A Week on the Wild Side

Gorilla Tracking

Rwanda Gorilla Tracking

The Explorers Trail

The Great Apes

The Uganda Adventurer

Uganda Under Canvas

The Explorers Trail (15 days):
On arrival we will travel by speedboat to the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary on Lake Victoria. The lake, at 69,000 square kilometers is the second-largest fresh water lake in the world, and this boat ride will give you some idea of its sheer size.

Ngamba Island Sanctuary is a program run by the Jane Goodall Institute for orphaned chimpanzees rescued within Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The environment on the 97 acres island is the same as for wild chimpanzees: an African tropical rainforest with more than 50 species of plants that chimps are known to utilize in Uganda. There is plenty of room for the chimps, however a lack of natural resources necessitates that at certain times they are fed. Two of these feeds are delivered from the viewing platform, providing an opportunity for the island's many visitors to observe and photograph the chimps. We then return to Entebbe, and The Windsor Lake Victoria Hotel.

With an early start on day 2, we travel to the Murchison Falls National Park. This park is Uganda’s largest, at 3,840 square kilometers, and is bisected by the river Nile. Traveling through the park we reach The Murchison Falls, and pause at the top, where the entire Nile is forced through a gap only six meters wide. We go on from here to cross the Nile by ferry, where we check in to Paraa Safari Lodge, catch our breath and prepare for dinner.

This morning, we will go on a “sunrise game drive” on the Buligi Circuit, north of the Nile. Amidst the unusual-looking Borrassus Palms, we will encounter Buffalo, Elephant, and a wide variety of plains game. If we are lucky, we may catch sight of the resident lion or leopard. After lunch, we get a chance to experience one of Uganda’s great experiences – a game cruise on the Nile up river towards the Falls. We’ll pass pods of hippo and crocodile, flocks of exotic birds, butterflies and game coming down to drink at the water’s edge. Sir Winston Churchill once described this boat trip as being like Regents Park Zoo and Kew Gardens combined.

After breakfast this morning, we embark on yet another uniquely Ugandan experience – primate tracking in a tropical forest. This is not just any tropical forest, though. Budongo is East Africa’s largest Mahogany forest, and this is an excellent place to marvel at the magnificent but increasingly rare giants. The forest is also famous for its chimpanzees; between 600-800 chimpanzees depend on the fruits and foods of the forest, and we may spot some of them and other primates on our walk. Serenading us will be some of the forest’s 366 bird species.

On day 5 we begin a full day’s drive southwest to the Kibale Forest National Park. We pass through Ugandan villages, catching views of the Western Rift Valley as we go. In the late afternoon we arrive at our tented camp, where we will enjoy the novelty of a mobile camp in Africa - hot canvas bush showers and friendly service.

This 766-square-kilometer tropical rain forest is the natural habitat for an amazing 12 primate species, and contains the highest primate density on Earth. Here, on a guided forest walk, you may find families of Chimpanzees and Red Colobus Monkeys chattering and swinging through the ancient forest trees. Some of the trees are 50 to 60 meters high, and provide a majestic canopy for the profusion of rain forest life, including 325 bird species. Even though you may only rarely see them, the park is home to the largest population of Forest Elephant in Uganda, and is also home to Buffalo, Uganda Kob, Genet, Civet, Waterbuck and Bushbuck. This morning we take a guided walk through this fascinating forest, following the well-marked trails. After lunch we visit a nearby forest swamp that is excellent for viewing more primates and other forest animals. Day 7 dawns - After breakfast we enjoy another morning walk in the forest, and return to camp for lunch. We then set out in a southerly direction for the Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is incredibly diverse in its terrain. Prehistoric volcanic craters now serve as huge amphitheatres across which herds of Elephant and Buffalo troop its floor. Some of these craters have formed salt lakes in which Flamingo, from as far away as Kenya, are scattered like delicate pink dust. Wide-open plains support fair numbers of game, both prey and predator. The two large lakes that bound the park – Edward and George, together with the connecting Kazinga Channel are home to large numbers of Hippo, and numerous Crocodile. This evening, we arrive at Mweya Lodge, dramatically located on a peninsula that juts out into Lake Edward and provides excellent views of the Kazinga Channel.

Our experience in Queen Elizabeth begins this morning with a visit to the park’s crater area northwards towards the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains. These huge natural formations were created thousands of years ago when the Rift Valley was still being formed. Today they form a staggeringly beautiful backdrop to the area’s game. We return to the lodge in time for lunch, and in time to prepare for our launch trip on the Kazinga Channel. This water system hosts the highest concentration of Hippo in the world, and this excursion brings us up close to them. We will also see crocodile, buffalo, and other game that drink from the Channel, and experience the profusion of bird life that is supported here.

Our adventure necessitates a very early breakfast this morning. We drive to the top of the Chambura Gorge, a deep natural ravine in the surrounding plains. We descend onto the floor of the gorge, where a riverine forest, very different from what we have so far seen, awaits us. The gorge is home to a number of bird and mammal species. We drive back to the lodge for lunch, followed by a late afternoon game drive. On the game drive, we may run into Waterbuck, Elephant, Giant Forest Hog, Bushbuck, Buffalo, or even Lion or Leopard.

Today we have the pleasure of another pre-dawn game drive. We leave early for the Kasenyi sector of the park, with its prolific plains game. As we watch the sun rise over the candelabra-like Euphorbia trees, we may be lucky enough (cloud cover permitting) to spot a glint of ice from the glaciers at the top of the Rwenzori Mountains, with Margherita Peak clearly visible. Kasenyi is a favorite for Lion and other predators, and presents good sighting opportunities. We arrive at Jacana Safari Lodge in time for lunch and take a late afternoon bush walk through the Maramagambo Forest. This is one of the largest forests in Uganda, and forms a habitat for a number of primates and forest dwellers. Due to its location, Maramagambo also has an immense diversity of butterflies and birds. Our walk culminates in a visit to volcanic caves that are home to thousands of bats, and often, several reptile species.

Today we travel further south to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world. On arrival, we are welcomed to the luxurious Gorilla Forest Camp. The next two days activities may be amongst the most exciting and challenging of our entire expedition. The Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi are part of a worldwide population of just 600 individuals. The gorillas we are allowed to track belong to one of two habituated family groups, however they are by no means tame! Our experienced guides will accompany us on our tracking, many of whom have been involved in the habituation process themselves. The guides will use their knowledge of the gorillas’ habits and information from the previous day to locate the group’s whereabouts. Because of this, the time taken to track the gorillas varies enormously. Once the gorillas are located, our group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. This is one of the world’s most truly memorable experiences! It also brings home the poignant fact that they are on the edge of extinction, and that our presence here contributes to ensuring their continued survival.

Today we will travel eastwards to Lake Mburo Tented Camp. We enjoy an evening game drive to view the parks plains game species and birds. Like all good things that come to an end, after an early morning game drive, we return to Entebbe, where we will check in to our hotel and prepare for our evening flight out. We will arrive in time for lunch, with the afternoon at leisure by the pool.