Introduction
January 1996, we rode through Uganda because a group of four American engineers, who traveled the world on bicycles for 6 years, included it as a highlight of their trip. The people impressed the engineers as both friendly and colorful. They were right. The main roads were either newly improved or under construction. The traffic was very light. We were on road bikes but mountain bikes would be the better choice, especially on the minor dirt roads. The trip north to Murchinson Falls was highly recommended but safety issues and time constrains kept us from going.
It’s a beautiful country but as far as animals it’s a mixed bag. Idi Amin’s army desecrated the animal population in the name of target practice. That being said, there are some unique animal species that are well worth a visit to Uganda. The Mountain Gorillas and the tree climbing Lions are in Southwest Uganda around Bwindi National Park. Luckily we saw them both (the tree lion from our bikes).
Also we loved being in a safe city in Africa (Kampala). We met incredibly interesting ex-pats throughout Uganda.