Top Reasons to choose Uganda as your next safari Destination
Known as the Pearl of Africa, Uganda is a wealth of attraction that spoils any visitor for choice and a single visit is never enough to discover the wonders it offers. Being a destination untouched by mass tourism, you can sure experience an air of expectancy in the national parks teaming with wildlife and magic in the mountains. This makes Uganda one of the most thrilling African safari destinations!
- The country is known for its fine sunny and rainy weather which often does not require the wearing of warm clothing except on some chilly nights in the mountainous areas in western and eastern Uganda. Uganda is on the sunny side most of the year, especially in the central region. Rainfall comes in torrents, especially when the expected patterns are delayed for some months.
- Distinctive wet and dry seasons are typical of most areas in Uganda. For example in the southern half of Uganda there is rainfall from March to May and in September to November. The rest of the periods are dry. There is a well-distributed rainfall pattern around the Lake Victoria Crescent, with storms and unpredictable rains falling during seasons when there is no rain elsewhere in Uganda.
- Areas such as Karamoja in the northeast are dry possibly because of the dry winds blowing in from Somalia. There is very little mean variation in the weather in Uganda except for the mountain areas. The copious rains and bright sunshine are most responsible for successful rain-fed agriculture where grain, fruits and vegetables grow in abundance. Uganda’s weather is most likely a major factor contributing to the fine taste of its foods and quality of cash crops like vanilla, coffee arabica (the finest in the world) and tea although Uganda’s horticultural export industry has just started blooming.
- Uganda offers a spectacular diversity of wildlife with the country hosting ten national parks and some of the wildlife found in some of these parks is unique only to this part of the world. The tree climbing lions of the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National park found in south western Uganda. These rare lions can be seen during a mid morning game drive lying up on the tree branches having a nap. They have become a popular attraction for tourists transferring to Bwindi National park.
- The Mountain Gorilla tracking is the major attraction for tourist travelling in this region and this activity is subject to Gorilla permit availability and only eight people can track each gorilla family per day. Currently there ten gorilla families available for tracking in Bwindi and you can get to the park either by road or by charter flights.
- For bird lovers, Uganda is rated one of the top birding destination and you can bird Uganda all year round given the comfortable weather in Uganda. The Unique and Varied landscape makes birding experiences a wonder and unforgettable experience.
- Trekking the mystic Ruwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda is a truly fantastic and unique experience that the country offers, the wonder of the high glaciers, the beauty of the valley of nine lakes, the bearded lichen hanging from giant heathers with a backdrop of rocky cliffs, crags and snow capped peaks. The wide variety of flora and fauna with several biospheres as you ascend through different vegetation zones creates the ultimate experience for trekking. It is a World Heritage Site and offers the opportunity to see nature at its best. The plant life varies from heavy tropical rainforest, bamboo forests, montane cloud forests to alpine vegetation and the scenery is truly spectacular. Above 4,500 metres the snow and glaciers add that special dimension to the wondrous views throughout this pristine mountain range.
- Margherita Peak at 5,109 metres on Mt Stanley in the Rwenzori Mountains is Africa’s third highest mountain, however the real beauty is in the climb up the peak, the forests and valleys, the flora is diverse from giant heather trees and valleys of ferns. Climbing Margherita Peak is now technical due to the ever increasing number of crevasses. However scaling the actual peak is more of a hard scramble than a climb and when it snows it is difficult however the rewards and exhilaration of reaching the top is enormous as you look across Albert Peak to the DRC (Congo) then east across the spectra of the Rwenzori Mountains.While Ruwenzori trekking can be done from two up to ten days to Magherita peak, Mountain Elgon in Eastern Uganda offers a maximum of five days to wagagai peak.
- Uganda is home to the second largest lake in the world and also the source of the river Nile the longest river in the world and also hosts other lakes Albert, George,Edward, Mburo,Kyoga among others and all these offer attractions from White water rafting for adventure lovers, boat cruises, Sport fishing,  and the Islands on lake Victoria with white sand beaches  offer some of the best beach holidays in this part of the world.
- A Pure and Authentic culture unchanged by time. Uganda is a country of many cultural contrasts with over 17 different tribes with unique cultures. For example if you go west to Mbarara District, you will meet the Bahima, a race of Ankole. This is an egalitarian group of tall beautiful people who live on their cattle, milk and ghee. They move from place to place in search of grass for their herds. The men are agile and wear the elaborate shuka, a long woven cloth of rich colours around the shoulder and a handy stick to shoo cows or fight the enemy. Their fat wives who walk in the same graceful manner like the cows, live on milk and wear colourful clothes. The women are usually of ample girth with beautiful chocolate coloured gums and white teeth. Many of their long-horned, graceful cows are given names to which they respond when called. The Acholi from northern Uganda, on the other hand celebrate the abundant harvest with rich folklore of songs and dance. This is a thanksgiving ceremony.
- Uganda is now a safe destination for any tourists who would wish to come and experience the amazing beauty that the country offers. Its past history was marred by corrupt leaders which saw the country suffer for years in political turmoil; however it has come a long way from the ugly past to become one of the politically stable countries in Africa. The country has seen development in trade and commerce and Sustainable Tourism has become a priority as the country views it as tool for development from the grass root levels much effort is on Ecotourism and sustainable tourism.
