Uganda is one of the leading Eco tourism destinations in the world with good attractions that all Eco-friendly tourists can enjoy on a visit to the country. Eco tourism apart from wildlife conservation aims at local empowerment and creating an environment that favors a friendly interaction between the tourists and the local people. The major Eco tourism sites in Uganda include but not limited to
- Mabira Forest
This is located on the Kampala – Jinja highway approximately 54 kilometers from Kampala city This highway passes through the equatorial rain forest offering great views of unique wildlife species that the forest has to offer.
Mabira forest is among Uganda’s natural equatorial forests with area coverage of about 316 square kilometers. This huge forest is a home to over 312 of tree species and other plants that are used as herbs. The forest also has a number of primates especially monkeys, over 300 bird species including the king fishers, hawk eagle, red headed blue bill and many others. The forest also has a number of butterflies and snakes.
Mabira forest has good and clear trails that can be followed by tourists on forest expedition.
- River Ssezibwa
This river flows in the swamps between Lake Victoria and lake Kyoga. The river is lake Kyoga’s distributary with massive wetlands that act as homes and breeding grounds for many bird species, frogs, fish and many other reptiles. The river also has a waterfall,this waterfall during peak rainy seasons is always full with large volumes of water pouring down the hard rock with an out-bursting sound.
The river has supported the growth of a forest around that has primates like the black and white colobus monkeys as well as a number of bird species.
visiting Ssezibwa falls gives one an opportunity to listen to the unique sounds of nature especially from the birds in the trees while having great scenic views.
Tourists to the area also have a chance of a village walk learning about the local ways of life. This enables easy creation of strong relations among the tourists and the local people.
Tourists to Ssezibwa can generally go for sight-seeing, forest walks, birding, community visits and biking.
3. Ssese Islands
For nature lovers, Ssese islands are the best destination in Uganda to be. The islands are not very much visited and therefore provide solitude experiences giving one a chance to discover the pearl of Africa’s true beauty as they listen to the sounds of birds.
Ssese islands have beautiful sand beaches where one can relax while sun bathing after swimming in the lake. The beaches along the islands offer great views of the lake and have standard resorts that offer proper accommodation facilities.
Tourist to Ssese islands can engage in various tourist activities like birding, go for water trips, fishing, sun bathing and relaxing at the lake among others.
The islands can be accessed from the main land through Nakiwoogo in Entebbe or through Bukakata in Masaka using a catamaran and a ferry respectively.
4. Kashoya Kitomi Forest Reserve
This forest reserve is currently located in Buhweju district in western Uganda. The forest has a land area coverage of 433 kilometers squares and has a number of wildlife attractions that include chimpanzees, bird species, monkeys (vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys can be sighted in the forest reserve).
There are also baboons in the forest and during the dry season, animals move from Queen Elizabeth national park to the major water points in the forest reserves to quench their thirst. The animals include antelopes, bush pigs, Uganda Kobs and duikers. These are mainly seen around lake Kamunzuku.
Tourists to the Kashoya Kitomi forest reserve can engage in various tourist activities that include birding, boat rides on the lake, primate tracking, sight-seeing and community walks.
5. Budongo Forest Reserve
This is the largest natural forest in Uganda with a total land area of 825 kilometers square. Budongo forest is the largest mahogany forest in east Africa with a number of various tree species and other vegetation types.
This forest has 120 chimpanzees, 30 of which were habituated and can therefore be visited by tourists. Other primates in the forest include the black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, baboons and a number of bird species that can be seen in the Kaniyo Pabidi sector located in the northeastern part of the forest.
The Kaniyo Pabidi sector also has a number of wildlife species that include warthogs, bush pigs, waterbucks, and buffaloes.
There are well developed forest trails in Budongo and can enable tourists to involve themselves in various tourist activities like birding, forest walks, primate tracking and many others.
6. Mpanga Forest Reserve
This is located about 37 kilometers from Kampala along the Kampala- Masaka highway. This forest reserve also has unique trees with large buttress roots plus a number of bird species including parrots, weaverbirds, owls, hornbills and cuckoos.
Mpanga forest is home to a number of colorful butterflies plus primates like the red-tailed monkeys. The Mpanga forest reserve has well developed trails that include the hornbill trial, the butterfly trail, the family trail and the baseline trail all offering great views of the various wildlife species in the forest. Night trails can also be done in this forest reserve to view the bush babies.
7. Bigodi Wetland
This is located in western Uganda and its attached to Kibale forest national park covering a distance of about 8 kilometers long with a width of about a third kilometer. The Bigodi swamps have a number of birds and provide raw materials for making various handcrafts by the local people.
Various eco camps have been constructed here to promote Eco tourism activities. Tourists here can engage in various tourist activities like nature walks, community visits, birding, and primate watching.
8. Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary
This sanctuary is located in Lake Victoria and it’s a home to a number of orphan chimpanzees. The sanctuary was established in 1998 and can be accessed through Entebbe.
A visit to the sanctuary provides a lot of opportunity to learn more about the chimpanzees and a view of various bird species. A monitor lizard can also be sighted along the shores of the lake.
Ngamba island sanctuary has standard tents that offer proper accommodation facilities with great views of Lake Victoria.
