Dubbed the “pearl of Africa” by Winston Churchill in 1908, the small but incredibly diverse nation of Uganda remains a fascinating yet vastly underexplored destination.
The country’s commitment to heavy investment in its tourism infrastructure looks set to change this, though, and in 2017 expect Uganda to vie with Kenya and Tanzania for international visitors, drawing more and more travellers with its astonishing wildlife.
Find everything from three-horned chameleons to the iconic mountain gorilla – now more accessible than ever thanks to a recent gorilla-tracking initiative that allows trekkers to spend more time in the presence of these beautiful creatures.
Where else you canoe past crocodiles on the Nile, track gorillas in dense jungles, soak in hot springs, scale snowy mountain peaks or visit a traditional Batwa village – all within a single day’s journey? Only in Uganda.
Top 10 countries for 2017
1. India
2. Scotland
3. Canada
4. Uganda
5. Bolivia
6. Nicaragua
7. Portugal
8. Finland
9. Namibia
10. Taiwan
[Credit: Rough Guides]