The pearl of Africa is the only country that has savannah plains which have unique character whereby they fade and somehow dry up during the wet season which is not in any other vegetation in Uganda in the parks .A number of national parks and reserves offer game drives in the savannah plains because this is where most animals spend their time while grazing. The game drives are done in the morning and the late evenings because this is the time when most animals are moving nearer to their home steads and habitants’ forest hence this gives a chance to the travelers to see them closer compared during day time when they are grazing far in the jungle. The game drives are usually done in the primate parks such as Bwindi, mgahinga, and queen Elizabeth. However, there are also other parks where game drives are done and these include, Murchison falls, kidepo to mention but a few. During the game drives you will get to see many different animal species such as the lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos and so many others. More so you will get to see different bird species such as the African green pigeon, African harrier hawk, crowned hornbill and the giant king fisher.
Uganda the pearl of Africa is one of the African tourism destinations that is blessed with about 10 national parks that act as key tourism destinations in her motherland. Among the ten national parks in Uganda, the five are highly blessed with a lot of wonderful and unique wildlife attractions that cannot be found elsewhere in other parks. Game drive is one of the wonderful and exception activities that a lot of travelers prefer to enjoy when they visit the pearl of Africa due to its uniqueness and unlimited experience that it offers on Uganda safari.
Where to go for a game drive in Uganda?
Although the top destinations that offer incredible wildlife game viewing on a game drive are situated in the different parts of Uganda, they offer unique wildlife attractions that cannot be missed out on a Uganda safari giving you an opportunity to t explore the pearl of Africa in all directions. They include Murchison falls national park, queen Elizabeth national park, kidepo valley national park lake mburo national park and semiliki national park.
Game drive in Murchison fall national park; this is the largest national park, with a lot of great wildlife wonders and it is situated in the north eastern part of Uganda. It is famous for the might Murchison waterfall. The park is covered with open savannah vegetation as well as forest vegetation cover which is home to the different wildlife in the jungle. Murchison falls national park is the most visited national by many travelers that come to Uganda although the park has been affected by the political wars during President Idi Amin’s regime some time back as well as the illegal poaching practices from the surrounding communities.
The park is one of the best destinations for Uganda wildlife safaris that will give you an opportunity to explore the African wildlife animals, primates and bird species.
Murchison falls national park is a home to over 76 wildlife mammals that live together in harmony in their natural environment. Some of these mammals include the big five animals such as the beautiful elephants, the lions, the African cape buffaloes, the leopards and rhinos that will been on way to Murchison in a place called Ziwa rhino sanctuary. Other wildlife animals that will be seen on game Oribis include the Rothschild giraffes that might not be elsewhere except lake mburo, the hippos, the Uganda kobs, waterbucks, bush bucks, warthogs, Oribis among others.
Murchison falls national park is divided by the Albertine Nile into two sections, the southern section and the northern section which are home to the different wildlife in the park. Therefore the game drive safaris in the park can be done in both sections for the perfect wildlife experience in the park. However the most rewarding and effective sector for a game drive is the northern section that has got a lot of wildlife animals. Game drive safari can as well be done in the delta section of the Albert Nile especially during the dry season when a lot of wildlife animals gather at the river bank to drink water. Game drive is usually done in the morning hours when animals are awake to go and search for food and in the evening hours when they are going their resting habitats.
Game drive in Queen Elizabeth national park; this is the second largest national park that is famous for the tree climbing lions that found in Ishasha sector of the park. Game drive safaris is perfectly done in two sectors of the park, the is the Ishasha sector as well the Kasenyi section that takes you close and nearer to the wildlife animals in queen Elizabeth national park. The park is dominated by the open savannah grassland, woodland and tropical forest of kyambura gorge and maramagambo forest. Animals expected to see on game drive safari include the large herds of elephants, the African capped buffaloes, the zebras, sitatunga antelopes, Oribis, bushbuck, waterbucks, the Uganda kobs, warthogs, leopards and hyenas, hippos among others.
Kidepo valley national park, this is one of the wonderful national parks with open savannah vegetation that is home to diversity wildlife animals in large numbers that are rare in other national parks thus making it one of the best destinations for wildlife safaris in Africa. Some of the expected wildlife animals to see are the lions, elephants, zebras, antelopes, bush pigs, ostrich, jackals, the rare cheetahs, bushbuck, and waterbucks among others. Game drive in done in two sections of the park but it is best done at Narus River where animals gather to take water. However kidepo valley is not rich in the big five animals, it is a few of them but not all of them.
Game drive in lake Mburo national park, it is one of the smallest national parks that has unique wildlife animals in the jungle such as the rare impala antelopes, the large herds of zebras, the elands, bushbucks among others. All these wildlife animals can be viewed on a game drive safari in the different trails of the park such as the zebra track, the kazuma track and kigambira track.
Game drive in Semiliki national park, this is least visited national park due to the fact that it does not have much to offer while on game drive safari. However it is the best for night game drives, since a lot of nocturnal animals in the different trails of the park.
In conclusion, game drive safaris are best done in the early morning hours and in the late evening hours when the animals going back to their respective resting places in the jungle and the activity is done during the dry season when roads are passed and its mostly during the dry that animals gather to drink water at water collection points.
