Author: admin

How Safe is Self Drive in Uganda

Are you thinking of undertaking a self-drive tour in Uganda and wondering whether it is safe to do so? Do you have “safety” questions lingering in your mind regarding road trips in this beautiful African Country known as the Pearl of Africa? Well, let’s settle that doubt today. Uganda is one of the best places in Africa you can undertake a self-drive tour and this is because of the well-maintained and not-difficult-to-navigate roads. Thanks to the improvement in the road network, many travelers are now opting to undertake self-drive tours and explore the beauty of the Pearl of Africa. However, undertaking a self-drive tour in Uganda isn’t a piece of Cake and not for the faint-heated, considering the intense and chaotic traffic that will put your defensive driving skills to test.

Also, the remote areas of Uganda still prove challenging and dangerous for drivers to navigate owing to their poor nature (loose-surface roads with no signs). While we say Uganda is safe for self-drives, there are still high-crime rates especially in the Urban Centers, wildlife on the roads, and other hazards which when being careful can be avoided.

When undertaking self-drive tours in Uganda, there are a number of things that you need to consider. Most importantly, you will require an International Driver’s License and if you are a resident, a Ugandan Driver’s License is required.

Speed Limits

Depending on where you are driving, follow and observe the speed limits. The speed limit for driving in urban places or Trading Centers is 50 kilometers per hour, while on Ugandan highways it is 100 kilometers per hour and if you are driving on rural and gravel roads, the speed limit is 80 kilometers per hour. Even with these set speed limits, it is very common to find other drivers/riders going against these limits and hence end up on the bad side of the law. Also, driving against the speed limit means blowing your car Insurance covers hence you will be liable for any damages that will happen in case of accidents.

Transport Safety

When we mention transport safety, we mean three main factors that include the Rental Car you intend to use for the self-drive tour, the condition of the road, and the advisable speed on the road. While there are some Rental Cars without Speed Trackers, it doesn’t mean you won’t get into trouble with the roadside traffic officers. If you decide to drive a Car in dangerous Mechanical Conditions, go against the set speed limits, or don’t consider how bad the road looks before driving recklessly, you won’t guarantee your safety and that of other road users. Some road users (especially motorists) ignore traffic lights while others drive alone the pedestrian lanes. If you aren’t used to left-hand driving, it is also advisable to hire a driver.

The Condition of the Road

While most of Ugandan roads are well-maintained and relatively stress-free to navigate, there are those you will feel uncomfortable driving through. For instance, potholes on urban roads or rugged terrains in some regions require caution during the self-drive tour. Even though you have used those roads for so long, it shouldn’t be the reason for overspeeding as you might get more problems than you bargained for.

Safety of the Car

Before you hit the road for your self-drive tour, the safety of the Car should be evaluated because it is another thing that will determine whether the self-drive tour is safe or not. For this reason, your self-drive Rental Car should be checked for stability, braking systems, steering wheel, and wheel alignment among others prior to embarking on the trip.

Additionally, don’t allowed to be deceived by attractive rates because not all that glitters is gold. Pay more attention to the service quality because sometimes those low rates come with hidden costs that you aren’t aware of.

Long Term Car Rental in Uganda

We are flexible with our services and when it comes to lengthy or long rentals our prices becomes low. We give discounts on clients taking the car monthly or more. Clients also who rent a car in Uganda and then extend for more days. We can also give a discount for such rental. It is possible to extent your rental while on safari. Just send us an email, our representative will answer promptly, you may decide to communicate by phone or send a whatsapp.

With Monthly rentals, we do the car servicing, in case of mechanical breakdown, we fix the car and then continue with the journey. Our services are not only for clients going for safaris, we also cater for conference clients, NGO, different offices and etc.

In case the rental is around Kampala, even the 2 wheel drive cars can work. We have cars that can fit for long rental starting from Toyota VTZ to bigger 4×4.Our cars are equipped with the Jack, Wheel spanner and the spare tyre.

It is also possible to hire a driver on long rental, our driver guides can also drive office, or conference people, and they are knowledgeable about different cities and the roads. Enjoy our cheapest prices when you rent with us for long period.

We also give discounts for our returnee clients, depending on the number of days you prefer to rent the car. We book accommodations for our clients and also activities like gorilla tracking, chimpanzee tracking. This can be done by purchasing the permits prior to the rental.

It is optional, some clients decide to drive to Uganda wildlife Authority and purchase permits and book activities for themselves. We give information about different destination where clients want to go and also suggest accommodation for budget, Midrange or luxury on request.

