Mbarara and the Ankole Region
The cattle country and cultural heart of south-western Uganda, and the easiest base for Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and Lake Bunyonyi.
Western Uganda safari destinations
Parks, forests, lakes and river towns within reach of Mbarara, from a short day trip to a long journey north. Pick a place for a guide, or ask us to link several into one trip.
All destinations
Lake Mburo National Park
Uganda's compact savanna park, under an hour from Mbarara, where you can walk, ride, cruise and drive among zebras, impalas and hippos.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
A big-game and birding park on the equator, famous for the Kazinga Channel, tree-climbing lions in Ishasha and a landscape of lakes, craters and forest.
Murchison Falls National Park
Uganda's largest national park, where the Nile squeezes through a narrow gorge and thunders over Murchison Falls before slowing into hippo and shoebill country.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
An ancient mountain forest in south-western Uganda, home to about half of the world's remaining mountain gorillas and the country's best-known trek.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Uganda's smallest national park, three Virunga volcanoes on the Rwanda and Congo border with gorillas, golden monkeys and Batwa heritage.
Lake Bunyonyi and Kabale
A calm, terraced-hill lake of islands and canoes near Kabale, the perfect rest stop before or after gorilla trekking.
Kibale National Park
The primate capital of Uganda, with chimpanzee tracking, red colobus, black-and-white colobus and a forest edge wetland that birders love.
Jinja and the Source of the Nile
Uganda's adventure town on Lake Victoria, where the White Nile begins and rafting, kayaking and boat trips make easy team days.
Kampala and Entebbe
Uganda's capital and its lakeside airport town: where most trips start and end, with museums, markets, gardens and birding on Lake Victoria.
East Africa reach
Beyond Uganda
We also help travellers who want to add Tanzania or Kenya to a Uganda trip. Tell us what you have in mind and we will say honestly what we can arrange.