Uganda

“Dubbed ‘the pearl of Africa’ by Sir Winston Churchill, Uganda is one of the continent’s most beautiful and welcoming countries. This tiny landlocked East African nation possesses a staggering wealth of natural assets: foremost amongst these are the world-renowned primate safaris through the verdant rainforests of southwest Uganda, which lure intrepid visitors with the promise of unforgettable encounters with habituated families of critically endangered mountain gorillas and opportunities to trek in search of our closest living relatives, chimpanzees. With Kibale Forest boasting the highest primate density in the world and Bwindi home to half of the world's remaining mountain gorillas, Uganda is a modern-day mecca for primate-lovers.”

“I spent a month travelling around Uganda with a self-drive, expedition-prepared Landcruiser and visited almost every national park in the country. Uganda was a revelation! I had not expected such a richness of wildlife or such great concentration. Uganda has everything that her more famous neighbour Kenya has...plus such once-in-a-lifetime sightings as gorillas and chimpanzees. Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls are justifiably the country’s biggest drawcards but if you have time head for Kidepo Valley National Park (in the far north, bordering Sudan). I hesitate to make such a rash statement (with so much of Africa offering so much incredible safari potential...and with so much of it that I am still to see) but if I was pushed into a vote I would say that Kidepo is probably the most stunning national park in all Africa!”

“Uganda’s biggest attraction is mountain gorilla tracking. Seeing these gentle giants has been one of my best wildlife experiences ever. With Congo being unstable, Rwanda is the only other country where this is offered. Aside from gorillas, the forests of Uganda are a good place for seeing a wide variety of primates including the charismatic chimpanzees. Many tourists pop over to Uganda for a quick gorilla visit after their Kenya or Tanzania safari, but Uganda is a worthwhile savanna safari destination in its own right. Both Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls national parks offer good sightings of lions, elephants, buffalo and other savannah wildlife.”