Game Drives in Uganda

Game Drives in Uganda

Game Drives in Uganda; Uganda is famous worldwide for its mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, but the country also offers some of the most rewarding and diverse game drive safari experiences in Africa. A game drive in Uganda is a guided safari excursion conducted in a specially adapted vehicle, designed to observe wildlife in its natural habitat.

Be it the traditional savannas and riverscapes or the distant wildernesses, these experiences are not only intimate but also very much uncrowded. Be it a first-time safari visitor or a wildlife fanatic, there is something authentic and unique about game drives in Uganda that will blow your mind.

What to expect during a game drive in Uganda.
A game drive in Uganda takes place in a luxurious 4×4 pop-up safari vehicle. The professional guide-driver who is knowledgeable about all the different animal trails takes the group on the tour; he shares information about ecology while ensuring safety and increasing the probability of seeing some animals.

The mood is usually quite laid back and leisurely. Unlike other crowded safari spots, you will be less likely to find any crowds of cars at the sightseeing places, making the tour more personalized and interesting for visitors.

Game drives in Uganda are mostly organized either in the morning or in the evening, since these are the times when animals are more active. Morning game drives usually start early after sunrise. Afternoon game drives are usually done after lunch and can last until sunset when animals start going back to their grazing grounds, and predators become more active.

Top Game Drive Destinations in Uganda.

There are a number of national parks in Uganda where game drives are the major attraction in each of these places, which offer unique experiences depending on location, wildlife, and environment.

Murchison Falls National Park.

Murchison Falls National Park is the largest and oldest national park in Uganda where there are magnificent landscapes of an African safari alongside the great force of the Nile River. There are large plains of savannah that exist towards the northern side of the Nile River, which are home to great numbers of wildlife like elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, and antelopes. There are more than 76 mammals found within the park, among which the four big ones are lions, leopards, elephants, and buffaloes. Popular game tracks include Buligi, Victoria, and Albert game tracks.

Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited park and one of its most diverse. Home to about 95 animal species, the park is famous for its tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector, a rare behavior found only here and in Tanzania’s Lake Manyara. There are also other types of wildlife that you will come across like elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, leopards, waterbuck, and different types of primates including chimpanzee, L’Hoest’s monkey, and black and white colobus monkey. Areas where game drives take place in Queen Elizabeth Park include Kasenyi plains, Mweya peninsula, and Ishasha. There are more than 600 birds found here.

Kidepo Valley National Park.
Kidepo Valley National Park is remote, wild, and breathtakingly beautiful. The park is often described as Uganda’s most untouched wilderness, Kidepo offers exceptional game drives with species rarely seen elsewhere in the country, including cheetahs, ostriches, and bat-eared foxes.

This amazing safari landscape is enhanced by the beautiful plains surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. There are two main locations where the game drive is carried out; namely, the Kidepo valley and the Narus valley. In the dry season, many animals can be seen in these locations, especially to quench their thirst. Animals you may see include zebras, giraffes, lions, cape buffaloes, hyenas, cheetahs, kudus, and Uganda kobs.

Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest savanna park in Uganda, yet it offers an excellent game drive experience. It is particularly known for zebras, impalas, elands, and large herds of buffaloes. This park is the best place in Uganda for viewing the eland, which is the largest antelope, and also hosts a considerable number of leopards, but spotting them requires patience and a skilled guide. The small size of the park enables visitors to go on a short drive or have a relaxing safari experience.

Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve.
Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, is located in the northeastern Karamoja region, is one of Uganda’s largest conservation areas and is considered one of the country’s best-kept secrets. Game drives in Pian Upe take place in the early morning or late afternoon along different game tracks. Animals you can see include buffaloes, elephants, roan antelopes, elands, greater kudu, Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi, gazelles, topis, reedbucks, dik-diks, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, spotted hyenas, civets, and cheetahs.

Night Game Drives in Uganda.
Night game drives are also offered in Uganda where you can venture into the savannah national parks at night by use of spotlight torches. This is a good opportunity to view nocturnal animals that come alive at night. Night game drives are available in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, and Lake Mburo National Parks.

An armed ranger from the Uganda Wildlife Authority accompanies you during the night game drive and helps you spot nocturnal animals such as lions, leopards, hyenas, civets, porcupines, genets, bush babies, nightjars, serval cats, banded mongooses, side-striped jackals, bush pigs, honey badgers, aardvarks, black galagos, and hippos feeding at night .

Best Time for Game Drives in Uganda.
Game drives in Uganda are most enjoyable in the early morning hours of the dry season . June through September and December through February are the ideal months due to little rain and vegetation. Animals tend to congregate near the few permanent sources of water available, providing good opportunities for wildlife viewing and great photo ops. The best time for the game drive is early morning and late afternoon when animals are most active.

Visitors can enjoy game drives in different national parks even during the wet season, which lasts from March to May and from October to November, but because of the rains, at times, the tracks get muddy and slippery.

The rainfall is very plentiful during these periods and thus results in thick foliage, making the viewing of wildlife and other scenes unblocked. Nevertheless, the verdant scenery and birdlife during this period can prove beneficial for tourists who are prepared to face the difficulties.