ABOUT THE PARK Size: 33.7km2, making it Uganda’s smallest National Park. The park takes its name from “Gahinga” – the local word for the piles of volcanic stones cleared from farmland at the foot of the volcanoes. The British administration declared the area a game sanctuary in 1930; it was gazetted as a National Park in 1991. Mgahinga has one habituated transboundary gorilla group. The Batwa were self-sufficient – and visitors can see how during a fascinating tour with a Batwa guide to learn the secrets of the forest. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park sits high in the clouds, at an altitude of between 2,227m and 4,127m. As its name suggests, it was created to protect the rare mountain gorillas that inhabit its dense forests, and it is also an important habitat for the endangered golden monkey. As well as being important for wildlife, the park also has a huge cultural significance, in particular for the indigenous Batwa pygmies. This tribe of hunter-gatherers was the forest’s “first people”, and their ancient knowledge of its secrets remains unrivaled. Mgahinga’s most striking features are its three conical, extinct volcanoes, part of the spectacular Virunga Range that lies along the border region of Uganda, Congo, and Rwanda. Mgahinga forms part of the much larger Virunga Conservation Area which includes adjacent parks in these countries. The volcanoes’ slopes contain various ecosystems and are biologically diverse, and their peaks provide a striking backdrop to this gorgeous scenery. Mgahinga boasts of over 76 mammals which include elephants, giant forest hog, bush pigs,bush back. Buffalos, leopards, A bird checklist of over 180 species including the 14 endemic Albertine rift notably the Kivu ground thrush and turaco. HOW TO GET TO THE PARK? By Road The drive from Kampala to Kisoro, the closest town to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is about 9 hours via Kabale. A 4WD vehicle is highly recommended. The route is very winds around one of the most beautiful pockets in Uganda; a journey that appeals to all senses. There is also a daily bus service for tourists that aren’t traveling in a private vehicle. Note that you will have to hire an extra shuttle from Kisoro town to the park’s boundary. By Air There are several options of flights from daily scheduled to chartered flights out of Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi Airstrip to Kisoro Airstrip. Flights last about 1 hour and 10 minutes. From here, tourists will transfer over a murram road to arrive at the park. Locations: Kisoro district Size: 33.7km2 Altitude: 4,127m

ABOUT THE PARK This extinct volcano is one of Uganda’s oldest physical features, first erupting around 24 million years ago. Mt Elgon was once Africa’s highest mountain, far exceeding Kilimanjaro’s current 5,895m. Millennia of erosion have reduced its height to 4,321m, relegating it to the 4th highest peak in East Africa and 8th on the continent. Mt Elgon is home to two tribes, the Bagisu and the Sabiny, with the marginalized Ndorobos forced to dwell deep within the forest of Benet. The Bagisu, also known as the BaMasaba, consider Mount Elgon to be the embodiment of their founding father Masaba and refer to the mountain by this name. At 4,000km²  Mt. Elgon has the largest volcanic base in the world. Located on the Uganda-Kenya border it is also the oldest and largest solitary, volcanic mountain in East Africa. Its vast form, 80km in diameter, rises more than 3,000m above the surrounding plains. The mountain’s cool heights offer respite from the hot plains below, with the higher altitudes providing a refuge for flora and fauna. Mount Elgon National Park is home to over 300 species of birds, including the endangered Lammergeyer.  The higher slopes are protected by national parks in Uganda and Kenya, creating an extensive trans-boundary conservation area which has been declared a UNESCO Man & Biosphere Reserve. A climb on Mt. Elgon’s deserted moorlands unveils a magnificent and uncluttered wilderness without the summit-oriented approach common to many mountains: the ultimate goal on reaching the top of Mt. Elgon is not the final ascent to the 4321m Wagagai Peak, but the descent into the vast 40km² caldera. The mammalian fauna of Mount Elgon is poorly known.The most common secies,or atleast the most visible to hikers,are blue monkeys and black and white columbus.A small number of Elephants are residents of forests and several montane moorland endemics. Locations: Mbale, Eastern Uganda Size: 1,121 km2 Altitude: 4,321 m

