BIRD WATCHING

Transitional to the East African savannah and the western rainforests, Uganda is Africa’s most complete birdwatching destination, with more than 1,000 species recorded within an area comparable to that of Great Britain. Specialist birding tours through Western Uganda routinely notch up an incredible tally of 400 species within two weeks, while enthusiastic amateurs might reasonably hope to aim for 300 species within the same time.

For dedicated ornithologists, Uganda’s prime attraction is the presence of more than 100 West African forest species at the most easterly – and most accessible – extent of their range. This alluring list of forest specialists includes the psychedelic Great Blue Turaco and the raucous Black-and-White Casqued Hornbill, as well as the gem-like Green Broadbill and 23 other species endemic to the Albertine Rift. Uganda is the best place to see what many rate as the most sought after African bird: the Shoebill, a massive prehistoric-looking swamp-dweller notable for its heavy clog-shaped bill.

Birdlife is prolific throughout Uganda, but certain key sites should be included in any ornithological itinerary. In the west, these include Bwindi National Park for Albertine Rift endemics, Queen Elizabeth National Park for a peerless checklist of 600 species, Semliki National Park for Congo Basin endemics, Mabamba Swamp near Entebbe for Shoebill, the community-run guided trail through Bigodi Wetland near Kibale Forest for Great Blue Turaco and other colourful forest birds, and Murchison Falls National Park for savannah specialists such as Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Red-Throated Bee-Eater and Denham’s Bustard. A key birding location in eastern Uganda is Lake Bisina, a stronghold for the endemic Fox’s Weaver as well as papyrus-dwellers such as Shoebill and Papyrus Gonolek.

ADVENTURE

Uganda is a classic adventure tourism destination. Indeed, Bujagali Falls, which lies downstream of the Source of the Nile an hour’s drive east of Kampala, is the East African counterpart to more southerly ‘adrenaline capitals’ such as Victoria Falls and Cape Town. Bujagali is the launching point for a commercial white-water rafting route that ranks as one of most thrilling but also one of the safest in the world, passing through three heart-stopping Grade Five rapids in one day. Other activities at Bujagali include kayaking, mountain biking, quad-biking and a new 44 metre-high bungee jump from a cliff above the Nile.

Boasting three separate montane destinations topping the 4,000 metre mark, all protected within national parks, Uganda offers some of Africa’s top hiking and climbing possibilities. Serious mountaineers need look no further than the majestic Rwenzori, whose trio of craggy 5,000-plus metre glacial peaks offers a genuine challenge to experienced alpine climbers, while fit hikers will find the six-day loop trail through the Rwenzori’s forest and moorland zones to be as rewarding as it is demanding.

Further east, Mount Elgon, Africa’s eighth-highest mountain, offers an excellent and relatively undemanding introduction to Afro-montane climates and vegetation, culminating in the ascent of a 6km wide volcanic caldera studded with small waterfalls, caves and hot springs. Another estimable hiking destination is the Virunga Mountains, where mountain gorilla tracking can be supplemented by a tough day ascent to one of the three extinct volcanoes protected within Mgahinga National Park, the tallest of which is the 4,127-metre Muhabura.