List Of the World Heritage Sites in Uganda
List Of the World Heritage Sites in Uganda : Uganda tis one of the Africans attractive countries, its known as “the pearl of Africa” after British Prime Minister Winston Churchill coined the phrase in reference to the country’s rich landscapes. Uganda is a country in East-Centra Africa, it borders Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Tanzania. Uganda is home to a startling array of natural wonders including Africa’s tallest mountain range, the source of the Nile, the world’s longest river and Africa’s largest lake as well as a home to the largest lake in Africa is part-located in Uganda. – Lake Victoria, also called Victoria Nyanza, has an area of about 69,484 sq km (26,828 sq mi). Uganda is also the world’s second-largest freshwater lake after Lake Superior in North America. The country is home to a variety of form and color for profusion of brilliant life – bird, insect, reptile, and beast – for vast scale – Uganda is truly the Pearl of Africa.
This article presents to you the list of World Heritage Sites found in Uganda. A World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance. This list should encourage you to travel and see some of these gorgeous features in Uganda for yourself.
Rwenzori national park
Rwenzori Mountains National Park Covering nearly 100,000 ha in western Uganda, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park comprises the main part of the Rwenzori Mountain chain, which includes Africa’s third highest peak (Mount Margherita) at 5109m above sea level—after Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. The combination of spectacular snow-capped peaks, glaciers, and V-shaped valleys, fast flowing rivers with magnificent waterfalls, clear blue lakes and unique flora contributes to the area’s astonishing natural beauty. Because of their altitudinal range, and the nearly constant temperatures, humidity and high insolation, the mountains support the richest montane flora in Africa, encompassing the charismatic giant lobelias, groundsels, and giant heathers which have been called “Africa’s botanical big game”. The Rwenzori Mountains National Park is just a few kilometers from the equator, where it is contiguous with the Virunga National Park in DRC. The Rwenzori Mountains are the highest and most permanent sources of the River Nile, and constitute a vital water catchment. The Park also supplies local communities with various wild resources and is an important cultural heritage. There is an outstanding range of species, many of which are endemic to the Albertine Rift and bizarre in appearance. The natural vegetation has been classified as belonging to five distinct zones, determined largely by altitude and aspect. The higher altitude zones, covered by heath and Afro-alpine moorland, extend from around 3,500 m to the snow line and represent the rarest vegetation types on the African continent. In terms of fauna, the Rwenzori’s have been recognized as an Important Bird Area with 217 bird species recorded to date, a number expected to increase as the park becomes better surveyed. The montane forests are also a home to threatened species such as the African forest elephant, eastern chimpanzee and l’Hoest’s monkey. The endangered Rwenzori black-fronted or red duiker, believed to be a much-localized subspecies or possibly a separate species, appears to be restricted to the park.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is best known for its Mountain Gorilla populations and gorilla tracking although, it also offers some of the finest montane forest birding in Africa and is a key destination for any birder doing a Safari to Uganda. With over 347 species of forest birds recorded in the park, at least 70 out of 78 montane forest bird species occurring in the Albertine Rift region are found in the forest, and 22 of the 36 endemics. Located in south-western Uganda, at the junction of the plain and mountain forests, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park covers 32,000 ha and is known for its exceptional biodiversity, with more than 160 species of trees and over 100 species of ferns. Due to its diverse habitats ranging from 1,160 to 2,706 m in altitude, location at the intersection of the Albertine, Congo Basin and Eastern Africa ecological zones, and probable role as a Pleistocene refugium, Bwindi Forest has the highest diversity of tree species over 200 species including 10 endemics and ferns some 104 species in East Africa, and maybe the most important forest in Africa for montane forest butterflies with 202 species including eight Albertine endemics. It is also host to a rich fauna including a number of endemic butterflies and one of the richest mammalian assemblages in Africa. This forest is believed to be a mere remnant of a very large forest which once covered much of western Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Home to almost half of about 340 of the world’s mountain gorilla population, Bwindi represents a conservation frontline as an isolated forest of outstanding biological richness surrounded by an agricultural landscape supporting one of the highest rural population densities in tropical Africa. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park also hosts numerous globally threatened species including high-profile mammals such as mountain gorilla, chimpanzee, l’Hoest’s monkey and African elephant; birds such as African green broadbill, Grauer’s swamp warbler, Turner’s Eremomela, Chapin’s flycatcher and Shelley’s crimson-wing; and butterflies such as African giant swallowtail and Cream-banded swallowtail.
Kasubi Tombs.
Visiting the Kasubi tombs offers a captivating and enriching experience that deepens your understanding of Ugandan history, culture, and spirituality. It’s a must-visit destination for anyone interested in exploring the cultural heritage of Kampala and the Buganda kingdom. Kasubi tombs are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites referred to as the Tombs of Buganda Kings. Kasubi constitutes a site embracing almost 30 ha of hillside within Kampala district. Most of the site is agricultural, farmed by traditional methods. At its core, on the hilltop, is the former palace of the Kabakas of Buganda, built in 1882 and converted into the royal burial ground in 1884. Four royal tombs now lie within the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga, the main building, which is circular and surmounted by a dome. It is a major example of an architectural achievement in organic materials, principally wood, thatch, reed, wattle, and daub. The site’s main significance lies, however, in its intangible values of belief, spirituality, continuity, and identity. The site is the major spiritual center for the Baganda, where traditional and cultural practices have been preserved. The Kasubi Tombs are the most active religious place in the kingdom, where rituals are frequently performed. Its place as the burial ground for the previous four kings (Kabakas) qualifies it as a religious centre for the royal family, a place where the Kabaka and his representatives carry out important rituals related to Buganda culture. The site represents a place where communication links with the spiritual world are maintained. During your visit here, you’ll get to explore the interior of the main tomb, which houses the burial chambers of several Buganda kings, including Kabaka Mutesa I, Kabaka Mwanga II, Kabaka Daudi Chwa II, and Kabaka Edward Mutesa II. Pay respects at the scary shrine and learn about the royal lineages and traditions of Buganda.
However, beyond this list, breathtaking scenes are everywhere in Uganda– offering a rare package of outstanding natural beauty enhancing its territory with everything from a hospitable people, timeless villages, magnificent parks and pristine scenery. The internet is awash with pictures manifesting Uganda’s incredible beauty, but nothing beats seeing these locations in person
Contact our trusted tour operators for more information about the World Heritage Sites in Uganda and explore their hidden gems our tours and travel companies such as Achieve Global Safari who offer the best tour packages while on, your safari in Uganda
