The three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Uganda
The Parks and Places that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Uganda
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – the Rwenzori Mountains and the Kasubi Tombs
The UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Uganda: There are three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Uganda. Two are National Parks, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, and Rwenzori Mountains National Park. The other is Kasubi Tombs in Kampala, a cultural and historical site. Kasubi Tombs is under reconstruction after an unfortunate fire for several years and two more during the reconstruction.
All three are unique places that are a must-visit for those visiting Uganda.
Enjoy Uganda with all of its natural and cultural wonders – in my opinion, all of Uganda’s parks and other places of distinction. Some, like Kidepo Valley Park, deserve to be on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, which could happen in the future.
Most Safaris in Uganda will include one of the three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is the one that most tourists visit for Gorilla Trek, Birding, and Hiking.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – the Rwenzori Mountains and the Kasubi Tombs are the noteworthy UNESCO World Heritage Sites to visit on a Safari in Uganda.
The 3-UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Uganda
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park – UNESCO World Heritage Site
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the oldest forests in Uganda. It survived the spiritual shift that shaped the surrounding areas and the Western Rift. Most visitors know it as the place to come to track Mountain Gorillas. Over half of the remaining mountain gorillas in Africa are in this park.
There is much more to this UNESCO World Heritage Site than Mountain Gorillas. One could easily spend a week discovering this most unusual park, the oldest forest in East Africa. For one thing, it is one of the largest areas in East Africa where one can find Afro-montane vegetation in what is considered a lowland area.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is regarded as a biodiversity hotspot. It is believed to have the most significant number of tree species at this altitude in East Africa, which you can readily see as you enter the forest. If you counted, you would find more than 200 trees and over 100 kinds of Ferns, including the giant tree ferns.
There are over 120 mammals found in Bwindi, including forest elephants, chimpanzees, leopards, rare species of monkeys, over 200 butterflies, and over 347 birds.
You can hike through the forest from one end to the other. You can go birding and climb the ridges inside and outside the forest. Walk along refreshing streams, visit endless swamps and bamboo forests, and have guided interactive cultural walks with the original people of the forest, the Batwa, who have been here for thousands of years – the Batwa people.
Enjoy the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, its mountain gorillas, and, more uniquely, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – UNESCO World Heritage Site. Read more Here.
The Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon – UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Rwenzori Mountains were called “Mountains of the Moon” by Ptolemy in AD 150. Henry Morton Stanley is the
one who brought the mountain range to the attention of Westerners in 1888. Stanley and his contingent were on a rescue mission for Emin Pasha. EminPasha at Fort Patiko.
As they traveled through the Semliki Valley and Queen Elizabeth Park. They saw the tallest Mountain Range in Africa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, higher than the Alps of Europe and Uganda. Read more here.
Today, this fabulous park is one of the least visited parks in Uganda. You can climb Mount Stanley, named after the explorer. The tallest mountain is Mount Margherita, 5,109 meters above sea level, making it the third-highest peak in Africa. It takes eight days to climb and is for most experienced climbers.
The park is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its exceptional natural beauty, biodiversity, and cultural significance. The park is also home to several endangered species, including the Rwenzori red duiker and the Rwenzori turaco.
If you are not an alpine-level climber, there are many things to do and see in the foothills. Activities that the average tourist can easily do. There is a wide array of Rwenzori Mountain foothill hikes where you get a whisper of what it is to climb the mountain. The Mahoma Trail also begins near the small village of Ruboni—home of the Bakonzo people, the keepers of the Mountains. Stay with them in Ruboni Community Camp or the upmarket Equator Snow Lodge.
The Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon are not volcanic like much of East Africa’s central mountains; instead, it is a block of rock created by the shift of the earth that formed the western rift in Uganda.
You find the magnificent giant heathers, ground-sells, and lobelias in the higher altitudes. The vegetation you encounter depends on the elevation, and five vegetation zones are located in the Rwenzori Mountains.
The Rwenzori Mountains National Park hosts 80 species of birds, four primates, and fifteen butterflies. You can still find elephants, chimpanzees, Black and white colobus Monkeys, and I’Hoests monkeys at the lower elevations of the mountains.
The fabled Rwenzori Mountains give a unique experience to visitors. Encounter stunning scenic wonders, wildlife, birds, and cultural interaction – something not to be missed since new shorter trails have been developed.
Kasubi Tombs – Kampala – UNESCO World Heritage Site
Just outside of Kampala on Kasubi Hill, you will discover Kasubi Tombs at the Kabakas (Kings) former palace of the Buganda Kingdom. It was built in 1882 and made into the Royal Burial Grounds in 1884. The tombs of four Kabakas are in the main building, the “Muzibu Azaala Mpganga. This magnificent building is circular and topped by a grass-thatched tom.
To visit the Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi, you can take a cultural tour of Kampala with us, including a visit to the tombs.
The tour will give you an insight into the history and culture of the Buganda people and their traditional architecture. You can also visit other cultural sites in Kampala, such as the Uganda National Museum and the Ndere Cultural Centre. The tombs are a tribute to the architectural achievement using organic materials of wood, elephant grass, reeds, etc.
Kasubi Tombs is a place of belief, spirituality, and identity for the Baganda People. The Kasubi Tombs are simply an African Master Piece and reflect the culture, ways, traditions, and expertise of the Buganda Kingdom.
Unfortunately, this UNESCO World Heritage Site burned down several years ago to the grief of many Ugandans. It caused great sorrow in the Buganda Kingdom. Artisans were trained in the original art of construction to rebuild the site. Another fire broke out at the tombs during the rebuilding process – some say by a caretaker cooking in the area. The reconstructed portions of the site can now be visited. Read more here.
Uganda has three UNESCO World Heritage Siare recognized for their exceptional cultural and natural significance. These sites include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Rwenzori Mountains National Park, and Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi. Visitors to Uganda can explore these sites to learn more about the country’s rich cultural and natural heritage.
Include the Uganda UNESCO Heritage Sites in Uganda in your Safari:
The UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Uganda: You can easily include some or all of the Ugandan UNESCO World Heritage Sites in your Safari while in the Pearl of Africa. If you are trekking Mountain Gorillas, most likely, you will be doing so in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon can be included in a safari in Queen Elizabeth Park, Semliki National Park, and Kibale Forest.
The Kasubi Tombs can be included in any Safari where you begin or end in Kampala or Entebbe. Other Baganda Kingdom Heritage Sites can be included along with the Kasubi Tombs, such as Mengo, Ssezibwa Falls, Namugongo Martyr’s Shrine, Kabaka Lake, and more.
The pearl of Africa – home of three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Uganda– fabulous places and spaces for you to visit on your tour of Uganda
Please let us know if you like to include one of Uganda’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites in your Safari.
