Uganda game reserves are 12 in numbers and these famous Uganda wildlife reserves form a great part of Uganda safari attractions that fascinate tourists undertake Uganda safari visits.

Here Is A list Of Uganda Game Reserves OR Uganda Wildlife Reserves.

1. Ajai Wildlife Reserve
2. Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve
3. Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve
4.  Bokora Corridor Wildlife Reserve
5. Matheniko Wildlife Game Reserve
6. Kyambura Wildlife Game Reserve
7. Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve
8. Karuma Wildlife Game Reserve
9. Bugungu Wildlife Reserve
10. Kigezi Wildlife Reserve
11. Katonga Wildlife Game Reserve

A Wildlife safari in Uganda is a great opportunity to discover Uganda’s 12 wildlife reserves. A wildlife reserve means any area of national or local importance set aside to preserve its biological diversity, landscape, or natural heritage as well as offering visitors great scenic viewing, recreation, scientific research, and regulated extractive utilization of resources.

A Uganda safari to North Eastern Uganda takes you to the Pian Upe Game reserve, Bokora-Corridal Wildlife reserve, and Matheniko Wildlife Game Reserve. These reserves together with Kidepo Valley National Park form the great Karamoja wildlife protection zone. They host unique wildlife species such as cheetahs, roan antelopes, leopards, spotted hyenas, zebras, elands, greater kudus, and topis. Pian Upe Game Reserve is the best area in Uganda to see cheetahs.

The Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve in western Uganda near Semuliki National Park is mainly of interest to bird watchers. The reserve has an impressive checklist, which includes many birding specials. Your ornithologist guide will assist you in locating and identifying hundreds of avifauna including the rare shoebills in the reserve. Still in western Uganda, on the banks of River Katonga, is found Katonga Wildlife Reserve, one of the best places in East Africa to see the rare marsh-dwelling sitatunga antelope.

Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve,  a hidden gem on the floor of the Albertine Rift Valley offers great Uganda birding-watching safari opportunities in Uganda. On the north-eastern side of Queen Elizabeth National Park is located Kyambura Wildlife Game Reserve, home to a variety of primates including habituated Chimpanzees. The western side of Murchison falls National Park harbors Bugungu Wildlife Reserve which is home to 240 species of bird and several mammal species, but also the eastern edge of Murchison Falls National Park harbors Karuma Wildlife Game Reserve one of the best places to for seeing aquatic birds.

Further in the Northwest of Uganda is Ajai Wildlife Game Reserve with several aquatic animals such as hippos, crocodiles, and reptiles such as pythons. Another stunning wildlife reserve to visit on a wildlife safari in Uganda is Kigezi Wildlife Reserve home to lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, and giant forest hogs and chimpanzees which are some of the most sought after wild animals by Uganda tour travelers.

Ajai Wildlife Reserve Uganda

Uganda’s Ajai Wildlife Reserve is situated in the northern part of the country along the western shores of the mighty Albert Nile near the Arua district. The reserve is covered by grassland and spans 166 square kilometers. Initially, Ajai Game Reserve was managed by a local chief named “Ajai” 1930s hence the Reserve derived its name from him. Up to 1980, the Wildlife Reserve was one of the few areas where White Rhinos can be seen during a Uganda wildlife safari. However, they are now extinct within the Wildlife Reserve. This explains why it used to be called Ajai Rhino Sanctuary. At that time, it sheltered over 60 white Rhinos of the total 80 of these mammals that Uganda had.

Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve Uganda

The Pian Upe Wildlife Game Reserve is one of the most remarkable protected areas in the Karamoja sub-region in Northeastern Uganda. It covers an area of about 2788 square kilometers which makes it the second biggest protected area in the country just after Murchison Falls National Park. The southern side of this incredible game reserve was gazetted as the Debasien Animal Sanctuary in 1958. In 1964, this area was extended northwards and it was named Pian Upe Game Reserve. This remarkable game reserve is composed of hot springs and it is sighted as one of the incredible Uganda safari game parks/destinations with mercury wells just at Mount Kadam…

Toro-Semuliki Wildlife Reserve Uganda

The Toro-Semliki Wildlife Game Reserve Uganda is the oldest protected natural area in Uganda, having first been set aside in 1926. Semuliki Game Reserve is located near the western border of Uganda, within sight of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It covers an area of 542 km2 and lies within the districts of Kabarole and Ntoroko. Toro Semuliki reserve is about 55 kilometers by road, north of Fort Portal, the nearest large city. Toro Semuliki Wildlife Reserve also lies 20km east of Semuliki National Park. Kigezi was established as a buffer zone.

Bokora Corridor Wildlife Reserve Uganda

Bokora corridor Game reserve is situated in North-eastern Uganda. This protected area was gazetted in 1964 and covers an area of 2056 square Kilometers of mainly dry plains spanning from the Kadam Mountain to Mount Napak on its Northern side. Bokora corridor is one of the numerous wildlife reserves found within the borders of Uganda and is part of the assortment of wildlife reserves in the great Karamoja sub-region. This Wildlife reserve is a real wildlife hot spot for travelers who would wish to go for the Uganda wildlife safaris in Northern Uganda. However, the poor condition of roads makes it very difficult to access it especially during the rainy season.

Matheniko Wildlife Game Reserve Uganda

The remote Matheniko Wildlife reserve is situated on the savannah plains of the Karamoja sub-region. The reserve is located in the Moroto district and covers an area of 1520 square kilometers. It is managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.  Matheniko stands at an altitude of 1070m to 1830m above sea level. This exceptional game reserve is a section of the Karamoja Protected Areas and stretches from the spectacular Kidepo Valley National Park through the Bokora Wildlife Game Reserve to the Pian Upe game reserve.  The North-eastern boundary of the Matheniko reserve lies in the Uganda-Kenya border. Visitors on a Uganda safari to Kidepo National Park can have a short Uganda tour to see the exceptional animal and bird species in Matheniko.

Kyambura Wildlife Game Reserve Uganda

Kyambura forest reserve in Queen Elizabeth National Park is located on the north-eastern side of Queen Elizabeth National Park, approximately 30 km from the park headquarters. Kyambura Gorge spans a distance of 11 km and links to the Kazinga Channel, which forms the northern boundary of the reserve. The reserve’s mean altitude is 1100 meters above sea level. The total area of the reserve is 156 sq. km. Kyambura Game Reserve was formed to serve as a buffer zone to Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda. It was first established as a Controlled Hunting Area in 1963 and was gazetted as a game reserve in 1965.

Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve Uganda

Kabwoya Game reserve is a hidden gem situated on the floor of Albertine Rift Valley. The reserve is positioned between the rift Valley escarpment, Lake Albert, and the breathtaking blue mountains of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. A Uganda safari Kabwoya Wildlife Game Reserve offers visitors one of the best scenic areas in western Uganda. Kabwoya covers an area of 87 square kilometers and is boarded to the north by a community wildlife Area called Kaiso – Tonya. The two areas originally constituted the Kaiso-Tonya Controlled Hunting Area, gazetted in 1963. This area became a wildlife Reserve in 2002 but until today, few people know about it.

Karuma Wildlife Game Reserve Uganda

Karuma Wildlife Reserve extends over an area of 820 square kilometers. The reserve was established as a wildlife reserve in 1964 to act as a buffer zone between the Murchison Falls National Park and the surrounding Villages. The reserve is situated in Kiryandongo district in western Uganda. It stands at an elevation of 902 meters above sea level. The wildlife contains the spectacular roaring Karuma waterfalls located on the Victoria Nile. These fascinating waterfalls are situated not far from Murchison Falls National Park Uganda the largest and the oldest protected area in Uganda. Karuma Wildlife Reserve was traditionally an extensive area for large Uganda animals or mammals of Uganda such as elephants.

Bugungu Wildlife Reserve Uganda

Gazetted as Uganda safari reserve in 1968, Bugungu Game reserve is a tinny wildlife reserve that shelters and protects the savannah grassland and seasonal wetland at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment to the western side of the enormous Murchison Falls National park Uganda.  Bugungu is part of the enormous Murchison Falls Conservation Area that is made up of the Murchison Falls National park, Karuma Wildlife Reserve, and the Bugungu Wildlife reserve all found within North-western Uganda. The game reserve is situated between Bulisa and Masindi district..

Kigezi Wildlife Reserve Uganda

Kigezi Wildlife Game Reserve is situated within the Rukungiri district, western Uganda close to the Maramagambo forest. It is an ideal place for travelers planning a Uganda safari tour to explore the wonders of the Maramagambo Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda. It was established into a Game Reserve in 1952 and currently stretches for over 265 square kilometers. Kigezi game reserve is characterized by different habitats that include open grasslands, woodlands, and savannah. Kigezi was established as a buffer zone to the Rwenzori Mountains National Park to the North.

Katonga Wildlife Game Reserve

The Katonga wildlife reserve is located in western Uganda, along the banks of River Katonga. It is a savannah grassland ecosystem located within Kyenjojo and Kamwenge Districts.  The wildlife reserve lies with an area of 207 square kilometers. Katonga Game Reserve was gazetted in 1964 as a game reserve to serve as a corridor for migrating wildlife from western Uganda to Tanzania and South Sudan. It became a Wildlife Reserve in 1996 when the former Game Department and Uganda National Parks merged to form Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).  A wildlife safari in Uganda into the Reserve is a three-hour drive from Kampala to Kyegegwa Town Council. At Kyegegwa, detour southwards for.