Mountain hiking experience is the activity of going for a long walk, especially across the country, through nature’s marked trails for pleasure and fun. This hiking experience can be done in different areas or anywhere, and you do not need hike experience in order to take part in it. However, it helps for health reasons like mental, exercise, fun, and fitness. The average age for hiking activity is between 13 and 70 years of age.

Where to do mountain hiking experience in Uganda.

• Mountain Rwenzori National Park: located in western Uganda in Bundibugyo district; however, it was founded by Stanley, who named it the mountain of the moon since its peak is covered by snow and its above sea level. Mountain Rwenzori National Park has one of the hardest or most difficult trails for those who want to reach the Margherita peak. However, Rwenzori has two hiking trail areas that you can use to hike up the mountain; they include the central circuit and the southern circuit or trail, which takes about 7-8 days to reach the peak at Margherita. Mountain Rwenzori has different camps at each stage or points that include Nyabitaba, Bujuku, John Matte, Elena, Kitandara, and Guy Yeoman. While hiking up the mountain, you can spot different wild animals like the black and white colobus monkey, the three-horned chameleon, and the L’hoest monkey.
• Mountain Mgahinga: located in south-western Uganda and covers about 33.7 km². It is Uganda’s oldest park and is known for gorilla trekking and golden monkeys. However, it’s one of the smallest or shortest hikes one can do, and it’s worth taking part in.
• Sabinyo gorge hiking: This trail takes about 6 hours to hike. The Sabinyo Gorge hike goes through the forest and waterfalls, which gives a beautiful view and enables tourists to take pictures. However, it is a good sport for birding and wildlife.
• Gisozi hill: It’s a 1-hour walk to the hill that goes through to the information center; it’s located in Bunagana town near Kisoro. While on this trail, you can see Lake Mutanda and its beauty across the hill.
• Boader hike: this trail starts at the slopes of Mount Sabinyo and ends at the border of Congo, which is about a 5-hour walk to reach the final destination. However, it has camps where campers can rest after a long day. On this trail, you can spot golden monkeys.
• Batwa nature walk: this trail is done with a guided ranger, but followed by the Batwa guide, who helps tourists walk through the forest and show them how they lived their lives with the giants. However, they have a stopover at the cave known as Garama, where they used to go and make scarifications to their gods. They are known to be short and hot-tempered people who still live in the stone age way of life.
• Mountain Elgon: located in Mbale district. Its main attraction is the hike to the top of the mountain, which is one of the smallest mountain areas in Uganda and overlooks Sipi Falls.
• Sipi trail: Starts in Kapkwai in Kapchorwa, which lies outside the park. It is under the guidance of local guides who help tourists explore the magnificent falls; however, it has a beautiful view of flora and fauna.
• Suam tail: It’s the long trail that is barely used in Mount Elgon; however, it starts in Suam Trading Center on the Uganda and Kenya border and takes about 4–5 days to complete to the peak.
• Piswa trail: it starts at a higher level to the peak that goes through the hot springs in the park, and each point has a refreshing area for water and some tent accommodation in case you’re exhausted.
• Sasa trail starts in Budadiri town, which is more direct to Wagagai Peak, but this is the most commonly used trail.
• Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park: located in south-western Uganda, in Kisoro district. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is well known for the gorillas that inhabit the thick forest. It had different trails that enabled travelers to trace through the forest, like the

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park Mountain hiking trails.

• Ivy trail: This walk starts in Nkuringo and ends in Buhoma Head Quarter. It takes about 7 hours to hike in the forest, where you can spot monkeys, ducks, birds, butterflies, and many other species.
• Ashasha trail: A 13-kilometer walk that goes through the forest. It starts from Nkuringo and goes through steep areas. This route goes through two rivers into the forest to spot birds, monkeys, and some aquatic animals.
• Batwa trail: This trail leads to the Batwa community, which costs $40 per person to experience with them in the forest. However, it is led by the Batwa guide, who shows you how the Batwa people used to live to co-exist with the animals in the forest.
• Munyanga River trail: A 1-hour walk that starts and ends on Buhoma Road; this enables basically birders to spot different bird species.
• Muzabajiro loop trail: about 4 hours walk to Rukumara Hill. The trail is located in Bwindi.
• Habinyanya/Raleigh trail: About 6-7 hours of walking through the Muyanga River of Habigorogoro and Riyoyi Ridges that overlook the Buhoma River.
• Mabira Forest: The forest is located in Buikwe District, between Lugazi and Jinja. This reserve was gazette in 1932 in that it has different hiking trails according to the fitness of the tourist.

The hiking trail can go through well-maintained areas.

Things to pack hiking experience in Uganda.

