Boat Safaris in Uganda
Viewing wild games from the water on a boat launch safari offers a unique perspective on wildlife behavior. Uganda provides amazing opportunities for wildlife viewing from a boat. Although typical African safaris are mostly done in a safari vehicle or on foot, Uganda delivers a more stunning experience of observing wildlife from a boat on the banks of water bodies prevalent in savannah parks. Three of Uganda’s best locations contain bodies of water that attract big numbers of wildlife that come to drink from the life-giving waters. Tourists can see enjoy wildlife action on the banks of the water from the boat without having to getting through the bush.
Unlike most African tours, viewing wildlife from the water is one of the greatest ways to see it. It’s also a more peaceful experience than riding in a safari truck. You’ll enjoy a refreshing wind off the river instead of kicked-up dust in your eyes, and you’ll be able to use the onboard restroom instead of racing to locate a private area in the bush on your Boat Safaris in Uganda.
Many types of animals call the waterfront home because of the year-round availability of water. As a result, it is one of the few sites in the world where you can watch game from your boat on a river, lake or canal. During the 2-3-hour Boat Safaris in Uganda with Laba Africa, you can enjoy your favorite drink while the covered pontoon glides gently through the beautiful waters, with only a couple of other boats noticeable in the distance. The absence of large crowds allows for some exceptional wildlife sightings.
The boat approaches so close to a stationary crocodile that you can see the individual scales on its shiny, speckled skin. In the meantime, an unfazed hippo stands just a few feet away, chewing furiously on tall blades of yellowed grass.
It’s an incredible sight. Assume you’ve booked a gorilla trekking expedition in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and want to view the savannah wildlife as well, but you don’t want to deal with the bureaucracy of crossing borders to get to the popular game safari spots. Booking a front row Boat Safaris in Uganda makes perfect sense.
Destinations for Boat Safaris in Uganda
The Kazinga Channel
The Kazinga Channel, which runs for 20 miles (32 kilometers), is the most popular destination for boat Safaris in Uganda. The channel runs across Queen Elizabeth National Park, linking Lakes Edward and George and offering the best opportunity for a boat safari to see Uganda’s big game up close. Launch cruises leave Mweya jetty twice daily and travel the length of the waterway for around three hours. The first leaves appear at 11:00 a.m., followed by the second at 14:00 a.m. However, you can charter your own boat through Mweya.
Wildlife to be seen on a boat safari on the Kazinga Channel
Every day, elephants, buffalo, waterbuck, Uganda kob, and enormous hippo pods can be seen on the Kazinga Channel boat safari tour. The big forest hog, leopard, and lion can also be seen on occasion. Keep a look out for the massive water monitor lizard that lives in the riverine vegetation and crocodiles. Predators and other nocturnal species are most likely to be seen drinking in the late afternoon. Water birds abound, especially water thicknee, yellow-billed stroke, and numerous plovers. Pink-backed pelicans and white bullied cormorants frequently congregate on a sandbank near the channel’s mouth. The black-headed gonolek, a shrike family member with a bright red chest, is one smaller bird to keep an eye out for – and watch closely, as the papyrus gonolek, with a yellow crown, has also been observed on this Boat Safaris in Uganda.
The 14:00 boat launch trip is most likely to produce decent elephant sightings. On hot days, thirsty elephants often travel towards the water to quench their thirst and occasionally bathe in the canal. Because the light is softer, an early boat tour on a private boat is a more enjoyable photography safari. However, because of the heightened camera shake on the moving boat in low light, this may be difficult. As you prepare for your Boat Safaris in Uganda, pack the right equipment for the best experience.
Boat Safari on Lake Mburo National Park
A boat safari on Lake Mburo Lake national park departs from the jetty at the major campsite 1km from Rwonyo Camp. Aside from the beautiful scenery and simple pleasure of being out on the river, the boat launch excursion consistently yields good sights of hippo, crocodile, buffalo, waterbuck, and bushbuck, as well as the three species of resident otter.
African fish eagles, marabou storks, pied kingfishers, and numerous egrets and herons are among the more visible water birds. The Ross’s turaco and Narina trogon are commonly spotted in lakeside thickets. Lake Mburo is arguably the best spot in Uganda to witness the rare African finfoot which is usually seen in still water beneath overhanging branches.
Boat Safari in Murchison Falls National park
The park’s most renowned and longest-running feature is the magnificent boat safari journey from Paraa to the bottom of the Murchison Falls – the Queen Mother made an initial voyage in a brand-new launch in 1959. Aside from the dependable UWA launch tours, two private firms, G&C Tours and Marasa also operate various boats on the river. As a result, it is now simple to plan boat safari excursions that fit your schedule and needs.
