Archives: National Parks

Nyungwe is one of Africa’s oldest and most pristine rainforests — a vast, misty expanse of montane forest in Rwanda’s southwestern corner, and the country’s “primate capital.” Protecting the largest single tract of montane rainforest in East and Central Africa, it offers chimpanzee trekking, a legendary canopy walk, waterfalls and some of the finest birding on the continent.

Primates
Nyungwe is a primate paradise, home to over 13 species — around a quarter of all Africa’s primates. The star is the chimpanzee, with two habituated communities, alongside olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys and the famous super-troops of Rwenzori (Angolan) colobus. Other monkeys include L’Hoest’s, red-tailed, blue, Dent’s mona, vervet, Hamlyn’s, golden, owl-faced and silver monkeys.

Chimpanzee Trekking
Chimpanzee treks set off at dawn, around 5:00–6:00 am, when the apes are most active. Tracking can take anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours through the forest before you reach them.

Canopy Walk
Nyungwe’s suspended canopy walk is the only one of its kind in East Africa. The 200-metre trail hangs 50 metres above the forest floor and takes about two hours, offering a bird’s-eye view of the forest and the chance to spot Rwenzori colobus, other primates and birds such as the Rwenzori batis, handsome francolin and strange weaver.

Hiking and Trails
With more than 15 trails — among them the Igishigishigi, Bigugu, Isumo Waterfall and Kamiranzovu Wetland trails — Nyungwe rewards walkers with waterfalls, unusual tree species and a wealth of Albertine Rift endemic birds.

Birding
A world-class birding destination with over 300 species, Nyungwe is rich in Albertine Rift endemics such as the handsome francolin and Rwenzori batis, alongside the great blue turaco, collared apalis, regal sunbird, red-throated alethe, paradise flycatcher and the rare Rockefeller’s sunbird.

Tea Estates
The scenic drive to the park winds through emerald tea estates, a beautiful prelude to the forest and a chance to glimpse Rwanda’s famous tea country.

More About Nyungwe Forest National Park
Set in southwestern Rwanda, Nyungwe covers about 1,000 km² and is the country’s second-largest national park after Akagera. Gazetted as a national park in 2004, it protects the largest standing montane rainforest in East and Central Africa and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023. A mosaic of rainforest, bamboo, bogs, wetlands and grassland, it supports around 85 mammal species — including over 13 primates — and more than 300 birds.

Where to Stay
One&Only Nyungwe House, with 22 rooms and suites across eight wooden villas; Nyungwe Forest Lodge, with 22 classic rooms and two presidential suites; and the Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, with 12 red-brick cottages for luxury and mid-range travellers.

How to Get There
By road: About 200 km from Kigali, roughly 5–6 hours on tarmac and murram roads through the tea country.
By air: Flights from Kigali to Kamembe take about 30–45 minutes, followed by a road transfer.

Akagera is Rwanda’s largest national park and its only savannah safari destination — a landscape of rolling plains, forest-fringed lakes and papyrus swamps teeming with wildlife, birds and warm local hospitality. Often overlooked in favour of the continent’s better-known reserves, it rewards visitors with a classic Big Five safari in a beautifully uncrowded setting.

Game Viewing
Akagera is a full Big Five destination, home to lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo, alongside Rothschild’s giraffe, zebra, hippo, serval and a wealth of antelope moving across its savannah plains in large numbers.

Accessibility
The park lies only about two and a half hours from Kigali, with a well-maintained network of game-viewing tracks. Helicopter transfers can also be arranged from Kigali International Airport, and the Kigali Genocide Memorial makes a meaningful stop en route.

Birding
With more than 480 recorded bird species, Akagera is a birder’s paradise. Highlights include the African sacred ibis, long-tailed cisticola, cattle egret, malachite and pied kingfishers, yellow-billed stork, grey crowned crane, Ross’s turaco and a variety of weavers.

Watersports on Lake Ihema
A boat or kayak trip on Lake Ihema is an Akagera highlight. Viewing decks bring you close to buffalo, elephant and antelope drinking at the shore, hippos and crocodiles in the shallows, and birds nesting in the surrounding wetlands.

