A Week on the Wild Side

Gorilla Tracking

Rwanda Gorilla Tracking

The Explorers Trail

The Great Apes

The Uganda Adventurer

Uganda Under Canvas

The Great Apes (12 days):
We spend our first night at The Sheraton Kampala in preparation for the beginning of our trip tomorrow. After breakfast, we begin a full day’s drive west to the Kibale Forest National Park. We pass through Ugandan villages, taking in the rolling countryside and arrive in the late afternoon at our permanent mobile tented camp not far from the park. Here we will have a chance to relax and later enjoy the novelty of a bush shower, drawn to order.

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.

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 home to an incredibly diverse terrain. Prehistoric volcanic craters now serve as huge amphitheatres across which herds of Elephant and Buffalo roam 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 Safari 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 awaits us. The gorge is home to troops of Chimpanzee, some of them habituated to human presence. On our three to four hour walk we have a good chance of seeing them, as well as other 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 a 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 the possibility of good sightings. We arrive at Jacana Safari lodge in time for lunch. In the afternoon, we take a 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 a high diversity of butterflies and birds. Our walk culminates in a visit to volcanic caves that are home to thousands of bats, and often, African Rock Python.

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. We meet later around the campfire for dinner and to recount the day’s activities. 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, but 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 the previous days information 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 travel eastwards to Lake Mburo Tented Camp. We enjoy an evening game drive to view the parks plains game species and birds. 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.