Walking Safaris in Uganda

Walking safaris in Uganda is one of the most exceptional tours you will ever have to discover the bond with nature that arouses feelings of love and peace. The pearl of Africa, Uganda will offer you a close view of the African wildlife, the world's medicinal trees beautiful and colorful flowers, butterflies, and birds of all sizes leaving you bewildered about how this appears to be real. Walking safaris are very audacious and unique and will have you move on foot through the savannah plains and forests in silence with ears widely open, and skin highly sensitive to easily sight one who produces sound in the woods and grasslands.

Uganda offers guided walking safaris and trekking tours in most of her national parks but the popular walking safari is gorilla trekking. This takes place in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks in southwestern Uganda near the border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga is another iconic walking safari in the country. Uganda offers chimpanzee trekking experience in Kibale National Park, Budongo Forest Reserve, and Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park. In the savanna national parks of Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls, Lake Mburo, and Kidepo Valley, there are designated walking safari trails for tourists.

What is a Walking Safari?

A question may arise in your mind, asking what a walking safari may be. Well, a walking safari is an authoritative walk away from the main road into the savannah plains and tropical rainforests on foot. Walking safaris take place through designated trails, with closer attachment to nature under the assistance of ranger guides.

The walking safaris are grouped into majorly two types that include.

Full-day walking Safari. This is the most adventurous one as it takes a full day. As you leave your lodges after the early morning breakfast, tag along with a packed lunch for a full-day walking safari. As evening clocks in, you return to the lodge for dinner and rest for the night.

Multi-day walking safari: This is much more gratifying as visitors choose to stay at the lodge after the walk or camp where the walk of the day ends

What to expect on the Walking Safari.

With the walking safari, you get to be welcomed by the ever-green tall and big rainforest trees, and savannah grass scattered around which is habitat to the ravishing, outstanding, and strong wild animals. These include the African elephants, African buffaloes, the lions, Rhinos at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, leopards, chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, the black and white colobus monkeys, Uganda kobs, elands, warthogs, waterbucks, Rothschild giraffes, zebras, vervet monkeys, Impalas among others.

The savannah plains are also a breeding nest for a variety of bird species singing awesome music in the woods as they hunt and breed. These include the Blue-breasted kingfishers, Bar-tailed Trogon, great blue Turaco, African broadbill, rare shoebill stock, grey crowned crane, Rwenzori batis, Secretary birds, African fish eagles, Jackson's Francolin, Giant kingfisher, Malachite kingfisher, Abyssinian ground horn bill, Double-toothed barbet and many more

Safety of the Walking Safari

The tourism industry focuses on the safety of both tourists and nature as they are assigned well-trained and experienced ranger guides who will safely guide them through the different trails. These will also educate the visitors about all that they will find on their gentle strolling walking safari.

How long is a Walking Safari?

The walking safari is determined by the speed at which you are moving, your aim of walking, and the distance to be covered while on the walk. However, expect to spend at least 2-4 hours on the uneven terrain.

Best Time for Walking Safaris

Walking Safaris are open all year round, however, most preferably done in the dry season. Both the dry and wet seasons offer exclusive and different experiences that you ought to enjoy. The dry seasons run from June to August, and December to February. During this time the walking trails are usually very navigable, simplifying the walk through the savannahs. This season makes it easier to spot the wildlife as they usually concentrate around water sources to quench their thirst.

The wet season runs from March to April, and September to November. During this season, food is in plenty, and spotting wildlife is best done during morning walks when most of them come out to hunt and graze.