Category: Uganda

Nearly every traveler’s dream is to tick off all the famous Big 5 animals (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo) on their safari trip in Africa. Uganda is one of the countries that offer this possibility, having all these animals in many parks and wildlife reserves. And, being home to the mountain gorillas, a safari in Uganda gives you the chance to see the Big Five and the famous Mountain Gorillas – two of the biggest highlights of an African safari holiday.

However, one wonders what the chances are of seeing the big five animals in Uganda and which destinations have the best chances to see particular animals

The Big Five in Uganda and best places to to see them

Rhinos in Uganda

The Rhino is the least widespread of the Big Five and the most endangered mostly because it is highly poached for its horn.

The rhinos in the wild in Uganda are found in only one destination, that is, the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The sanctuary was started in 2015 as a program to reintroduce the rhinos back into Uganda’s wilderness after they were poached and wiped out during the insurgencies of the 1970s. The fate which befell many rhinos in Africa. The rhinos have been thriving on the sanctuary and from the 13 White Rhinos that were originally introduced have since multiplied to more than 30 rhinos.

The sanctuary offers a guided rhino tracking activity for tourists to see the rhinos on foot. You therefore are guaranteed to tick off the rhinos in Uganda when you visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Note, there are NO Black Rhinos in Uganda at the moment.

Lions

A safari is not complete without seeing the “King of the Jungle”, the Lion. It is therefore the most sought after Big Five animal.

You can see lions in three savannah park of Uganda – Murchison Falls Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, Kidepo Valley national park.

If you ask which park will give you the best chance of seeing lions in Uganda? First of all, none of the parks guarantees seeing the lions on a normal game drive. But if you visit at least two of the parks there is a high probability you will see them at least in one of the two parks.

Murchison Falls National Park offers slightly better chances to see the lions. The park is also located in the same direction and close to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, so the shortest tour to see the all the big five in Uganda is combing these two destinations in a 3 days Murchison Falls tour with rhino tracking.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is famous for the tree climbing lions and is one of the few parks in the world where lions have developed this unique capability to climb trees like leopards. Queen Elizabeth National Park also offers a lion tracking activity where tourists join researchers to monitor collared lions. You should include lion tracking in your itinerary if you want to guarantee seeing the lions during your safari vacation in Uganda.

Leopard

Leopards are arguably the most widespread of the big five and yet the most difficult to find. They live in most of the parks and wildlife reserves across Uganda. They are very solitary and stealth, and a sighting is by pure luck. The savannah parks have provided the best chances to see leopards in Uganda, and one park in particular is the Lake Mburo Park which is the smallest of the savannah parks. For better chance to see the leopard you should do the night drive when leopards are most active. All savannah parks allow a night game drive.

Elephants

You sure cannot miss seeing the Elephants in Uganda. Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park all have plenty of elephants.

Buffaloes

Buffaloes are a constant sighting in all the savannah parks in Uganda.

Big Five Safari trips in Uganda

3 days Murchison Falls tour with rhino tracking

6 days Murchison Falls and Kidepo park safari

12 days Best of Uganda wildlife safari

Should you tip in Uganda?

Tipping is not a tradition that has picked up in Uganda and therefore most people in the service sector do not expect a tip after offering a service, neither do those who receive a service think about tipping.

For a tourist visiting Uganda for a safari vacation and are wondering about tipping in Uganda, you should know that there is no where in Uganda it is mandatory to tip. Tipping it is left to your discretion, to decide if you want to tip and how much you can tip.

But should you tip? Yes, it is absolutely encouraged to tip when you can. Why? Because most people on your service chain earn a very small wage that can barely sustain their lives. A tip goes a long way in supplementing their incomes and bettering their lives and those of their immediate dependents.

Who should I tip?

The people that you should tip are those that really deserve it, and these are people who you will interface with a lot, and people who visibly put in the effort to see that you are receiving a great service.

