Is Uganda Worth Visiting? My Honest Opinion

Travelling to Uganda is a dream for many nature and wildlife lovers. Often known as the Pearl of Africa, this country is the best place on the planet to see mountain gorillas in the wild. Its national parks are also home to chimpanzees, elephants, hippos, lions and plenty more wildlife. On top of that, the landscapes are extremely varied, ranging from rainforest to savannah.

Uganda’s appeal is obvious. But it is also an expensive destination with somewhat complicated logistics. The situation in some parts of the country can also be a little risky, and it is natural to wonder whether Uganda is safe for tourists. To me it is clear that the country has a lot going for it. But given the cost and the situation on the ground, is Uganda worth visiting?

In this guide I usually focus on practical information about destinations, always with some details from my own experience, but this time I have decided to write a more subjective article, sharing everything that travelling in Uganda made me feel and the reasons why, and I’ll tell you now, Uganda is definitely worth visiting.

Why Uganda is definitely worth visiting: my conclusion

Based on my 10-day trip to Uganda, I am convinced that the opportunity to stand just a few metres from a wild mountain gorilla, in the middle of the forest, is reason enough on its own to visit Uganda. There are very few places on the planet where you can have this unforgettable experience.

Looking at the country’s national parks and everything you can do in them, it is also easy to see that Uganda is a very complete destination where every day is different from the last. You can go on 4×4 safaris across the savannah, boat safaris on the river, treks to see primates and walks to watch birds, and you also get the chance to discover the country’s rich culture.

For me, safaris in Uganda are not as spectacular as those you can enjoy in Kenya, Tanzania or Botswana, but in Uganda you can put together much more varied and complete itineraries. That is the country’s great strength, besides the magical experience of seeing primates.

That’s why I’m in no doubt that Uganda is worth visiting. Even so, I am aware that it is a country that brings a little uncertainty. There are the border areas with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where there have been some attacks; there have been occasional Ebola outbreaks in recent years; and there is the presence of malaria and other tropical diseases. In my view, although all these risks exist, with good planning and by travelling with a good local Uganda tour operator, the risk is really very low. So discovering Uganda is still very much worth it. For me, the ideal is to be able to spend between 10 and 20 days in the country.

9 reasons why Uganda is worth visiting

1. Seeing mountain gorillas, the big reason to visit Uganda

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is very hard to put into words. It is magical to spend an hour watching a family of these powerful primates. It’s an hour that goes by very quickly, but one you will remember for the rest of your life.

Although mountain gorillas can currently be seen in the wild in three countries (Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Uganda is the best destination when you weigh up safety against the price of the permit. In Rwanda the situation is a little more stable and secure, but the permit costs 1,500 dollars, while in Uganda it costs 800 dollars.

On my trip to Uganda I did the gorilla trek in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, where there is a family with four silverbacks. It was indescribable, and it left me longing to go back to Uganda and live the experience all over again. I was deeply moved to see a one-year-old baby playing among the branches and annoying other members of the family; I also froze when an adult female walked right past me, almost brushing my leg.

Also, by taking part in this activity I know I was contributing to the conservation of the species, since a large share of what tourists pay goes towards funding the rangers who patrol the area to protect the gorillas from poaching, as well as various conservation projects.

2. Seeing chimpanzees in Kibale Forest

Another incredible experience that makes Uganda worth visiting is the chance to trek through the forest to see chimpanzees. The best place to see them, and the one I recommend, is the forest of Kibale Forest National Park. There are chimpanzee families there that have gone through a process of habituation to humans, simply by spending many hours with them, without food or any other incentives. This makes the sightings calm and lets you see these fascinating primates from quite close (always respecting the animal and its space).

Also, if you pay a little more, you can do the habituation experience trek, which lets you spend four hours with the chimpanzees instead of one. In this case you visit a family that is still being habituated, which is why you get more time with them. Even so, these tend to be individuals that are less comfortable with human presence, so in some cases the sightings are a little further away.

On my trip to Uganda with a local operator, I did the habituation experience in Kibale and I remember it as a very intense experience. For four hours we walked through the forest, often without following any path, watching and following the chimpanzees. I was hugely impressed by the sounds they make, and their screams echoing through the treetops.

As with mountain gorilla watching, seeing chimpanzees was one of the most beautiful nature experiences I have ever had.