Guided Nature Walks
On foot, visitors can enjoy close encounters with the park’s smaller and shyer residents, among them mongooses and serval cats.

Safety
Security checkpoints operate at the park entrances, and most activities are accompanied by experienced, armed ranger guides, ensuring peace of mind throughout.

More About Akagera National Park
Set in eastern Rwanda along the Tanzanian border, Akagera covers over 1,122 km² and was established in 1934. It takes its name from the Kagera River, which drains along its eastern boundary. A mosaic of wetlands, savannah plains and montane forest, its system of lakes and swamps covers roughly a third of the park — the largest protected wetland in central Africa. Following an ambitious restoration, lion were reintroduced in 2015 and rhino in 2017, returning Akagera to full Big Five status.

Where to Stay
Rusizi Tented Lodge, with seven en-suite tents overlooking Lake Ihema, and Akagera Game Lodge, set on a ridge amid the wilderness, alongside a range of tented camps and safari lodges for every budget.

How to Get There
By road: About 120 km (roughly two and a half hours) from Kigali.
By air: Helicopter flights can be arranged from Kigali.

Volcanoes National Park is unlike any other park in Africa, a realm of misty forest, bamboo, and towering volcanoes with unique vegetation and an unspoilt, otherworldly landscape. Above all, it is Rwanda’s home of the endangered mountain gorilla, and one of the most iconic gorilla-trekking destinations on earth.

Unmatched Gorilla Trekking Adventure
As the most celebrated gorilla-trekking destination in Rwanda, Volcanoes offers treks from several trailheads to several habituated gorilla families an intimate, unforgettable hour in the presence of these gentle giants.

Excellent Birding Opportunities
The park is rich in Albertine Rift endemics and a wealth of other species, making it a rewarding destination for birders amid its forests and bamboo slopes.

Invigorating and Awe-Inspiring Hikes
Beyond the gorillas, visitors can hike Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke, the latter crowned by a beautiful crater lake, climbing through dramatic shifts in vegetation on the way up.

Home to the Dian Fossey Grave
Volcanoes is forever linked to the pioneering researcher Dian Fossey. A moving hike leads to the site of her Karisoke Research Center and to her grave, laid to rest beside her beloved gorilla, Digit.

Safety
Rwanda is widely regarded as one of the safest destinations in Africa, bringing peace of mind to every journey.

Ease of Access
The park lies only a few hours’ drive from Kigali, so a gorilla trek and return to the city in a single day is entirely possible — a notable advantage over the harder-to-reach Bwindi, Mgahinga and Virunga.

More About Volcanoes National Park
Set in northwestern Rwanda, the park covers over 160 km², rising from about 2,400 m to 4,507 m at the summit of Karisimbi. Gazetted in 1925, it is one of the oldest national parks in Africa. It encompasses five of the eight Virunga volcanoes Karisimbi, Bisoke, Gahinga, Muhabura, and Sabyinyo — and is the final resting place of Dian Fossey.

Accommodation
Upmarket lodges include Virunga Lodge, Bisate Lodge, Gorilla’s Nest, Mountain Gorilla View Lodge, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, Kwitonda Lodge, Bishops House and Tiloreza Eco-Lodge.

How to Get There
The park is about 105 km (roughly 2–3 hours’ drive) from Kigali, reached by road through rolling hills to the Kinigi Park Headquarters.

The Rwenzori Mountains are one of Africa’s true natural wonders, with snow-capped peaks and glaciers sitting almost on the Equator. The fabled “Mountains of the Moon” rise above forest and dry savannah, offering world-class mountaineering, otherworldly Afro-alpine scenery and extraordinary biodiversity. There are many reasons to come, and few mountains anywhere feel so magical.

A Natural Wonder
Nowhere else do permanent snow and ice crown a mountain on the Equator. Climbing the Rwenzori has been likened to travelling from the Equator to the North Pole in nine days, passing through forest, bamboo, heather and bog before reaching the glaciers. The range was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

Fascinating Wildlife
The park is home to over 70 mammal species, including several endemic and rare species. Among them are chimpanzees, forest elephants, leopards and otters, while the lower forests shelter a range of primates. The slopes are also famous for the three-horned chameleon.

