Uganda has a heady tropical climate tempered by altitude, which averages more than 3,000 feet. December to February are the hottest months, with the heat lingering around 84°F during the day, and cooler temperatures in the mountains. The rainy seasons in the south are from March to May and October to November, the wettest month being April. In the north the wet season is from April to October.

Kibale Forest National Park	Kibale Forest National Park Located in western Uganda, Kibale Forest National Park lies 21 miles south of Fort Portal, and adjoins with Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kibale is the perfect place to experience the the true diversity of wildlife and flora found in a tropical rainforest. The park contains the largest population of forest elephants found in Uganda, but they are rarely sighted. Rich in wildlife and particularly noted for is primate population, of 11 different species, including the red-tailed money, blue monkey, olive baboon, chimpanzee, black, white and red colobus and white cheeked mangabey. Other mammals found are bushbuck, red and blue duiker, Uganda kob, Scaly-tailed flying squirrel, tree pangloin, buffalo, waterbuck and hippo, as well as a large number of birds.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Also known as the Impenetrable Forest, Bwindi is one of Uganda's most recently created national parks. The park, which covers 331 sq km, encompasses one of the last remaining habitats of the mountain gorilla, and is where almost half (an estimated 330 individuals) of the surviving mountain gorillas in the world live. A major conservation effort has been going on here for a number of years to protect the gorillas' habitat. Gorillas are not the only animals to have benefited from this project. The park contains about 20 forest elephants, at least 10 species of primate (including chimpanzees, colobus monkeys and baboons), duikers, bushbucks and the rare giant forest hog, as well as a host of bird and insect species. It is one of the richest areas in Africa for flora and fauna. A visit with the gorillas is an incredible experience but it can be difficult to arrange. Only 32 permits per day are available for Bwindi. The terrain in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is mountainous and heavily forested, and you might be walking for up to four hours before you sight the gorillas.
Kidepo Valley National Park	Kidepo Valley National Park Located in the extreme North of the country bordering with Sudan and Kenya is Kipedo Valley National Park. Due to its remote location, this park is less visited, but it has the most spectacular scenery of mountains and vast savannah landscapes. The park is home to the Karimojong pastoralists. Animal species found in the region include; giraffe, ostrich, elephant, cheetah, leopard, kudu, zebra, buffalo, among others. It is 500 miles from Kampala, and although the journey can be tough, taking up to two days, the diverse landscape past makes the journey worthwhile. There is also a light aircraft airstrip at Akopa.
Murchison Falls National Park	Murchison Falls National Park The largest park in Uganda, Murchinson Falls park is also one of the most famous for its scenic beauty, magnificent falls and high concentration of game. It is situated approximately 200 miles north west of Kampala. The mighty Nile river divides the park into the north and south sections, with the spectacular Murchinson Falls dropping some 125 feet through a narrow crevice. The river attract large numbers of game, and a boat ride up the river provides the perfect opportunity to see and photograph the animals. Wildlife viewed in this park include elephant, giraffe, hippo, lion, leopard, buffalo, crocodile, monkeys, and over 450 species of birds. including the magnificent shoebill stork.
Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve	Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve Previously known as the Toro Game Reserve, Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve is the oldest protected area in Uganda, and is where East Africa meets West Africa. It is unique, gifted with geographic barriers that have formed a natural haven for wildlife. Where the savannah is criss-crossed by shining river valleys, and the escarpment, the edge of the Western Rift Valley, plunges into Lake Albert. The habitat diversity (riverine forest, woodland and savannah) supports a huge array of fauna including lion, leopard, elephant (both savannah and forest species) buffalo, and chimpanzees as well as a staggering number of birds, with over 400 having been recorded.
Queen Elizabeth National Park	Queen Elizabeth National Park This parks wildlife once suffered from heavy poaching, but recent conservation efforts have restored much of the game and it now claims to be one of the best places on the continent to see high concentrations of hippo. Other animals found are elephant, buffalo, Uganda kob, variety of antelope, baboons and chimpanzees and the famous tree-climbing lion. There are also over 500 different specifies of bird making it a excellent destination for ornithologists. A boat trip along the Kazinga channel between Lake George and Edward is a rewarding methods of game viewing. The best time of the year to visit the park is just after the rains, between October and November and March and April when high concentrations of animals roam the whole area.

