Game drive safaris in Uganda

Game drive safaris in Uganda: For travelers who are planning for wildlife safaris, Uganda is one of the top destinations that offer ultimate wildlife adventure safaris. The country has several savannah parks that are rich in wildlife species such as the big five mammals, antelopes, primates, and several bird species. Savannah parks that offer game drives include Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park.

Game drives are the best way tourists can encounter different wildlife species within the park. The parks have several game tracks that tourists can use to reach different parts of the park and animals. These animals include lions, buffaloes, hyenas, leopards, hippos, side-stripped jackals, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, impalas, topis, oribis, Uganda kobs, hartebeest, sitatungas, warthogs, and warthogs to mention but a few.

Where to carry out game drives in Uganda

Game drives in Murchison Falls National Park

Located in the northeastern part of Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park is the oldest and largest national park in the country. This park is home to over 76 mammals among which include the big 4 mammals. On a game drive safari in this park expect to see animals like lions, leopards, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, sitatungas, Uganda kobs, warthogs, defassa waterbucks, giraffes, hartebeests, and a few primates.

Game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park is another park where game drives can be done in Uganda. It’s the second largest in the country harboring over 95 mammals and quite a number of African elephants. Game drives of Queen Elizabeth are done in Ishasha sector where tourists get to see tree climbing lions and Kasenyi plains home to animals like elephants, lions, cape buffaloes, leopards, topi, sitatungas, spotted hyenas, warthogs, and giant forest hogs to mention but a few.

Game drives in Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park is located in Kaabong district in the northern part of Uganda making it the country’s remote and less visited national park. It’s among the best national parks in Africa but a few people visit because of its location. Kidepo is the best park to carry out game drives from because of a variety of wildlife species which include zebras, giraffes, lions, cape buffaloes, bat-eared foxes, caracals, hyenas, black-backed jackals, cheetahs, bushbucks, aardwolf, kudu, wild dogs, oribis, and Uganda kobs to mention but a few.

Game drives in Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest national park in the country and is known for being the closest to the capital city. It covers an area of 260 sq.km rich in biodiversity and scenic beauty. Game drives within this park get you close to animals like zebras, giraffes, side-stripped jackals, buffaloes, waterbucks, topis, and hippos to mention but a few.

What is the cost of a game drive in Uganda?

Game drives in Uganda are free if tourists have a licensed driver guide who can drive them through the park. The activity is charged if tourists need to carry out a guided game drive and this costs USD25 for foreign non-residents, USD20 for foreign residents, and UGX 25,000 for citizens of East African member states. Self-game drives without a private sector tour guide cost USD10 for foreign non-residents and foreign residents, UGX10,000 citizens of East African member states.

The cost of entering Uganda national parks for game drives

To access any national park in Uganda you need to have paid entrance fee at the park gate. To enter Murchison Falls National Park it costs 45$ for foreign non-residents, 35$ foreign residents, $30 Rest of Africa, and UGX25,000 citizens of East African Member States. To enter other parks adults pay 40$ for foreign residents, 30$ foreign residents, $25 Rest of Africa, and UGX20,000 citizens of East African Member States.

When is the best time to have game drive safaris in Uganda?

The dry season, early in the morning hours is the best time to do game drive safaris in Uganda. Early morning is when animals are getting out of their habitats to sun bathe and the predators are going back to their hiding places after hunting. Early morning animals are grazing yet in the afternoon hours they are resting.

Tourists may still carry out game drives at other times of the day which are evening and night hours. During the night, they will be able to see nocturnal animals like the leopards and lions who like to hunt in the night. The dry season comes with short vegetation cover which gives a clear view of the wild animals and other attractions within the park.

Tourists can still carry out game drives in different national parks during the rainy season which occurs from March to May and October to November. This season has plenty of rainfall which makes the trekking trails muddy and slippery, the vegetation is very tall giving clear views of wildlife and other attractions.