A Paradise for Photographers
Few landscapes reward a camera like the Rwenzori: snow-capped peaks and glaciers, crater lakes and waterfalls, strange giant lobelias and groundsels, and a wealth of birds and wildlife set against dramatic mountain scenery.

World-Class Climbing and Hiking Trails
Trails suit both seasoned mountaineers and casual hikers. The Rwenzori Central Circuit and the Kilembe route both lead toward the high peaks, while the Bwamba Pass offers gentler hiking. Allow time to acclimatise to the altitude, drink plenty of water and bring sturdy, waterproof boots.

Extraordinary Birding
The park’s distinct vegetation zones each hold their own birds, including the slender-billed starling, barred long-tailed cuckoo, Lagden’s bushshrike, the Rwenzori batis and the Rwenzori brown woodland warbler — a roll-call rich in Albertine Rift endemics.

More Information About Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Set in western Uganda on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, the park covers almost 1,000 km² and was established in 1991, becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Its highest point, Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley, reaches 5,109 m — the third-highest in Africa. Across its vegetation zones it supports over 70 mammal species (including four primates) and more than 100 birds.

Where to Stay
Equator Snow Lodge, Sandton Hotel Kasese and Ihamba Lakeside Safari Lodge.

How to Get There
By road: About 7 hours from Kampala via the Kampala–Mbarara–Kasese–Rwenzori road.
By air: Chartered flights run from Entebbe International Airport to Kasese, followed by a short drive on tarmac and murram roads.

Mount Elgon is a world of waterfalls, coffee-clad foothills and sweeping views from a summit of 4,321 m. An ancient, extinct volcano with one of the largest calderas on earth, its upper slopes are clothed in giant heathers and groundsels and alive with birdsong — from the distinctive call of Jackson’s francolin to the soar of the rare lammergeyer overhead.

Unbeaten Hiking Opportunities
One of Africa’s great hiking destinations, Mount Elgon can be walked year-round. Popular routes take in Khauka Cave, Chebonet Falls, the bamboo trail to the Kapkwai Caves and the Tutum Caves, alongside full multi-day climbs to the summit.

The Spectacular Sipi Falls
The jewel of the region, Sipi Falls is a series of dramatic waterfalls on the mountain’s foothills. Guided trails lead visitors to its viewpoints and to the other falls that tumble down the slopes.

Terrific Scenery and Magnificent Views
Mount Elgon’s landscape is wonderfully varied — rolling hills, cliffs and valleys, the vast caldera, gorges, streams, hot springs, caves, and open heath and moorland on the heights.

Astonishing Cultures
The mountain’s foothills are home to the Bagisu people, famous for the Imbalu circumcision ceremony, a vibrant public rite marking a young man’s passage into adulthood.

Unforgettable Birding
With the Kapkwai Exploration Centre a noted birding base, Mount Elgon rewards birders with species such as the African blue flycatcher, African goshawk and white-chinned prinia, alongside its montane specials.

Outstanding Rock Climbing
The park offers 14 established rock-climbing routes, ranging from beginner climbs of around 15 m to expert pitches of up to 35 m.

More Information About Mount Elgon National Park
Set in eastern Uganda on the border with Kenya, the park covers about 1,121 km² on the Ugandan side and was gazetted in 1992. Its highest point, Wagagai, reaches 4,321 m; long-eroded from its former height, Elgon is today East Africa’s fourth-highest mountain, after Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya and the Rwenzori. It is home to over 300 bird species, including the endangered lammergeyer.

Where to Stay
Sipi River Lodge, Lacam Lodge, Mbale Resort Hotel and Mount Elgon Hotel, along with camping sites — suiting hikers, climbers, birders, photographers and those simply wishing to relax.

How to Get There
By air: Charter flights run from Kajjansi Airfield or Entebbe International Airport to Soroti airstrip, then continue by road.
By road: About 235 km east of Kampala, via the main tarmac road through Jinja to Mbale, then on to the park.

Uganda’s smallest national park, Mgahinga, sits in the far southwest on the foothills of the Virunga Volcanoes. It is the only place in Uganda where you can see both mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. The park is fondly described as the place “where silver meets gold” — and it adds moving Batwa cultural encounters and beautiful forest and volcano walks to the mix.