When we purchase permits for our clients, we deliver them with the car at the airport, office or airport.  We wait our clients at the airport with placards written on their names.

Extended car hire can be a camping safari, rooftop/ground tent, self-driving or with driver, any type of car can work depending on the destinations and activities, It can be group tour or solo.

The Ultimate Northern Circuit Road Trip in Uganda

Uganda a renowned safari destination accommodates both travelers on fully guided and self-guided safari. Today, several travelers however have wished to test their capabilities of driving in a foreign country. So, hiring a car for Uganda self drive adventure is another amusement to consider when planning for a safari in Uganda.

Among the amusing moments on a safari to Uganda is taking a drive through the Northern route. The northern route remained for unique encounters of which some are not seen with other adventure routes in Uganda.

Considerably, other major safari adventure routes include; northeastern route, western route, Southwestern route and the Eastern routes. All these routes are blessed with unique features as may be we shall discuss in our next write-ups. Now we’re to concentrate and focus this write-up to the northern safari route.

The northern safari road trip is an adventure packed route, when taking this amazing route on your self-drive road trip safari expect to encounter; the big five, world’s most powerful waterfalls, magnificent colorful waterfalls, abundance of wildlife. There are amazing people, one Uganda’s biggest cities of Gulu among many other considerations.

Where the northern safari road trip starts

The route as usual starts from Kampala taking the northern directing through Bombo road, then it turns to be the Gulu-Kampala road. The northern safari route will not branch to west Nile region, continue to Kabong to Kidepo Valley National Park.

Here are the Major tourist destinations to explore while on the Northern Uganda Trail;

Murchison Falls National Park

Uganda’s top visited tourist destination, Murchison falls National Park is among the special places where many tourist don’t wish to have it missing on their travel. A self-drive to Murchison is among the ease to drive places which even needs fewer hours of driving about 5 hours. Murchison is Uganda’s largest protected areas among the 10 National Parks in Uganda.

The park has unique and amazing features that has kept it most loved and most visited park in Uganda. However, though it’s magnificent, Murchison Falls National Park is not the most famous among tourist destination in Uganda, but comes second after Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Murchison Falls National Park is unique with mighty Murchison Falls which is almost the major attraction at the Park. The Murchison Falls are arguably the world’s most powerful falls due to their thunderous rapids that force into a narrow gorge of about 7m wide. The rapids rush to roughly pour 45m down forming the humus brownish bubble flow of the Victoria Nile.

The Victoria Nile continues forming a calm flow which bisect the park into the north and southern sections. The Victoria flow offer one of the best waters for the wild game cruise that leads to the bottom of the falls. The 3 hours boat drive starts from Para ferry dock point leading through the nature rewarding cruise.

The northern section of the park feature the open savannah woods accommodating largest concentration of wildlife. Majorly at the Delta point where the Victoria Nile meets with Lake Albert to make one of the largest deltas in Uganda that host larger numbers of animals, birds and others. The northern section of the Murchison Falls National Park is majorly known for adventure packed game drive. Take a guided-drive here expect to watch prides of lions, herds of elephants, buffalos, antelopes, giraffes, warthogs, leopards on rare occasions, Marabou stork etc.

Taking a kind of self-drive in Murchison you expect to take adventures like game drives, boat cruise, sports fishing, nature walks, and visiting of the falls, bird watching, and chimpanzee tracking in the nearby Budongo forest reserve.

Kidepo Valley National Park

Africa’s remotest national Park according to CNN report 2017. Kidepo is Uganda’s remotest park to access by road. The remote Kidepo Valley Park was rarely visited by tourist due to changes with accessing the park. However, the accessibility of the park has become easy still by road due to improved road facilities. There is no longer worry of taking a self-drive safari road trip into this far designated tourist destination.

Kidepo Valley National Park is among Africa’s amazing destinations which displays the real authentic African. The best landscape view with the endless savannah plain views packed with abundance of wildlife species. Kidepo is divided into the Kidepo Valley and the Narus Valley, and Narus Valley that starts around Apoka is the famous with animals.

The park has one of the highest concentration of wildlife species. The animal sights are decorated with zebras, giraffes, buffalos, elephants, several antelope species, lions are common. All these are common with the immediate Narus Valley. Unique birds are counted among are the ostrich, the secretary bird among many other species.

