Uganda

“But the Kingdom of Uganda is a fairy tale. You climb up a railway instead of a beanstalk, and at the end there is a wonderful new world. The scenery is different, the vegetation is different, the climate is different, and, most of all, the people are different from anything else to be seen in the whole range of Africa. Instead of the breezy uplands we enter a tropical garden.”

“I had travelled through tropical forests in Cuba and India, and had often before admired their enchanting, yet sinister, luxuriance. But the forests of Uganda, for magnificence, for variety of form and colour, for profusion of brilliant life—plant, bird, insect, reptile, beast—for the vast scale and awful fecundity of the natural processes that are beheld at work, eclipsed, and indeed effaced, all previous impressions.

…..Birds are as bright as butterflies; butterflies are as big as birds. The air hums with flying creatures; the earth crawls beneath your foot. The telegraph-wire runs northward to Gondokoro through this vegetable labyrinth. Even its poles had broken into buds!” The camera cannot do justice to such a panorama. In photographs these vast expanses look like mere scrubby commons, inhospitable and monotonous to the eye, melancholy to the soul. One has to remember that here are Kew Gardens and the Zoo combined on an unlimited scale; that Nature’s central productive laboratory is here working night and day at full blast; and that the scrubby common of the picture is really a fairyland of glades and vistas.” .Winston Churchill

In 1907, Churchill waxed eloquent about Uganda on his safari. A century later, The Lonely Planet (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/uganda )voted Uganda the number 1 destination. CNN Travel (https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/where-to-travel-best-destinations-2023/index.html ) also ranked Uganda as a top travel destination in 2023. Conde Naste Traveller Magazine (https://www.cntraveller.com/article/uganda-africa-giles-foden ) not to be left out also highly recommended Uganda as a top destination in 2023.

But what is it about Uganda? 300 million years ago when the pangea split into continents, the richest biodiversity on earth remained in a part of Africa that straddles Uganda and Congo. Here, in unique climatic conditions, biodiversity evolved into lavish richness unlike elsewhere in the world.

Ecologically Uganda is where the east African savannah grasslands meet the tropical rainforests from West Africa. As such one can track lions in the morning, trek chimpanzees through the rainforest the next day, navigate the Nile teeming with hippopotami and crocodile and then trek deep into Bwindi to stare into the pensive eyes of mountain gorillas. Uganda’s verdant biodiversity is attested to by Uganda’s status as the smallest of 4 African countries whose bird list tops the 1000 mark with a bird list of 1,066 species.

Gorilla trekking and chimpanzee trekking safaris are the most popular tours but that’s not to take away from big game encounters and unique cultural experiences.

Join Buutu Safaris at home as we reveal the intimate details of our Uganda The Pearl of Africa.

Popular Uganda Safaris

FAQS

Uganda is located in East Africa. Uganda is bordered by DR Congo Uganda in the west, Kenya to the east, Tanzania to the south and South Sudan in the north.
The most spoken language is Luganda followed by English.
Uganda shillings – $1 = 3,700 as of Jan 2023
Yes Uganda is safe to travel. There is a robust tourism industry and guests are well looked after. Professional safari operators go to great lengths to ensure personal health and safety of safari goers is prioritised.
Uganda is a humid country but has great weather with temperatures ranging between 18-32 all year round. As such, Uganda is good to visit all year round. At Buutu Safaris we prefer May and end of November as it is the time one can enjoy clear views of the landscape with the luxuriant greenery in its full blossom during the rains.
Gorilla trekking is an exclusive safari activity which involves guests moving deep into the rainforest in search of the elusive mountain gorillas. Trekkers spend up to one hour with a family of gorillas in their natural habitat.
Uganda is a traditionally conservative country so it is inadvisable to wear skimpy clothing. Pack light summer clothes along with fleece tops, a windbreaker and jacket. Socks and good walking shoes are essential. Pale colours such as tan or olive are best, but camouflage clothes are illegal to wear except for armed forces. A sun hat with a large brim, sunglasses and sunscreen are important. Travel light and bring along clothes that do not take hours to dry and fits easily into your bags.
-Long sleeved shirts, pants and socks to protect from mosquito bites -A small flashlight and batteries -Anti malaria medication -Adapter plugs and convertors for electrical devices -Sun glasses, sun hat and sunscreen -Long skirts, t-shirts, sweaters, pants, tops and flip flops -Good walking shoes and hiking shoes for gorilla trekking -A good camera, lots of memory sticks, batteries and a charger -Insect repellent -Light rain gear for summer months -Warm clothes for the morning and evening -Binoculars -A keen pair of eyes!
Safari cost per person range between $650 for a 3 day safari to $12,000 for longer luxury safaris. The main variables that determine safari cost are: Activities in the safari where gorilla trekking and chimpanzee trekking activities significantly increase safari cost. the number of days chosen. The longer the safari the pricier the safari 2. Number of travelers on safari. The bigger the group the number of safari goers the more affordable the cost per person. 3. Lodges – luxury safaris are pricier because luxury lodges cost more will make a safari dearer than budget lodges 4. Admin costs the premium charged for services. International companies often charge unjustifiably higher premiums for the same service than local tour companies. How many days are enough for a Uganda safari? It is advisable to make at least 3 days for a safari as it allows one time to immerse in the wilderness and enjoy the journey.
Safari is a Swahili word with Arab origins. The verb means to make an arduous journey into the African interior. To fully enjoy a Uganda safari, it is imperative that one builds a broader perspective of Uganda. Safari is exceedingly rewarding for those who endeavour to understand the interconnectedness of people, the land, the biodiversity and history. The best books on Uganda as recommended by us are: -Uganda Since Independence by Phares Mutiibwa -The Big Conservation Lie by Mordecai Ogada and John Mbaria – My African Journey by Winston Churchill -Fascism by Prof Mamdani -On Safari: Big Game Hunting in British East Africa by Abel Chapman – Grace Ibingira -A Political History of Uganda by Samwiri Karugiire -Uganda An Indian Colony by Lwanga -Crisis and Decline of Bunyoro by – The Queen of Katwe: by Tim Crothers