Guided Game Drives in Uganda Africa

Safari game drives in Uganda are an extraordinary safari activity that allows you to come up close to the extraordinary wildlife of different savannah-protected areas of the country.

Safari game drives occur on 4×4 safari vehicles in the wild as you watch some of Uganda’s extraordinary animals like the Lions, Buffaloes, Elephants, and Leopards which are among the African Big Five. Other common animals to watch on your amazing game drive in Uganda include the Antelopes, Giraffes, and Zebras.

Uganda game drives are also favorable for birders looking for savannah bird species as there are a variety of these birds to watch on the different open plains of the protected areas.

The Ugandan game drives usually occur during the morning game drive, afternoon game drive, or evening/night game drive, taking about 2 to 4 hours.

Best Safari Game Drives in Uganda 

There are 4 major destinations to do game drives in Uganda and these are Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park as seen below.

Game Drives in Murchison Falls National Park 

Murchison Falls National Park is a savannah-protected area, ranking as the oldest and the largest in Uganda. The park is among the best wildlife places to have a Uganda safari game drive as it holds over 76 mammal species, including 4 of the 5 African big five which are the Lions, Leopards, Elephants, and Buffaloes.

The game drives at Murchison Falls National Park will also allow you to watch other animal species like the Oribi, Uganda Kobs, Waterbucks, Warthogs, Bushbucks, Crocodiles, and Rothchild Giraffes, among others.

Game drives at Murchison Falls National Park occur in 2 sectors and these are the Southern sector and the Northern sector which are divided by the Nile River. Some drives will take you to the banks of Lake Albert and the safari activity takes about 2 to 3 hours.

Game Drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park 

Queen Elizabeth National Park is the second-largest Ugandan national park with more than 95 mammal species. The game drives at Queen Elizabeth National Park majorly occur at Kasenyi in the North and the Ishasha sector in the South.

The golden plains of the park are home to Buffaloes, Leopards, tree climbing Lions, Elephants (4 of the 5 African Big Five animals), Warthogs, Kobs, Hyenas, Hippos, and Zebras, among others.

Game Drives in Kidepo Valley National Park 

The rugged and golden plains of the Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda are a must-visit to experience the breathtaking wild animals of Africa. CNN recognized Kidepo National Park as the best wildlife destination in Africa.

On a Kidepo Valley National Park safari game drive, especially to the Narus Valley and the Kidepo Valley, you will experience various wild animals for example the Buffaloes, Leopards, Cheetahs, Lions, Bushbucks, Bushpigs, Giraffes, Jackal, Zebras, and Ostriches, among others.

Game Drives in Lake Mburo National Park 

Lake Mburo National Park is an amazing place to experience remarkable game drive experiences in Uganda. The game drives at Lake Mburo National Park will take you to different tracks like the Kazuma track, the Zebra track, and the Kigambira track.

Expect to view various animals like the Giraffes, Zebras, Leopards, Impalas, Bushbucks, Reed bucks, Oribis, Waterbucks, Bushbucks, and Bush babies, among others.

Other Game Drive Destinations in Uganda include Semuliki National Park through the savannahs of the Semuliki Wildlife Reserves, Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, and Matheniko Wildlife Reserve, among others.

Safari Game Drives in Uganda Prices 

Below are the costs of the safari game drives in the different destinations of Uganda.

DESTINATION	COST OF DAY GAME DRIVE	COST OF NIGHT GAME DRIVE
Murchison Falls National Park	$25(foreign nonresident)·       $20(foreign resident) UGX 25,000 (East African Citizen)	$40 (foreign nonresident)       $35(foreign resident) UGX 40,000 (East African Citizen)
Queen Elizabeth National Park	$25(foreign nonresident)     $20(foreign resident) UGX 25,000 (East African Citizen)	$30 (foreign nonresidents)     $20 (foreign residents) UGX 50,000 (East African Citizen)
Kidepo Valley National Park	$20(foreign nonresident)      $15(foreign resident) UGX 20,000 (East African Citizen)	$30 (foreign nonresidents) and $20 (foreign residents) UGX 50,000 (East African Citizen)
Lake Mburo National Park	$20(foreign nonresident)     $15(foreign resident) UGX 20,000 (East African Citizen)	$30 (foreign nonresident)     $20(foreign resident) UGX 50,000(East African Citizen)

Other Safari Activities in Uganda 

Game drive safaris are just one of the many remarkable things to do on your Uganda safari. However, you can enjoy other safari activities in the country like,

1. Gorilla trekking
2. Chimpanzee trekking
3. Boat cruises
4. Bird watching
5. Nature walks
6. Photography & Filming
7. Bungee jumping
8. Lion tracking
9. Primate walking
10. Hippo Census, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. What is the Best Time to go for  Safari Game Drive in Uganda? 

Uganda game drives occur all year round that is both during the rainy season and the dry season. The best time to have a safari game drive in Uganda is during the dry season, around June to September and December to February.

2. What Should I Carry for a Game Drive Safari?

There are various important things to carry for your game drive safari and these include a camera, a pair of binoculars, a guidebook, a notebook and pen, insect repellent, a backpack, sunscreen lotions for afternoon game drives, warm clothes, snacks, water bottle, hand sanitizer, face mask.