Photographers for example might want to leave early in the morning or later in the afternoon than the Uganda wildlife Authority boats to get the greatest light. The boats traverse a length of the Nile with a captivating African ambience flanked by Borassus palms, acacia bush, and mahogany stands on their route to the falls.
Boat Safaris in Uganda along the paraa section provides great game watching. Hundreds of hippos, some of Africa’s largest crocodiles, and small herds of buffalo, waterbuck, kob, giraffe, bushbuck, and black-and-white colobus can be seen on this boat safari. Elephants are commonly seen roaming in the water, often just a few meters off the boat. Guests who are lucky may even spot a lion or leopard. The bird life on the papyrus-lined riverbank is spectacular, with the grand prize being the shoebill. This is seen less frequently here than on the delta cruise but is a distinct possibility during the dry season.
More birds to see on this Boat Safaris in Uganda includes; African fish eagles, Goliath herons, saddle-billed storks, African jacanas, pied and malachite kingfishers, African skimmers, piacpiacs, rock pratincoles, black-headed gonoleks, black-winged red bishops, yellow-mantled widowbirds, and yellow-backed weavers. Depending on the time of year, you may observe a variety of migrant waders.
The brightly colored red-throated bee-eater, which nests in sandbanks between Paraa and the falls is more likely to be observed here than anywhere else in East Africa.
For decades, the UWA’s double-decker boats have guzzled up and down the river offering amazing Boat Safaris in Uganda. The long-serving rangers and pilots are extremely informed. The boats can accommodate 40 passengers. It depart at 08.00 and 14.00 and travels for around three hours. Our Uganda safari experts will gladly assist you in booking a private boat safari that departs at any time, as well as a more general experience on a scheduled boat cruise with a UWA boat.
Other Safari Activities in Uganda
Other than Boat Safaris in Uganda, there are more activities that offer you the chance to enjoy closer interactions with Uganda’s wild side. These range from nature walks into the lush green forests to driving onto the savanna in a 4×4 safari vehicle. Lets explore the different safari activities to explore on your Uganda Safaris.
Gorilla Trekking
Chimpanzee Trekking
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the amazing mountain gorillas of central Africa’s rainforests on the Virunga Mountains’ slopes and in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Travelers who have participated in this Uganda safari strongly recommend it. No other animal encounter in Africa, they say, compares to the unforgettable experience of sharing face-to-face time with Uganda’s wild gorillas in their native habitat. Mountain gorillas cannot thrive outside of their natural habitats, including zoos. They only exist in two remote tropical jungles in east and central Africa, namely Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo
Chimpanzee tracking safaris are one of Uganda’s most popular safari activities, guaranteeing dramatic primate encounters.
Uganda offers a unique capacity to combine a decent selection of wildlife viewing experiences with witnessing wild chimps in a single itinerary, with a good number of chimps among the estimated 5,000 chimps habituated for tourists inside their natural habitat. Tracking chimps through the thick, tangled bushes and ancient trees that carpet western Uganda’s rainforest requires patience and a wacky sense of humor.
Guided Game drives
Mountain Climbing
Guided safari game drives in Uganda and other African destinations involve traveling through a savanna park in a four-by-four safari vehicle, accompanied by a professional local guide and observing wild animals. A game drive is a highlight of any classic Africa safari taking you deeper into the natural environment and bringing you closer to the great and small animals inside the safe boundaries of a 4×4. Safari game drives in Uganda are accessible to anybody. Most tourists however prefer to be guided. This guarantees a more comfortable experience in the bush because a local expert will take care of discovering the animals and placing you in the right area at the appropriate time. In this guide, we look at what to expect on these drives, which parks offer the greatest game drive experiences and how to make the most of driving in Uganda’s safari game parks.
Uganda is a little known when it comes to mountaineering, its often shadowed by the neighboring countries like Tanzania and Kenya etc. But the fact is that Uganda is one of the few places in the world where you can combine Uganda wildlife safaris and Gorilla trekking through age-old tropical rain forests with adventurous Mountain Climbing. Mountains in Uganda will take you from old age jungles to snow-capped peaks. Mountain climbing in Uganda can be easily combined with Big 5 safaris and if that’s not enough, it’s just an hours and half away flight to Zanzibar for your beach extension.
From climbing the tough 5100m Rwenzori Mountain to summiting the world’s biggest caldera on Mountain Elgon and the beautiful Virunga mountains, mountains in Uganda promises the best and most unique experience you will get on the African continent
Thinking of embarking on an Uganda safari expedition, get in touch as so as to include Boat Safaris in Uganda on your safari itinerary.
