East Africa — Destination
The Pearl of Africa. Smaller than the United Kingdom, but with mountain gorillas, tree-climbing lions, source-of-the-Nile rapids, and the highest concentration of primates inside a single country's borders.
The Place
Uganda lies on the equator, east of Tanzania and Kenya and west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is smaller than the United Kingdom and boasts a spectacular array of landscapes: snow-capped mountains, savannah, lush swampland, and impenetrable forests in the same week's drive.
Its remote, unspoilt parks teem with East Africa's famed big-game species — lion, elephant, buffalo — along with primates and more than a thousand species of birds. Uganda and its neighbour Rwanda share the unique responsibility of conserving a population of critically endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, funded in no small part by the trekking fees levied on visiting guests.
From Entebbe airport on the shore of Lake Victoria, a full itinerary can take in Murchison Falls, the chimpanzees of Kibale, the tree-climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth, and gorilla trekking in Bwindi — or you can pare back to a long weekend in the south-west for the gorillas alone.
Where to go
A UNESCO World Heritage site and the heart of Uganda's mountain gorilla population. The trek is the country's reason.
Volcano slopes shared with Rwanda and the DRC; gorillas and the rarer golden monkey.
Savannah, crater lakes, the Kazinga Channel, and the tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha sector.
The country's premier chimpanzee tracking. Thirteen primate species in a single forest.
The Nile forced through a seven-metre gap. A boat ride to the base of the falls is the keepsake.
The far north, hard to reach, and the country's furthest-from-civilisation experience. Walking through astounding landscapes.
The source of the Nile. White-water and a different kind of pulse to the rest of the itinerary.
The Style
Tourism is still a relatively new concept in Uganda, and the infrastructure is less developed than its East African neighbours. The pay-off is that the country has not been worn smooth — drives are long, lodges are characterful rather than corporate, and the experiences feel discovered rather than delivered.
Gorilla trekking is the headline. Permits are required in advance, trekking is in small groups led by armed rangers, and the sighting itself is limited to one strictly observed hour. Combine it with chimpanzees in Kibale and a savannah park to feel the full breadth of the country.
Pair with