When advising on travel, we always make it clear that Uganda can be explore following road circuits. The northern circuit road trip is can be the most rewarding any traveler would this about. This comes along these other road circuit.
Other road circuits to take on a road trip include; northeastern route, western route, Southwestern route and the Eastern routes. All these routes are blessed with unique features as may be we shall discuss in our next write-ups. Now we’re to concentrate and focus this write-up to the northern safari route.
Taking a road trip in Uganda through the Northern route is one of the amazing moments on a safari. The northern route remained for unique encounters of which some are not seen with other adventure routes in Uganda.
The northern safari road trip is an adventure packed route, when taking this amazing route on your self-drive road trip safari expect to encounter; the big five, world’s most powerful waterfalls, magnificent colorful waterfalls, abundance of wildlife. There are amazing people, one Uganda’s biggest cities of Gulu among many other considerations.
About the northern road trip circuit
The route starts in Kampala, and ends in Kampala. Unfortunately it’s not a one way safari road trip but packed with wonders. The route as usual starts from Kampala taking the northern directing through Bombo road, then it turns to be the Gulu-Kampala road. The northern safari route will not branch to west Nile region, continue to Kabong to Kidepo Valley National Park.
Major tourist destinations
Murchison Falls National Park
Uganda’s top visited tourist destination, Murchison falls National Park is among the special places where many tourist don’t wish to have it missing on their travel. A self-drive to Murchison is among the ease to drive places which even needs fewer hours of driving about 5 hours. Murchison is Uganda’s largest protected areas among the 10 National Parks in Uganda.
The park has unique and amazing features that has kept it most loved and most visited park in Uganda. However, though it’s magnificent, Murchison Falls National Park is not the most famous among tourist destination in Uganda, but comes second after Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Murchison Falls National Park is unique with mighty Murchison Falls which is almost the major attraction at the Park. The Murchison Falls are arguably the world’s most powerful falls due to their thunderous rapids that force into a narrow gorge of about 7m wide. The rapids rush to roughly pour 45m down forming the humus brownish bubble flow of the Victoria Nile.
The Victoria Nile continues forming a calm flow which bisect the park into the north and southern sections. The Victoria flow offer one of the best waters for the wild game cruise that leads to the bottom of the falls. The 3 hours boat drive starts from Para ferry dock point leading through the nature rewarding cruise.
The northern section of the park feature the open savannah woods accommodating largest concentration of wildlife. Majorly at the Delta point where the Victoria Nile meets with Lake Albert to make one of the largest deltas in Uganda that host larger numbers of animals, birds and others. The northern section of the Murchison Falls National Park is majorly known for adventure packed game drive. Take a guided-drive here expect to watch prides of lions, herds of elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, giraffes, warthogs, leopards on rare occasions, Marabou stork etc.
Taking a kind of self-drive in Murchison you expect to take adventures like game drives, boat cruise, sports fishing, nature walks, and visiting of the falls, bird watching, and chimpanzee tracking in the nearby Budongo forest reserve.
Kidepo Valley National Park
Africa’s remotest national Park according to CCN report 2017. The less known Kidepo National Park is Uganda’s remotest park to access by road. Kidepo Valley National Park was rarely visited by tourist due to changes with accessing the park. However, the accessibility of the park has become easy still by road due to improved road facilities. There is no longer worry of taking a self-drive safari road trip into this far designated tourist destination.
Kidepo Valley National Park is among Africa’s amazing destinations which displays the real authentic African. The best landscape view with the endless savannah plain views packed with abundance of wildlife species. Kidepo is divided into the Kidepo Valley and the Narus Valley, and Narus Valley that starts around Apoka is the famous with animals.
The park has one of the highest concentration of wildlife species. The animal sights are decorated with zebras, giraffes, buffalos, elephants, several antelope species, lions are common. All these are common with the immediate Narus Valley. Unique birds are counted among are the ostrich, the secretary bird among many other species.
Kidepo is a special place to see and visit communities of real African people who still hold to their ancestor’s backgrounds. The Karamoja people are unique people and the Ik who live in the mountains of Karamoja sub-region. Among adventure activities done in Kidepo Valley National Park include the game drives, community visits, nature walks, mountain hiking and wild camping.
Driving to Kidepo Valley National Park in the recent years was one of the hectic undertaking. However, the narrative has changed with improved road infrastructures, longer distances are now driven on paved roads and reaching the region the unpaved roads are not such bad. Having your stronger 4×4 safari cruiser makes you wander the regions faultlessly.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
The only natural area to find rhinos in Uganda. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary makes Uganda the only place you visit and see rhinos. Uganda didn’t have rhinos for a period of about 20 years since when the last rhino was hunted down until 2005. The Ziwa rhino sanctuary is also located alongside the northern safari circuit. When wishing to visit Uganda and track all the Big Five list, then Ziwa should not miss on your travel plan.
The sanctuary is found en-route to Murchison Falls National Park. When visited the sanctuary expect to watch several bird among is the Shoebill stork birds, several antelope species. One of the amazing places in Uganda to track wild species on foot.
Aruu Watefalls
These magnificent waterfalls are located in Padar district en-route to Kidepo Valley shorty after Gulu city. Aruu waterfalls are unique and beautiful waterfalls that give an awesome breathtaking moment of relaxing after your long journey drive. A short drive to Aruu falls takes a minimum of one and half hour. Reaching here have to slope down on sharp stones, and cross ponds by a lop which a great moment in the forest.
Gulu City
One of the major cities in Uganda, Gulu is the major city for the northern region. When driving through the city can take a moment and visit some special places within. Can take up a walk into the main market of Gulu city, or even tasting on the some local dishes prepared in restaurants within gulu city.