3. The variety of landscapes in Uganda

On my long seven-month trip through Africa, I travelled one after the other through Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, the three most popular countries in East Africa. That let me see that there is much more variety of landscapes and ecosystems to see in Uganda than in Kenya and Tanzania, at least among the places and national parks usually visited on the standard routes.

This makes routes through Uganda very varied, both in terms of scenery and the activities you do. You visit savannah landscapes in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park, forest areas in Kibale National Park or Bwindi National Park, the mountain forest of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes) or the unique scenery of Lake Bunyonyi.

That’s why, for me, one of Uganda’s greatest strengths is its variety. It is impossible to get bored on a trip through the Pearl of Africa!

4. Boat safaris on the Nile and the Kazinga Channel

Before travelling to Uganda, I thought 4×4 safaris would be far more interesting and would give me many more opportunities to see and photograph wildlife. In fact, I told the local Uganda tour operator I was customising my itinerary with that I preferred to spend all my time on 4×4 drives. Luckily, they recommended that I set aside a few hours for a boat safari on the Victoria Nile in Murchison Falls National Park and a couple more hours for a boat safari on the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Luckily I took their advice, and I discovered the great appeal of watching animals from the water.

Above all, I remember the safari on the Kazinga Channel with great emotion. On a small boat with only eight of us on board, I saw loads of hippos, crocodiles and birds. But the high point came when we found a group of elephants cooling off in the river. For more than half an hour we stayed there, watching them play with the water and interact with each other… The funniest part was watching the little calves.

5. Walking among rhinos and supporting a major conservation project

Another experience that makes Uganda worth visiting is the chance to watch the white rhinos of the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary on foot. In this sanctuary, managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, around forty white rhinos live in semi-wild conditions. As these rhinos are used to human presence, it is not dangerous to observe them on foot. For this reason, you usually drive to the area where they are, and then the final approach and the viewing take place outside the vehicle. Obviously, all of this is done under the supervision and control of the rangers and guides.

In Uganda rhinos became extinct because of hunting, and this sanctuary aims to grow the population so that animals can be released and there are once again rhinos living in the wild. This is a milestone that began to be achieved in 2026, when two rhinos were released in Kidepo Valley, meaning there are wild rhinos in Uganda again 40 years after the last one died out.

This project, which is funded by the entrance fee you pay to visit, is a good example of sustainable tourism and of the positive impact that travellers can have on Uganda’s nature and biodiversity.

6. Its fascinating culture and varied food

One of the aspects that often goes unnoticed before visiting Uganda, but ends up surprising you enormously once you are there, is its cultural richness. Uganda has more than 50 ethnic groups and, although a safari route through the country usually doesn’t go very deep into this, what is easy to appreciate is the hospitality of the people.

In Uganda, once you leave the capital, Kampala, everyone greets you with smiles and waves. On road journeys it is also common to see very authentic scenes of everyday life: lively local markets, churches full of people and rural communities where the pace of life is completely different from the Western one.

In terms of food, Uganda also has more variety than you might expect. The staple diet usually revolves around matoke (cooked green plantain), rice, maize and potatoes, served with meat, fish or legume sauces. In my case, as a vegan, I mostly ate bean or lentil dishes with rice, some of them in local restaurants where I stopped with my guide during the drives. Most of the dishes I ate were delicious!

Regarding food, it is also important to remember that it is best not to eat anything raw and, if you eat meat, to go to places with good hygiene. It’s not unusual to get gastroenteritis or stomach problems when travelling in Uganda, so it’s best to be a little cautious.

7. The lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park

Safaris through Uganda’s savannah ecosystems are interesting, and there are always scenes that catch the eye, especially if you have never been on safari before. Even so, for me this is the country’s weak point. In Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana or South Africa, 4×4 safaris tend to be much more productive; you see more wildlife and it’s more common to see the famous Big 5.

In Uganda, although sightings of giraffes, elephants, buffalo and other herbivores are quite frequent, seeing the big cats is harder. Even so, there is an area of Queen Elizabeth National Park, known as the Ishasha sector, where it is much more common to see lions. They are also a group of lions that has become used to climbing trees so they can sleep in the branches, away from the annoying tsetse flies.

Without a doubt, seeing tree-climbing lions is another great reason to visit Uganda.

In Queen Elizabeth you can also book a tracking activity to see leopards, as some individuals wear a GPS collar, used mainly for scientific and conservation purposes. Even so, in my view it is far more special to find an animal in a more genuine way, or with more authentic tracking, and not thanks to a GPS device fitted to the animal. For this reason I didn’t do this activity, although it is available.

