When tourists come to Uganda for visits, the most common destinations are western, central, and eastern Uganda, but did you know that northern Uganda is also blessed with beautiful scenery that will leave you in awe? Here are some tourist attractions in northern Uganda you must check out on your next visit to Uganda.
Kidepo Valley National Park: This is the third-largest national park in Uganda and is located in Karamoja. It has a total area of 1,442 square kilometers. The park is blessed with wildlife like elephants, lions, leopards, hyenas, antelopes, giraffes, etc.
Karuma Falls: The name Karuma comes from the Luo language, meaning “great spirit.” The locals believe it was the spirit that positioned the rocks on which the water hits to form the white waters of Karuma Falls. Located along the Kampala-Gulu highway, the falls are where the new modern technology power dam was constructed, and it is the largest power station in Uganda. Watching the rapid water run and hearing the sound of the water hitting the hard rocks will leave you amazed.
Murchison Falls National Park is the largest national park in Uganda and home to 450 different bird species and more than 76 different species of mammals. The animals include elephants, giraffes, lions, leopards, water bucks, etc. It is also the finest place to see the “big five”—elephants, lions, buffaloes, hippos, and rhinos.
Sir Samuel Baker’s Fort at Patiko is located 30 kilometres from Gulu town and was built as a centre for the acquisition of slaves. The fort was occupied by Sir Samuel Baker from 1872 to 1888 before serving as the offices of Emin Pasha and Gordon, the respective governors of the British Protectorate’s Equatorial Province at the time.
Amuru Hot Springs are known among the locals for their curative qualities, and the Acholi leaders have historically made sacrifices there to keep bad omens away from the area. The falls are good for hiking.
Guru Guru Hills; it is at this place that the 1911 Lamogi rebellion took place, marking one of Uganda’s early acts of resistance to British colonial rule. The Lamogi battled the British with weapons they had acquired from the Arabs, including arrows, spears, and bows. The British attempted to mark those weapons to charge a tax on them, leading to the uprising.
Other tourist attractions include;
- Mountain Moroto
- Aruu falls
- Ajai Game Reserve
- Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve