Feb 2026
Africa · Uganda
Africa
Uganda
Uganda holds a special place in my heart as my absolute favorite country I've ever visited (and it's a tough competition). Even years later, I still think about this trip on a regular basis. It's a stunningly gorgeous country with green rolling hills that certainly lives up to Winston Churchill's nickname: the Pearl of Africa. It's the primate capital of the world and the best country to interact with both mountain gorillas and chimpanzees (our closest relative). The people are incredibly friendly and excited to have tourists in their home country. Uganda doesn't see nearly as many tourists as neighboring Kenya and Tanzania, making it a perfect place to see wildlife away from the crowds. It's also a fantastic first country to visit in Africa because of the diversity you can pack into an 8 day itinerary, including a classic safari experience, 2 large primate experiences, and cultural visits to various tribes like the Batwa. In my opinion, Uganda is a must-see.
Top Locations
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest: Some text.
Kibale National Park: Kibale National Park is the chimpanzee capital of East Africa, offering one of the best primate encounters on the planet. Alex and I both strongly preferred our experience trekking to spend time with chimps over our experience with mountain gorillas. In addition to chimpanzees, many species of monkey can be found in this dense forest, including the red colobus monkey.
Murchison Falls National Park: This park blew me away. Its plains are filled with lush green grass (unlike many parks in Africa) and abundant wildlife. It's also home to the Top of the Falls, where the Nile River is forced through a narrow gorge with incredible force. To make it even better, it's far less visited than many other national parks in East Africa, so you can have wildlife sightings all to yourself.
Queen Elizabeth National Park: This park made a name for itself with its tree climbing lions. It's also famous for the Kazinga Channel that runs through the park, offering one of the best boat safaris on the continent of Africa with the chance to see hippos, elephants, and crocodiles.
Kidepo National Park: Kidepo Valley National Park is Uganda's most remote safari destination, known for its dramatic, mountainous landscapes, abundant wildlife, and near-total absence of crowds.
Jinja: For an adrenaline fix, head to Jinja at the source of the Nile. You'll find world-class white water rafting there.
Recommended Reading
I read Jane Goodall's In the Shadow of Man. While it's set in Tanzania, it's the perfect book to read before hanging out with chimpanzees in Uganda's Kibale National Park.
I also read Andrew Rice's The Teeth May Smile but the Heart Does Not Forget. I thought it was worth the read. It sheds light on Uganda's dark history.
Watch Before After You Go
I highly recommend the Netflix docuseries Chimp Empire. However, you should watch after you return from the trip. You wouldn't want to ruin the magic of seeing chimpanzees interact with each other for the first time by having seen it on TV first.
Photo Highlights
Articles (1)
Articles focused primarily on Uganda.
Referenced In (1)
Roundups and multi-destination stories that include Uganda.
