Uganda protects its landscapes and wildlife across ten national parks, managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, ranging from mountain gorilla rainforest in the southwest to true savanna in the north and west. Between them they cover rainforest, wetland, savanna and high-altitude mountain habitat within one relatively compact country.
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: UNESCO World Heritage rainforest and Uganda's premier mountain gorilla trekking destination, split into four trekking sectors.
- Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: Uganda's smallest national park, in the Virunga volcanoes, with gorilla and golden monkey trekking.
- Queen Elizabeth National Park: Uganda's most biodiverse savanna park, known for tree-climbing lions in Ishasha and the Kazinga Channel boat cruise.
- Murchison Falls National Park: Uganda's largest national park, centred on the Nile's dramatic 43-metre drop through a 7-metre-wide gorge.
- Kidepo Valley National Park: A remote, rugged park in Uganda's far northeast, often cited as one of Africa's most scenic and least-visited.
- Lake Mburo National Park: Uganda's smallest savanna park, easily combined with a Kampala-Bwindi road itinerary.
- Kibale National Park: Uganda's premier chimpanzee tracking destination and the region's highest primate density.
- Semuliki National Park: Uganda's outpost of true Central African lowland forest, with species found nowhere else in the country.
- Rwenzori Mountains National Park: A UNESCO World Heritage mountain range offering multi-day trekking up Africa's "Mountains of the Moon".
- Mount Elgon National Park: An extinct volcano on the Kenya border with one of the largest calderas in the world, popular for hiking.
How Uganda's ten parks group by experience
Ten parks can look like a long list, but they fall into three groups. The primate parks (Bwindi, Mgahinga and Kibale) are for gorillas, golden monkeys and chimpanzees. The savannah parks (Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, Lake Mburo and Kidepo) are for game drives, boat trips and big cats. The mountain and forest parks (Rwenzori, Mount Elgon and Semuliki) are for hiking and rare lowland forest species. Most first trips pick one park from each group, which is the logic behind our Uganda safaris.
The primate parks
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage forest where gorilla families are trekked from four sectors: Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. Our Bwindi sectors guide explains how to choose between them. Mgahinga sits on the Virunga volcanoes at the Rwanda and Congo border and adds golden monkeys and volcano hikes. Kibale is the chimpanzee park, and its forest also holds many other primates. Gorilla and chimpanzee permits are non-refundable, so read our gorilla permits page and chimpanzee permits page before choosing dates.
The savannah parks
Murchison Falls is Uganda's largest park, where the Nile squeezes through a narrow gorge before dropping over the falls, and a boat trip below them is one of the best wildlife outings in the country. Queen Elizabeth has the Kazinga Channel, crater lakes and the tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha sector. Lake Mburo is the closest savannah park to Kampala and allows walking, cycling and horse rides among zebras and impala. Kidepo is remote, dramatic and rewarding for travellers who can fly or spare the days.
The mountain and forest parks
Rwenzori Mountains National Park holds glaciated peaks, with Margherita Peak rising above 5,000 metres, and its trekking circuits take several days. Mount Elgon is an extinct volcano on the Kenya border with one of the largest calderas in the world, and its walks are gentler than Rwenzori's. Semuliki is the westernmost reach of the Central African rainforest in Uganda, with hot springs and birds found nowhere else in the country. Our birding in Uganda page explains which of these parks suit birders.
Choosing parks by trip length
With four to five days, choose Bwindi by flight, or Lake Mburo and Bwindi by road. With seven to ten days, add Kibale and Queen Elizabeth. With twelve to fourteen days, add Murchison Falls or Kidepo, and with sixteen days or more, add a mountain park. Distances are long, so every added park costs a full day of travel. Read our safari duration guide and airstrips in Uganda page for how flights shorten the map.
Fees, rules and the Uganda Wildlife Authority
Uganda Wildlife Authority manages the parks, sets entry fees by park and by visitor type, and issues the gorilla and chimpanzee permits. Fees and rules change, so we confirm current rates when we quote. Rangers lead every primate trek, and walking in savannah parks is allowed only with an armed ranger. Our health and safety page and visa and entry guide cover the rest of the preparation.
Seasons across the parks
The two dry seasons, June to September and December to February, make forest trails firmer and game drives easier, and they are the busiest months for gorilla permits. The rains of March to May and October to November turn the landscape green, cut visitor numbers and raise the importance of a good guide. Trekking continues in every month. Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth are good in the dry seasons for animals at water, while the wetter months suit birding. Rwenzori hiking is best in the driest weeks. Read our best time to visit Uganda guide.
Sample park combinations
A short route pairs Bwindi with Lake Mburo, using the road through the south west. A classic route runs Entebbe, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and back, in eight to ten days. A longer route adds Murchison Falls on the north, which can be reached from Entebbe or Kampala in a day, and a very long route adds Kidepo. Mountain trekkers can join Rwenzori to Queen Elizabeth because the two are close. Read our luxury accommodation in Uganda and budget accommodation guides to pick lodges for each park.
How many days each park deserves
Bwindi needs two nights so that the trek and a rest day fit. Kibale needs one night for chimpanzee tracking. Queen Elizabeth deserves two nights for a morning drive, a boat trip and Ishasha. Murchison Falls needs two nights for the Nile and a game drive. Kidepo needs three, because getting there takes effort. Rwenzori hiking needs four to eight days. Add one night for any park that is more than five hours by road from the last.
Plan your Uganda safari
Tell us which parks interest you and we will shape the route around them. Visit Plan My African Safari, message us on WhatsApp at +256 701 243 304, or email [email protected].
