Game Drives in Pian-Upe Game Reserve

Visit Uganda to experience an exceptionally breathtaking game drive on the beautiful plains of Pian-Upe Game Reserve in the northeastern. Nestled on a total land area of approximately 2,275 square kilometers and altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 3,068 meters above sea level, Pian-Upe Game Reserve is the largest wildlife reserve in Uganda. Previously known as Debasien Animal Sanctuary, Pian-Upe was established as a game reserve in 1964 and is now under the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

How game drives are conducted in Pian-Upe Game Reserve

Game drives in Pian-Upe Game Reserve typically start early at 6:00 am when many wild animals are still active. Visitors are driven on particular tracks within Pian-Upe while on a 4×4 safari car. This ensures that they can use the open roof to view numerous wildlife species in the open plains. The vehicle is driven by a knowledgeable guide from Standard Safaris and the drive can take about 2-3 hours or even more.

What to see in Pian-Upe Game Reserve during a game drive

Pian-Upe Game Reserve is dominated by savannah grassland and woodland with a forest in the north. These are home to many flora and fauna that can be explored while on a game drive in Pian-Upe Game Reserve. Among the biodiversity are mammals, birds, reptiles, and plants. Mammals include cheetahs, leopards, roan antelopes, waterbucks, Uganda kobs, zebras, hartebeests, buffaloes, warthogs, gazelles, reedbucks, jackals, duikers, hyenas, civets, porcupines, aardvarks, giraffes and others.

Reptiles in the Pian-Upe Game Reserve include puff adders, chameleons, monitor lizards, rock pythons, etc. Bird species include secretary bird, ostrich, yellow-billed shrike, grey-chested Illadopsis, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Elgon francolin, grey crowned crane, Karamoja apalis, Fox’s weaver, golden-winged sunbird, moorland francolin, marsh owl, grey-chested babbler and the superb sterling among others.

Additional activities besides game drives in Pian Upe Game Reserve

Besides a game drive, Pian-Upe Game Reserve has many activities to offer visitors to tour there. These experiences include.

Birdwatching excursions

Birding enthusiasts and ornithologists can explore at least 240 species at Pian-Upe Game Reserve. These include the dusky turtle dove, swamp nightjar, and wattled lapwing to mention but a few.

Guided nature walks

Travelers participate in a physically demanding hike moving on foot to explore Pian-Upe’s flora, fauna, and landscapes. Equipped with your camera and binoculars, you can take beautiful shots of the savannah plains interspersed with sausage trees, shrubs, and grasses. You can have gorgeous views of Mountains Elgon, Kadam, and Napak while you hike towards the Napedet cave. This guided adventure will lead you face to face-with numerous birds, animals, insects, and many wildlife species.

Cultural encounter

This takes you to see and interact with the native tribe known as the Karimojong. This beautiful and insightful community will educate you about their cultures and customs and how they have interacted with Pian-Upe. Visitors can take this opportunity to appreciate the Karimojong lifestyle and experiences.

Mountain climbing

It leads you to the Napedet cave on the volcano, Mount Napak is another exciting adventure that can be enjoyed besides a game drive in Pian-Upe. Mountain Napak and Kadam are volcanoes with cultural, historical, and archaeological importance, so hiking on them is insightful and enjoyable.

The best time to visit Pian-Upe Game Reserve for a game drive

Explore Pian-Upe Game Reserve throughout the year, but a more convenient time for a game drive is during the dry season. Pian-Upe experiences the dry season from January to March and November to December, the best time to visit is the former. During this time, the vegetation is less dense and the tracks are dry thus easy to navigate. With fewer chances of showers, you will have an uninterrupted game drive. In addition, the wild animals will be easier to locate since they opt to gather around scarce available water sources.

How to reach Pian-Upe Game Reserve for a game drive

Both road and air transportation are convenient ways of reaching Pian-Upe Game Reserve for a game drive. Using road transportation, a 420-kilometer scenic trip from Kampala through Jinja, Mbale, and Soroti takes between 7.5 to 8 hours. Travelers from Kidepo Valley National Park can reach Pian-Upe Game Reserve via Kotido and Moroto or Kaabong. This is a 345-kilometer scenic road trip that takes 5.5 to 7 hours. Book with Standard Safaris for a seamless transfer. We offer a wide range of vehicles for car-hire services like safari vehicles, minibusses, and others. We also have professional knowledgeable driver guides to make your travel insightful and fun.

What to pack for the Pian-Upe Game Reserve game drive

Exploring the massive and stunning Pian-Upe Game Reserve on a vehicle can be a successful experience, especially if you do not forget to travel with the following essentials,

Sunglasses
Long-sleeved shirt and trousers
Insect repellent
Suncream
Refillable water bottle
Snacks
Binoculars
Camera or smartphone and charger or extra battery
Comfortable walking shoes and a pair of socks
Wide-brimmed hat
Travel documents like visa
Daypack
First aid kit including personal medication and toiletries
Extra cash for emergencies
Torch
Head sock

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.

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