1. Light clothing’s
2. Insect repellent
3. Food or snack
4. Water for dehydration
5. First aid kit
6. Fire-starting object
7. Pocketknife
8. Backpack
9. Compass

Cycling experience Uganda, cycling as a means of transport or activity involves a wheeled bicycle for different reasons, such as relaxation during your leisure hours or an adventurous sport racing experience, and it’s categorized into four-track cycling.

• Road cycling: cycling on the paved road.
• Cyclocross cycling:  cycling over rough areas.
• Tandem cycling: riding a bicycle for two people.
• Cyclo-tourism: touring certain locations by bicycle.

Therefore, this activity is commonly used as a means of transport in Uganda, and for that reason, they frequently use it to transport people and their goods, most commonly in the northern and eastern regions of Uganda, as the cheapest means of transport.

History of Bicycle in Uganda:

In 1891, the first bicycle was introduced or imported into Uganda by Rev. Robert Ashes from London, a brand of Raleigh; however, he was a Christian missionary from England who first arrived in 1880. Further, in 1950, bicycles became more popular in Uganda in that the chiefs, clerks, extension workers, and veterinary officers used them for transport. In 2023, it will mark 132 years of bicycle transport in Uganda.

When and where to do cycling experience Uganda:

Cycling can be done throughout the year, but it’s more fun to do it during the rainy seasons so that you can be muddy and enjoy the experience more than during the sunny seasons that can be really hot and dusty, which include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Lake Victoria, Kibale Forest National Park, Lake Bunyonyi, and many more areas in Uganda.

Cost of cycling experience Uganda:

The activity can cost between $15–$30 per person for about 1–3 hours, which varies according to the skills of an individual and their fitness to partake in.

Where can it be done in Uganda?

Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda’s smallest park located in western Uganda, Mbarara district. Cycling can be done in the park under a guided nature walk with an armed ranger guide. Costing $30 to take part in, bike hire $25, and the entrance fee $40.

What you need for cycling experience Uganda:

• Helmet
• Light clothes
• Water
• Shorts
• Track suit
• Sporty outfit
• Closed shoes.
• Raincoat
• Sunscreen

Lion tracking is an activity where one gets closer to the lions to know their behaviors or ways of life in the wild however this authentic experience can only be done in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda which is known for the tree climbing lions. The park is located in western Uganda between Lake Albert and Lake George and named Queen Elizabeth because of the visit of Queen Elizabeth the second in 1954.

In Uganda these activities are organized or lead by Armed Uganda wildlife authority however it’s under Uganda carnivores project (UCP) who do research and help to track down the lions in the wild more, so this activity is done in 2 sessions morning and evening.

Lion tracking experiential adventure is done by few people, this gives ample time to spend with the lions more, so it’s strictly regulated or monitored to avoid stressing the animals, help researchers to collecting accurate data or information, and know the way of life of the animals.

For this experience, in order to do it you need to book early months before your experiential dates so that they can prepare and be ready for your arrival and make sure that the team does not exceed the arranged group of people at the same time.

Lion tracking, behaviors and livelihood

Lions are territorial in nature more so the females, however the male protect their pride and surroundings their groups consist of 6 females, their off springs and coalition of 2-3 males that join the pride from different locations. Each pride consists of about 15-37 members, and they are polygamous in nature through out of the year.

Lions, hunt in large numbers however females tend to hunt and feed their pride or group they feed to animals like rodents, baboons, cape buffaloes, hippos, zebras, antelopes, young elephant, giraffes to mention but a few.

Rwanda hot air balloon in Akagera was first and successfully launched on January 19, 2022, under joint partnership cooperation between Royal Balloon Rwanda, Rwanda Development Board, and Akagera Management Company, the country’s first-of-its-kind hot air balloon now operates in Akagera National Park.

Akagera National Park, which covers 1,122 km2, was established in 1934, is Rwanda’s largest protected wetland and one of the last surviving refuges for savannah-adapted species. In addition to becoming a wildlife haven, the park’s assistance for income-generating ventures for local populations has risen significantly.

Royal balloon Rwanda currently operates two, each of which can accommodate four to six passengers and can soar 100 to 1000 meters above the ground for breathtaking aerial views of the open savanna landscape and its wildlife, especially Rwanda’s Big 5 animals, which include African elephants, cape buffaloes, rhinos, leopards, and lions, among other creatures and scenery.

As a result, inclusions with Air Balloon in Akagera National Park and Royal Balloon Rwanda (tourism group) as operator and management bodies, who have been in tourism operations for more than 30 years and run different hotels in Turkey as well as the same balloon activities in Eastern and Southern Africa. They will boost Rwandan tourism in a different way, by actively supporting conservation efforts and providing job opportunities to locals.