Big 5 Game Drives
Uganda offers a diverse landscape for an unforgettable Big Five safari experience. The term "Big Five"—comprising the lion, leopard, African elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros—originated from the animals considered the most challenging to hunt on foot.
While four of the Big Five—lions, leopards, elephants, and buffaloes—can be found in iconic national parks like Murchison Falls National Park (the largest), Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park (famous for its rare tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector), a true Big Five safari requires a dedicated stop. Due to historical poaching, rhinoceroses were driven to extinction in the wild but have been successfully reintroduced and protected at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
This unique combination of destinations allows travelers to enjoy thrilling game drives, boat cruises along major waterways, and a special rhino tracking experience on foot, ensuring all five species can be checked off your list.
A Ugandan Big Five safari is an immersive journey into one of Africa's most biodiverse countries. Safaris frequently integrate visits to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for the world-renowned mountain gorilla trekking and the Kibale Forest National Park for chimpanzee tracking, offering a "Big Seven" experience that combines the savanna's might with the jungle's mystery. The varied ecosystems, from the thundering Murchison Falls to the rolling plains of Kidepo Valley, make Uganda a captivating destination for both first-time and seasoned safari enthusiasts seeking a comprehensive and authentic African wildlife adventure.
Where can I go on a Big 5 Game Drive Safari in Uganda?
You can achieve a Big 5 safari experience in Uganda by visiting a combination of key locations, as the rhinoceros is currently only found in a sanctuary for conservation purposes. In contrast, the other four members (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, and Buffalo) are found in several national parks.
Here are the primary locations that form the basis of a Ugandan Big 5 safari
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (For the Rhinoceros)
This sanctuary is located en route to Murchison Falls National Park and is the only place in Uganda where you can see the critically endangered White Rhinoceros in the wild, thus completing the Big 5 experience. Its unique offering is the opportunity for rhino trekking on foot, where you walk with a ranger guide to get up close to these magnificent animals, providing a more intimate and distinct experience than traditional game drives. Beyond rhinos, it is also a fantastic spot for birding, including the elusive Shoebill Stork in the Lugogo swamp area.
Murchison Falls National Park (For Lion, Leopard, Elephant, and Buffalo)
As Uganda's largest and oldest national park, Murchison Falls offers a classic safari experience where you can reliably spot four of the Big 5. Its most unique feature is the Murchison Falls itself, where the entire Nile River squeezes through a 7-meter-wide gorge before plunging 43 meters. Safari offerings include traditional game drives in the savannah and a spectacular boat cruise to the base of the falls, which is excellent for viewing elephants, buffalo, and hippos congregating along the riverbanks.
Queen Elizabeth National Park (For Lion, Leopard, Elephant, and Buffalo)
Queen Elizabeth National Park, known as the "Medley of Wonders," is famed for its high biodiversity and diverse landscapes, including savannah, forests, and wetlands. Its signature offering is the tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha sector, a rare behavioral adaptation only observed in two places worldwide. Additionally, a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel (which connects Lake Edward and Lake George) offers incredible wildlife viewing, boasting one of the world's highest concentrations of hippos, as well as large herds of elephants and buffalo.
Kidepo Valley National Park (For Lion, Leopard, Elephant, and Buffalo)
Kidepo Valley is situated in the remote northeast of Uganda and is often hailed as one of Africa's most beautiful wilderness parks, characterized by rugged, semi-arid mountains and open savannah. While it does not host rhinos, it offers a superb opportunity to see the other four Big 5, including some of Uganda's largest herds of buffalo. Its unique features include a feeling of being in a true African frontier, its vast, isolated Karamoja landscape, and the presence of species not found elsewhere in Uganda, such as the Cheetah and the Ostrich.
