Uganda is a country of beautiful scenery and offers diverse activities like gorilla trekking, safaris, multiday mountain treks, and white-water rafting. Winston Churchill called it ‘the Pearl of Africa’ for its beauty, abundant wildlife and diversity.
In 1907, Winston Churchill, who was at that stage of his life an explorer travelling the world, visited Uganda and went on safari there. He was blown away. In his book My African Journey (1908), Sir Churchill writes:
For magnificence, for variety of form and colour, for profusion of brilliant life — bird, insect, reptile, beast — for vast scale — Uganda is truly ‘the Pearl of Africa.’
Not only does the country offer excellent safaris and contain the Big Five, but it also offers treks to see endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in the wild. Further, you can visit the mighty Murchison Falls and abseil alongside Sipi Falls. There’s canoeing in dugouts on the island-dotted Lake Bunyonyi, or tubing and rafting at the source of the Nile near the pretty town of Jinja. And you can also hike in the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains to see the third-highest mountain in Africa. If you’re still unsure, book a call with our team today.
So let’s discuss where Uganda is, who lives there, and then look at the many wonderful things to do and see there to give you an idea of why Churchill had the socks knocked off him a hundred years ago …
Where is Uganda?
Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. It borders the DRC to the west, Rwanda to the southwest, Tanzania to the south (with Lake Victoria between them), Kenya to the east, and South Sudan to the north. It’s a pretty stable country, which makes it an attractive option for those wanting to visit the region. It’s also quite poor, so tourism brings a much-needed boost to the economy.
The capital city of Kampala lies next to Lake Victoria, the largest of the Great Rift Valley lakes. The country’s landscape includes high, snow-capped mountains, extinct volcanoes, dense forest, savanna and vast open plains.
Uganda truly is a pearl – a rare and precious thing of great value.
Ugandan Equator
Uganda straddles the Equator, offering anyone who wants a Walk to Remember moment, where you can stand in two places at once. The Uganda Equator site is located in Lake Mburo National Park. Because it sits on the Equator, Uganda enjoys plenty of sunny days. It also receives plenty of rainfall, so rivers gush, waterfalls impress, the vegetation is exuberant, and the landscape is green.
Straddling the Ugandan Equator
If you’re keen for a sunny and warm adventure, then Uganda is your spot!
Ugandan people
The people of Uganda are incredibly warm and welcoming. Ugandans have embraced tourism and love to show visitors their beautiful country and share their culture.
The population of Uganda is around 45 million and is extremely diverse. Most people speak a Central Sudanic, Nilotic or Bantu language. Helpfully for visitors, many in the tourism industry speak English as well.
About 80% of the population lives in rural areas. Traditions and distinct cultures thrive here. Kampala, the largest city, has around one and a half million inhabitants. In the cities, many people live a very western-style life.
Uganda is a culturally rich and very diverse nation
Primate trekking
Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking have grown greatly in popularity in recent years.
Gorilla trekking
You can go gorilla trekking in either Uganda, Rwanda or DRC. At Follow Alice we offer gorilla trekking in Uganda. One reason for this choice is that Uganda is by far the cheaper option.
Map showing the location of Uganda’s two mountain gorilla parks, Bwindi and Mgahinga
In Uganda, you can go gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, both of which are in the southwest of the country. A gorilla trek involves going on a guided hike through dense montane forest to see a gorilla troop (family) in its natural habitat. The hike itself is very special, as you walk througha remote forest full of wildlife, colourful birds and beautiful plants.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is often wreathed in mist
Gentle giants
Mountain gorillas are gentle creatures, so gorilla trekking is quite safe. Further, the troops that trekkers visit have become habituated to the presence of humans. Your guides bring you within a few metres of the creatures, and you can stay for an hour with them to observe them as they play, groom themselves, and more. If you’re interested in gorilla trekking, you might like to read 20 things to know about mountain gorilla trekking.
A gorilla troop taking it easy!
