3 Best Places to See Giraffes in Uganda

3 best places to see giraffes in Uganda: Giraffes are the tallest animals, and interestingly, a few most enchanting creatures are often spotted on a guided Uganda safari or during most African safari holidays. Not more than 1575 giraffes still live in Uganda alone, and these reside not across the country, except only in 3 key areas where they can be spotted in the wild. That are Murchison Falls National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, and Kidepo Valley National Park.

The 3 Uganda safari parks protect mainly the Rothschild type of giraffes. Giraffes stand tall up to 5-6m and weigh approximately 1200kgs for males and females 850kgs. On a guided game drive in Murchison Falls National Park, giraffes often welcome guests while they forage.

Murchison Falls National Park to see giraffes

Murchison Falls National Park supports the highest population of giraffes in Uganda, and they concentrate around the Northern region. Murchison Falls N/Park is the only Uganda park that is found in the Northwest, and it is also the biggest of the 10 parks, occupying a vast area of about 3840sq. km.

Murchison Falls National Park is one of the premier wildlife safari destinations in Uganda. The popular attractions in this park besides giraffes, include Murchison Falls -one of the world’s powerful waterfalls that is often witnessed squeezing itself into a narrow rock of about 7m before plunging about 43m below creating a permanent rainbow and powerful roar.

Other wildlife in Murchison Falls National Park includes variety of antelope families (Jackson’s Hartebeests, Uganda Kobs, Oribis, Uganda Kobs), elephants, buffaloes, leopards, lions, warthogs, primates residing in Budongo Forest, the Southern section of the park and they include olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, red tailed monkeys, red colobus monkeys, pottos etc. Over 451 bird species exist in Murchison Falls N. Park alone, and they include African jacana, shoebill stork, malachite kingfishers, Abyssinian ground hornbill, yellow foot flycatchers, etc.

Kidepo Valley National Park giraffes

Located in the far end of Northeastern Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park is a true wilderness, a home to more than big game. Kidepo is one special location in Uganda where you can find giraffes on a game drive. Founded in 1962, Kidepo National Park is Uganda’s 3^rd biggest safari park, covering the land area of about 1442sq.kms featuring the sweeping savanna plains.

Over 75 mammal species live in Kidepo plus 470 bird species in addition to numerous giraffe population. A game drive or viewing in Kidepo is a remarkable opportunity to keep an eye on diverse mammals including Kudus, roan antelopes, elands, cheetahs, lions, leopards, buffaloes, reedbucks, hyenas, zebras, waterbucks, oryx, Uganda Kobs, duikers, elephants, to mention but a few.

The birds of interest on Kidepo tour include ostriches, Egyptian vultures, pygmy falcon, Jackson’s hornbill, Abyssinian rollers, yellow billed hornbills, Verreaux’s eagle, yellow rumped seedeaters, black coucal, yellow billed shrikes, Karamoja apalis, Clapperton’s francolins, broad tailed warblers, black breasted barbet etc.

Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is currently a home to giraffes that were translocated in 2018 from Murchison Falls National Park. A total of 15 Rothschild giraffes were transported from Northwestern Uganda to Lake Mburo N.P making it a special destination in Western Uganda.

In addition to giraffes, visitors with plans to go Uganda tour to Lake Mburo National Park can also look out for the park’s other special mammals, reptiles, birds etc. Over 68 species of mammals live in Lake Mburo N/Park and they include hyenas, buffaloes, elands, Uganda Kobs, topis, zebras, bush bucks, jackals, warthogs, impalas. More than 350 bird species also reside in this compact park, also Uganda’s most accessible destination.

The birds to interest you on Uganda safaris in Lake Mburo National Park include African finfoot, bare-faced go-away bird, black bellied bustard, saddle billed stork, African wattled lapwing, Southern ground hornbill, brown chested lapwing, greater painted snipe, blue headed coucal, African scops owl, African finfoot, tabora cisticola, red faced barbet, white winged swamp warblers, yellow rumped tinker bird, papyrus yellow warblers, shoebill stork, papyrus gonoleks and more.

The best time to visit Lake Mburo National Park for birding expeditions is around June and July when rains are less. For birders who are interested in migratory birds, then consider planning your birding trip to Lake Mburo N/Park Uganda from November to April.