Lake Mburo National Park
This is Uganda's smallest savannah national park, yet it offers a distinctive and accessible safari experience, unique for its varied landscape of rolling hills, acacia woodlands, and five interconnected lakes and wetlands. Although it does not host all of the "Big 5" (lacking elephants and having elusive lions), it is the premier destination in Uganda for guaranteed sightings of Impala, the largest population of Zebra, and the massive Eland antelope. Its most notable features are the variety of activities not widely available elsewhere, including thrilling guided walking safaris, rare horseback safaris for close wildlife encounters, and peaceful boat trips on Lake Mburo, which are excellent for viewing hippos, crocodiles, and over 350 species of birds, including the endemic Red-Faced Barbet.
What to expect from the Big 5 Safari Game Drive
Uganda's diverse landscapes are home to ten national parks, but four major savannah parks stand out for classic game viewing experiences: Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park. Each park offers a unique environment and wildlife spectacle. Murchison Falls, the largest and oldest park, is dominated by the Victoria Nile River, which funnels violently through an 8-meter gorge before plunging 45 meters, creating the immensely powerful Murchison Falls. Game drives here, particularly in the northern sector, are excellent for spotting elephants, Rothschild's giraffes, and buffaloes, while the boat cruise to the base of the falls offers sightings of hippos, Nile crocodiles, and the rare shoebill stork.
Queen Elizabeth National Park, located in the west with the backdrop of the Rwenzori Mountains, is Uganda's most popular and biodiverse safari destination. Straddling the equator, it features a blend of savannah, wetlands, and forests, providing habitats for 4 of the African Big Five (excluding the Rhino, found only at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary). Its most famous attractions are the rare tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector and the boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake Edward and Lake George and boasts one of the world's highest concentrations of hippos, alongside large herds of elephants and buffalo.
For a more remote and rugged experience, Kidepo Valley National Park in the far northeast offers vast, semi-arid savannah plains and a dramatic, isolated wilderness. Though less visited due to its distance, Kidepo rivals the best parks in East Africa for its stunning landscape and abundant wildlife, including lions, leopards, cheetahs, and the largest concentration of buffaloes in Uganda, as well as unique birds like the Ostrich. Finally, Lake Mburo National Park, the smallest of the savannah parks and conveniently located, is centered around its numerous lakes and woodlands. It is the best place in Uganda to see large herds of zebra, impala, and the gigantic eland antelope, making it perfect for walking safaris, boat trips, and night drives.
When's the best time to go for Big 5 Game Drives in Uganda?
The best time for Big Five game drives in Uganda is during the dry seasons, as the conditions make wildlife viewing significantly easier.
Uganda has two main dry seasons, and both offer excellent safari conditions
- December to February: This is the hot and dry season. The vegetation is sparse, and animals are forced to congregate around the few remaining water sources, such as rivers and watering holes. This concentration makes them much easier to spot during game drives.
- June to August: This is generally considered the peak dry season and the most popular time for safaris. Similar to the Dec-Feb period, the short grass and predictable water sources maximize your chances of seeing the Big Four (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo) in the savannah parks.
While you can technically go on a safari year-round, the heavy rainfall during the wet seasons (March to May and September to November) can make roads muddy and sometimes impassable. Furthermore, the thick, tall grass makes spotting animals—especially the elusive predators like leopards and lions—much more challenging.
To complete your Big Five checklist, which requires tracking the Rhino, you will visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary en route to or from a savannah park, and this activity is also best enjoyed during the drier months when the paths are less muddy. Therefore, for the highest chance of successful game drives and the most comfortable travel experience, aim for the months of December-February or June-August.
Want to go on a Big 5 Game Drive safari in Uganda? Here's how:
Choose your spot: Murchison National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Lake Mburo National Park
Get organized: You'll need permits, transport, and a place to stay. Afrika Panthera Safaris can help sort all this out for you.
How can we help:
Get your permits: These can be hard to come by, so we handle them.
Sort out where to stay: Afrika Panthera Safaris picks the perfect place for your Big 5 adventure.
Take care of transport: Afrika Panthera Safaris makes sure you get from place to place without any trouble.
We make it easy: With our help, planning your Big 5 game drive safari is a breeze. We will give you all the latest info and help you plan your dream trip.
If you're excited to see these amazing animals in the wild, get in touch with Afrika Panthera Safaris and start planning your adventure!