Kidepo is a special place to see and visit communities of real African people who still hold to their ancestor’s backgrounds. The Karamoja people are unique people and the Ik who live in the mountains of Karamoja sub-region. Among adventure activities done in Kidepo Valley National Park include the game drives, community visits, nature walks, mountain hiking and wild camping.

Driving to Kidepo Valley National Park in the recent years was one of the hectic undertaking. However, the narrative has changed with improved road infrastructures, longer distances are now driven on paved roads and reaching the region the unpaved roads are not such bad. Having your stronger 4×4 safari cruiser makes you wander the regions faultlessly.

Aruu Watefalls

These magnificent waterfalls are located in Padar district en-route to Kidepo Valley shorty after Gulu city. Aruu waterfalls are unique and beautiful waterfalls that give an awesome breathtaking moment of relaxing after your long journey drive. A short drive to Aruu falls takes a minimum of one and half hour. Reaching here have to slope down on sharp stones, and cross ponds by a lop which a great moment in the forest.

Gulu City

One of the major cities in Uganda, Gulu is the major city for the northern region. When driving through the city can take a moment and visit some special places within. Can take up a walk into the main market of Gulu city, or even tasting on the some local dishes prepared in restaurants within gulu city.

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

The only natural area to find rhinos in Uganda. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary makes Uganda the only place you visit and see rhinos. Uganda didn’t have rhinos for a period of about 20 years since when the last rhino was hunted down until 2005. The Ziwa rhino sanctuary is also located alongside the northern safari circuit. When wishing to visit Uganda and track all the Big Five list, then Ziwa should not miss on your travel plan.

The sanctuary is found en-route to Murchison Falls National Park. When visited the sanctuary expect to watch several bird among is the Shoebill stork birds, several antelope species. One of the amazing places in Uganda to track wild species on foot.

Planning a Self Guided Safari in Uganda

Uganda is one of the most interesting places to visit in Africa. Most people especially from Europe opt to do it themselves because they think it easy and soft to do it. Yes it’s true, but still you have to take caution of certain things when you choose a self drive safari in Uganda. Getting the best car that will suit your vacation comes in everybody’s mind when sending an e-mail to the would be company in help. Always they choose the 4 wheel drive vans this is good but reliability also has to matter here in terms of break-downs.

Take an example when you are stuck in the most beautiful but remote Kidepo Valley National Park in North Eastern Uganda! You got no rescue in the next 12 hours and when it’s availed in the shorter hours it’s costly because you got to use the UWA vehicles. This is not the point but always try to find out those people who got experience in the game, they know which car can much with every situation and any road in Uganda. Always they look a bit more costly but still reliable because they know where to turn. The vans may not necessarily look new as the ones you left home but at least have been tested on the journeys they are up to; so don’t question the model of the car but ask the reliability.

You got time at your budget because you choose what to see and where to go as you have unlimited mileages to cover on your safari; that’s at self drive safari Uganda. Here we aim at a client’s satisfaction because they always need to cover more but time cannot always be on their side. In this case we give you space to find the best you can cover as you pay a visit to Uganda.

Never book a lodge by yourself because you will always get a “Muzungu” rate which is not the case if we made it for you. We know that you got a budget when you plan your vacation stay in Uganda, but we love it if you did not run past it, that’s why we want to come in not because we like a commission but because we like you recommend our services to other would be visitors to our country. We always define for you the best accommodations where you will have excellent services and value for money and where your interests lie depending on what you like to see. For any memorable vacation, you always long to return because you got more than you expected at less than you planned.

This does not only apply for Uganda only but also in Rwanda. When you got to cover Rwanda and Uganda at once then the terms still apply. Rwanda Safaris are almost the same like in Uganda, the differences is that you got many rolling hills in Rwanda and change the diving side from left to right, but this does not seem very tusky to most visitors who tour both countries. You can have slight changes in the cultures of the people short routes to tourist areas like gorilla trekking points, Genocide sites, and the physical appearance of the two countries has got a difference. A self guided tour is all one would need but still depends on ones desire.

Exploring Queen Elizabeth Game Park in Just 3 Days

Several Uganda tour operators offer a popular 3-day safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of Uganda’s most popular national park. This is the best adventure for travelers with limited time in Uganda who want to take advantage of wildlife drives, beautiful scenery, and boat rides on the Kazinga channel.

One of the largest and most well-known national parks in Uganda, Queen Elizabeth Game Park is best visited year-round for activities like chimpanzee trekking in the Kyambura canyon, boat excursions, and game viewing. It is situated in western Uganda. In Kampala or any other small town in Uganda, the safari begins and ends.