ABOUT THE PARK The park was gazetted in 1991 and was recognized as a World Heritage site in 1994 and a Ramsar site in 2008. Highest point: 5,109m above sea level on Mt Stanley’s Margherita Peak. The border with DR Congo bisects Mt. Stanley. The Rwenzori is not volcanic like East Africa’s other major mountains but is a block of rock up-faulted through the floor of the Western Rift Valley. The Rwenzoris were christened the “Mountains of the Moon” by the Alexandrine geographer Ptolemy in AD 150. The explorer Henry Stanley placed the Rwenzori on the map on 24th May 1888. He labeled it ‘Ruwenzori’, a local name which he recorded as meaning “Rain-Maker” or “Cloud-King.” The oldest recorded person to reach Margherita Peak was Ms. Beryl Park aged 78 in 2010. The Rwenzoris – the fabled Mountains of the Moon – lie in western Uganda along the Uganda-Congo border. The equatorial snow peaks include the third highest point in Africa, while the lower slopes are blanketed in moorland, bamboo, and rich, moist montane forest. Huge tree heathers and colorful mosses are draped across the mountainside with giant lobelias and “everlasting flowers”, creating an enchanting, fairy-tale scene. Rwenzori Mountains National Park protects the highest parts of the 120km-long and 65km-wide Rwenzori mountain range. The national park hosts 70 mammals and 217 bird species including 19 Albertine Rift endemics, as well as some of the world’s rarest vegetation. Locations: Bundibugyo District Size: 996km2 Altitude: 5,109 m

ABOUT THE PARK Queen Elizabeth National Park spans the equator line; monuments on either side of the road marking the exact spot where it crosses latitude 00. The park was founded in 1952 as Kazinga National Park and renamed two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II of England. The park is home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species. The Katwe explosion craters mark the park’s highest point at 1,350m above sea level, while the lowest point is at 910m, at Lake Edward. Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandably Uganda’s most popular tourist destination. The park’s diverse ecosystems, which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes, and fertile wetlands, make it the ideal habitat for a classic big game, ten primate species including chimpanzees, and over 600 species of birds. Set against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains, the park’s magnificent vistas include dozens of enormous craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffalo, and elephants, and the endless Ishasha plains, whose fig trees hide lions ready to pounce on herds of unsuspecting Uganda kob. As well as its outstanding wildlife attractions, Queen Elizabeth National Park has a fascinating cultural history. There are many opportunities for visitors to meet the local communities and enjoy storytelling, dance, music, and more. The gazetting of the park has ensured the conservation of its ecosystems, which in turn benefits the surrounding communities. Most of Queen Elizabeth comprises open grassland and savannah which tends to be moist and woody in the west than the eastern part, Thorny Acacia dominates this savannah habitant with the high concentration of candelabra shrub a cactus that grows along the kazinga channel and on the kasenyi plains. Queen Elizabeth supports at least 95 species of mammals,it boasts of 20 carnivores like the Lion,Leopards, side stripped jackal and spotted hyena among others. Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park is truly a Medley of Wonders! HOW TO GET TO THE PARK? Queen Elizabeth National Park is located about 410km/255mi west of Kampala. The direct drive takes at least 7 to 8 hours, but your itinerary will most likely include some parks on the way. It is also possible to fly to any of the nearby airstrips of Kasese, Mweya or Kihihi (for Ishasha) by scheduled or chartered aircraft from Entebbe International Airport (EBB) or Kajjansi Airfield near Kampala. You will enter Uganda at Entebbe International Airport (EBB), about 46km/29mi from Kampala, the capital city. Generally, your tour operator will arrange for your pick-up from the airport, and organize any further transportation required as part of your safari package. Locations: Kasese District Size: 1,978km² Altitude: 1,300m

ABOUT THE PARK Semuliki Forest Reserve was created in 1932 and upgraded to national park status in 1993. It is the only tract of true lowland tropical forest in East Africa, hosting 441 recorded bird species and 53 mammals. Large areas of this low-lying park may flood during the wet season, a brief reminder of the time when the entire valley lay at the bottom of a lake for seven million years. Four distinct ethnic groups live near the park – Bwamba farmers live along the base of the Rwenzori while the Bakonjo cultivate the mountain slopes. Batuku cattle keepers inhabit the open plains and Batwa, pygmies, traditionally hunter gathers, live on the edge of the forest. Semuliki National Park sprawls across the floor of the Semuliki Valley on the remote, western side of the Rwenzori. The Park is dominated by the easternmost extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Congo Basin. This is one of Africa’s most ancient and bio-diverse forests; one of the few to survive the last ice age, 12-18,000 years ago. The Semuliki Valley contains numerous features associated with central rather than eastern Africa.  