Uganda Scenery
Uganda Scenery
Uganda lies along the East African plateau, it is a land locked country but “Gifted by Nature”as per the 1908 description by Sir Winston Church Hill. Its unique scenery/landscapes, incredible wildlife, bird life, culture together with welcoming people really portray it as truly the “Pearl of Africa” hence this has made Uganda so popular as one of the countries with great African safari tours.
Beautiful Uganda
Uganda’s scenery is different as it comprises of lush rolling hills, forests, waterfalls, lakes, snowcapped mountains, rivers such as the Nile River and vast tracks of the Savannah grasslands(National Parks). Visiting all these landscapes introduces you to a variety of attractions found within.
Uganda Lakes & Rivers
The country consists of a number of lakes including Africa’s largest Lake which is Lake Victoria, this same lake is the source of River Nile. It is shared by three countries; Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. It hosts various islands such as the Ssese islands, Bugala island, Ngamba island (home to orphaned chimpanzees) among others. There are also a number of wetlands which are great paradises of birds.
Lake Bunyonyi lies between two districts Kabale and Kisoro in southwestern Uganda. It is Africa’s second deepest lake, surrounded by rolling hills, it is a great birder’s haven and its bilharzia free. Therefore visitors can enjoy swimming, boat rides, nature walks, birding and hiking. The scenery here is surely incredible.
Lake Edward and Lake George located in western Uganda form the Kazinga channel, it is home to a number of animalssuch as crocodiles, hippos, elephants, buffaloes among others, some usually spotted along the banks. The Kazinga Channel is a great attraction to visitors who usually cruise along it in boats to see these animals and enjoy bird watching. Other lakes include; Lake Bunyonyi, LakeKyoga, Lake Albert, Lake Katwe among others.
The River Nile is one of the world’s longest Rivers flowing to northwards and it pours its mass waters in the Mediterranean Sea, it can be easily spotted in Jinja district. As the Nile flows it creates a number of drainage features including various swamps. Ever since its discovery by the early explorers, River Nile has been a great source of Ugandan Safaris, visitors can enjoy a boat cruises, white water rafting along the Nile.
Uganda Mountains
There are a number of mountains in Uganda but each with something unique with it. The Rwenzori mountain found in western Uganda is Uganda’s highest mountain crossed by the Equator but snowcapped. It is one of the most attractive alpine areas in Africa because of its waterfalls, glaciers and lakes.It offers visitors an opportunity to hike to its top through the unspoiledlandscape covered with various vegetation types.
The Kigezi highlands are also eye-catching covered with terraces and forests. Other mountains like Mount Elgon located in Eastern Uganda, Mount Gahinga, Mont Muhabura among others also host diverse attractions for Uganda.
Forests
The country is also blessed with a number of forest covers located in different regions, they harbor different and unique species. Forests like Kibale forest and Budongo forests reserve offer great opportunity to engage in chimpanzee tracking. The forest that makes up Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to the remaining endangered mountain gorillas, therefore this has offered great opportunities to visitors to engage in Gorilla trekking; an unforgettable experience.
Other forest like Mabira offer activities like nature walks, bird watching and zip lining.
Savannah grasslands (National Parks)
Most areas in Uganda covered with savannah grasslands are homes to the biggest numbers of flora and fauna with amazing landscapes. Most of these areas have been established as national parks; about 10 have been established and open to tourists such as Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, Bwindi Impenetrable, Kibale Forest, Kidepo Valley, Mgahinga Gorilla, Semuliki, Mt. Elgon and Mt. Rwenzori National Parks.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the country’s most visited parkwith a beautiful scenery. It is covered with lush savannah where over 600 bird species and different wildlife species are seen such as elephants, waterbucks, buffaloes, antelopes, climbing lions, chimpanzees among others. It is also divided by the Kazinga channel where visitors enjoy a boat cruise.
A visit to Murchison Falls National Park is unforgettable as you will enjoy game drives, hikes, launch cruises, sport fishing in Uganda’s oldest and most scenic park. The park is home to magnificent falls, which fall down in gorge before the Nile proceeds with its journey to the North. Watching these falls either at the bottom or at the top after the hike is something you would not want to miss out.
With a few mentioned scenic landscapes above, Uganda still has more to give including a number of beautiful waterfalls like Sipi Falls found in Kapchorwa district in Eastern Uganda and the Ssezibwa Falls among other sceneries.