Rich Biodiversity
Despite its size, Mgahinga is wonderfully biodiverse, home to around 39 mammal species including mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, bushbucks, duikers and sitatunga. Its birdlife is rich in Albertine Rift endemics, and the park also shelters reptiles, amphibians and more than two dozen tree species.

Mountain Gorilla Trekking
Mgahinga is home to one habituated gorilla family, the Nyakagezi group, which once ranged freely across the Uganda–Rwanda border but now resides within the park. Trekkers should be reasonably fit, at least 15 years old, and hold a valid gorilla permit.

Golden Monkey Trekking & Habituation
Mgahinga is the only place in Uganda to track the endangered golden monkey. Visitors can spend time observing these charismatic, bamboo-loving primates, or join the habituation experience to watch researchers acclimatise them to human presence.

Batwa Cultural Trail
The Batwa were the original inhabitants of the Mgahinga forest. On the Batwa Trail, Batwa guides share their traditional forest life — medicine, blacksmithing, fire-making by rubbing sticks, and songs and dances — in a deeply moving cultural encounter.

Hiking the Volcanoes
Three of the Virunga volcanoes rise within the park — Sabyinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura — each offering a challenging but rewarding climb, with summit views stretching across the Rwanda and DRC borders.

Birding
Birding is rewarding year-round, with the best sightings from March and from October to November. Many forest species and prized Albertine Rift endemics can be seen, often within a short walk of the forest edge.

More Information About Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Covering just 34 km², Mgahinga lies in Kisoro District in southwestern Uganda and was gazetted as a national park in 1991. It forms part of the transboundary Virunga Conservation Area, linking Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and the DRC’s Virunga National Park.

Where to Stay
Accommodation is limited and intimate, with options including Mount Gahinga Lodge and Mucha Hotel in nearby Kisoro.

How to Get There
By road: About 8–9 hours from Kampala via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale and Kisoro.
By air: Scheduled flights run from Entebbe to the Kisoro airstrip, followed by a short road transfer to the park headquarters.

Remote and little known, Semliki is one of Uganda’s hidden gems — a destination for families, couples, solo travellers and groups alike. It protects the only true lowland tropical rainforest in East Africa, an extension of the great Ituri forest of the Congo Basin, and rewards visitors with the famous Sempaya hot springs, exceptional birdlife, elusive wildlife, and peaceful forest nature walks.

Sempaya Hot Springs
The park’s signature attraction, the Sempaya hot springs, see groundwater bubble to the surface hot enough to boil an egg or a potato in about fifteen minutes. Steam rises dramatically from the “male” and “female” springs, and local folklore tells a captivating story of how they came to be.

Diverse Wildlife
Semliki is one of Uganda’s most biodiverse parks. Beyond its mammals, it shelters unique tree species and a remarkable array of reptiles and amphibians of special interest, reflecting its deep Congolese forest heritage.

Scenic Game Drives
Game drives in the more open savannah-grassland sections of the park and its surrounds give visitors the chance to encounter a good share of its wildlife in beautiful, uncrowded surroundings.

Hiking Trails
Several kilometres of trails cater to easy, moderate and more demanding walks, among them the Sempaya Nature Trail, the Kirumia Trail and the Red Monkey Track — each offering its own window into the forest.

Birding
Semliki is a legendary birding destination, with Congo-Basin specials found almost nowhere else in East Africa. Sought-after sightings include the yellow-throated nicator, Ross’s turaco, white-crested hornbill and piping hornbill.

Chimpanzee Trekking
An under-the-radar highlight, chimpanzee trekking in Semliki suits travellers who value seclusion and small crowds, following our closest relatives through genuinely wild lowland forest.

More Information About Semliki National Park
Set on the floor of the Semliki Valley between about 670 and 760 m above sea level, the park covers roughly 220 km². First protected as a forest reserve in 1932, it was upgraded to a national park in 1993. As the only remaining tract of true lowland tropical rainforest in the region, it supports around 79 mammal species and more than 440 birds — some 40% of Uganda’s total bird list.

Where to Stay
Semliki Safari Lodge, Nyati Game Lodge and Ntoroko Game Lodge, offering en-suite rooms, fine views and private decks.

