Did you know that hippos are the Third largest land animals in the world? Did you know a hippo weighs 1500kgs?
Hippos are the third largest land animals in the world, only eclipsed in size by the elephant and can be seen quite easily in Uganda. Most of the lakes and rivers in the country are habitats for hippos. The full name is hippopotamus and derived from Greek to mean river horse.
Hippos are the third largest land mammal after the elephant and the rhinoceros. Weighing in at 1,500–1,800 kg (3,300–4,000 lb), an adult male stands up to 1.5m (4.5 feet) at the shoulder, and, oddly enough, their closest living relatives are whales and dolphins. Hippos spend most of their days submerged in water to keep cool, as they have no sweat glands.
Though they have webbed feet, their huge bulk prevents them from floating and they cannot swim. Their size does not, however, prevent them from outrunning a human – hippos have been estimated to reach terrifying speeds of up to 30 or even 40km per hour on land.
An adult hippo can spend as long as six minutes underwater, and their raised eyes, ears and nostrils allow them to remain almost entirely submerged for long periods of time. After spending the day bathing, hippos venture out at dusk and spend the night grazing, traveling up to 8km (5 miles) and consuming up to 68kg (150lbs) of grass each night to maintain their enormous size.
We do have exciting tours in Uganda that can make you visit millions of hippos, contact us below or choose our premade Safari below.
3 days Safari to Bwindi Gorilla Tracking
Safari, Uganda SafarisGorilla tracking in Southwest Uganda. Meet and greet mountain gorillas in their natural environment, the stunning afromontane forest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. [jgm-preview-badge]
2 Days Safari To Queen Elizabeth Game Park.
Safari, Uganda SafarisDiscover the rich biodiversity of Uganda in Queen Elizabeth National Game Park. This Safari whisks you to this Site for the most immersive safari experience
2 Days Safari to Murchison Falls National Game Park
Safari, Uganda SafarisEnjoy a wonderful safari to Uganda's largest game park and see the most powerful falls in the world. Experience four of the Big Five: lions, elephants, leopards, and Cape buffalos, and a boat trip on the Nile. Rhino sanctuary option available
2 Days Adventure to Lake Mburo National Park
Safari, Uganda SafarisGlimpsing Uganda’s famous wildlife can be tricky for time-limited travelers in the capital. Optimize your time on 2-day tour to Lake Mburo National Park, with round-trip transportation from your Kampala hotel ensuring seamless transfer.
5 Days Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari
Safari, Uganda SafarisThis combined 5 Days Uganda Primates & Wildlife Safari will offer you the best sightings of several mammals including the tree-climbing lions, primates including gorillas, birds such as shoebills, reptiles like lizards, butterflies, and plenty of savanna grassland and tropical forest.
3 Days Kidepo Valley Wildlife Adventure.
Safari, Uganda SafarisThis luxury 3 days Kidepo safari will let you have a glimpse of one of finest Uganda’s national park. Kidepo Valley National Park harbors a lot of wildlife that can’t be found elsewhere in Uganda making it one of the best places for wildlife viewing in the country. This national park is still virgin and has a lot to offer to tourists. See itinerary below
9 Days Rwenzori Mountain Climbing Safari Trip in Uganda
Safari, Uganda SafarisThe 9 Days Rwenzori Mountain Climbing Trip in Uganda is a full package mountaineering adventure tour, hiking to all the thrilling peaks of the Rwenzoris. The Rwenzori Mountains, previously called the Rwenzori Range and sometimes the Mountains of the Moon
7 Days Culture Safari in Uganda with Gorilla trekking
Safari, Uganda SafarisThe 7 Days Culture Safari in Uganda with Gorilla trekking commences in Kampala and can end in Kigali or Kampala depending on the traveller’s preference. The 7 days of Culture feature a blend of wildlife and gorillas.
10 Days Uganda Gorillas Chimps Safari, Africa Gorilla trekking safari
Safari, Uganda SafarisThis 10 days Uganda Gorillas safari, Chimpanzee trekking & wildlife safari offers Gorilla trekking, Chimpanzees tracking and wild life game drives coupled with amazing game scenery- the highlight of an African safari in Uganda.
