WHY VISIT TESO?

Teso is seemingly forgotten as majority of tourists seem to think a visit to Uganda is only about exploring the western and southern part of the country for game viewing and bird watching. However, a visit to this dubbed land of the wise is worthwhile you are on safari in Uganda especially if you want to get out of usual experiences.

Reasons to visit Teso

Serves as a major stop center for visitors to national parks

Teso is in eastern Uganda and composed of about 3million people. It covers districts like Soroti, Kumi, Serere, Ngora, Katakwi, Amuria, Kaberamaido and Palisa with majority of the people speaking Ateso. It serves as a major stop in Eastern Uganda for visitors on safari to Kidepo Valley National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Budongo Forest. Because its strategic location, you will be in position to embark on game viewing tour in anyone of the above protected areas. 

Landscape

Whereas Teso may not be as stunning as other areas, its beauty is unique on its own way with a chance for you to have clear view of skies, breathtaking landscape right from the rocky outcrops, swamps, beautiful lakes, hills, traditional homes.

Unique experiences

A visit to Teso gets you a chance to explore two remarkable Important Bird Areas and Ramsar Sites; Lake Bisina and Lake Opeta. The two magical lakes are endowed with variety of bird species, fish, flora and amphibian species to mention but a few.

Lake Opeta-Bisina wetland system is one of the few wetland systems left in Uganda and suitably set between Karamoja regions in the north and wet areas in the south. They are unique sites for birders. The birds to look out in these wetlands include the endemic fox’s weavers, shoebill and white backed ducks among others. 

Bird watching-about 350 distinct bird species do exist in Teso which makes it an ideal birding destination which very few travelers have explored. The birds to look out for while on tour in Teso include the shoebills, northern brown throated weaver, white winged warblers, carruther’s cisticola, papyrus canary, papyrus gonoleks, Abyssinian ground horn bill, woodland kingfisher, yellow breasted apalis, red fronted barbet, black billed barbet, brown babblers, European bee-eaters, little bee-eaters, northern red bishop, yellow crowned bishop, swallow tailed bee-eaters, augur buzzard, lizard buzzard, rattling cisticola, red faced cisticola, black and white cuckoos, egrets, yellow throated greenbul, white browed coucal, African crake, blue spotted wood dove, pin tailed whydahs, African emerald, African cuckoo to mention but a few.

Visit Nyero Rock Paintings in Ngora. This is one of the amazing sites that you need not to miss to visit while on tour in eastern Uganda. It consists of 3 caves and the paintings depict the ancient fishing, farming and hunting practices. The caves on the other hand served as areas where believers could go to worship and give sacrifices to ancestors in return for blessings during times of need for instance drought.

Hospitable people

The people themselves are warm welcoming and good to interact with. You can engage in a number of community activities or cultural and volunteering experiences. While here, you can visit different community eco-tourism sites for instance Kapir Community Eco-tourism site and Magoro Community Eco-tourism site with a chance to take part in a number of activities that include among others;

• Canoeing and fishing experience
• Canoe ride to Tisai Island along Lake Opeta and Lake Bisina 
•  Shoebill trekking
• Canoe ride to Tisai Island 
•  Visit the ostrich farm
• Cultural or traditional dances or learn about their traditions, norms, way of life among others

Visit the first ever aviation academy (flying school) which is situated in Soroti. It was set up with aim of boosting higher education and also to promote literacy among Ugandans. 

In summary, Teso features wide range of tourist sites and activities that are worth exploring while on Uganda safari. It features among a few places that have not been fully explored both by domestic and international tourists.