National parks in Uganda at a glance
In fact, we could write a separate blog post for each national park in Uganda – there is so much to talk about them. Each of the Uganda national parks park has a unique landscape, unique vegetation, and unique wildlife. So, on your safari trip, you see something different every time. You can drive through savannas, past snow-capped mountains and huge rivers, and through lush rainforest landscapes. A safari in Uganda is very dynamic. The landscape is incredibly diverse and never gets boring.
Uganda National Parks Map
Best National Parks in Uganda
Here are 10 best national parks in Uganda for wild safaris, nature walks, and hiking.
1. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
For many travellers, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the main reason to come to Uganda. Covering about 331km2, this ancient rainforest jungle is home to around half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, the great apes with whom we share about 98 per cent of our DNA. Seeing the gorillas is, of course, the main highlight.
Besides gorilla trekking, you can spot birds and take beautiful nature walks in Bwindi. During your nature walk, you will also learn about the original inhabitants of Bwindi: the Batwa – a group of hunter-gatherers who lived in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for thousands of years. This people is no longer allowed to live in the park. They now reside in designated areas. As a result, they can no longer live as they did before – which is a great loss. You can, however, visit the Batwa to get a glimpse into life as it once was.
2. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is another park where you can find mountain gorillas in Uganda. The park features a unique and magical landscape: ancient volcanic mountains, crater lakes, and rising mist in the morning. It is part of the Virunga Volcanoes, which Uganda shares with Rwanda and Congo. And, in addition to gorillas, you will also find another unique monkey species there: the golden monkey.
In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, you will find 3 volcanoes. These volcanoes are not active. They last erupted decades ago. You can climb all three. The most popular volcano is Mountain Sabyinyo. You can reach the summit and return in a single day. It is a tough hike. But naturally, a ranger and porters accompany you to help you on your way. And the reward is great: when you are at the top of the volcano and the sky opens up, you look out over Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Originally, Mgahinga was also the territory of the ‘Batwa People’. They are no longer allowed to live in the park, so they live around it. If you wish, you can visit them. There is a Batwa trail.
3. Kibale National Park
Kibale National Park is a tropical rainforest, a deep green jungle in western Uganda. A great diversity of plants, trees, birds, butterflies, and primates lives there. The park covers 776km2. There are 13 primate species including chimpanzees, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, and bush babies.
Forest elephants also live in the forest, as well as a number of special cats like civet cat, genet cat, and golden cat. These are very beautiful animals to look at, but they are very difficult to spot.
Most people visit Kibale for chimpanzee trekking and then move on. We recommend staying a little longer – about 3 days. Kibale is the perfect place to build in some rest during your Uganda safari. Moreover, apart from chimpanzee trekking, there are all kinds of other activities. Here, you can take very beautiful nature walks to see many beautiful birds, insects, trees, and monkey species.
Also, near the park, you can take a village walk and meet a local coffee farmer, stop by a traditional healer, or participate in a cooking workshop. Furthermore, there are the crater lakes on the northern side of the park. You can go mountain biking there, for example.
4. Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most famous game park.
It is located in southwestern Uganda and hosts a multitude of wild animals. There are over 95 mammal species and 612 species of birds. There are lions, leopards, large herds of elephants, hippos, buffaloes, crocodiles, antelopes, many waterbirds, and deep pink flamingos. In addition, the landscape is incredibly diverse.
At its core, Queen features a typical savannah landscape. You can see for miles. There is also plenty of water. The Kazinga Channel runs through the park – this channel connects Lake George and Lake Edward. You can see all kinds of animals on a boat cruise along the channel. Also, there are several crater lakes. You will find slightly less wildlife there, but it is still beautiful to see. One of the most special places in the park is the Kyambura Gorge – a deep canyon containing a tropical rainforest. Here, you can go on a trek to see the chimpanzees.
In terms of wildlife, one animal stands out: tree-climbing lions. Along with a park in Tanzania, Queen is the only place in the world where you can see these lions. For many people visiting the park, the emphasis is on nature. But you can also experience a lot of the culture in and around the park. For example, you can visit the salt flats at Lake Katwe. You learn all about salt extraction and how they handle it locally.
5. Murchison Falls National Park
Are you planning to come to Uganda? Don’t miss a trip to Murchison Falls National Park.
It has highest concentration savannah wildlife in Uganda. It also has a super diverse landscape. In its northern section, you find a classic savannah landscape. Around the Nile River, which splits the park in two, you find wetlands. In the south, the landscape changes again – into a tropical rainforest.
You often drive into the park from the north; that is also where most of the animals are found. There are leopards, hyenas, lions, elephants, antelopes, buffaloes, and giraffes – including the Rothschild giraffe, a unique, endangered giraffe species. In the park, you will find huge Nile crocodiles that can grow up to 7m long.
There are hippos in abundance. There are also 450 bird species, including the rare shoebill stork. One of the most fun things to do in the park is sailing down the Nile towards the Murchison Falls, the world’s strongest waterfalls. You see hippos, crocodiles, and elephants on the banks.
Tip: If you are driving to Murchison Falls from the south, you can make a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Ranch. It is the best place in Uganda where you can see rhinos in the wild. It is a beautiful, simple stopover. You can also make a stop in the southern part of the park, at Budongo Forest. Chimpanzees, among other animals, live there.
6. Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo is the smallest national park in Uganda. And yet, it should not be missed.