From classic tented camps, to mobile safaris, to luxurious lodges, Uganda offers a wide range of accommodations.

Apoka Safari Lodge

Apoka Safari Lodge Apoka Safari Lodge, where you can sit in your outdoor bathtub under the stars, or lie on your private veranda soaking up the view — is a landscape dotted with giraffe, elephant, buffalo, and zebra. At Apoka you can walk with trained guides, track game along a sandy dry riverbed, or dive off a huge boulder into Uganda’s only rock pool…and watch the animals at their watering hole at the same time. The sun rises from the crest between two hills, and sets behind a dramatic range of craggy mountains, bathing the entire valley in a golden light. In the evenings you can listen to lions roar, knowing that your are as far away from city life as you are ever going to get.

Semliki Safari Lodge

Semliki Safari Lodge Semliki Safari Lodge is situated in the Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve (formerly called Toro Game Reserve), in the Western Rift Valley. In conjunction with Indiana University, we are running a chimpanzee research project in Semliki. The habitat is ideal to collect data which will help to further understand the evolution of man, particularly 'bipedalism' - walking on two feet. Guests are able to accompany researchers into the forest to assist with the habituation and research of these fascinating creatures. You will stay in large canvas tents with permanent thatched roofs. Each tent includes en-suite bathrooms with running water and private verandas with a stunning panoramic view.

As a result of migration and intermarriage, most Ugandans have ancestors from a variety of Uganda’s 34 ethnic groups, although people customarily identify with just a single group. In centuries past ancestors of many of these groups came to Uganda from what is now Sudan and Ethiopia. Many of the languages presently used are not mutually intelligible. There is some tension among ethnic groups, particularly between the Ganda and others.

Daily Life	Daily Life Support for the extended family is among the most important values held by Ugandans. Polygyny (the practice of having more than one wife) is accepted and very common. Women are traditionally considered inferior to men and their independent social initiatives tend to be discouraged. However, some members of the government and women’s rights activists have begun the task of removing legal discrimination against women. The constitution adopted in 1995 guarantees women equal opportunities in political, social, and economic areas. It also reserves some seats in the legislature and one-third of the seats in local councils for female candidates. The accumulation and display of wealth, such as throwing a lavish wedding, are signs of success that win respect in Uganda. Western attire is worn throughout the country. Traditional clothing, which varies among ethnic groups, is often worn at local ceremonies and dances. Traditional Ganda and Soga men often wear a long white robe called a kanzu under a sport coat, while women wear a busuti, a distinctive floor-length dress introduced by 19th-century missionaries.
Social Issues	Social Issues Poverty and disease are linked problems in Uganda that are compounded by poor sanitation, unclean water, and inadequate housing. Only half of the population has access to clean water. Although food is easily grown in Uganda, sporadic droughts cause severe famines. Uganda suffers from a very high infection rate of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The World Bank estimated 600,000 Ugandans were infected with AIDS in 2001. The other most common ailments include prenatal and maternal conditions, malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea. Infectious diseases, such as meningitis, cholera, dysentery, plague, and human sleeping sickness, have occurred more frequently as a result of the breakdown of the health system during the Idi Amin regime in the 1970s.
History	History The earliest inhabitants of Uganda were hunters and gatherers who lived more than 50,000 years ago and whose stone axes have been found near the villages of Mweya and Kagera in the southwest and at Paraa in the northwest. Their descendants retreated to the mountains between 2,500 and 3,000 years ago when Bantu-speaking farmers moved into forested areas and cleared the land for crops. Iron smelting by Bantu-speaking cultures has been dated from 2,500 years ago, and Bantu pottery from 1,500 years ago. Bantu-speakers near the shores of Lake Victoria developed the banana as a staple food about 1,000 years ago. Between 600 and 700 years ago the Chwezi, a Bantu subgroup, established settlements at Bigo in western Uganda. The Chwezi were depicted in legends as supernatural, but probably were the ancestors of the region’s present-day Hima and Tutsi herders.

