Despite facing stiff competition from multiple countries, especially those in the East African sphere, Uganda has cemented itself as a top tourist destination in Africa. There are many reasons why Uganda can or has already beat other top destinations in Africa, owing to its unique attractions.

Uganda is a mountain gorilla haven

It still surprises many that Uganda holds the world’s largest mountain gorilla destination, despite East African nations being synonymous with the big five animals. This feat itself helps it take a step ahead of its rivals, as gorillas are a species not available in most of the top destinations in Africa. This unique aspect has ensured that visitors have a different feel for Uganda, which, unlike its two main counterparts in the East African Community, is landlocked.

Bwindi National Park has been a top gorilla trekking destination, heralded as a sanctuary for the species while being a community and eco-friendly national park.

Uganda has solved its landlocked trouble

Despite being landlocked, Uganda still has a way of ensuring tourists can have their time at the beach. This is due to the fact that they have been able to replicate coastal white sandy beaches on the shores of Lake Victoria, bridging a gap that may be a problem for a landlocked country. This itself boosts the tourist numbers and also adds to the unique experiences in Uganda.

One key advantage of these beaches that stands out from those in countries with a coastline is that they are freshwater beaches. At times, due to the salt water, it may be uncomfortable to swim on the oceanic beaches, but this is cancelled out on beaches such as Lido Beach and the Sesse Islands. They also offer the same watersports and experiences available at ocean and sea beaches and resorts.

The Nile

While it is landlocked, Uganda is not short of spectacular water bodies, with the longest river in the world, the Nile, originating from the country (Lake Victoria). The river itself is a tourist attraction, but there are many activities one can experience when visiting. The activities include extreme watersports, kayaking, and birdwatching.

One key experience is the Murchison Falls National Park, where one can not only take a dive from forty-three feet at the waterfalls but also enjoy sweet boat rides to view the famed Nile crocodile, which is a beast by all means.

The Nile is already revered, and just the sight of it is enough to attract tourists from across the world. With their origins in Lake Victoria, the two water bodies go hand in hand as tourist attractions that stand out in Uganda despite the lack of a coastline.

Pristine National Park experiences

It would not be an appropriate trip to Africa without seeing the king of the jungle, the lion, and this can be achieved when visiting Queen Elizabeth National Park, where lions roam free in the savannas. Queen Elizabeth National Park is also synonymous with the famed tree-climbing lions, an attraction by itself.

Uganda is home to four of the big five, with the rhinoceros being the only exception. This, however, is almost being solved with the availability of the Ziwa rhino sanctuary, which aims to re-establish the white rhino population that can roam free in national parks across Uganda. You can visit the sanctuary and have a chance to view the fifth of the big five animals.

The different national parks offer different experiences, with each having its own unique attraction. The parks, such as Bwindi and Mghaginga, offer gorilla trekking, and Queen Elizabeth and Kidepo Valley, for that savanna experience, are well positioned to ensure tourists have a wholesome stay in Uganda.

Also, birdwatching across the national parks is an activity in which one can fully immerse themselves. With the crowned crane being the national bird, one can view up to 1100 different bird species, which is a significant bird population.

The Ruwenzori

It would not be right to visit or even speak about Uganda without mentioning the Ruwenzori mountains. Due to its different peaks, it is renowned as the third-highest mountain in Africa, only behind Mt. Kilimanjaro and Kenya. Despite the location being shared between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the three highest peaks, Mt. Stanley, Mt. Speke, and Mt. Baker, are all in Uganda.
Experience glacial peaks with unique flora and fauna at this location, and due to its different peaks, Uganda has another top tourist destination to boast about.

CHAN 2024 and AFCON 2027

The two events will, by far, attract huge numbers of tourists to the country. While they may be co-hosting with fellow East African giants Kenya and Tanzania, Uganda has a chance to steal the show away from the football and showcase its other attractions that are available in the nation.

Whereas the football locations in the country are undergoing facelifts and will be attractions by themselves, Uganda can capitalize on its other unique avenues for those who will be stationed in the nation to visit.

Uganda is a top destination, and its ability to compete against other destinations is clear, as it offers multiple unique experiences. With a favourable climactic pattern throughout the year, it is hard to go to Uganda and get disappointed.

Other aspects, such as food and the way of life of the people, can be factored in to give an overall experience of life in Uganda. The tag ‘Pearl of Africa’ suits Uganda so well.