Grass Thatched huts are shaded by West African oil palms; the Semuliki River (which forms the international boundary) is a miniature version of the Congo River, the forest is home to numerous Central African wildlife species, and the local population includes a Batwa pygmy community that originated from the Ituri. As a result, this park provides a taste of Central Africa without having to leave Uganda. While Semuliki’s species have been accumulating for over 25,000 years, the park contains evidence of even older processes. Hot springs bubble up from the depths to demonstrate the powerful subterranean forces that have been shaping the rift valley during the last 14 million years. This biologically diverse region also provides shelter to a further 120 mammals, including several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes. There are around 350 species of birds hosted in this forest, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics. Hippos are common are common along the semuliki river,as are crocodiles,More than 300 species of butterflies have been identified,including 46 species of forest swallowtail,together with 235 moth species.Over 435 bird species have been recorded in Semuliki National Park.The checklist includes 35 Guinea-congo forest biome bird species,spot-breasted ibis,Haartlaub’s duck,Congo sepent eagle,chestnut flaned goshawk,red thighed sparrowhawk.Furthermore,another 12 species with extremely little distribution are spotted like the western bronze-naped pigeon.yellow throated cukoo. HOW TO GET TO THE PARK? Getting to semuliki from Kampala to Fort Portal: Kampala-Fort Portal via Mubende is about 180 Km. (about 4-5 hrs drive) while Kampala -Fort Portal via Masaka, Mbarara, Kasese is about 465 Km (7-8 hrs). In both routes 2-wheel drive vehicles can be useful. Locations: Bundibugyo District, ‎Uganda Size: 220km² Altitude: 670-760m above sea level

ABOUT THE PARK Wetland habitats comprise 20% of the park’s surface The parks’ precarious past has seen wildlife virtually eliminated several times: firstly, in various attempts to rid the region of tsetse flies, then to make way for ranches, and finally as a result of subsistence poaching. 20% of the park’s entrance fee is used to fund local community projects such as building clinics and schools. Lake Mburo National Park is a compact gem, located conveniently close to the highway that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda. It is the smallest of Uganda’s savannah national parks and underlain by ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks which date back more than 500 million years. It’s a home to 350 bird species as well as zebras, impalas, elands, buffalos, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, leopard, hippo, hyena, topi and reedbuck. Together with 13 other lakes in the area, Lake Mburo forms part of a 50km-long wetland system linked by a swamp. Five of these lakes lie within the park’s borders. Once covered by open savanna, this supports the healthy population of Buffalos, Wathhog ,bushpig and hippopotamus. Lake Mburo National Park now contains much woodland as there are no elephants to tame the vegetation. In the western part of the park, the savanna is interspersed with rocky ridges and forested gorges while patches of papyrus swamp and narrow bands of lush riparian woodland line many lakes. Lake Mburo is notably blessed with over 315 bird species and probably the best place to view acacia-associated birds, Rwonyo is a good zone to see the mosque swallow, blackbellied bustard,bare-faced-go away bird and Ruppell’s starling. A handful of birds is recorded essentially the southern ground hornbill and black throated barbet. HOW TO GET TO THE PARK? By Road Lake Mburo National Park is the closest of all Uganda’s national parks to the capital city; located between Kampala and Mbarara City. The park is mainly accessed by road over a journey of approximately 228 kilometers (about 3 ½ hours). From Kampala, the park can be accessed through two gates. If traveling from Kampala the first branch off on the left leads you to the Nshara Gate for a distance of about 5 kilometers. The second is at Sanga Trading Center for a distance of about 13 kilometers to the park’s Sanga Gate. Both gates are only about 2 kilometers from the park’s headquarters at Rwonyo. By Air Whereas there aren’t any direct flights into the park, tourists can charter flights from either Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Mbarara airstrip through one of the domestic carriers. The flight is approximately 1 ½ hours. You will then transfer by road to the park for a short distance. Locations: Nyabushozi County, Kiruhura District Size: 370 km2 Altitude: 1,220m – 1,828m above sea level