What to expect

You will travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is situated at the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains in western Uganda. Two Ugandan bodies of water, Lake Edward and Lake George, which are joined by the Kazinga channel, are found in the park.

You’ll spend time touring Uganda’s most popular conservation area, which is home to around 100 animal species. 600 species of birds, 9 kinds of primates, including chimpanzees, and 5 types of habitats, including forest, shrub, wetland, savannah, and maritime, are all known to exist. With almost 600 hippo schools in the lazy channel, and a 45-kilometer-long river connecting lakes Edward and George, the park is renowned for having the highest concentration of hippos.

Additionally, the surrounding area of the park is breathtaking. A game drive and boat trip will put you extremely near to the park’s nature. It wouldn’t be a terrible idea to decide to go on a crater drive around the crater lakes belt, and meeting up with locals in Katunguru or Katwe kabatooro will also be a wonderful option.

Day 1 Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park

To drive to the park (QENP), you will be picked up from your lodge or hotel in the early morning. Our tour operator will give you a briefing on what to expect, and the driving time, and make sure you have the necessary gear for your three-day safari. You will pass through the tiny settlements along the Kampala – Mbarara road on your travel. Along the trip, you will get the chance to view royal drum makers, and tiny markets and an equator break will be worthwhile for stretching and taking photos. Lunch will be provided en route, and then you’ll head to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a little break and, if time permits, an evening game drive.

Dinner and overnight stay at Elephant Hab Lodge, Parkview safari lodge, and Tembo safari lodge.

Day 2: Game drive and Boat cruise to Kazinga channel

After a pleasant breakfast, you will go to Kasenyi Plains for your 3-day wildlife safari game drive. Kasenyi Plains is home to a variety of wild creatures, and whether you see any of them depends on the luck of the day. On a good day, you might see small mammals like warthogs, buffalo, elephants, many antelope, and big cats like lions and leopards hunting. After lunch, head back to the lodge before making your way to Mweya Peninsula for a two-hour boat tour on Kazinga Channel. The channel is where most animals congregate to drink water and boasts the biggest number of hippos in the entire globe along with over 400 different bird species. There is a good probability that you may see hippos, elephants, buffalo, crocodiles, and many more animals. Return to your lodge to spend the night and have dinner.

Overnight stay and dinner at Elephant Hab Lodge, Parkview safari lodge, and Tembo safari lodge.

Day 3 Transfer to Kampala and end of a safari

Depending on your flight out of Uganda, you might choose to go on another wildlife drive before making the drive back to Kampala. En route, you might choose to stop and see some crater lakes, the rift valley floor, and escarpments. You’ll arrive in Kampala in the late afternoon after having lunch.

End of the Tour

Cross Border Car Hire in Uganda and Rwanda

Do you have plans of crossing the border of Uganda into any of the neighboring East African countries-Rwanda, Kenya or Tanzania? Mum and Dad Uganda Tours can make it happen because we understand that most travelers wish to combine tours/safaris between countries. For instance, you might wish to enjoy game drives in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park, gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest and chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest. Later, proceed to Rwanda’s Kigali City, Nyungwe Forest and Volcanoes National Park. We totally understand that the idea of crossing the border with a hired car is daunting but once the fine print is read and properly understood, you are likely to go farther than expected.

While the option of Uganda Car Hire with cross border is offered at Mum and Dad Uganda Tours, we only allow it for selected car types and to specific countries. One of the mistakes that most travelers do is crossing the border without informing the company but once you do this, you might be risking because third party insurance isn’t covered in another country. Also, if you fail to inform us of your plans to cross the border to another country, you will be breaking our contractual terms and conditions, in addition to voiding your insurance thus lose any accident or breakdown cover. For this reason, you will need approval from the Company and should be done at least 48 hours prior to the pick-up date of the Car hire.

With most Car Hire Companies in Uganda, a certain cross border fee is required to allow you drive the Car to another country. Also, remember that a number of travel restrictions will be put in place and they include how long you will be allowed to drive the Car out of the country and this varies from one Company to the other. Another important thing to note is that the type/category of Car you rent will have an effect on whether you are allowed to cross the border or not.

Do you know why most Car Hire Companies charge cross-border fees? Well, this is mainly charged to cater for any additional insurance that would be important for driving the Car outside Uganda. This fee will ensure that your insurance covers remains valid and the Company will provide the appropriate documentation. The amount will depend on the vehicle type and where you are heading to (be it Rwanda, Kenya or Tanzania) but varies from $10 and $50 per day.

