Visiting Uganda- The Pearl of Africa

If you are planning on traveling to Uganda, then you have no idea the world of adventure that awaits you. Uganda is famously called “The Pearl of Africa” for a very good reason. You will have an outstanding experience that will probably change you forever. This includes eye-candy such as the endangered mountain gorillas, the tree-climbing lions, going on a raft through the majestic Nile, volcanoes, a smile on every face, and mystical villages hidden in the mist.

Uganda, the fastest-growing country in Africa population-wise, is situated in Eastern Africa, with an estimated population of 31 million people. Though it is landlocked, it borders the biggest lake in Africa, Lake Victoria, which is rich in fish. The people of Uganda are proud and very polite and are outstandingly hospitable. Here is a quick itinerary for a tourist visiting Uganda.

Tree climbing lions and chimps

Uganda offers a variety of game watching and scenery locations in its 10 national parks. Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is Uganda’s most visited game reserve, lies in the west of Uganda. The park has breathtaking wildlife, especially the tree-climbing lions, which are rarely found in other places. This fact of tree climbing lions is still being researched as it is very uncommon to spot lions climbing trees. Chimpanzees, on the other hand, can best be experienced at Kibale National Park.

Visiting Entebbe and Kampala

If you going to Uganda via air you will probably land in Entebbe which is a lively yet small city next to Lake Victoria. Entebbe has beautiful gardens ideal for birdwatchers with a fantastic nice view of the lake. Kampala, which is the capital, is around an hour’s drive from Entebbe. This capital city is the largest in Uganda and bursts with life. Though the traffic is a menace, Kampala is ideal for exploration, especially in the daytime. Like many other African capitals, Kampala needs a city tour for exhaustive exploration and to understand it further. In addition, Kampala also has a great nightlife with thrilling pubs and bars strew all over the city.

An Epic Road Trip down to Kisoro

Southwest in Uganda there is the interesting small town of Kisoro which is around 9-10 hours from Kampala. Though the roads to Kisoro are not that great; the entire journey takes you through a phenomenal almost eutopic landscape called the “Switzerland of Africa”. You will see great landscape and natural phenomena such as mountains, tropical rainforest, lakes, bamboo forests, and even hills with cultivated terraces. As you finish the journey and near Kisoro, through the last hill, you meet face to face with the towering Virunga volcanoes which houses the very world-famous Travellers Rest Hotel. This hotel is built during colonization and recently renovated in 1999, has 12 rooms at very reasonable prices, offering a cozy environment to relax in after gorilla treks or day visits to the area. In the sixties, the famous American “gorilla-woman” Dian Fossey visited the Travellers Rest Hotel many, many times to do paperwork, relax or meet people.