8. Local, affordable places to stay: another reason Uganda is worth visiting

When travelling through Uganda you can still find small lodgings run by local people and set in beautiful natural areas. I find it lovely to see these entrepreneurial projects that involve the people of the communities travellers pass through on the most common routes. It is without doubt another reason why this country is worth getting to know.

9. The authenticity of Uganda and the lack of crowds

Finally, another great attraction of Uganda is that it is a less crowded destination than Kenya or Tanzania, where tourism has grown much more in recent years. This means the experience still feels far more authentic and you don’t run into unpleasant crowding during safaris.

That said, it is a country that receives a significant number of travellers all year round and where everything is well set up. In my experience, the balance is perfect: enough tourism for everything to work properly, but not so much that the destination loses its wild essence.

When I don’t recommend visiting Uganda: 5 specific situations

As I have kept saying, for me Uganda is definitely worth visiting, and then some. So far I have visited six African countries, and Uganda is among my favourites.

It is true that the country has some dangers, but if you organise the trip well (you can follow the advice I give in the post on whether Uganda is safe for tourists), you really shouldn’t run into any problems on the trip. You need to travel with caution, but without being afraid of this destination.

Even so, below I share a few situations in which I would be less inclined to recommend a trip to Uganda.

1. If the main goal of the trip is to see big cats

Although 4×4 safaris in Uganda’s national parks are good, they don’t reach the level of other countries. For this reason, if the goal of your trip is to see big cats (lions, leopards, cheetahs) or large numbers of wildlife, it is better to choose other destinations, such as Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana or South Africa. In these destinations the safaris are of higher quality, although the downside is that they don’t have the variety of landscapes or activities that Uganda does.

2. Pregnant women

One clear case in which I wouldn’t recommend travelling to Uganda is for pregnant women or those hoping to become pregnant in the near future. In Uganda there is a risk of Zika virus transmission, a disease that can cause serious problems during pregnancy, especially congenital malformations in the foetus.

In addition, although the risk can vary depending on the area and time of year, malaria is also present in much of the country. For all these reasons, I believe Uganda is not the most suitable destination to travel to during pregnancy. In any case, if in doubt, the most important thing is to consult a travel medicine specialist before planning the trip.

3. Travelling to Uganda with children under 15

A trip to Uganda usually involves quite a few hours in the car, as some of the national parks are quite far from each other. Depending on the child, I think from around 10 years old they could enjoy the trip, especially if they have a calm personality and really like nature. But there is another drawback: to go gorilla trekking in Uganda you need to be over 15.

For this reason mainly, I don’t recommend making the trip with children under 15, as they would miss out on what is, in my view, Uganda’s most impressive experience.

4. If you can only travel in April, at the peak of the rainy season

Another situation in which Uganda may not be worth visiting is if you can only go from the end of March to early May, which is when the rainy season peaks. It tends to rain a lot especially in April.

Although there are activities you can do in the rain, primate treks (gorillas, chimpanzees and golden monkeys) are much less enjoyable in the rain and, if you like taking photos, the conditions are very difficult.

5. If you have a very small budget

Lastly, I think visiting Uganda is not worth it if you have a very tight budget. It is a country where being a tourist is expensive, as the permits for many of the activities are high. As I explain in my post on the cost of a safari in Uganda, on a 10-day route permits typically add up to 1,500 dollars. And when you include guide, 4×4 vehicle, accommodation and meals, a roughly 10-day route currently tends to cost around 3,500 dollars per person, not counting flights or visas.

You can travel to Uganda on a lower budget, and by ruling out activities such as gorilla trekking, but for me that means missing out on an incredible experience. It is better to save a little more for a couple of years and then be able to do the whole trip, enjoying all the nature that makes Uganda worth visiting.

Need help planning your trip to Uganda?

If my experience and thoughts have convinced you, and you agree that Uganda is worth visiting, you can read some of my other posts to prepare your route:

• Uganda self-drive safari
• 10 days Uganda safari: itinerary and preparations
• Visiting the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Uganda
• Kibale Forest National Park and its chimpanzees
• Gorilla trekking in Uganda

I also recommend booking directly with a local operator, to avoid intermediaries, customise your route and support the local economy. If you are interested, I can put you in touch with the local operator I travelled with if you complete the following form.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I’ll be happy to answer.