Bwindi named Uganda's most popular national park by tour operators

Highlights

Over 100 tour companies participated in the survey
Buhoma Region in Bwindi is the most-requested region to visit
July is the most-booked month to go on a safari in Uganda
The majority of safaris booked in Uganda are between 4-8 days in length
The US, UK and Australia are the top-three countries from which international tourists hail

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park ranks first as most-booked park by tour operators

Aptly named the Pearl of Africa, Uganda is a country of stunning natural beauty. It is home to 10 national parks, 12 wildlife reserves and 14 wildlife sanctuaries.
Your African Safari (YAS) polled 700+ tour companies operating in Uganda and asked them what they saw in tourism trends for 2014 and 2015. Roughly 20% responded; the results are below.

Popular national parks in Uganda

The most-booked park in 2014 and 2015 was Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, according to tour operators.
Bwindi is home to roughly half the world's mountain gorillas. A portion of all park entry fees collected from this wildlife protection area is put towards conservation efforts, and these efforts are paying off. The number of mountain gorillas in Uganda is slowly on the increase, with the total number estimated in Bwindi to be between 400 and 450(1).

Uganda survey results

Of the gorilla tracking permits purchased by tour operators, around 90% were for Bwindi or Bwindi and Mgahinga and 10% were for Mgahinga alone.

Murchison Falls National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park were the next popular choices, followed by Kibale National Park.

Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Busiest month to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

July is the most popular month for visitors to Bwindi, according to the survey.

Bwindi's busiest months

Buhoma sector the most-requested area in Bwindi to visit

Around 70% of visitors did not specify a preference for which sector they wanted to visit in Bwindi. Of the people that did request a region to visit in Bwindi, 60% requested the Buhoma sector and 40% requested the Nkuringo sector.

Tourism on the rise in Uganda

Just over 64% of tour operators saw an increase in business from 2014 to 2015, with the average in bookings up 10% from 2014. Tour operators reported that most visitors to Uganda booked a safari ranging between four and eight days, with the majority of safari guests coming from the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, in that order.

Sources and credits

Your African Safari

(1) http://www.awf.org/news/mountain-gorilla-census-finds-increased-population-ugandas-bwindi-impenetrable-national-park

About the author

yourafricansafari.com

Has been on: 15 safaris

Your African Safari (YAS) is a safari-planning resource for anyone planning an African safari. It features information on over 2600 tour operators including company and vehicle descriptions, user reviews, safari itineraries and photos. It also features detailed information on 14 countries and 84 parks and game reserves.

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