Uganda is a landlocked country found in East Africa. It is bordered by Tanzania to the south, Congo to the west, Kenya to the east and South Sudan to the north. Despite being a land locked country, Uganda is blessed with impressive scenic wonders like tall mountains, lakes, rivers, breathtaking waterfalls and amazing wildlife among others. Uganda is commonly referred to as “the pearl of Africa” and this has contributed a lot to the tourism industry in the country.
Why is Uganda the Pearl of Africa? “The pearl of Africa” was not coined by a hired marketing agency or the Tourism board of Uganda but it was the great British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who came 
up with the description. Churchill was left awe-struck by the natural beauty of Uganda during his visit in 1907. He published a book in 1908 entitled “My African Journey” to in which he detailed his experience touring Africa. In the book, Winston Churchill praises the beauty of Uganda as follows: –
“For magnificence, for variety of form and color, for profusion of brilliant life, birds, insects, reptiles, beasts, for variety of scale, Uganda is truly the pearl of Africa”. We will now explain in more detail why Churchill was left stunned during his experience visiting in Uganda. You might interested about Student trips in Uganda. There is also an interesting article about how to plan a road trip in Uganda.
Why Uganda is called the Pearl of Africa
The source of the Nile: Uganda is blessed to be the starting point of the world’s longest river. From Uganda, the river Nile flows gracefully through the countries of South Sudan, Sudan and finally Egypt. 
By the time the waters of the Nile reach the Mediterranean Sea, it would have traveled a distance of 6,600km. The river Nile is the lifeblood of South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt because they are generally very dry countries. Water from the Nile is tapped to help with irrigation purposes in these dry countries hence contributing to food security. The Nile river has helped transform these countries from deserts to farming countries. A visit to the source of the Nile in Jinja takes you to a city described as the adrenaline capital of East Africa. After getting to the actual source of the Nile by boat, tourist also tour the town of Jinja which is home to amazing water sports like bungee jumping, kayaking, grade 5 rafting, tubing the Nile and evening boat cruises.
Impressive Wildlife: Uganda is home to many wildlife species that can be viewed from the various game parks and reserves like the Queen Elizabeth national park, lake Mburo national park, Murchison falls national park, Kidepo valley national park among other parks. Among the wildlife are the big 5 which include lions, African elephants, African buffaloes, leopards and rhinos. Visiting the Queen Elizabeth national park in particular gives visitors the opportunity to see the rare tree climbing lions. White Rhinos can be spotted in the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. We will be discussing birds and primates shortly.
Birds: Uganda is one of the best places to spot birds in Africa. The country is home to almost half of all the bird species found in the continent. Uganda stands out because of a high concentration of birds. 
Birds are drawn to Uganda because of the climate, landscape and scenery. Apart from resident species, Uganda receives migratory birds from other parts of Africa and Europe. Migratory birds arrive from Europe and North Africa between November to April and fly back with changes in season. Uganda is famous for the Shoebill Stork and other species like the beautiful Rwenzori Turaco. Bird watching in Uganda is organized with the help of professional Guides. The best places to find them are in the forests and wetlands.
Mountain Gorillas: Uganda is home to half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. These massive primates live in the Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park. Tourists travel 
from across the globe to have a close encounter with these gentle giants in their natural habitat. During a visit to the gorillas, tourists are left amazed with the sheer size of the silverback. Gorilla Trekking in Uganda offers opportunities to see mother gorillas grooming their little ones, juveniles playing and so much more. The dominant silverback gorilla is always watching over his family and comes off as confident, benevolent and charismatic. Mountain gorillas can also be seen in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, Uganda has far more mountain gorilla groups and is the only place where you can take part in the gorilla habituation experience.
Smaller Primates: Apart from gorillas, Uganda is home to smaller primates like chimpanzees, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, golden monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, colobus monkeys, baboons and many more. Primates in Uganda can be viewed from the Kibale forest national park in South-western Uganda or any of the national parks and game reserves. Primates can also be viewed from other wildlife sanctuaries spread throughout the country. Kibale stands out as the primate capital of Uganda because one can see 12 different species of primates and about 1500 chimpanzees.
Beautiful climate and fertile soils: Uganda experiences very favorable climates all year round. It is neither too cold nor too hot. In other words, the country experiences two weather seasons (wet and dry months). What makes the weather favorable every day is that it shines immediately after the rain stops. A lack of dramatic weather changes means visitors can easily adjust to the climatic conditions in the country. Uganda is also blessed with very fertile soils which support the growth of almost all types of crops. It is believed that almost half of East Africa’s arable land is found in Uganda. Uganda is an excellent producer of Arabica coffee, cereals and fruits.
Lake Victoria: Locally known as “Nalubaale”, Lake Victoria is the second largest fresh water lake in the world. It is the largest in Africa covering a total surface area of 59,947 square kilometers. Lake Victoria is also the source of the river Nile hence determining the well-being of people in Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt. Lake Victoria is one of the best fishing spots in Uganda. The key species are tilapia, silver fish and the giant Nile perch. Apart from sport fishing, Lake Victoria offers Travelers the opportunity to take part in boat cruises or relax in the numerous white sand beaches of its Ssese Islands.
Breathtaking Scenic Wonders: Uganda is a very beautiful country with impressive scenic wonders scattered around the country. Key among the wonders are towering mountains like the Rwenzori ranges and Mount Elgon. Then there is Mount Sabinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura. Uganda also has other beautiful lakes like Bunyonyi, Edward, Mulehe and George. Then there are magnificent waterfalls like the Ssezibwa falls, Murchison falls and Sipi falls. Uganda has ancient caves, rocks, crater Lakes, vast wilderness/plains like you can witness in Kidepo Valley National Park. Each part of Uganda has something special. Uganda surprises even those who have already been to the country several times.
Friendly and Welcoming people: You can’t talk about Uganda without mentioning the friendly and welcoming citizens. Uganda is one of the most peaceful countries in Africa and is well known for its easy-
going people. Ugandans are known for their sense of humor. Ugandan’s ensure that tourists enjoy their stay while in the country. While in Uganda, expect to meet people who are willing to share information about the culture, traditions, local languages and more. You can’t leave Uganda without making some good friends. It is important to point out that Uganda has the most relaxed refugee policy in the world. Uganda hosts the third largest refugee population in the world. The fact that a high number of refugee presence doesn’t because tension is a testament to the welcoming nature of Ugandans.