Here are the people you should consider tipping:

• Tour drivers: If you are on a guided trip, the tour driver is your closest confidant, if I may say. This is the person who will make you have a great trip. He or she shares a lot of information about places, things, and the local people. He or she also ensure you travel safely.
• Activity/destination guides: at several destinations you shall visit you will be received by a guide who will take you through an activity or destination, share information and ensure you enjoy the activity or experience. For example, you will have a guide during gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking and all active experiences. You will also find guides at museums, monuments, art galleries, and local sites.
• Trackers: trackers are the people who go ahead of you to track the location of the gorillas and chimps and communicate with your guide that he or she can work out a route the to the gorillas and chimps. Trackers are normally overlooked but they do a great job keeping in the forest with these primates and ensuring you do not miss them. You will find the trackers near the gorillas or chimps shortly before your encounter with the primates.
• Waiters, waitresses: These are a constant throughout the trip, at your hotels and at restaurants during transit.
• Porters: During trekking there are porters available for hire at $20 for those who need one to carry their backpacks and offer some support in difficult situations. At the end of the activity you can tip the porter an extra fee.
• Security personnel: You will find security personnel at accommodations manning the gates, and you will also be assigned security personnel during trekking activities in the park. Security personnel are some of the most overlooked people when tipping because there isn’t a lot of interfacing with them, but they do a great job ensuring your safety. They are also some of the least paid.

Who not to tip?

• Company owners and managers – These are somewhat high up on the food chain and therefore do not need a tip
• Chefs – After managers, the next better paid personnel are chefs. You may not tip these. However, if a chef prepares the best meal you have ever tasted then there is no harm showing your appreciation by a tip.

How much should I tip?

Now this it the most important question for most travelers, more so those coming from a tripping background and know that they have to tip.

You can tip any amount that you feel is worthy and that you can afford.

You can follow the following formular when tipping the persons listed above.

Tour drivers

These take the biggest tip

$10 – $15 per day per tourist in the car

Activity/destination guides

$15 – $20 per tourist

Waiters, waitresses & other hotel support staff

$5

As these are many, and many are in places where they cannot easily exchange foreign currency. You can change some foreign currency to Uganda Shillings at the start of the trip in Kampala or Entebbe. You can then tip Uganda shilling 5,000 – 10,000 which is in fact less than $5 but is valuable in local currency.

Porters & trackers

$5 – $10

Security personnel

$5

You can also tip these in Ugandan Shillings (5,000 – 10,000)

When to tip

Tip after consuming a service or at the end of the activity.

Kidepo Valley National Park is the undiscovered safari gem of Uganda. Because of its location in the far north eastern corner of Uganda that was previously very difficult to reach and is surrounded by what are perceived as a hostile people, the Karimojong, very few people have taken the trouble to go and discover this beautiful wilderness. Most people would rather take a tour to Murchison Falls Park – Uganda’s biggest & most popular park which is great for wildlife safaris, but with little more endurance on a longer drive farther north east they will discover an unspoiled wilderness with no crowds but lots of wildlife including that which cannot be seen in other parks of Uganda such as the cheetah and ostrich in addition to common wildlife such as lions, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, etc…

Below are the entry fees for Kidepo Valley National Park and the pricing for the activities and park accommodation.

Tourist entry fees (per person)

Entry fee	USD	UGX
International visitor (Foreign Non Resident) – Adults	40
International visitor Children 5 – 15 years	20
Foreign Resident	30
Foreign Residents children 5 – 15 years	10
East African citizens		20,000
East African citizens children 5 – 15 years		5,000

Children below 5 years do not pay entry fees

Park entry fee is valid for 24 hours from the time of payment.

The opens at 7am and closes at 7pm. Beyond that no one is allowed in the park, unless they have booked a night safari drive with the park.

Car entry fees

Type of car	Foreign	Ugandan Registered
	USD	UGX
Saloon cars	40	20,000
Minibuse, Omni-buses	50	30,000
Pick-ups	50	30,000
Tour Company vehicles & 4-wheel drive	150	100,000
Buses & Lorries	200	30,000
School buses	–	50,000

Car entry fees are valid for 24 hours from the time of entry.