Nevertheless, it is not your typical savannah park where you just drive around and spot animals from a distance. You can experience Lake Mburo in a much more active way. You can go horseback riding, hiking, and mountain biking. You get very close to the wild animals. That is possible in virtually no other game park.
Because Mburo is so close to Kampala and Entebbe, it is often at the beginning or end of your Uganda trip. In terms of landscape, it closely matches the stereotypical image of Africa safari destination. It is green, bushy, and you find many acacia trees. Like every park in Uganda, Mburo has a unique wildlife. For instance, there are no elephants or lions. But there are plenty of leopards, giraffes, and zebras.
Lake Mburo is also one of the few national parks in Uganda where you can go on a night game drive, so you have a unique opportunity to see leopards in the dark – that is when they go hunting.
Furthermore, Lake Mburo National Park is home to eland antelopes; the largest antelope species in existence. In the middle of the park, you will find a large lake (Lake Mburo), home to many hippos, crocodiles, and waterbirds. One of the beautiful aspects of the park is that the community and daily life are quite close to it. Near the park, there are many farms where they keep Ankole cows – cows with very large horns.
7. Kidepo National Park
Kidepo National Park is relatively little visited. This is due to its remote location.
One of the most important reasons to visit Kidepo is the landscape. A safari to Kidepo begins with the unique road leading to it. You drive through villages, along unpaved roads. Kidepo is a flat landscape, enclosed by a mountain range. It is impressive, beautiful to drive through. And the beauty of Kidepo: you encounter almost no other tourists. You can drive around for hours without seeing anyone. When it comes to wildlife viewing, Kidepo is hit-or-miss. But with a bit of luck, you can have a very special wildlife experience.
For instance, there are large herds of buffalo. So large that you think: is this the Big Migration? Also, there are ostriches in Kidepo. There are zebras, elephants, giraffes, lions and leopards. And then there are the cheetahs. What makes Kidepo extra special now is that, in March 2026, rhinos were re-introduced in the wild here.
Besides classic game drives, you can do walking safaris, just like in Mburo. If you are staying a little longer, you can also go on cultural excursions. From Kidepo, for instance, you can hike Mt Morungole. There you will visit the ‘Ik’ – a tribe that lives high up on the mountain. They have their own language, their own customs. Or you can visit the Karamoja. If culture is high on your list, this is one of the purest experiences you can have in Uganda.
8. Mount Elgon National Park
Mountain Elgon is an extinct shield volcano on border of Uganda and Kenya. It stands at 4,321 meters (14,178 feet) above sea level. It is mainly visited by adventurers who want to hike to the peak of the mountain; a trek that takes 4 to 5 days. But Elgon is more than just a mountain.
The area around it is just as special. The Sipi Waterfalls are located on its slopes. These are three waterfalls at different heights (110 meters, 85 meters, and 63 meters). You can take a beautiful hike past all of these waterfalls in half a day. Besides the waterfalls, it is an attractive, green area with coffee farms and banana plantations. It is a place you visit for the landscapes and scenic hikes, not so much for the wildlife.
9. Semuliki National Park
Semuliki National Park is beautiful in terms of scenery. It is deep green rainforest. There are rivers, host springs, wetlands, ox-bow lakes, and waterfalls. A group of wild chimpanzees and many other Uganda primates lives there. Birders flock there to spot unique bird species. However, Semuliki National Park does not offer many extras compared to other parks. That is why it is often skipped. Moreover, there is only one accommodation (Semuli Safari Lodge) – it is high-end and thus very expensive. Most people who visit Semuliki National Park take a day trip from Kibale Forest National Park; that is about a 1.5-hour drive.
10. Rwenzori Mountains National Park
The Rwenzori Mountains are known as the Mountains of the Moon. They are wild, rugged, and mysterious. Unlike volcanoes, these mountains were formed by tectonic forces.
They are sharp and dramatic. Mount Stanley is Africa’s third-highest peak (5109meters) and glaciers still exist here. Hiking in the Rwenzoris is challenging. Often muddy. Often cold. But the scenery is unreal. Giant lobelias. Heather forests. Alpine zones. This park is for serious hikers. And true adventurers.
Newly Gazetted National Parks In Uganda
In 2025, Uganda added several new national parks. This strengthened conservation and protected key ecosystems.
- Kyambura National Park: deep forest gorge, home to chimpanzees and many primates.
- Bukaleba National Park: located near Lake Victoria and ideal for wetlands and forest walks.
- Katonga National Park: a wetland park, famous for the rare sitatunga antelope.
- Echuya National Park: a high-altitude forest rich in birds and Batwa culture.
- Kigezi National Park: protects wildlife corridors, quiet and scenic.
- Toro National Park: near the Rwenzori Mountains, excellent for kob, birds, and views.
Uganda takes good care of its national parks
As you read above, we have a great many national parks in Uganda. We also have numerous wildlife reserves in Uganda. Both the national parks and wildlife reserves are tightly managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). They ensure that wild animals have space and can live comfortably. In summary: Uganda is very serious about developing and protecting its natural treasures.
You can very easily drive from park to park.
The infrastructure between the national parks in Uganda is continuously being improved. As a traveler, you can thus see more and more in a shorter period of time. But above all, do not focus solely on the parks: you will also find all kinds of beauty in between them. The vibrant Ugandan life and culture, for instance.
Visit national parks in Uganda yourself?
You have already read that there are many beautiful national parks in Uganda, each with its own special features. Would you like to take in the most beautiful sights during a tour of Uganda yourself? We are happy to help you plan a unique Uganda tour package.
