{"id":3637,"date":"2021-05-14T15:39:03","date_gmt":"2021-05-14T14:39:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebookofwandering.nl\/?p=3637"},"modified":"2023-11-04T12:56:41","modified_gmt":"2023-11-04T11:56:41","slug":"where-find-shoebill-storks-uganda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebookofwandering.nl\/en\/africa\/where-find-shoebill-storks-uganda\/","title":{"rendered":"Where to find shoebill storks in Uganda \u2013 And 50+ other animals we saw while travelling the Pearl of Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One of the main reasons for us to visit Uganda was seeing African wildlife. Though the country\u2019s numbers of wild animals declined severely in 1970s and 1980s, nature is winning again. With several top class wildparks and a wide range of diverse landscapes Uganda is a top destination to spot African wildlife as well as some particular highlights such as to see shoebill storks in the wild. In addition, Uganda is a great destination to see primates \u2013 for many the mountain gorillas are top of the list, but for us it was the sheer diversity of species.<\/em><\/strong> Read this article now to find out where to find shoebill storks and 50+ other animals we saw while travelling the Pearl of Africa.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Look mom, I’m walking! says the baby hippo to mamma hippo. Queen Elizabteh national park, Uganda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Top spots to see wildlife in Uganda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Uganda has an impressive ten national parks and more<\/a> than two dozen wildlife reserves and sanctuaries. The country\u2019s landscapes are part of the Great African Rift Valley<\/a> and sits right in a fork between the Eastern and Western rifts. We visited five national parks and a few other wildlife areas. The top spots to see wildlife are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Murchison Falls National Park<\/em><\/strong>, both north of the Nile and to the south in Kaniyo Pabidi Forest \u2013 a mix of savannah, hilly country, dry forests, river banks, river delta, lake shores and rain forests. This is quite the complete package of wildlife viewing as you\u2019d expect it from Eastern Africa with the addition of the large Nile river falls as a spectacular extra. Giraffe, lions, elephants, kob antelopes, chimpanzees, abundant bird life (including shoebill storks, bit not guaranteed) and more<\/li>
  2. Queen Elizabeth National Park<\/em><\/strong>, in particular Kazinga Channel and the Ishasha Sector \u2013 big lakes, crater lakes, river banks and large flat open grasslands, and some savannah country towards the Ishasha sector \u2013 villages and settlements are part of the patchwork region of QENP, which creates tension between wildlife conservation and daily life of the people living in or near the national park. Elephants, tree-climbing lions, large buffalo herds, leopards (we didn\u2019t see though), many antelope species and more birds than you can count.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"where<\/a>
    Tree-climbing lion cub in the Ishasha sector Queen Elizabeth National Park (Uganda)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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    1. The Fort Portal region<\/em><\/strong> including the crater lake area, bu particularly Kibale National Park and local spots such as the Bigodi Nature Walk \u2013 a land of hills, mountains, forests and agricultural land, villages spread out through the hills, as well as tea plantations. Primates (monkeys) and bird life.<\/li>
    2. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park<\/em><\/strong>, encompassing the Ugandan side of the volcanoes on the tri-border of Rwanda, DR Congo and Uganda – a mountain region with villages up to the edge of the national park, the park itself densely forested on the steep inclines of the vulcanoes. Golden monkeys, chameleons and, of course, gorillas (we didn;t see<\/li>
    3. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary<\/em><\/strong>, a place set apart to re-introduce rhinos to Uganda. The wildlife program is highly sucsesful with now more than 20 rhinos from an original five animals. The sanctuary provides much work s well as tourism education to local communities. There are also dedicated shoebill tours here (we didn\u2019t do).<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \"two<\/a>
      Thriving baby rhinos in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Uganda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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      1. Lake Mburo National Park<\/em><\/strong>, accessible from the main road from Kampala to Mbarara this national park sits at the heart of the longhorn cow rearing regions of central and southern Uganda. The park is a bit overgrown after elephants disappeared due to large scale poaching. Still, this is the only place in Uganda to see zebra. You can do walking and cycling safaris.<\/li>
      2. Victoria Lake, in particular Mbamba Swamp<\/em><\/strong>, still has large swaths of reed swamps which are rich in birdlife. This is one of the places where you are almost guaranteed to find shoebill storks!<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
        \"where<\/a>
        Shoebill stork flying. Where can you find shoebill storks in Uganda? Read on quickly!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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        Quickly read on to find the best places to see your own favourite animals of Uganda! Including where to find shoebill storks…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        We did not visit Kidepo National Park \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>but we hear and see from other travellers<\/a> that it is one of the best wildparks of Uganda with possible sightings of the Big-5 on open savannahs. However, it is a long ride to the north. We will have to come back to see it. On the other side of the tourism spectrum in Uganda is Bwindi National Park<\/em><\/strong> which we also did not visit. This is one of the most visited national parks in Uganda as it presents the \u2018easiest\u2019 access to gorilla tracking in the country, and maybe in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \"birding<\/a>
        Birding guide at Mbamba Swamp. He knows where to find shobill storks in Mbamba Swamp, Uganda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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        When to visit Uganda to see wildlife?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Uganda is right on the equator. This means it doesn\u2019t have winter and summer but rather dry and wet seasons. June to September is Uganda\u2019s dry season. In December-January Uganda also sees a slightly drier season than the rest of the year. We were there in June and still had a rain shower now and then, although mostly not hindering the wildlife viewing. This may impact how much you may want to be camping in a tent though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Accessibility of wildlife tracks in some of the parks can be limited during the wet season. Temperatures in Uganda range between a pleasant 25 and 30 degrees Celsius all year round. High season in Uganda still does not mean mass tourism, and we could always easily book or arrange accomodation on the spot in or nearby national parks. We understand that seasons do not signifcantly effect where and when you find shoebill storks in Uganda as they are resident birds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \"where<\/a>
        Sunset in Uganda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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        Top places to see the monkeys and apes of Uganda<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        We didn\u2019t know before we started researching but Uganda is one of the best places in Africa to see a wide variety of monkeys and apes. There an impressive twenty different species of primates. We saw nine different species while we there, even though we did not even yet visit Kibale National Park which is the primate hotspot of Uganda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        I know, you want to know where to find shoebill storks, but hold on, these animals are just as interesting… the shoebill storks will follow, I promise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        1. Chimpanzee<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
        \"Chimpanzee<\/a>
        Chimpanzee in Kaniyo Pabide forest, Murchison Falls national park, Uganda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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        For us it is not so much mountain gorillas, but wild chimpanzees that makes our first encounter with some of the great apes in Uganda. They live in big groups in forests throughout Uganda. A few groups are habituated to people and can be visited on a chimpanzee tracking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n