Pricing for activities in Kidepo Valley National Park

Activity	FNR	FR	EAC
	USD	USD	UGX
Day self-game drive per private car (with no park guide)	10	10	10,000
Day guided game drive per private car (with a park guide)	20	15	20,000
Night guided game drive per person (using park guides is mandatory for night drives)	30	20	50,000
Hiring the park game drive car for Day game drive – per person (Minimum 3 persons in car)	30	25	30,000
Hiring the park game drive car for Night game drive – per person (Minimum 3 persons in car)	40	35	40,000
Day nature walk – per person	15	10	10,000
Kidepo Lonyili Hike	50	40	50,000
Mt. Morungole hike & IK cultural tour
Birdwatching	30	25	20,000

Fees are per person

Activity fees exclude park entry fee

Hiking fees do not include hiking equipment.

Fines and Penalties in Kidepo Valley National Park

Offence	Penalty
Off-tracking driving fine	$150 (per person in the vehicle, to be incurred by the driver)
Over speeding (speed limit is 40km/hr)	UGX 100,000 per incident
Animal accident fee (road kill)	$500
Littering in the park	UGX 100,000 per incident
Hooting in the park	UGX 100,000 per incident
Sitting on top of the vehicle	$100 per incident

Customized tours to Kidepo Valley National Park

5 days safari trip to Kidepo Valley National Park

5 days Fly in safari to Kidepo Valley National Park

6 days Kidepo Valley and Murchison Falls safari

 

When one thinks of a wildlife safari in Uganda, Lake Mburo National Park is not one of the places that comes to mind for many travelers. For most people the only way to enjoy a wildlife safari in Uganda is by taking a tour to Murchison Falls National Park – Uganda’s biggest park.

Lake Mburo National Park is actually an overlooked gem of a safari destination. It is a small park that is easy to explore even on a self-drive. Available animals are in plenty, it has fewer predators which has allowed other animals to thrive in big numbers. The scenery is one of the best you can experience. There are many activities to do. But the biggest advantage of all is that it is the closest park to Kampala and Entebbe, about 3 – 4 hours drive, meaning you could even visit it in one day, or can arrive in Uganda in the afternoon and immediately go to the park.

Lake Mburo National Park can also be a nice stopover point on the gorilla trip to Bwindi National Park, to break down the journey as you enjoy a nice short nice bush experience before taking on the gorilla jungle.

Below are the entry fees for Lake Mburo National Park and the pricing for the different activities you can do in the park.

Tourist entry fees (per person)

Entry fee	USD	UGX
International visitor (Foreign Non Resident) – Adults	40
International visitor Children 5 – 15 years	20
Foreign Resident	30
Foreign Residents children 5 – 15 years	10
East African citizens		20,000
East African citizens children 5 – 15 years		5,000

Kids below 5 years to do not pay entry fees

Park entry is valid for 24 hours from the time of entry into the park.

The park opens 7am and closes at 7pm

Car entry fees

Type of car	Foreign	Ugandan Registered
	USD	UGX
Saloon cars	40	20,000
Minibuse, Omni-buses	50	30,000
Pick-ups	50	30,000
Tour Company vehicles & 4-wheel drive	150	100,000
Buses & Lorries	200	30,000
School buses	–	50,000

Like tourist entry fees, car entry fees are also valid for 24 hours from the time of entry.

Pricing for activities in Lake Mburo National Park

Activity	FNR	FR	EAC
	USD	USD	UGX
Day self-game drive per private car (with no park guide)	10	10	10,000
Day guided game drive per private car (with a park guide)	20	15	20,000
Night guided game drive per person (using park guides is mandatory for night drives)	30	20	50,000
Hiring the park game drive car for Day game drive – per person (Minimum 3 persons in car)	30	25	30,000
Hiring the park game drive car for Night game drive – per person (Minimum 3 persons in car)	40	35	40,000
Boat cruise on the Lake Mburo	30	25	30,000
Day nature walk – per person	15	10	10,000
Cycling	30	25	30,000
Birdwatching	30	25	20,000
Sport fishing permit	15 for 1 day, 25 for 4 days

Fees are per person

Activities exclude park entry fees

Cheap accommodation run by Lake Mburo National Park (Uganda Wildlife Authority)

