Uganda wildlife

Chimpanzees

Gorillas are not our only close relative in Uganda. Chimpanzees live in several patches of woodland around the country, including the ‘underground forest’ of Kyambura Gorge, in Queen Elizabeth National Park and the mahogany forest of Budongo. But the place where you’re most guaranteed to see them is Kibale, a rainforest national park which shelters a seriously impressive 13 species of primates, meaning that when you track chimps here on an organised tour, you can look out for red colobus, black and white colobus, L’Hoest’s and red tailed monkeys, amongst others. Chimps are far livelier than gorillas, and tracking them through the trees is an energetic adventure, as you follow their shrieks and rustles in the canopy.

Big Five

Many holidays whisk you off to the Kenyan plains after seeing gorillas, to continue your safari there, but there really is no need to leave Uganda to see game. Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and the remote Kidepo Valley National Parks are all home to four of the Big Five: lions, leopards, buffalos and elephants. The latter two are widely seen on river cruises and game drives. In Murchison Falls in particular, it’s not uncommon for a herd of elephants to block the road – you might encounter far more elephants than you’d like on safari here!

Lions are rarer, naturally, and well camouflaged, but with an experienced guide there’s a decent chance of spotting them lounging in the sandy grass, post-meal, or perhaps sprawled in the branches of a fig tree in Ishasha – one of only two places in Africa where these felines are known to climb trees. Leopard sightings are rarer still, these solitary animals are elusive, nocturnal and supremely well camouflaged to allow them to stalk their prey. You’ll be incredibly lucky to glimpse one – hold on to your binoculars!

The fifth member of the Big Five – the black rhino – is extinct in Uganda. Its cousin, the white rhino, was also wiped out here by poachers, but in 2005 six of them were reintroduced into Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, close to Murchison Falls National Park. Thanks to a successful breeding programme, there are around 20 rhinos here today, and you can track them on foot with a resident ranger.

Monkeys & baboons

Any safari-goer in Uganda will quickly learn to watch out for nimble-fingered baboons. These highly intelligent primates can jump through an open car window, grab an unattended packed lunch, and be munching it by the side of the road in 10 seconds flat. You’ll soon learn to wind up your windows – and sunroof – when these critters are around.

But these are not the only primates you’re likely to have a close encounter with. Vervet monkeys are particularly playful; you may well see them frolicking around your lodge or camp in the national parks – and hear them jumping on the roof of your tent or cabin. Open air showers seem to particularly draw their attention. Black and white colobus monkeys are routinely seen lining the trees by the roadside, with their shaggy, monochrome fur, they’re easy to spot and fun to watch. Golden monkeys are considerably rarer; you can track these on special trekking tours in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, through the bamboo forests that line the slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes.