Uganda boats over 330 mammal species some of which are critically endangered, 7 endangered, 21 vulnerable and 17 near-threatened in addition to over 100,000 invertebrates and 1,200 butterfly species, 50 of which are endemic to the country, plus over 1,000 bird species.
There is a harmonious co-existence amongst these creatures in the plains, savannah and jungles of the pearl of Africa which is the logic behind the country’s outstanding beauty.
What is a game drive?
A game drive generally is an activity that involves driving with a safari vehicle in national parks and wildlife reserves in search of Africa’s big game. It is also made of savannah plains’ adventures with a 4WD vehicle for a period of two to three hours with full day excursions and sometimes with a lip-smirking breakfast in the bush.
Early morning and late evening game drives are one of the fundamental safaris one can ever embark on in Uganda.
Ugandan Game drives come along with other spectacular wildlife experiences such as nature walks, bird watching tours, hiking and boat cruises.
Where can you do game drives in Uganda?
Game drive adventures in Uganda can be found in multiple places among which include but not limited to the following;
Queen Elizabeth National park.
The park offers one of the best game drive experiences travelling through Kasenyi, the north Kazinga plains and Ishasha sector – the home of elephants, baboons, antelopes and buffaloes.
Queen Elizabeth national park is associated with grassy savannah plains with impressive boundaries of leafy rainforests, dense papyrus swamps and crater lakes.
Game drives here can be divided into two areas i.e. the Channel drive Circuit which follows the northern shores of Kazinga channel following the road wound between tangled thickest interspersed with the cactus-like euphorbia trees. Some of the common animals found here are waterbuck, elephant, warthog, hippopotamuses, bushbuck, lions and leopards. This is also one of the few areas in Africa where the rare giant forest hog can be traced during the day.
The other circuit is the Kasenyi plains sector which stretches to the shores of Lake George. Tolling plains of the park offer higher chances of viewing lions compared to other sections of the park. It also boosts a large population of grassland birds such as the grey-crowned crane, yellow-throated long claw and red-throated spur fowl.
Kidepo Valley National Park.
Lying along the border of Uganda and South Sudan, Kidepo Valley national park offers one of the best game drive experiences in Uganda and Africa as a whole. The unspoiled wilderness made of lush green valleys, spectacular mountain ranges, wildlife, amazing sunrise views, to mention but a few makes it a potential destination for every dream traveler.
A game drive in Kidepo Valley national park introduces you to lions and buffaloes in the Narus Valley near Apoka headquarters as well as elephants, Kavirondo bush babies, jackals, bush pigs, leopards, to mention but a few.
Murchison Falls National Park.
Established in 1952, Murchison Falls national park is the largest in Uganda and home to the Big Five, majestic Murchison Falls and a number of birds and other animal species. The park sits at an area spanning 3,893 square kilometers comprising lush forests of ironwoods and mahoganies.
The park offers one of the best game drive experiences in the country and Africa as a whole. The adventure introduces you to 86 mammal species such as elephants, giraffes, warthogs, hippopotamuses, Uganda Kobs, bush bucks, lions, antelopes, to mention but a few. Some of these animals cannot be found in other national parks.
Game drives at Murchison Falls national park happen in the morning, early and late afternoon hours of the day.
Lake Mburo National Park.
The only park with a lake in its borders, Lake Mburo national park is the smallest savannah game park in Uganda characterized by acacia woodland, swamps, rocks and grassy areas.
The park offers both day and night game drives via the network of game tracks in the eastern wing which introduces you to zebras, elands, giraffes, waterbucks and other wild game.
Night game drives introduce to you animals which are rarely spotted during the day for example leopards, pottos, spotted hyenas and bush babies.