Have you ever felt the need to explore nature, to experience the raw beauty of the African wild? If not, you’re missing out on an experience that will forever change your perception of life. This wasn’t just a safari but an initiation into a world of breathtaking beauty and natural wonder. After years of zoo visits, my parents finally fulfilled their promise: a true African adventure. Forget caged lions and predictable pathways; this is a natural visit to the wild.
Our journey began with a flight to Entebbe, Uganda. Stepping onto Ugandan soil felt like stepping into another world. The Ugandans were so welcoming, their smiles as beautiful as the equatorial sun. Our Tour guide, a weathered veteran of the bush, welcomed us to Uganda, his words painting vivid pictures of the adventures that lay ahead.
He took us to our hotel in Entebbe, a peaceful place to relax before our big safari the next morning. That night, we enjoyed a mix of Ugandan and familiar flavors. But the real adventure was about to begin: exploring the wild beauty of the country.
The following day started with an early morning breakfast at the hotel, and later, our tour guide met us and briefed us about how the day was going to be. We started with a drive to the western part of the country to Lake Mburo National Park, which is found in approximately 250 km from Kampala. We had an en-route stop at the equator to take some photos, and later we continued with our journey to reach the park in the afternoon. We checked in at the Leopard Rest Camp for lunch. Later, we had to get ready for the evening game drive in the park, offering an amazing opportunity to spot abundant wildlife, including zebras, impalas, buffalo, and giraffes. The park’s diverse landscapes, from savannah to wetlands, make for picturesque viewing. After this amazing game drive, we returned to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
The next day of our safari started with breakfast at the lodge and embarked on a morning game drive in Lake Mburo National Park, where we got a chance to enjoy breathtaking wildlife encounters, featuring zebras, impalas, giraffes, and a scenic landscape. Afterwards, we returned to the lodge for an early lunch before getting ready to transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park, enjoying fantastic views throughout the journey. We reached the park late afternoon and checked in at the lodge for an overnight stay at Mwezi Lodge Safari Lodge.
The next day started was to enjoying wildlife watching in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The park is gifted with a wide biodiversity of animal species, ranging from large to small mammals. For the first time, I had the chance to see many wild animals grazing just meters from me, like herds of elephants, giant forest hogs, buffaloes, warthogs, bushbucks, lions, leopards, and many others. Indeed, this was a great moment, seeing all these species in their natural environment from a tourist vehicle.
The morning started with a game drive in the park in the Mweya Peninsula, where we got a chance to see elephants, buffalo, antelope, lions, and leopards, with the Rwenzori Mountains as a backdrop. A boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, between Lake Edward and Lake George, offers incredible views of hippos, crocodiles, and diverse birdlife. It’s an unforgettable safari experience!
The next day of the safari was to leave Mweya Peninsula and continue to another sector park, the Ishasha Sector, known for the tree-climbing lions. The drive through the Ishasha Sector was amazing, though we were not lucky enough to spot the climbing lions, but there were a lot of other animals in the sector like Elephants, buffalo, Kobs, and a variety of Bird species.
After a 3-hour game drive in the Ishasha Sector, we decided to exit the park and drive directly back to Kampala with an en-route stop in Mbarara for lunch, and later we proceeded with the drive to Kampala, reaching late in the evening for dinner and overnight in our hotel in Kampala. The next day was our departure date.
Our Uganda safaris were incredibly beautiful, full of amazing animals. I never thought I’d see African wildlife up close—it was both exciting and unforgettable. At first, I worried that my summer trip with my parents would be boring, but I decided to make the best of it. My dad was right—it was incredible! When I got home, I couldn’t stop talking about it, but words couldn’t fully capture how amazing this Uganda safari adventure was. This safari was the best, and I know I have to return one day—especially to go gorilla trekking!