The Big Five Safaris Tour Adventures in Uganda

The Big Five Safaris Tour Adventures in Uganda is a term that was commonly used by trophy hunters and poachers as the most dangerous animals to hunt on foot. These animals include African elephants, lions, rhinoceros, African Buffaloes, and leopards. Big five safaris tour in Uganda are found in Murchison falls national park, Kidepo Valley national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Lake Mburo national park, Ziwa rhino sanctuary, and Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center in Entebbe. However, in Uganda, Murchison falls national park is the only park where given the opportunity especially on lucky days you can find all the big five on a game drive. During the 19^th century, European royalty, as well as American presidents, wanted to bag an African hunting trophy, unlike today whereby the big five are now considered famous. They can be found in all savannah parks in Uganda.

Leopard (Panthera pardus)

The leopard belongs to the cat family and is in most cases very difficult to spot because of its shy nature. Most of the time leopards spend most of their day time hiding from people’s view though they are strong hunters. They hunt and kill animals like zebras and antelopes. They later climb on the trees to eat alone in peace after a successful hunt. They usually hide in habitats with a huge cover and can be found in Uganda’s national parks and reserves. These include Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Toro Semliki wildlife reserve, Mt Elgon national park as well as Lake Mburo national park.

African Lion (Panthera leo)

This is the main African carnivore and the most sought-after member of the big five in Africa. It is also the most sociable of the big cats and lives in pride of 5-15lions of which mainly the lioness is led by a lion. In Uganda it can be found in Queen Elizabeth national park mainly in the Southern sector of Ishasha, Murchison falls and Kidepo Valley national park.

The Big Five Safaris Tour Adventures in Uganda

African Elephant (Loxodanta africana)

African elephants are a genus comprising two living elephant species and both are social herbivores with grey skin though differ in the color of their tusks and size. The African elephant is the largest mammal of all the big five and in Uganda, it symbolizes nature’s grace. It is also considered the best to watch on an African safari most especially during a game drive. During your Uganda safari, elephants can be seen well in Murchison falls during the boat cruise on the Nile and Queen Elizabeth national park during a boat cruise on the famous Kazinga channel as most elephants come out of their hiding places to quench their thirst on the channel during the dry season.

Rhinoceros – Big Five Adventure

These are one of the largest remaining megafaunas and is a member of the extinct species of the family Rhinocerotoidae. It is also a large herbivorous mammal characterized by its horned snouts. Rhinoceros comes from the Greek word ‘rhino’ meaning nose and ‘cero’ meaning horn. They are recognized by massive bodies and stumpy legs and in some species, horns are not seen. Most rhinos are hunted for their horns that are bought and sold in black markets but due to the protection from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), poaching these rhinos for the black market has been reduced as the victims are charged in courts of law. Northern white rhinos can be seen in the Ziwa rhino sanctuary in Nakasongola and at the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center in Entebbe.

The Big Five Safaris Tour Adventures in Uganda

African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer)

This is a large sub-Saharan African bovine that is found in Eastern and Southern Africa. This is the most dangerous of all African game species if wounded or solitary and in most cases when it is being harassed by humans, it can come back to do revenge sometimes by killing. It looks huge but can run and chase as well. African buffalo are very large and characterized by their stocky build and heavy horns. In Uganda, they can be found in Murchison falls national park and Queen Elizabeth national park.

Best time to see the big five in Uganda’s parks

The best time of viewing wildlife in Uganda is usually during the dry season which is from December to March and again from May to September. During the dry season, most animals come out of their hiding grounds inside the bush to the shores of water bodies to take water and this is mostly where they can be viewed well. Some other animals are forced out of their hiding spots due to bush burning as a way of preparing for the rainy season as well as new pastures.

The Big Five Safaris Tour Adventures in Uganda

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Deks Safaris & Tours Ltd

Deks Safaris & Tours Ltd is a Uganda-based safaris tour operator. We operate with a high passion for taking you through the beautiful nation of Uganda – the Pearl of Africa. A destination that offers you the best jungle adventures in Africa. We will help you experience East Africa at large with insight from a local tour guide.