How To Prepare for Uganda Safaris in Africa

When preparing for Uganda safaris, you need to know activities to do during this Africa safari. The foremost Uganda safari activity is gorilla safari where you may engage in gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience. You must purchase a gorilla permit for each of these activities but put in mind that these permits are limited to maximum 8 per gorilla family.

Uganda is an African country gifted by nature and most of safari activities are eco-friendly. Uganda has 10 national Parks where you can enjoy beautiful wildlife and other amazing features. While on Uganda safari holiday, you may engage in Game safaris in national Parks like Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Murchison Falls National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park.

Uganda safari Packages

3 Day Gorilla Trekking

5 Day Gorilla And Game Safari Uganda

6 day Gorilla And chimpanzee Safari

7 day Gorilla, Chimpanzee And Wildlife Safari,

8 day Gorilla, chimpanzees And Wildlife Tour

Other than the mountain gorillas, Uganda is a primate haven too including other endangered species like the chimpanzees in Kibale National park, Kyambura gorge, Kaniyo Pabidi and others. Golden monkeys can be spotted in the dense forest of Mgahinga National Park. other Uganda primate species you may come across include blue monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, L’Hoest’s , pottos, bush babies to mention but a few.

You must pay park entrance fees for these Uganda national parks either directly or indirectly on the permits. Since direct cash is not accepted at the park entrance for security reasons, you need to purchase your entrance fees in advance from Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters in case you are in Kampala or Entebbe.

Cross check the necessary items you need to pack for particular Uganda safari activities during the preparation to do a Uganda safari,. Some Uganda safari activities require special attires like long sleeved shirt and trouser in wilderness friendly colors for gorilla and chimpanzee safaris.

Reserve most of the general amenities to support your Uganda safari like accommodation, transport, driver guide and others. This must be done in advance so that you do not run out of options at the last minute especially in the peak season when demand is high. The peak Uganda tourism season is normally June, July, August, September, December and January.

How To Organise A Uganda Safari

Choose the dates for the Uganda safari

While you plan the Uganda safari, you need to have the dates when you wish to start and ende your Africa safari. These help with selecting the right flow of your Uganda safari itinerary as most of the Uganda safari activities are not found in the same location.

Note that with most Uganda safari destinations there is normally no activity on arrival day in the parks and departure day because of the long distance you may have to cover. Majority of the Uganda National Parks are located in the countryside.

At Arch Safaris and Tours, when you enquire from us about a Uganda safari, we would like you to provide us details like what you want to do, your full names, when you want to start and end the Uganda safari, number of people travelling with plus there ages, category of Uganda safari package you are comfortable with.

These details help with making permit bookings where necessary, reserving suitable accommodation, making the safari costing and others. Our team of consultants are always ready to give you necessary advise about the Uganda safaris and tailor the right itinerary to soot your needs.

Check the age for people travelling with on Uganda safari

Some Uganda safari activities have age limits because of the nature of these activities and for conservation reasons. The age limit for gorilla and golden monkey safaris 12 and beyond. This is because of the nature of the topography of Bwindi and Mgahinga area. Age limit for chimpanzee safaris is beyond 12 years as these areas are slightly more flat but the traits are covered by thick undergrowth.

Reserve necessary Uganda safari permits

For every Uganda safari activity, there is a fee charged especially for the parks where support for wildlife conservations is maximum. To do gorilla or chimpanzee safaris in Uganda, you must own a permit. For conservation reasons, the number of gorilla trekking permits is limited to maximum 8 per gorilla family and 4 permits per gorilla habituation experience family.

Golden monkey safari permits are limited to maximum 8 per troop. Chimpanzee trekking permits are limited to 6 permits per troop per session and chimpanzee habituation experience permits are limited to maximum 4 per community per session.

Demand for these primate safari permits gets over the top during the high seasons that is June, July, August, September, December and January so advance booking is required to avoid last minute panic.

For park entrance fees especially for the game parks, although has no restrictions as to how many must be sold per day, you need to book them in advance to avoid inconveniences on arrival. The duration of the Uganda park fees is 24 hours from the time you enter the National Park.

Book accommodations for the Uganda safari

 You must reserve accommodation for the Uganda safari holiday in advance whether on gorilla safari, game safaris, chimpanzee safaris, Uganda birding or just chilling in Uganda’s tranquil destinations like Lake Bunyonyi or Ssese Islands.

 Most of the Uganda safari destinations have limited options of accommodation in and around the parks to minimize on the effects of mass tourism in these National Park

During the peak seasons, the demand for accommodations in the Uganda National Parks is overwhelming creating scarcity of the best options for your budget. Whether travelling luxury, mid-range or budget Uganda safari, you must secure your accommodation upfront or stand chance for anything available.