Requirements for Hiring a Car with Cross Border

Whatever country you are crossing to, you will be requested for documents and these include;

Permission letter from the Car Hire Company

Before you cross the Border to another country, you will be requested (at the passport control at the border) for a letter of permission from the Car Hire Company. This should bear a signature and stamp of the Company, plus the National Identity Card.

Vehicle log book

Besides the permission letter from the Car Hire Company, you will need to present the vehicle log book and this is a proof that you are legally crossing the border with a rented Car.

Reflective sticker on the Rental Car

Besides permission letter and vehicle log book, another important requirement for car hire with cross border is having a reflective sticker on the Rental Car.

Your National/International Driving permit

You will also need to have a valid National or International Driving permit before you can be allowed to cross the Border with the Rental Car.

Is it possible to drop-off the Car in another country?

Yes, it is possible to cross the border with the Rental Car, but this depends on the Company and even those that do offer it at a high rate. All in all, most Companies aren’t so flexible when it comes to dropping cars in other countries than when it is with temporary crossing and returning back into the country.

Why Go for Car Hire in Uganda?

When you are tripping in Uganda, you have to ensure that you get a safe and convenient means of transport. It can be okay to use public means if you moving around Kampala but visiting remote areas like national parks, the ideal mode is car hire in Uganda.

Traveling long distances is overwhelming, especially in a foreign country and the only way to make it easy is by renting a car from a reputable company.

Car hire has lots of benefits as we are going to explain them below:

Safe

Car rental companies emphasize the security and safety of their client first. They ensure that the client is driven in a well-conditioned vehicle with all the safety accessories such as seat belts, airbags, fire extinguishers, and first aid boxes.  The belongings of the clients are also kept safely in the trunk of the car. Additionally, you don’t share the car with any foreign person to worry about stealing your luggage. It is only you as a client or with your pals or family and your luggage in the car.

Convenient and Organized

When you are using public means, you share the vehicle with different people who are strangers to you. There is no reservation of your favorite seat, it is on a first come first serve basis thus ending up traveling uncomfortably. Car hire Uganda does it better as the vehicle is exclusively reserved for you, no fighting for space with strangers, and the luggage is kept safely in the boot.

Quick

Car hire services being fast is one of the reasons why most travelers have turned to them over public means. When you are using car rental, you are taken directly to your destination without any stopovers and hence saving time. The chauffeurs provided are experienced and informed about the local areas so they know the shortest routes leading to the various destinations in Uganda. These can beat off the heavy traffic and aid you to reach your destination in time for your appointment.

Secluded Mode of Transportation

Car hire offers privacy to the clients since they are reserved only for those particular clients at the time. There is no room for sharing with another traveler whom you don’t know about. The exclusivity allows having that independence to have fun and enjoy with your family or colleagues while on the road trip.

Downs the Stress

Using public means such as buses and trains can be such a hassle since you have to know the time of its operation. This brings the tension and worry of missing it. More so, you have to walk a reasonable distance to reach the station to get on board. This is not the case with car rental services where everything is scheduled at the client’s discretion that is to say the time and the point of pick up and drop off.

Outstanding extra services

There are additional services given to travelers by car hire services such as extra baby seats, GPS, music system, spacious trunk, and camping kit. The services are supplements that can make a traveler’s trip an amazing and exciting one.

Point-to-Point Transfer

Car rental provides door-to-door services to its clients. Pick-up and drop-offs are done at your preferred points such as your home, hotel, or airport. You do not have to walk to the station with your luggage to access the services. They simply come to your place of convenience and transfer you to wherever you wish to go and bring you back to your abode.

If you want to have a convenient, safe, fast and comfortable travel experience, then look no further car hire services will meet your needs.

Uganda’s Inspectors-General of Police

Uganda has been served by several Inspectors-General and Commissioners of Police. Here is a list of Inspector Generals of Police since the country attained its independence in October 1962.

