Going on a Uganda safari is thrilling, but the road trip to the safari destination can often be daunting and requires considerable endurance. Fortunately, there’s a quicker and easier alternative: the flying safari.
A flying safari significantly reduces travel time, allowing you to spend more time relaxing or enjoying leisure activities at your safari destination before embarking on your adventures. This option also enables seamless and rapid connections between different destinations, maximizing your safari experience.
In Uganda, flying safaris are available for all ten national parks and numerous other safari destinations. These safaris typically start from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip and conclude at national parks or nearby airstrips.
The country is served by two main local aircraft providers: Aerolink Uganda and Fly Uganda. Both offer daily flights to major national parks and scheduled flights to other safari destinations.
Despite the daily operations, it is essential to book your flight in advance to ensure proper arrangements are made for your trip.
It’s advisable to use a duffle bag to keep your packing light, as the luggage weight limit for a flying safari in Uganda is 30 pounds. While it can be challenging to pack only the essentials, you can leave your extra items at our office, at your initial hotel, or have them driven to your safari destination by your driver guide.
You can fly to all the national parks in Uganda. Below is a list of parks with daily scheduled flights.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park, known for its tree-climbing lions, is a premier safari destination in Uganda. It is also the closest park to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, making it an excellent combination for maximizing your experience in Uganda, especially if you have limited time.
The park is served by Mweya Airstrip, located within the park, and Kasese Airstrip, which is about an hour away. The Ishasha sector is accessible via Kihihi Airstrip, which offers daily scheduled flights, and the Ishasha sector for chartered flights.
Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park is situated in the northeastern corner of Uganda, bordering Kenya and South Sudan. As the furthest park from Kampala and Entebbe International Airport, it has the greatest need for air travel. Visitors flying to Kidepo will land at Apoka Airfield, located within the park, and will then connect to the park by road. Flights to and from Kidepo National Park take approximately two and a half hours and are currently scheduled for Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. A minimum of seven passengers is required for these flights, or one must pay for the additional seats to meet the minimum.
Bwindi National Park
Considered one of Uganda’s most sought-after national parks, Bwindi National Park is home to more than half of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla population. While reaching this renowned park by road can take up to 10 hours, flying there shortens the journey to just one hour and 50 minutes.
Flights to Bwindi are primarily scheduled for mornings, and depending on the sector of Bwindi you’re visiting, you will land at one of two major airstrips in the region: Kihihi Airstrip and Kisoro Airfield.
Kihihi Airstrip is ideal if you are visiting Bwindi’s Buhoma and Ruhija sectors, while Kisoro Airfield is perfect for those visiting Nkuringo and Rushaga sectors. From the airstrips, you’ll connect to the parks by road, which takes less than two hours.
Murchison Falls National Park
Flying to Murchison Falls National Park, you’ll land at one of three airstrips: Bugungu, Pakuba, or Chobe. Pakuba Airstrip is within the park, Bugungu lies to the south, outside the park, and Chobe Airstrip is inside the eastern part of the park. The flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip takes approximately one and a half hours.
Lake Mburo National Park
Located approximately 4 hours from Kampala, Lake Mburo National Park is served by Nyakisharara Airstrip, which is about an hour and a half away from the park.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Similar to certain sectors of Bwindi, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is served by Kisoro Airfield, which is a 1 hour and 50-minute flight from Entebbe International Airport. Depending on road conditions, the park is approximately a 1-hour drive from the airstrip. Daily scheduled flights from Entebbe to this airfield are available, but only in the morning.
Semuliki National Park
Semuliki National Park is served by Semuliki Airfield, located in the Toro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve. Flights to Semuliki are scheduled daily but require a minimum of four passengers. The flight from Entebbe International Airport to Semuliki Airfield takes approximately one and a half hours.
Kibale National Park & Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Kibale National Park and Rwenzori Mountains National Park can be accessed from Kasese Airstrip, the closest to the parks and nearby lodges. The flight takes approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes and may sometimes include stopovers at Kihihi or Mweya Airstrip. The drive to Kibale National Park from the airstrip is about 1.5 hours, while the drive to Rwenzori is approximately 30 minutes, depending on road conditions.