ABOUT THE PARK Kibale’s most popular activity is the Kanyanchu Primate Walk. Thirteen species can be sought, and a good variety of diurnal monkeys invariably encountered, but the stars of this twice-daily show are chimpanzees. Kibale’s most popular activity is the Kanyanchu Primate Walk. Thirteen species can be sought, and a good variety of diurnal monkeys invariably encountered, but the stars of this trail are the chimpanzees. Kanyanchu’s chimps have been tracked since 1993 and the chances of locating them are excellent. Guided walks start at 8am and 2pm and last an average of three hours, depending on various factors. The perennially popular primate walk provides the chance to observe chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Kanyanchu’s groups are accustomed to human presence – some have been observed for over 25 years – and the chance of locating them is over 90%. Walks leave Kanyanchu Visitor Centre at 08.00, 11.00 and 14.00 and last between 2-5 hours. Early arrival to allow for registration and briefing is recommended. Contact time with chimpanzees is limited to one hour; group size is limited to six visitors; participants must be aged 16 or over. Advance booking is essential. This biologically diverse region also provides shelter to a further 120 mammals, including several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes. There are around 370 species of birds hosted in this forest, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics. The Nahan’s francolin, cassin’s spinetail, blue headed bee-eater and low-land masked apalis. Most prominent among Kibale’s primates  is the chimpanzee population surge of about 1,500 individuals, divided into atleast a dozen different communities,four of which are habituated to humans.The Kanyantale community has been subject to daily tourist tracking since 1993. HOW TO GET TO THE PARK? By Road The quickest route to Kibale National Park from Kampala city is through the Kampala-Fort Portal highway. The park can be reached over a fully-tarmacked road for a distance of 326 kilometers (approximately 6 hours). For tourists overnighting in Fort portal city, the park is only an hour’s drive away. There is also the alternative but longer option of going through Mbarara city with an optional stopover at Lake Mburo and Queen Elizabeth National Park. Locations: Kabarole district, Western Uganda Size: 321 km2 Altitude: 1,160m – 2,607m

ABOUT THE PARK The Mubare gorilla group was the first to become available for tourism in Uganda in April 1993. Nine groups are now habituated for tourism, and one group for research. Spread over a series of steep ridges and valleys, Bwindi is the source of five major rivers, which flow into Lake Edward. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park lies in southwestern Uganda on the edge of the Rift Valley. Its mist-covered hillsides are blanketed by one of Uganda’s oldest and most biologically diverse rain forests, which dates back over 25,000 years and contains almost 400 species of plants. More famously, this “impenetrable forest” also protects an estimated 459 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups, which can be tracked. This biologically diverse region also provides shelter to a further 120 mammals, including several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes. There are around 350 species of birds hosted in this forest, including 23 Albertine Rift endemics. Bwindi is a home to atleast 200 butterfly species including the eight albertine rift endemics.Also a home to many reptiles. The neighboring towns of Buhoma and Nkuringo both have an impressive array of luxury lodges, rustic bandas, and budget campsites, as well as restaurants, craft stalls, and guiding services. Opportunities abound to discover the local Bakiga and Batwa Pygmy cultures through performances, workshops, and village walks. HOW TO GET TO THE PARK? By Road Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can be accessed following several routes. Here are some of the most common routes to take. Kampala City – Ntungamo Town – Rukungiri Town – Kihihi Town – Buhoma Town This is perhaps the quickest and most direct route for tourists traveling from Kampala. The route follows a tarmacked jorueny for about 390 kilometers to Rukungiri followed by 82 kilometers on winding murram roads to the park’s headquarters at Buhoma. Kampala City – Kabale Town – Kanungu Town – Buhoma HQ The route is tarmacked for about 414 kilometers between Kampala and Kabale for approximately 6 hours after which tourists follow a winding murram road for 120 kilometers through Kanungu and Kanyantorogo for another 5 hrs until you reach Buhoma where the park’s headquarters are found. A 4WD vehicle is highly recommended. Queen Elizabeth National Park (Mweya) – Kihihi Town – Buhoma HQ This route leads through Queen Elizabeth National Park’s southerly called Ishasha, providing the chance of a stopover in search of the iconic tree-climbing lions. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is approximately 160 kilometers from Mweya and about 64 kilometers from Ishasha. The journey is mainly along a dirt road. A 4WD vehicle is highly recommended. Kampala City – Kabale Town – Ruhija Sector – Buhoma HQ The distance from Kabale-Ruhija-Buhoma is about 95 kilometers over a winding murram road; a journey that lasts about 4 hours. A 4WD vehicle is highly recommended. Kampala City – Kabale Town – Nkuringo Sector The distance from Kabale to Nkuringo is about 105 kilometers; approximately 4 hours in total along a mountainous murram road. The majority of tourists often overnight in Kisoro which is about 80 kilometers from Kabale town before proceeding to Nkuringo or the Rushaga sector the following morning for the gorilla trek. The road from Kisoro is a winding 35-kilometer journey that takes at least one hour or an hour and a half. A 4WD vehicle is recommended for both approaches to Nkuringo. By Air Bwindi is served by a series of flights including a daily scheduled flight from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro Airstrip for tourists visiting the park’s southern sectors of Nkuringo and Rushaga. From Kisoro, tourists will need a 4WD vehicle to transfer them along a winding murram road to their lodge in time for the next day’s trek. The park’s northerly frontier is served by a schedule of daily flights from Entebbe to Kihihi airstrip from which tourists will need a 4WD vehicle to transfer them along a winding murram road to their lodge in time for the next day’s trek. Scheduled and chartered flights last only about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Locations: South – Western Uganda (Kisoro) Size: 321km2 Altitude: 1,160m – 2,607m Above sea level

ABOUT THE PARK The park contains two rivers – Kidepo and Narus – which disappear in the dry season, leaving just pools for the wildlife. The local communities around the park include pastoral Karamojong people, similar to the Maasai of Kenya, and the IK, a hunter-gatherer tribe whose survival is threatened. Kidepo Valley National Park lies in the rugged, semi arid valleys between Uganda’s borders with south Sudan in the north west and only 5km from the eastern border of Kenya, some 700km from Kampala. Gazetted as a national park in 1962, it has a profusion of big game and hosts over 77 mammal species. Kidepo is Uganda’s most isolated national park, but the few who make the long journey north through the wild frontier region of Karamoja would agree that it is also the most magnificent, for Kidepo ranks among Africa’s finest wildernesses. From Apoka, in the heart of the park, a savannah landscape extends far beyond the gazetted area, towards horizons outlined by distant mountain ranges. During the dry season, the only permanent water in the park is found in wetlands and remnant pools in the broad Narus Valley near Apoka. These seasonal oases, combined with the open, savannah terrain, make the Narus Valley the park’s prime game viewing location especially with its dense populations of Lion,Buffalos,Elephant and many similar angulates. Kidepo’s elephant population has surged from around 200 in the mid 1990’s to between 650 and 1000 today. The African Buffalo population is now estimated at 10,000-15,000.The Rothschild Giraffe is very notable ,breeding more than 50 individuals from the bottleneck of the mid 1990’s population of three and supplemented  several from translocation. The bird checklist of over 476 species with the common Ostrich, secretary bird,northern carmine bee eater, little green bee eater, Abyssinian scimitar bill and many more colorful and visible species. HOW TO GET TO THE PARK? The best way to get to Kidepo Valley NP is by a scheduled or chartered flight. It is also possible to drive to Kidepo. There are several routes. The most direct route, through Gulu to Lokumoit Gate, takes about 10 hours. The trip can be broken up with an overnight stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Gulu or Kitgum. Two longer routes pass through the remote Karamoja subregion, arriving at Nataba Gate. Karamoja was subject to banditry in the past, but it has been considered safe for several years and is a growing center of community-based tourism focused on the small town of Moroto. Flights between parks are usually scheduled by your tour operator. They will also arrange for your pick-up from the airport or your hotel in most cases. You will enter Uganda by way of Entebbe International Airport (EBB), which is near the town of Entebbe and 46km/29mi from Kampala, Uganda’s capital. LOCATION: Karamoja District SIZE: 1,442km2 ALTITUDE: 914m and 2,750m