Game Drives and Game Viewing in Uganda: A Safari Adventure
A game drive in Uganda, like in many African destinations, is a classic safari experience that involves driving through savannah parks in a 4×4 vehicle, guided by a local expert, to view wildlife in their natural habitat. These drives offer an immersive journey into the wilderness, bringing you close to both large and small animals while safely inside a sturdy safari vehicle.
Why Choose a Guided Game Drive?
While self-guided drives are possible, most tourists prefer having a local expert guide to enhance their experience. Guides are skilled at spotting wildlife and positioning vehicles for the best views, making the safari more relaxed and enjoyable.
What to Expect on a Game Drive in Uganda
Game drives typically last 3-4 hours but can stretch over six hours, with breaks to stretch and snack in scenic spots. Early morning, evening, and night drives are ideal, as animals are more active during these times. The experience varies depending on the park and operator, but each drive promises unique wildlife encounters.
Safari vehicles are often closed 4×4 Land Cruisers with large windows and pop-up roofs for photography. In some camps, open-sided vehicles may be used, but in Uganda, closed vehicles are more common due to the long drives between parks.
Top Safari Parks for Game Drives in Uganda
- Queen Elizabeth National Park: Famous for tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector and large herds of elephants, buffalo, and antelope.
- Kidepo Valley National Park: Home to rare species like Burchell’s zebra, Rothschild giraffe, and eland, offering a more remote, rugged experience.
- Murchison Falls National Park: Known for its iconic falls and a wide array of wildlife, including elephants, lions, and leopards.
- Lake Mburo National Park: Ideal for spotting zebra, buffalo, and various antelope species.
Game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Game drive is the major thought of activity while at the park. The park is known to be a highest concentration of wildlife, places like Kasenyi area of the park, North Kazinga plains offers one a chance to watch plenty of elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, antelope species, the rare giant Hogs, leopards among other animal species, In the Ishasha sector south of the park, visitors can move through the woodland to look for tree-climbing lions hovering on the branches of very old fig trees. Check out our tailor made safari options to experience this epic game drive with us. Click to view
Caption: Kazinga Channel Boat cruise -Queen Elizabeth National Park
Game drive in Kidepo Valley National Park
This is an interesting activity most liked by tourist who make it to this park, the park is a home to over 80 species of mammals include Burchell’s zebra only seen animal in Kidepo and in Lake Mburo National park, others include, buffaloes, elephants, leopard, lion. Rothschild giraffe, eland to mention but a few. Check out our tailor made safari options to experience this epic game drive with us. Click to view
Caption: Apoka Safari Lodge – Kidepo Valley National Park.
Game drives Murchison Falls National Park
The Park is a home to over 70 mammal species, so game drives are arranged on different trails through the park. Plenty of games can be seen on the way such as Rothschild’s giraffe, Uganda kob, Cape buffalo, warthogs, waterbucks, elephants, hartebeest, are commonly seen. Large carnivores include lion, leopard and spotted hyena to mention but a few. Check out our tailor made safari options to experience this epic game drive with us. Click to view
Caption: Top of the strongest falls in the world- Murchison falls National Park.
Game drive in Lake Mburo National Park
The park is a home to several species of animals and these can be well spotted out in the open grassland of the park. Animals like buffaloes, zebras, leopard, Burch ell’s zebra and Eland together with various species of antelopes can all be viewed during the game drive. And the guide will help in spotting and giving relative information while on game drive. Check out our tailor made safari options to experience this epic game drive with us. Click to view.
Caption: Boat safari -Lake Mburo National Park.
What to expect on Uganda safari drives
For the best wildlife viewing experience, take a guided game drive safari during the misty sunrise, late in the cool evenings, or at night, when most animals are more active. Every safari drive is unique, ensuring unexpected and exhilarating wildlife encounters, regardless of the safari destination. While the operating format may differ, different ground operators offer varying experiences.
Safari game drives in Uganda typically last 3-4 hours, though some may last over six hours, with short breaks allowing travelers to stretch, loosen up, and snack. Guides usually choose scenic spots for these breaks, affording great views of the plains. Some safari camps even offer breakfast settings in the bush for early morning wildlife drives, while afternoon drives are typically arranged to end with a refreshing sundowner.
Your local guide, who will likely also be your driver, is responsible for spotting animals, taking you through unexpected game viewing tracks, and sharing humorous stories about your wildlife encounters. While wildlife densities in Uganda’s safari parks may not match those of eastern destinations, a guided safari game drive in Uganda is much more rewarding. The number of tourist vehicles in the game parks is a mere fraction of those found in more developed destinations, resulting in a more private experience. On a good day, lion, elephant, or leopard sightings are moments to treasure, and you’ll seldom share such moments with swarms of vehicles.
Famous safari drive sightings on Uganda’s savannah plains include the tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Ishasha sector, elephants, buffalo, leopards, various antelope species, hippo, and the localized Rothchild’s giraffe.
On a safari game drive, you should expect to get close to the animals in a generally closed 4×4 Land Cruiser customized with large windows for every seat and a roof pop-up for photography. While some camps may use open-sided four-by-four cruisers, it’s uncommon in Uganda, where safaris operate in closed cruisers to avoid long, windy drives from the airport to the safari park.
Number of safari drives per day
Typically, Uganda safari trips last for one or two days in a game reserve and include at least two game drives per day – one in the morning and the other in the gentle heat of the evening. Each safari game drive usually lasts for about three to five hours, giving you plenty of time to explore and witness the stunning wildlife.
Your very first safari game drive will likely occur on the afternoon of your arrival. On the last day in the park, your local guide may include another safari game drive as you head to your next destination. If you’re trekking gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you may even have the chance to experience tree-climbing while driving through Queen Elizabeth National Park’s southern Ishasha sector.
Staying for around three nights at the safari park or lodge will give you about six short safari drives on your itinerary. If you’re interested in photography safaris, you’ll likely take one safari drive per day, usually lasting 6-10 hours and including a packed picnic lunch. For those who prefer a more relaxed pace, a single drive per day can be arranged, with time in the afternoon for other activities such as nature gazing, walks, chats, swimming, reading, or attending local cultural shows.
On all-inclusive Uganda safari trips, your local driver-guide is usually paid daily to chauffeur, manage, and guide your journey. They will determine how many drives to go out each day. It’s always a good idea to discuss with your guide or tour manager early in the morning or at the end of the day to determine how many drives you’ll have or when the next one will be.
A typical Uganda safari usually includes a few safari drives and a boat safari, with two nights in Queen Elizabeth National Park before or after the gorilla trekking adventure in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Zootopia Game Drive Safaris offers two nights in Bwindi, two nights in Queen Elizabeth, and ending the journey with two nights in the Kibale chimpanzee jungle.
Popular Tailored Uganda Safaris
