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 rainforests, which dates back over 25,000 years and contains almost 400 species of plants. More famously, this “impenetrable forest” also protects an estimated 320 mountain gorillas – roughly half of the world’s population, including several habituated groups, which can be tracked.
Kibale National Park
Contains one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda. Forest cover, interspersed with patches of grassland and swamp, dominates the northern and central parts of the park on an elevated plateau. The park is home to a total of 70 mammal species, most famously 13 species of primate including the chimpanzee. It also contains over 375 species of birds. Kibale adjoins Queen Elizabeth National Park to the south to create a 180km-long corridor for wildlife between Ishasha, the remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Sebitoli in the north of Kibale National Park.
Kidepo Valley National Park
Lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys between Uganda’s borders with Sudan and 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 as well as around 475 bird species. 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.
Murchison Falls National Park
Lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the sweeping Bunyoro escarpment tumbles into vast, palm-dotted savanna. First gazetted as a game reserve in 1926, it is Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area, hosting 76 species of mammals and 451 birds. The mighty cascade drains the last of the river’s energy, transforming it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the rift valley floor into Lake Albert. This stretch of river provides one of Uganda’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles. Regular visitors to the riverbanks include elephants, giraffes, and buffaloes; while hippos, Nile crocodiles, and aquatic birds are permanent residents.
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 the classic big game, ten primate species including chimpanzees, and over 600 species of birds. 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
Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Lies 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, fairytale scene. The Rwenzoris are a world-class hiking and mountaineering destination. A nine- to twelve-day trek will get skilled climbers to the summit of Margherita – the highest peak – though shorter, non-technical treks are possible to scale the surrounding peaks.
Semuliki National Park
Semuliki National Park sprawls across the floor of the Semliki 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 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.
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.
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 is underlain by ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks which date back more than 500 million years. It is home to 350 bird species as well as zebra, impala, eland, buffalo, 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.
Mount Elgon National Park
Is home to over 300 species of birds, including the endangered Lammergeyer. Small antelopes, forest monkeys, elephants, and buffalos also live on the mountainside. The higher slopes are protected by national parks in Uganda and Kenya, creating an extensive transboundary conservation area that has been declared a UNESCO Man & Biosphere Reserve.
Officially the United Republic of Tanzania, Tanzania is located in East Africa within the African Great Lakes Region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the Northeast via the Namanga border crossing that people use when they come from Nairobi; and the Indian Ocean to the East; Mozambique and Malawi to the South; Zambia to the Southwest; and Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the West, a safari mecca populated by the “Big Five” game (Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Rhino)
Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, is in Northeastern Tanzania in what is known as the Kilimanjaro National Park with the town of Moshi at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro and with the sister mountain Mount Meru about 80 Kilometers from Arusha the safari capital of Africa on the foothills of Mount Meru, and the lowest point in Africa being the floor of Lake Tanganyika, at 1,471 meters (4,826 ft) below sea level, respectively.
Tanzania contains around 20% of the species of Africa’s enormous warm-blooded animal populace, found in its over 21 National Parks, Reserves, 1 Conservation Area, and 3 Marine Parks. Tanzania has set aside more than 26% of its land and sea mass for the protection of its wildlife and nature, including the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, The Serengeti National Park, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Arusha National Park, Mikumi National Park, Selous Game Reserve, Sadani National Park, plus many more. In western Tanzania, Gombe Stream National Park is the site of Jane Goodall’s ongoing study of chimpanzee behavior, which started in 1960.
There are several International airports in Tanzania, the most important ones are Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar Es Salaam, and Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in Northern Tanzania which is the major airport for safari guests, Mwanza International airport, and Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ) that is used to serve Uguja (Commonly known as Zanzibar), the tropical beach paradise in the Indian Ocean that is part of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Tanzania is highly biodiverse and contains a wide variety of animal habitats. On Tanzania’s Serengeti plain, white-bearded Wildebeest, Zebras participate in large-scale annual migration. Tanzania is home to about 130 Amphibian and over 275 reptile species, many of them strictly endemic and included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red Lists of Countries. Tanzania also has the largest lion population in the World.
At 947,303 square kilometers (365,756 sq mi), Tanzania is the 13th largest country in Africa and the 31st largest in the World and has an Indian Ocean coastline of approximately 1,424 kilometers (885 mi) long with beautiful Beaches. It also incorporates several offshore islands, including Unguja (Zanzibar), Pemba, and Mafia which all contain beautiful Beaches and Resorts.
