Kenya camping:Overview of Uganda.

Ecologically, Uganda is where the East African savannah meets the West African jungle. Where else but in this incredibly lush country can one observe lions marauding the open plains in the morning and track chimpanzees through the rainforest undergrowth the same afternoon, then the next day navigate tropical channels heaving with hippos and crocodiles before setting off into the misty mountains to stare deep into the eyes of a mountain gorilla?

Certainly, Uganda is the only safari destination whose range of forest primates is as impressive as its selection of plains antelopes. And this verdant biodiversity is further attested to by Uganda’s status as by far the smallest of the four African countries whose bird checklist tops the 1,000 mark.

Uganda is indeed, ‘the pearl of Africa’, a country with fantastic natural scenery and a rich mosaic of tribes and cultures. Travelling through Uganda, you will be captivated by its beauty, safety, accessibility and friendliness. The natural beauty of its people and its landscape are outstanding. It is one of the most appealing nations and Africa's friendliest country.

Situated at the geographical heart of the African continent, Uganda has long been a cultural melting pot, as evidenced by the existence of 30-plus different indigenous languages belonging to five distinct linguistic groups, and an equally diverse cultural mosaic of music, art and handicrafts.

The country’s most ancient inhabitants, confined to the hilly southwest, are the Batwa and Bambuti Pygmies, relics of the hunter-gatherer cultures that once occupied much of East Africa to leave behind a rich legacy of rock paintings, such as at the Nyero Rock Shelter near Kumi.

At the cultural core of modern-day Uganda lie the Bantu-speaking kingdoms of Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole and Toro, whose traditional monarchs – reinstated in the 1990s after having been abolished by President Milton Obote in 1967 – still serve as important cultural figureheads.

According to oral tradition, these centuries-old kingdoms are offshoots of the mediaeval kingdoms of Batembuzi and Bachwezi, which lay in the vicinity of present-day Mubende and Ntusi, where archaeological evidence suggests that a strongly centralised polity had emerged by the 11th century. Three former kings of Buganda are buried in an impressive traditional thatched building at the Kasubi Tombs in Kampala.

Uganda lies astride the Equator in Eastern Africa between longitudes 29 ½° East and 35° East and between latitudes 4 ½° North and ½° South, at an average altitude of 1,100 meters above sea- level with a total area  of 236,580sq.Km. Uganda is bordered by the Arab Republic of Sudan to the North, the Republic of Kenya to the east, the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west and the United republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Rwanda to the south.

Uganda is well endowed with several mountains, (classified into volcanic and non-volcanic mountains) which are regarded as huge extinct volcanoes straddling in different parts of the country. They are major tourist attractions, most of them are mainly for hiking activities.

Some of the different mountains in Uganda include; Mt.Elgon which is about 4,321 meters in altitude is found in eastern Uganda. While the snow capped Rwenzori Mountains, also known as the “Mountains of the Moon” is located in western Uganda, the Moroto and Muhavura Mountains are located in the north eastern and south western parts of the country respectively.

Uganda is immensely endowed with over 1,000 bird species; some of which are endemic to the country; mainly in the Albertine region. These constitute 67% of Africa’s and 11.1% of the world’s total population which makes the country a must visit for birding lovers. Some of the most interesting birds include; the crested crane, shoe bill, wattled plorer, Africa Fish Eagel, African Jacana, Saddle Billed Stock, Pelican, African Pigmy Geese and Narina’s Trogon.

There's a lot to enjoy, especially the spread around monuments and forts depicting not only the heritage, history, culture but also the depth of origins and all those important life time moments you don't want to miss.