Most of Uganda is covered with savanna grassland, and dotted with low masasa trees. The river valleys include baobab, acacia and teak trees. Many higher elevations contain dense forests, and patches of rain forest. Wildlife includes buffalo, elephant, hippos, lion, leopard, hyena, impala, giraffes, and baboons. Rhinoceros and cheetah are among a handful of endangered species.

Defassa Waterbuck	East Africa Acacia Savanna These dramatic savanna/grassland complexes are among the most distinctive in the world, with globally outstanding concentrations and diversity of large land mammals. The largely intact rangelands of East African Acacia Savannas support one of the world's most spectacular migration of large mammals. The region experiences a dramatic cycle of seasons with periods of drought alternating with monsoon months. As the drought approaches, great numbers of grazing wildebeests and zebras migrate north in search of food. Then, when the rains return, the animals alternate between two habitats: the Serengeti and Mara Plains. Predators follow.
Mountain Gorilla	Albertine Rift Montane Forests The Albertine Rift Montane Forests begin near the lowland Congolian rainforests, stretch eastward up and over the area's mountain ranges, with some isolated mountains nearly reaching the shores of Lake Tanganyika.
Grevy's Zebra	Sudanese Savannas The Sudanese savannas comprise of large expanses of acacia woodland areas. Most of the trees here are deciduous, characterised by an understory of grasses, shrubs, and herbs.
Water Hyacinth	Rift Valley Lakes The Rift Valley lakes harbor many extraordinary, rare species. Over 800 cichlids live in the lakes, with many species yet to be discovered. The Cichlid adaptations rival the evolutionary adaptations found in the Galápagos Islands.

• How do I get to Uganda?
  
  
  There are regular daily international flights from Europe and South Africa to Nairobi, and then on to Kampala. From Nairobi local carriers connect the major tourist destinations for both National Parks and beach areas.
  
  
• What types of wildlife will I see?
  
  
  Uganda's wonderful wilderness areas offer excellent year-round game viewing - including mountain gorilla, chimpanzee, elephant, lion, rhino, leopard, buffalo, cheetah, hippo, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, warthog, olive baboon, Thomson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle, crocodile and nearly 1,000 bird species.
  
  
• What should I wear?
  
  
  You will need to pack comfortable, casual and semi-casual clothes for your Ugandan safari. Bright colors are not suitable for wildlife-viewing. It is best to have some warm clothing for early-morning and evening game-drives, especially in winter.
  
  
• How safe is Uganda?
  
  
  Your safety is of paramount importance, and even though Uganda is a safe destination, it is wise to take certain standard security precautions. Please carry a record of your passport number, airline tickets and travellers cheques, and ensure that these items are kept in a safe place. Make use of your hotel safety deposit box for expensive items and never leave baggage or personal items unattended, especially at airports.
  
  
• What kind of medical precautions do I need to take?
  
  
  Travel to Uganda poses no medical threat, but there is malaria in certain areas. Please consult your physician or health department for the latest health and anti-malaria precautions when travelling in Uganda.
  
  
• Which is the best time to visit Uganda?
  
  
  Uganda offers excellent game-viewing throughout the year. The country is divided by the Equator and enjoys a tropical climate. It is hot and humid at the coast, temperate inland and very dry in the north and northeast parts of the country. The hottest period is in February and March and the coldest in July and August. The average annual temperatures in the main areas vary as follows: Kampala from 52 - 90°F, and the North Plain lands from 74 - 94°F. Depending on when the rains come, the Great Migration normally reaches Uganda in July. Hundreds of thousands of herbivores then disperse onto the plains for the next couple of months.
  
  
• When is the rainy season?
  
  
  The 'long rains' occur from April to June and 'short rains' from October to December. Rainfall is sometimes heavy and tends to fall in the afternoon and evenings.
  
  

Africa Guide
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Lonely Planet: Destinations
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Lonely Planet: Traveler Reports
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World Wildlife Fund: Global Ecoregions
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