Tanzania is mountainous and densely forested in the northeast, where Mount Kilimanjaro is located. Three of Africa’s Great Lakes are partly within Tanzania. To the north and west lie Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest Lake, and Lake Tanganyika, the continent’s deepest lake (second deepest in the World), known for its unique species of fish. To the southwest lies Lake Nyasa. Central Tanzania is a large plateau, with plains and arable land. The eastern shore is hot and humid.
Many important hominid fossils have been found in Tanzania, such as 6-million-year-old Pliocene hominid fossils. The genus Australopithecus ranged across Africa between 4 and 2 million years ago, and the oldest remains of the genus Homo are found near Lake Olduvai. Following the rise of Homo erectus 1.8 million years ago, humanity spread all over the Old World, and later in the New World and Australia under the species Homo sapiens. H. sapiens also overtook Africa and absorbed the older species of humanity.
Climate
The climate varies greatly within Tanzania. In the highlands, temperatures range between 10 and 20 °C (50 and 68 °F) during cold and hot seasons respectively. The rest of the country has temperatures rarely falling lower than 20 °C (68 °F). The hottest period extends between November and February (25–31 °C or 77.0–87.8 °F) while the coldest period occurs between May and August (15–20 °C or 59–68 °F). The annual temperature is 20 °C (68.0 °F). The climate is cool in high Mountainous Regions.
Amboseli
The remarkable view of Kilimanjaro, under which the park boasts one of Kenya’s best displays of Wildlife. Hemingway wrote of it as the essence of Africa. Elephants rummage in the lower forests, Leopards prowl the salt flats, and Antelope graze. All against the backdrop of Kilimanjaro’s majestic peak. The classic image of Africa.
Masai Mara
The classic Safari. From July to September, the Mara provides one of nature’s most dramatic spectacles, the annual migration of over a million wildebeest and zebras, teeming from the south to cross the Mara River into Masai Mara National Reserve. The stunning savannah stretches on forever. In this vast landscape, you can see the cheetah, the fastest animal in the world, chasing Antelope and Gazelle. In the Mara River Hippos bathe and on its banks Crocodiles sun themselves. One of the world’s very special places.
Mt Kenya & The Aberdares
Snow-capped Mount Kenya is Africa’s second highest mountain, a stunning and challenging destination for climbers and trekkers. Below the mountain’s alpine meadows roam Mountain elephants, Black rhinos, Cape buffalo, and Antelope. On its lower slopes is Ol Pejeta, a private ranch, and Rhino sanctuary, and nearby is the famous Mount Kenya Safari Club founded by William Holden. The Aberdares sport high alpine moorland and primeval aloe forest. Here you can visit Treetops where Leopard can regularly be seen refreshing themselves.
Western Kenya
Lakes Naivasha and Nakuru, are a perfect day trip from Nairobi and the stopping-off point for hundreds and thousands of Flamingoes. Lake Bogoria features hot springs, the sight of fishermen in papyrus boats, and the rare Greater Kudu. Nakuru boasts the rare Rothschild Giraffe and an extraordinary Rhino sanctuary. While Naivasha is best seen by boat. Further west is Lake Victoria, the source of the Nile, and the Afro-Alpine flora of Mt.Elgon National Park, both reached through the immense pre-historic landscape of the Rift Valley.
Tsavo East & West
Possibly the world’s biggest game sanctuary. On the east side roam ‘red’ Elephants, named from the color of the rich earth of the area they throw over themselves. On the west are the Mzima springs where Hippo and Crocodile bathe. A model national park in geographic, animal, and plant diversity, situated halfway between Nairobi and Mombasa – making it ideal for those wanting to include both safari and coast on their itinerary. In the evening ‘Tsavo Sunsets” span the sky filling the horizon with incredible color.
Samburu & Buffalo Springs
The semi-arid country of northern Kenya is framed by volcanic mountain ranges and dotted with lakes, each unique. Throughout the region, rare animals abound; the Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx, Grevy’s Zebra, and long-necked Gerenuk. Adjacent to this area is the beautiful Meru National Park home of Elsa the Lioness befriended by Joy and George Adamson and featured in Joy’s Book and the film, Born Free.