At Arch Safaris and Tours we believe that a good night sleep contributes a great deal to your feel after the African safari. This also comes with the treatment you receive while at the lodge, food choices available and how there served and so much more. Every tourist needs to feel a home away from home while on Uganda safari

Arrange transport to these Uganda safari destinations

• Road transport on Uganda safari

The common means to most on ground Uganda safari destinations is by road transport. For any first time visitor to Uganda, you need to hire a professional driver guide to lead the way. Majority of the routes to the different Uganda safari destinations may not be properly directed on the grid so using applications like google map may land you in the wrong place with self-drive.

You need a 4×4 wheel drive vehicle in good condition for most of the upcountry Uganda safari destinations. This is because majority of  the roads in the countryside are in poor condition, bumpy, dusty and may get slippery during the wet seasons.

At Arch Safaris and Tours, we can assist reserve the right safari vehicle according to your budget plus our professional and experienced driver guides.

Note that do not expect a smooth drive to the upcountry Uganda safari destinations as there so many potholes and dust may rise up from the traffic. In case you have road sickness, you can carry some pills.

• Air transport on Uganda safari

Uganda has daily domestic flights to upcountry destinations from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airstrip to up country airstrips like Kihihi or Kisoro airstrips for gorilla safaris, Kasese airstrip or Mweya for Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kibale National Park, Pakuba or Bugugu Airstrips for Murchison Falls National Park and others.

 Advance booking is required on these daily domestic flights as the seat also sell out because even locals on up country missions also board them.

Charter flight services are available too for a more private Uganda safari but needs to be reserved upfront to make all necessary clearance.

You need to hire a transfer vehicle to your lodge since majority of these airstrips are located some distance from the parks.

Reserve necessary travel documents for Uganda

In case you must have a visa before visiting Uganda, you must obtain one to reduce on the delay at immigrations. You may apply for the Uganda visa at the consular in your country or obtain one on arrival but this is quite tiring especially if you have jet lag.

Do take the required inoculations before travelling into Uganda for the safari to avoid inconveniences.

Pack responsibly for the Uganda safari

You do not have to pack so many bags while travelling for a safari as this may end into being an inconvenience in case you have company. The so many bags may end up occupying your leg-room while you travel up country and also obstruct your enroute visibility. Some Uganda safari activities require you to pack particular wear like pack the right gorilla safari gears. Chimpanzee safari gears and golden monkey safari gears.

Some of the items you must pack for a Uganda safari include safari boots, foldable safari hat, long sleeved shirt and trousers, insect repellant, light wear for the hot seasons, some warmers as most Uganda safari destinations get cold early morning and late afternoon

Carry some hard cash for the Uganda safari

In most African countries, credit cards are not commonly used because of the lengthy process of acquiring money from them. Even knowledgeable people who can operate the credit card machines are fewer especially in the countryside.

 Carrying some hard cash that you can exchange into Uganda shilling to use for local transactions is more convenient. Your driver guide in case you request will get you into a secure forex bureau before travelling up country where chances of getting better rates get slimmer.

Do not forget to purchase travel insurance

While you prepare for the Uganda safari, put in mind that you need travel insurance to back you up in case you need it. Most Uganda safaris happen in the wilderness where you may be required to walk or drive depending on the activities to choose to engage in. you need insurance for uncertainties that may occur.

What You Must Know about Uganda Safaris

Most of the activities to do on Uganda safari are eco based with national park and wildlife reserves at the fore front. You need to carry the right gears for the wilderness like Khaki, brown, forest green but not camouflage as this is army related wear.

• Uganda game safaris are best early morning when animals are just emerging from there day time hide outs and late afternoon when returning to there night hideouts.
• Uganda has gorilla safaris at the fore front of all tours but you can also take part in stunning game drives to Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park. more to Uganda safaris include Uganda birding, visit to the source of River Nile, chimpanzee trekking, golden monkey safaris, mountaineering to mention but a few.
•  Do not expect a smooth ride while on a Uganda safari because the roads are marram and bump. During the dry seasons the tracks get dusty and during the severe rainy seasons they get slippery. When hiring a vehicle for the Uganda safari, ensure it’s a 4×4 wheel drive in good condition to avoids chances of getting stuck in the middle of the game park or along the way.
• Uganda may be land locked but you can engage in various water activities during your Uganda safari like white water rafting on River Nile, stunning and relaxing launch trips on Kazinga channel and to Murchison Falls, sports fishing, kayaking , tubing to mention but a few.
• During the primates safaris in Uganda, religiously follow the rules of these activities like gorilla safari rules, chimpanzee safari rules, golden monkey trekking rules and others. Failure to abide by these rules may call for dismissal without refund from attending even though you posses a permit as per the policy of Uganda Wildlife Authority.
• Book Uganda safaris in advance to avoid last minute inconvenience when options of logistics that support your safari run out. During the high season that is June, July, August, September, December and January, demand for Uganda safaris gets high yet amenities that support these tours are not sufficient like accommodations, professional and experience driver guides and others.
• Do not walk around with your precious items like jewelry especially in city centers or you may attract wrong company. Book Now