Uganda is Africa's new golf destination and what makes it more special is that most of the golf courses are close to national parks making it possible to golf and spot wildlife at the same time. This article highlights Uganda's most popular national parks wildlife information and the golf course next door. The ultimate resource for planning a golf and wildlife tour to Uganda
Queen Elizabeth National Park
This is one of the most diverse national parks in the whole world and is currently Uganda’s most visited national park. The park extends from Lake George in the north-east to Lake Edward in the south-west and includes the Kazinga Channel connecting the two lakes. It is home to 95 mammal species and over 500 bird species. The park sits at the bottom of the Rwenzori mountains featuring the Maramagambo forest perfect for nature walks, the kyambura gorge inhabited by chimpanzees and Ishasha, the southern sector of the park famous for its tree-climbing lions.
Within this Park, you can: Go on Safari, take a boat ride on the Kazinga Channel, Track Chimpanzees at Kyabura Gorge, take a sunrise Hot Air Balloon ride over the savannah, visit a local community, go birding, visit the bat caves in Maramagambo forest or watch the salt mining process at Lake Katwe
Nearby Golf course: Kilembe Mines Golf Course (18 holes)
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national park lies at the edge of the rift valley in southwestern Uganda. It is one of Uganda’s oldest and most diverse parks dating back to over 25000 years and it has over 40 plant species. This park is home to more than 400 mountain gorillas more than half of the world’s population of mountain gorillas some of which have been habituated for tracking. Other primate species include chimpanzees and baboons and mammals like elephants and antelopes also live within the forest.
Within this park you can; Go gorilla tracking, gorilla habituation, visit the endangered Batwa community, go birding in the forest. Cycling or mountain biking and take a forest walk.
Nearby Golf course: Kihihi Garuga Golf course (18 holes)
Kibale National park is famously known for its habituated chimpanzees and 12 other primate species including the endangered red colobus monkeys and the vulnerable and rare L'Hoest’s monkey making it the primate capital of the world. It is one of the world’s best destination for chimpanzee tracking. More to this, the park is home to over 75 mammal species, 375 bird species including the beautiful blue Turaco and approximately 230 plant species. The park adjoins with Queen Elizabeth national park creating a 180km long corridor full of wildlife.
Within this park you can; Go chimpanzee tracking and habituation, Birding, Hiking or forest walk and visit local communities
Nearby Golf course: Toro Golf Course (9 holes)
Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area that lies of the northern end of the Albertine rift valley. It is famous for the Murchison falls where the Victoria Nile surges through a narrow gap plunging 141 feet. Regular visitors to the riverbanks include elephants, giraffes and buffaloes; while hippos, Nile crocodiles and aquatic birds are permanent residents. The park is home to 76 mammal species and 461 bird species. Ziwa Rhino sanctuary situated en route Murchison falls national park from Kampala is the only place in Uganda where you can see Rhinos in the wild making Uganda one of the only 3 destinations in the world to spot the big 5 in their natural habitat.
Within this park you can; go for game drives, boat cruise on the Nile, birding, hiking and nature walks, sport fishing, enjoy a hot air balloon safari, cultural encounters and chimpanzee tracking in Budongo forest
Nearby Golf course: Kinyara Golf Course (9 holes)
Lake Mburo National Park is located in Ankole kingdom in western Uganda. It is highly dominated by the Banyankole bahima famous for cattle grazing. It is the only park where you can spot Impalas in Uganda. It is home to large herds of Zebras and Buffaloes. There are five lakes within the park borders forming a 50km long wetland system. The park is home to over 350 bird species some of which are endangered species.
Within this park you can; Go for game drives, Game walks, Launch trips on Lake Mburo. Night game drives to spot leopards, horseback safaris, visit the Ankole museum, sport fishing in Lake Mburo, take hiking and nature walks
Nearby Golf course: Mbarara Golf course (9 holes)
Mgahinga National Park: At an altitude between 2227m and 4127m, Mount Mgahinga national park located in southwestern Uganda sits high in the cloud inhabited by the endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. It is also home to the indigenous Batwa pygmies, forest people a tribe of hunters and gatherers that are quickly disappearing due to intermarriages. The park’s most striking feature is the 3 conical extinct volcanoes that are part of the Virunga range.
Within this park you can: Go gorilla tracking, mountain/volcano hiking, cultural encounters with the Batwa, Birding, nature walks and golden monkey tracking.
Nearby Golf course: Kabale Golf Course (9 holes)
Rwenzori National Park; The Rwenzori is also known as mountains of the moon lie in western Uganda. One of its best features is the equatorial snow peaks including Mt Stanley which is the third highest peak in Africa. The park is home to 70 mammals including forest elephants and 217 bird species. The many water streams and rivers running beneath the mountains have been pinpointed as one of the sources of the Nile.
Within this park you can; Go mountain climbing up to the peak, birding, nature walks and have cultural encounters with the Bakonzo people
Nearby Golf course: Kilembe Mines Golf Course (18 holes)
Other Golf courses include; Lake Victoria Serena golf resort and spa (18 holes) in Entebbe, Jinja Golf course (9 holes) in Jinja (source of the Nile) and Kampala Golf Course (18 holes) in Kampala city
Interested in a golf and wildlife tour? Check out our customized golf tours itineraries HERE