Michael J. Macoun, 1959-1964
Lt. Col. Wilson Erinayo Oryema, 1964-1971
Benjamin Othieno, 1971-1974
Luke Ofungi, 1974-1975
Kassim Musa Obura, 1975-1977
Odria, 1977-1979
David Nsubuga Barlow, 1979
William Musoke, 1979-1980
Boniface Aaron Okoth-Ogola, 1980-1985
Luke Ofungi, 1985-1990
David Psomgen, 1990
Apollo Byekwaso, 1990-1992
John Cossey Odomel, 1992-1999
John Kisembo, 1999-2000
Lieutenant-General Edward Katumba Wamala, 2000-2005
Major-General Edward Kale Kayihura, 2005-2018
Martin Okoth Ochola, March 2018 to date

Top Places To See Shoebill Storks In Uganda

Scientifically known as Balaeniceps rex, shoebill storks are whale-headed storks that always make it to the checklist of every birder in Uganda. These are one of the most sought-after birds and you don’t have to be an enthusiastic bird watcher or ornithologist to be thrilled at the first sight of these beautiful birds.

These wading birds are always spotted within the Tropical marshes/wetlands of Tropical East African in the Great Lakes region. They have whale heads and shoe-shaped bills with shark hooks, darkish plumage, short necks, and long legs (typical of storks). Shoebill storks are somewhat aggressive hence have few predators although their eggs and chicks are sometimes eaten by nest predators like snakes. Their diet usually comprises baby crocodiles, small animals, frogs, lungfish, turtles, and snails.

Uganda is one of the few homes of these critically endangered in the East African region and they are found in the following places;

Mabamba Wetland

Mabamba, one of the largest wetlands surrounding Lake Victoria is one of the top places to see shoebill storks in Uganda. About 45 kilometers from Kampala, this area can be reached from Entebbe, by a traditional motorized boat or canoe trip. For this area, these Storks are tracked by a canoe ride conducted in the morning or evening but also expect other Papyrus and waterbird species such as cattle egrets, kingfishers, African jacana, saddle-billed storks, Papyrus canary, and many others.

Murchison falls National Park

The shoebill storks in Murchison falls National Park are found along the Lake Albert Delta Ramsar wetland made up of the Nile River from Murchison falls to a small section of Lake Albert. These storks can be spotted during the early morning Delta Cruise but also expect to see the long-tailed Cormorants, Grey-crowned cranes, white-faced whistling duck, Papyrus gonolek, African darter, African fish eagles, and many others. This boat cruise will also offer views of the Nile crocodiles and Hippos.

Semliki National Park

Another unmissable shoebill stork viewing destination in Uganda is Semliki National Park, set within the western side of the country. They are common along the southern shores of Lake Albert and are regarded as bird lovers’ must-see attractions.

Lake Mburo National Park

Located in western Uganda about 4 hours drive from Kampala, Lake Mburo National Park is another amazing spot for seeing shoebill storks in Uganda. They can be seen within wetlands along the Lake and this is during the boat cruise. While in the company of professional guides, you will identify these beautiful storks on the shores and nearby wetland in addition to the African fish eagles, Pied and Malachite kingfishers, pelicans, Papyrus gonolek, and many others.

Lugogo wetland, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Lugogo is a 10-square kilometer wetland within Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and another spectacular home to the vulnerable shoebill storks. Shoebill tracking trips in this area begin as early as 7:00 am and are done on wooden canoes. Not only are you guaranteed shoebill stork views but also sunrise over the wetland with other wetland bird species such as Palmnut vultures, speckled-breasted woodpecker, Giant kingfishers, and many others. Visitors looking for endless views of the shoebill storks can add Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary trip to Murchison falls National Park.

The Makanaga Bay

Although not as popular as Mabamba Wetland, Makanaga Bay is also on the shores of Lake Victoria and is also an excellent spot to see Shoebill storks in Uganda. It can be reached from Entebbe or Kampala by canoe ride with most tours conducted in the morning. Make sure to be in the company of a local guide with chances of spotting other numerous wetland bird species. You will also learn about the history of the area but more especially numerous shoebill storks.

Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC)

Uganda Wildlife Education Center (formerly Entebbe Zoo) is a rescue center for orphaned animals, one of which is the shoebill storks. This Center is found on the shores of Lake Victoria in Entebbe and also shelters other beautiful bird species such as peacocks, cattle egrets, and many others.

Ishasha sector Queen Elizabeth National Park

Most travellers know the Ishasha sector for the tree-climbing lions but it is also another top place to see shoebill storks in Uganda. They can be tracked or spotted along the wetland-fringed Lake Edward shores. Other top places to see shoebill storks in Uganda are Lutembe Bay, Lwera Swamp, Kyabakuza Swamp, and many others.

Besides the shoebill storks, other stork species in Uganda include Marabou storks, open-billed storks, Saddle-billed storks, and yellow-billed storks among others.