How to Get There
By air: Charter flights run from Kajjansi Airfield in Kampala to the Kasese or Fort Portal airstrips, followed by a road transfer to the park.
By road: The shortest route is Kampala–Mityana–Mubende–Fort Portal, then 59 km to the park headquarters at Ntandi. An alternative runs via Kampala–Masaka–Mbarara–Kasese, then on to Fort Portal and the park.

Tucked into the remote northeastern corner of Uganda, Kidepo Valley is the country’s most spectacular wilderness. A rugged landscape of golden savannah plains, rocky mountains and deep valleys, it is one of Uganda’s hottest and driest regions — and one of its wildest, least-visited and most rewarding. Abundant wildlife, rare dry-country species and the living culture of the Karamojong people make Kidepo a true frontier safari.

Wildlife
Kidepo is big-game country. Lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant all roam the plains (rhino is seen only at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, en route). The park is famous as the only place in Uganda to see cheetah, and it also holds a remarkable cast of other predators and dry-country species: serval, caracal, side-striped jackal, bat-eared fox and striped hyena, alongside Beisa oryx, Burchell’s zebra, Rothschild’s giraffe, Jackson’s hartebeest, Uganda kob, waterbuck, bushbuck and the nimble klipspringer.

Birding
With over 480 recorded bird species — including Somali-Maasai and Sudan-Guinea savannah specials and birds endemic to the Karamoja region — Kidepo is a birder’s dream. Sought-after sightings include the Karamoja apalis, ostrich, superb starling, scarlet-chested sunbird, yellow-billed shrike and Nubian woodpecker.

Culture
Kidepo is home to the Karamojong, a pastoral people whose traditions remain vibrantly alive. Visits to traditional Manyatta homesteads and energetic Karamojong dance performances offer a genuine window into their way of life. Nearby Morungole Mountain is home to the Ik, one of Uganda’s smallest and most remarkable communities.

Activities
Game drives and waterhole watching (often rewarded with dramatic predator action), guided walking safaris on well-maintained trails, hikes to the summits of the Lomej Mountains and Morungole, cultural visits to the Karamojong and Ik, and outstanding wildlife and landscape photography.

More Information About Kidepo Valley National Park
Set in northeastern Uganda on the borders with South Sudan and Kenya, Kidepo covers 1,442 km² and was gazetted as a national park in 1962. Its altitude ranges from 914 m to 2,749 m, and it supports around 77 mammal species and over 480 birds.

Where to Stay
Adere Safari Lodge (high-end), Apoka Safari Lodge (luxury) and Kidepo Savannah Lodge (luxury and mid-range, at the park edge).

How to Get There
By air: Scheduled and chartered flights (Eagle Air or Aerolink) run from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield to the Apoka airstrip inside the park.
By road: A long but scenic 10–12-hour journey, most commonly via Kampala–Luwero–Nakasongola–Karuma–Kitgum–Kidepo, entering through the Nataba and Lokumoit gates.

Kibale is one of Uganda’s finest destinations, a vast tract of tropical rainforest famous above all for its primates. It is the premier place in the country for chimpanzee tracking and the full-day habituation experience, and also rewards visitors with excellent birdwatching and the beautiful crater lakes that dot the surrounding landscape. With 13 primate species and a large share of Uganda’s chimpanzees, Kibale offers a rainforest experience unlike anywhere else.

Primate Capital of the World
Kibale is known as the primate capital of the world. On a guided forest hike, expert rangers and trackers lead you through the trees in search of chimpanzees and the park’s many other primates — among them grey-cheeked mangabey, olive baboon, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, black-and-white colobus, L’Hoest’s and Dent’s mona monkey, and the nocturnal potto. Few places on earth offer such a concentration of primate life in one forest.

The Most Incredible and Affordable Chimpanzee Trekking Destination
Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale is both unforgettable and excellent value. Compared with the cost of trekking elsewhere, Kibale offers one of the most rewarding and accessible ways to come face to face with our closest relatives in the wild.