	Type	UGX
Bandas – Rwonyo	Single	35,000
	Double	40,000
	Family banda	60,000
Guesthouses – Rwonyo	Per room (Double)	130,000 per room
	Extra person in room	65,000 per person
Tents	Single	35,000
	Double	60,000
Dormitory	Adults	25,000
	Students (within a group)	5,000
	Children	10,000

Fines and Penalties in Lake Mburo National Park

Offence	Penalty
Off-tracking driving fine	$150 (per person in the vehicle, to be incurred by the driver)
Over speeding (speed limit is 40km/hr)	UGX 100,000 per incident
Animal accident fee (road kill)	$500
Littering in the park	UGX 100,000 per incident
Hooting in the park	UGX 100,000 per incident
Sitting on top of the vehicle	$100 per incident

Short safari trips to/with Lake Mburo National Park you book

2 days safari trip to Lake Mburo Park

3 days Lake Mburo wildlife safari and Ankole cow tour

4 days Lake Mburo Wildlife and Bwindi gorillas safari

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the second biggest park in Uganda. It is a popular safaris destination for tourists who want to explore the savannah and see the much sought-after animals like lions, hyenas, elephants, hippos, etc… It is the other safari destination tourists normally consider if they do not go to Murchison Falls National Park, the biggest park in Uganda. Read this article which compares Murchison Falls National Park versus Queen Elizabeth National Park if you have not decided on where to go.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is located on the edge on the Albertine rift valley which attributes to the incredibly beautiful landscape characterized by lush hills and beautiful crater lakes

Entry fees and things to do in Queen Elizabeth National Park and the respective pricing

Tourist entry fees (per person)

Entry fee	USD	UGX
International visitor (Foreign Non Resident) – Adults	40
International visitor Children 5 – 15 years	20
Foreign Resident	30
Foreign Residents children 5 – 15 years	10
East African citizens		20,000
East African citizens children 5 – 15 years		5,000

Children below 5 years do not pay entry fees

Park entry fees are valid for 24 hours from the time of entry into the park. So, you can enter the park at any time from 7am to 7pm within the 24 years, irrespective of whether your accommodation is located within the park boundary or outside the park boundary, you can exit and get back in.

Car entry fees

Type of car	Foreign	Ugandan Registered
	USD	UGX
Saloon cars	40	20,000
Minibuse, Omni-buses	50	30,000
Pick-ups	50	30,000
Tour Company vehicles & 4-wheel drive	150	100,000
Buses & Lorries	200	30,000
School buses	–	50,000

Activities in Queen Elizabeth National Park and pricing

Activity	FNR	FR	EAC
	USD	USD	UGX
Day self-game drive per private car (with no park guide)	10	10	10,000
Day guided game drive per private car (with a park guide)	20	15	20,000
Night guided game drive per person (using park guides is mandatory for night drives)	30	20	50,000
Hiring the park game drive car for Day game drive – per person (Minimum 3 persons in car)	30	25	30,000
Hiring the park game drive car for Night game drive – per person (Minimum 3 persons in car)	40	35	40,000
Boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel	30	25	30,000
Day nature walk – per person	15	10	10,000
Mongoose tracking	30	25	30,000
Hippo Census	100	80	100,000
Lion tracking	100	80	100,000
Chimp tracking (Kyambura Gorge)	50	40	30,000
Birdwatching	30	25	20,000

Fees are per person

Rates do NOT include entrance fees and other activity fees

Accommodation run by Queen Elizabeth National Park management (UWA – Uganda Wildlife Authority)

Dormitory		UGX
	Adults	25,000
	Students (within a group)	5,000
	Children	10,000

Fines and Penalties in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Offence	Penalty
Off-tracking driving fine	$150 (per person in the vehicle, to be incurred by the driver)
Over speeding (speed limit is 40km/hr)	UGX 100,000 per incident
Animal accident fee (road kill)	$500
Littering in the park	UGX 100,000 per incident
Hooting in the park	UGX 100,000 per incident
Sitting on top of the vehicle	$100 per incident