Rwenzori Mountains Tips Responsible tourism

Things to do in Uganda

Things to do in Uganda stretch far beyond gorilla tracking - though that is still top of our Uganda wishlist. Meet the residents of this incredibly friendly nation, discovering the tribes and cultures of each region, from the Baganda and the Acholi to the Batwa and the semi nomadic Karamojong. Raft the River Nile at its source for whitewater thrills, and explore Uganda's ten national parks - encountering golden monkeys, tree climbing lions, mighty elephant and buffalo herds and prehistoric-looking shoebill storks along the way.

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Things to do in Uganda

Come face to face with a gorilla

Visiting one of the 11 habituated families is Uganda’s most compelling activity, as a two- to six-hour trek through the rainforest culminates in an eye-to-eye encounter with one of our closest relatives. All tours are regulated through the Uganda Wildlife Authority, so you can be sure that your fee is reinvested into the national park and the gorillas' protection.

Uganda shelters over half of the earth's mountain gorillas, and most of these live in the mist-shrouded Bwindi "Impenetrable" Forest.

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Discover Ugandan culture

Visitors to Uganda credit it with being one of the friendliest nations in Africa; no wonder the national slogan is “you’re welcome!” Still very much tribal, culture varies widely across the country – which has up to 80 languages and dialects – and music, dance, song and traditions will vary from village to village. In the southwest, phenomenally energetic performers compete to see who can thump their bare feet loudest on the ground, while swinging their arms in joyful dance. Venture into Mgahinga Gorilla National Park with the forest’s original inhabitants, the Batwa, who will teach you to harvest honey, make fire and “hunt” antelope with spears, before leading you into their sacred cave. The arid northeast is home to the adungu – a stringed instrument that comes in all sizes. The tiniest fit into the palm of your hand, while the largest is like a double bass. In between, learn to “mingle” dough, grind millet, prepare medicinal plants, and meet a traditional blacksmith.

If you’re worried you won’t have time to discover it all, book an evening at Kampala’s fantastic Ndere Centre, which presents music, dance, costume and folklore from around the country, with entertaining explanations about each region’s culture and history.

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Raft the Nile

Rafting is understandably one of Jinja’s most popular activities, taking on the Grade III-IV-V rapids as you rush 20km downriver. Less adrenaline-fuelled kayaking trips are also possible, as are treks or mountain bike excursions into the nearby Mabira Forest, where the air is punctuated by the eerie shrieks of tree hyraxes.

Jinja is Uganda's adventure capital. The mighty Nile begins here – in an exhilarating froth of whitewater.

Explore the parks

Uganda’s national parks are a well kept secret. Lusher than their Kenyan or Tanzanian counterparts, they have rivers and lakes for boat rides as well as standard game drives. Dented with volcanic craters against a mountain backdrop, Queen Elizabeth National Park’s landscapes alone are spectacular.

Take a boat along the park’s Kazinga Channel, lined with elephants, buffalo, marabou storks and Nile crocodiles. Further north, the sprawling Murchison Falls National Park is bisected by the River Nile. Lazy cruises take you past wildlife here, too – and close to the base of the falls, where the mighty river squeezes itself through a 7m gap, with thunderous results. Trek to the top of the falls, or spend your days driving through this wild savannah. Mgahinga Gorilla is Uganda’s smallest national park – sheltering rare golden monkeys which you can track in the forests on the slopes of volcanoes. And Lake Mburo National Park is a mecca for bird watchers. Early morning walks here can also take you up close to hyena dens.

More about Uganda

Uganda travel guide

Visitors come to Uganda for the endangered mountain gorilla - but what really ends up capturing their hearts is the warmth of the Ugandan people, the breathtaking volcanic scenery and the safaris by road and river.

Best time to visit Uganda

The best time to visit Uganda is pretty much all year round. The country straddles the equator so there are no true seasons, although March to May an October to November are wetter.

Uganda map & highlights

Uganda map & highlights. Uganda highlights with maps and itineraries to help you make the most of your time in Uganda. See all of Uganda's highlights with our responsible travel guide.

Gorilla tracking in Uganda

Gorilla tracking in Uganda is the highlight of any trip to this equatorial nation, whose densely forested mountainsides shelter over half the world's mountain gorillas.

Chimpanzee tracking

Seeing chimpanzees in the wild is an exciting experience. We explain all you need to know about seeing chimps in Uganda, from permit fees to packing tips.

Uganda wildlife

With 10 national parks spanning savannah, forest and waterways, wildlife in Uganda thrives in a huge variety of beautiful landscapes.

Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda

Murchison Falls is Uganda’s largest national park, and it feels like one of its wildest.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Most tourists know Uganda for its gorillas, but for many Ugandans, Queen Elizabeth National Park is the real jewel in the wildlife crown.

Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda

The eponymous peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains National Park straddle the border between Uganda and the DR Congo.

White water rafting on the Nile

While its notorious rapids draw keen rafters in from around the world, anyone can enjoy white water rafting on the Nile.

LGBT vacations in Uganda

Uganda has some of the harshest anti-LGBT laws in the world. Some homosexuals face life imprisonment, and Pride parades and other events are shut down.

Uganda travel advice

Our Uganda experts have shared their top Uganda travel tips with us, from exploring the culture to seeing gorillas and remembering wildlife exists beyond the great apes!

Responsible tourism in Uganda

Uganda is brimming with natural and cultural riches - yet many of its inhabitants are incredibly poor, with electricity and running water still scarce in many regions.