The Only Place for the Chimpanzee Habituation Experience
Kibale is the only place in Africa where visitors can join researchers in the process of habituating wild chimpanzees to human presence. Rather than the standard one hour, the habituation experience lets you spend a full day with a semi-wild community, watching them wake in their nests, feed, groom, nurse their young, play and build fresh nests at dusk — an intimate, immersive encounter found nowhere else.

A Chance to Encounter an Incredible Array of Bird Species
With over 340 recorded bird species, Kibale is one of Uganda’s most important birding areas. Guided birding walks with knowledgeable rangers greatly improve your chances of spotting and identifying the forest’s specials, from the great blue turaco to the elusive green-breasted pitta.

Giving Back to the Local Communities
A visit to Kibale supports the people who live alongside it. The community-run Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, managed by the organisation KAFRED, channels tourism income into clean-water and sanitation projects, health services, school supplies and conservation education — a model of tourism that benefits both wildlife and the surrounding villages.

Spend Nights in the Middle of the Jungle
Around the forest, a range of lodges and tented camps offer a remote yet thoroughly comfortable stay, with warm service and welcome touches such as swimming pools and hot tubs — the perfect way to relax after a day in the forest.

More Information About Kibale Forest National Park
Kibale is a protected rainforest of about 795 km² in western Uganda, gazetted as a national park in 1993. Rising between roughly 1,100 and 1,600 m above sea level, it forms a continuous forest corridor with Queen Elizabeth National Park to the south. The park supports more than 60 mammal species, including forest elephant and leopard, alongside its 13 primates and over 320 bird species.

Luxurious Accommodation in Kibale Forest National Park
Lodges and camps around the park include Primate Lodge, Chimps’ Nest, Crater Safari Lodge, Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse, Kibale Forest Camp, Ndali Lodge, Kyaninga Lodge and Papaya Lake Lodge.

How to Get There
Kibale lies about 320 km from Kampala and roughly 22 km southeast of Fort Portal. The usual route is the Kampala–Mityana–Mubende–Fort Portal highway, continuing to the Kanyanchu Reception Centre, the main hub for chimpanzee trekking.

Lake Mburo is the perfect introduction to the Ugandan safari and a rewarding stop for seasoned travellers too. Compact and richly varied, this small savannah park packs wildlife, prolific birdlife, shimmering lakes, open plains and patches of forest into one easy-to-explore setting — and is home to much of Africa’s most iconic safari wildlife. Its location makes it an ideal pairing with Uganda’s other parks.

Pure African Wildlife
For its size, Lake Mburo is remarkably rich, with wildlife concentrated in a compact area so sightings come thick and fast. It is one of the best places to catch some of Africa’s most sought-after species.

A Chance to See Numerous Feathered Beauties
A true birder’s haven, the park records over 350 bird species — roughly a third of all the species found in Uganda.

Easy to Access
Short travel times and well-maintained tracks — passable even by ordinary vehicles — make Lake Mburo one of the simplest parks in Uganda to reach.

Photographic Opportunities
The park’s varied scenery of rolling hills, forest, open grassland, wetlands, lakes and acacia woodland offers endless opportunities for memorable photography.

Can Easily Be Combined with Other Destinations
Thanks to its position, Lake Mburo pairs effortlessly with other parks in western and southwestern Uganda, and with onward travel into Rwanda.

Family-Friendly Safaris
Lake Mburo welcomes visitors of all ages, with activities ranging from game drives and guided bush walks to relaxed boat cruises — ideal for families.

More About Lake Mburo National Park
Set between Masaka and Mbarara, Lake Mburo was gazetted in 1986 and covers about 370 km² of lakes, wetlands, forest, savannah and woodland.

Luxury Accommodation
Mburo Safari Lodge, Mpogo Safari Lodge, Mihingo Lodge, Rwakobo Rock Lodge, Arcadia Cottages and Mantana Tented Camp.

How to Get There
By road: About 270 km from Kampala — the easiest of Uganda’s national parks to reach. The usual route is Kampala–Masaka–Lake Mburo, entering via the Nshara or Sanga Gates, roughly 3 hours’ drive. From Mbarara city, it’s about 30 minutes.

By air: Chartered flights run from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield to Mbarara airstrip in 33–45 minutes, with the park under 45 minutes further by road.