From some of the world’s last mountain gorillas, to 15,000 foot mountains, to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda has a lot to offer. Here are 15 photos of Uganda that are sure to make your jaw drop.

White Nile

Uganda’s White Nile is sourced by Lake Victoria and is one of the best places in the country for adrenaline adventures. The river is popular for extreme kayaking, rafting, surfing, and all kinds of other water activities.

Mount Elgon

This mountain is the oldest solitary volcano in East Africa and peaks at a height of 4,321 meters. The slopes are carpeted in green flora, and it makes a fantastic place to go bird watching.

The Friendly Locals

Uganda is as much made up by its gorgeous nature as its friendly people. The people of Uganda are beautiful and can often be found dressed in colorful clothing like the woman pictured above.

Lions

Only a few of the big cats can be found in Uganda — fortunately for us, the lion is one of them. Unfortunately, their population is on the decline but conservation groups are looking to curb it.

Lots Of Snow

While snow might not be the first thing that comes to  your mind when you think about Uganda, the country still gets plenty of it up in its high peaks. Above, a hiker treks through the snow of the Rwenzori Mountains.

Hippos

Hippos, hippos, everywhere. If you’re near a body of water in Uganda, you can probably bet there are hippos lurking nearby. Here, dozens of hippos hang out in the Ishasha River — we don’t think we’ll be going for a swim.

Crocodiles

Where there are hippos, there are bound to be crocodiles. And in Uganda, the crocodiles get big…really big. A crocodile that was captured in 2014 weighed around 1,000kg.

White Water Rafting

Although some of the waterfalls that gave rise to the crazy rapids have been contained by dams in recent years, there are still some good spots to get up close and personal with white water in Uganda.

Murchison Falls National Park

Named after the famous waterfall located within its borders, Murchison Falls is one of the best places to view wildlife in East Africa. The park is bisected by the White Nile and together with the nearby Bugungu Wildlife Reserve and Karuma Wildlife Reserve, they form the Murchison Falls Conservation Area.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Bwindi is regarded as one of the richest ecosystems in Africa and its inhabitants, the mountain gorillas, attract hundreds of tourists every year to Uganda.

Grey Crowned Crane

What country wouldn’t want a bird like this as their national bird? The grey crowned crane is iconic and appears on the country’s flag.

Kidepo Valley National Park

One of the least visited parks in all of Uganda, Kidepo Valley is located in the far northeast of the country. Because of its remoteness, the park which shares borders with Kenya and newly-independent South Sudan has higher than average numbers of animals of which all of the main draws can be found.

Rwenzori Mountains

Rwenzori sits just north of the equator, on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Sometimes called the Mountains of the Moon, at least two of its summits reach more than 16,400 feet.

Rothschild’s Giraffes

Uganda is home to one of the most endangered giraffes on the planet, the Rothschild’s giraffe. Very few still live in the wild, and most live in Murchison Falls National Park (pictured above) or in Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya.

Gorillas

This great photo was captured by one of our writers, Linda Markovina. There are only a few more than 700 gorillas left in Central Africa and around half of them are located in Uganda.

More from AFKTravel:

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Uganda

Why You Should Visit Jinja, Uganda

City Guide: Entebbe, Uganda

This article was originally published on March 3, 2015.

Want to discover the finer side of Africa? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.