Discovering Uganda's Hidden Gem: A safari adventure like no other

By Alice Morrison

Our riverboat guide looks at me earnestly. ‘Did you know that hippos are actually really bad swimmers but elephants can swim very well?’ asks Clinton.

We are on a small boat in Murchison Falls game park on the Victoria Nile River in north-west Uganda. There are hippo eyes all around our boat, their crinkly eyebrows peeping above the water.

‘They look like they’re swimming but their feet are on the muddy ground flats,’ he says.

Just then, there is a gasp from my fellow travellers. In the middle of the river, a family of elephants is crossing. They are up to their bellies in water, feet on the shallow bottom. Two babies have their trunks firmly wrapped around their mothers’ tails for security.

The big bull flaps his ears as the boat approaches. At the back of the line are the teenagers. They’re having a ball, lolloping around like overgrown labradors. They suck water up and then spray it every which way. One of them ducks under and rolls over. Another dives submarine-style and uses his trunk as a snorkel. ‘See how they swim?’ says Clinton.

Uganda, a small landlocked country in East Africa, boasts an incredible array of wildlife at an affordable price. A daily safari costs around £200, 30% lower than in neighboring Kenya, without the crowds. This makes Uganda an attractive destination for those seeking an authentic and immersive safari experience.

And the bonus is that you are not competing with crowds. You won’t have to share your lion with 20 other vehicles jostling for the best camera positions. If you have the budget, there is also the option to visit gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Another plus is the accommodation. There are lots of authentic options, built with techniques in harmony with the environment.

English is the common language and the country is relatively stable after civil wars raged in the 1970s and 1980s. The current president, Yoweri Museveni, has been in power for nearly 40 years.

Murchison Falls is the country’s biggest game park. Ibra, my driver, and I head out at first light for a land-based adventure.

‘Look,’ says Ibra. Ahead is a small herd of giraffes, walking with that peculiar swaying grace. One stretches up its neck and nibbles a delicacy from a thorn tree. We are so close that I can see the individual chin hairs on the big male.

‘Giraffes have the same number of vertebrae in their necks as humans – seven. But it’s just that theirs can be 10 inches long,’ says Ibra. One for the pub quiz. As we drive on, four different types of antelope play tag with our jeep. A sullen group of water buffalos – the most dangerous animal in the bush – glare out at us from a water hole.

We have the park to ourselves but then we spot a small cluster of vans. A lion is moving slowly through the grasses, coming in and out of view.

It’s an adrenaline rush.

Later, I spot two sets of furry ears in the bush and then a hyena breaks cover and gallops straight ahead of us for several hundred yards. ‘I’ve never seen one do that before,’ concedes Ibra.

Beyond safari, Uganda offers a vibrant culture, delicious food, and stunning natural beauty. The Rolex, a mouthwatering omelette wrapped in chapati, is a must-try at roadside stalls. Lake Bunyonyi, with its serene atmosphere and bird-watching opportunities, is the perfect spot to unwind. The lake’s 29 islands offer a tranquil retreat, with thatched huts and outdoor showers warmed by the sun.

Uganda’s hidden gem status is due to its relatively low profile, but with its incredible wildlife, affordable safaris, and warm hospitality, it’s a destination that should be on every traveler’s radar. From the Big Five to the majestic elephants, Uganda’s natural beauty and charm will leave you in awe.

My last day is spent watching a family of kingfishers dart in the shallows as regal-crested cranes fly by – and remembering those mischievous teenage elephants snorkelling down the Nile.