Boat Cruises in Uganda

Memories that keep coming in a land of many wonders and adventures is an unmatched. Uganda is the only place where you can take finest boat cruises during a safari holiday, combined with wildlife tours, chimpanzee hikes and gorilla treks. You not only test your courage, but uncover some of the world’s powerful water bodies; the aquatic residents, water birds, the vegetation and the serenity of the destination.

Uganda is a beautiful landlocked country; “the pearl of Africa” as called by the wartime British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in his book “My African Journey”. The nation is situated in the East of the continent of Africa, neighbored by Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

The country’s 15% of total land surface is covered by lakes, craters, waterfalls, marshlands, and rivers. Lake Victoria; the largest freshwater lake in the continent of Africa is the biggest water body in the country, spanning through Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda. River Nile is the longest river in the world and the major north-flowing river in the northeastern Africa.

The Nile River starts its three-month journey to the Mediterranean Sea from Jinja in Eastern Uganda. A boat cruise in Uganda is refreshing and unforgettable. Take a trip as a solo traveler, family, or group to any of these destinations and explore the calm waters in the Pearl of Africa.

Where to take a boat cruise in Uganda?

Boat cruise at Murchison Falls National Park.

A safari in Murchison falls national park is never complete without a boat cruise to the bottom of the world’s most powerful waterfalls-Murchison falls or downstream to the Albertine delta. Murchison falls national park is the largest and oldest national park in Uganda, with the most powerful waterfalls in the world, located in the southern part of the park along the shores of Lake Albert. There are two cruises in this park; the one upstream to the bottom of the falls, and another downstream known as the Nile-Lake Albert Delta launch cruise. Most people take the bottom of the falls boat cruise as it sails towards the point where Ernest Hemmingway’s plane crushed as well as for a clear view of the dramatic Murchison falls.

Each of these boat cruises last for about 2-3 hours, along approximately 17km distance, as you view lots of wildlife such as the Nile crocodile, school of hippos, aquatic birds, elephants, Uganda Kobs, bush bucks, and waterbucks by the lake shores, swamp and more. It starts and ends from the central Paraa Jetty. This boat cruise takes you to a spot for a clear view of the thundering waterfalls.

Boat cruise in Lake Mburo NP.

Lake Mburo National Park is located in Nyabushozi county, Kiruhura district, and the nearest national park to Kampala city thus favoring those who would love to explore wildlife with fixed schedule. The boat cruise takes place at the eastern part of Lake Mburo, starting from Rwonyo jetty.

Boat cruises here are done in two shifts; morning boat cruise from 08:00 hrs and 02:00 hrs for about 2-3 hours respectively with the views of variety of plants and wildlife including huge schools of hippos, crocodiles, several birds, elephants, antelopes and more.

Lake Bunyonyi boat cruise.

Boat cruises on Lake Bunyonyi offer incredible experiences of exploring the tranquility of Lake Bunyonyi and its over 29 Islands. Each island has a story; that a local guide will explain as you cruise passed.

Lake Bunyonyi is situated in south-western part of Uganda, bordering Rwanda and once appeared on the 5000 Uganda shillings note (2004-2009 series). The local guides will take you on either a canoe or motorized boat in the morning or afternoon hours for the experience. The water is Bilharzia free and safe for adventure.

Boat cruises on Kazinga channel, Queen Elizabeth National Park

A trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park is not worthwhile without a boat cruise experience on the elegant Kazinga channel. This is a 40km long water channel connecting Lake George and Lake Edward. Boat cruises here are done in two sessions; one at 09:00 hours and the second session at 14:00 hours for approximately 2-5 hours.

One gets to enjoy the calm waters, the clear view of the sky, site of several swamplands; several aquatic birds, animals such as hippos, elephants, crocodiles, and more. Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the ten national parks in Uganda, situated in the western part of the country.

Best time to take boat cruises in Uganda.

Boat cruises in Uganda take place throughout the year in the different destination as stated. All you need is to book with us your tailor-made boat cruise safari. The dry months (June to September and January to April) are the best months.

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.

I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.

If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.

The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.

The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.

The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.

The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.

I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.

We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.

Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.
The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.
Game drive security is assured.
Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.
Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.
The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.
It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.
I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.
My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.
I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.