Gorillas, Chimps and Wild Places – Uganda here I Come!

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Lucky, lucky me – I really love my job!   In order to provide my guests with the best inside information and to design itineraries that suit them perfectly, I have to go and visit places that I recommend.  I have been sending guests to lodges in Uganda for a while now, and have been doing so ‘blind’ relying completely on research and recommendations from colleagues that had been there.

So, when the chance came up that I could join an educational safari to Uganda, I jumped at the opportunity.  Thanks to The Uganda Safari Company and Honourway, I will be doing the following itinerary in October this year.

Did I say how much I love my job????

Day 1

Upon arrival at the Entebbe International Airport you will be met by The Uganda Safari Company guide. Having passed immigration and luggage collection please exit the arrival hall and look out for your TUSC guide who will be holding up a signboard with your name and featuring our logo. You will then be transferred to your hotel in Kampala, taking between 45 minutes to one hour, depending on traffic.

Emin Pasha Hotel is a luxury boutique hotel nestled in two acres of beautifully landscape gardens of Kampala. Centrally located and within walking distance of Kampala’s business district, it is amazingly tranquil and peaceful. The Hotel is in a lovingly restored old colonial building and features 20 bedrooms. The Fez Brasserie and Wine Bar offers eclectic cuisine and a selection of South African’s finest wines. Other amenities include a pool, massages, a small library and two private lounges.

Day 2

This morning after breakfast we will depart by Vehicle for Lake Mburo National park. This will take approximately 4 hours. You will be heading towards the Equator so can stop for a cup of coffee or tea, as well as an informative talk.

Lake Mburo National Park is located between Kampala and Bwindi National Park, making it a great location for a stop over on your way to the gorilla trek. It extends over 260 km2 and its altitude ranges from 1220 to 1800 meters above sea level. There are several large lakes in the park which are fed by the Rwizi River with Lake Mburo being the largest of them. The park mainly consists of open savannah and acacia woodland while papyrus swamps line the verges of the lakes. The park offers a harbor for some of the rarer species of Uganda such as impalas and zebras. Furthermore, there are several antelope species, hyenas, buffalos, leopards, jackals, wild pigs, hippos and around 300 species of birds to be seen in the park. Especially bird viewing opportunities are excellent – for birders, this is one of the best places to find African fin foot, papyrus bush shrike.

Mihingo Lodge is a peaceful and exclusive retreat adjacent to Lake Mburo National Park. It features ten tents which are built on wooden platforms with stilts, covered by a thatched roof. Suspended under the thatched roof is a spacious and comfortable tent equipped with en-suite bathrooms.  The main dining area is a large thatched structure built out of rocks, the wood of dead weathered  olive trees found on the land, and native grasses. Below the dining area, an infinity swimming pool stretches out from the rocks; guests can enjoy the view over Lake Mburo National Park.

Day 3

After an early breakfast we will head towards the highlands to Kabale (3 hours), then onwards another 4 hour journey offers excellent views including mountain lakes and the triangular peaks of the Virunga Volcanoes of Rwanda and the Congo. The road then climbs up towards Nkuringo, which looks down onto Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home of the mountain gorilla.
We will stay in the Nkuringo Village prior to tomorrow’s gorilla trek in the park.

This rainforest is said to be 25.000 years old, making it one of Africa’s most biodiverse habitat. The altitude of this mountain park ranges from 1200 – 2600 meters. Five rivers and a high annual rainfall make it rather humid. Besides its mayor attraction, the mountain gorillas (gorilla gorilla berengeri) the National Park is also home to an amazing 120 mammal species, 350 species of birds, 202 species of butterflies and over 200 species of trees.

It is believed that about 350 gorillas remain in several stable groups in the park. The great protection over the last years has lead to a steady increase of the population. Although best know for its mountain gorillas, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest also attracts spectacular birds.  There are 23 of the 24 Albertine rift endemics including the African green broadbill, bar tailed trogan and other beautiful forest species.

Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge high up on Nteko Ridge, on the edge of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, the views are breathtaking, In the shadow of three volcanoes, looking down into the thick treetop canopy of Bwindi and beyond to the golden grasses of the Western Rift Valley.  8 Stone cottages with fireplaces, soft armchairs, warm duvets, excellent meals made from local produce, good wine, a lush botanical garden, a cosy library and sheltered verandas with views to the volcanoes.  Clouds, with the ultimate goal of protecting the natural habitat of the mountain gorilla, will also directly benefit the community of Nkuringo who also have a significant stake in the venture.

Guests will be able to walk from the lodge to the Gorilla tracking starting point.

Day 4

Up relatively early for a hearty breakfast to give you the energy needed for your gorilla trek. Before 8 am report to the ranger station for registration and a talk by one of the rangers; the guides will then take you through the bush pushing your way through the undergrowth, parting thick creepers, to track the gorillas. The trek can take from half an hour to 7 hours – a reasonable degree of fitness is required as well as a sturdy pair of walking shoes.

Once you are close to the group the guides will ask you to leave behind your bags as no food items should be carried close to the gorillas. Just take your cameras with you as you are about to meet the gentle giants! Sit in the forest amongst the gorillas, listening to them grumble to each other and marvel at the sheer size of the dominant male; the silverback. It is an extraordinary feeling sitting in the dense rainforest knowing you are with a few of the last remaining mountain gorillas – sadly enough there are only about 650 of these beautiful creatures left. You are allowed exactly one hour with the gorillas before returning to the base station.

Please note: please listen to the instructions of the local rangers at all times. It is forbidden to approach the gorillas closer than 5 meters, to feed them or to use flash photography. Likewise for your and their safety! You will be accompanied by armed guards which guarantee your safety in an area where wild buffaloes are sighted. While walking, please feel free to ask guides to slow down if they are going too fast and if you need a rest. There is the additional option to hire porters on site.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority does not allow a trekking when you are sick as gorillas are very susceptible of human diseases. Should you feel sick the day of the trek we urgently advise you to abide this rule. In order to receive a 50% refund of the permit cost you MUST get a doctor’s report that day (please ask your guide to arrange this for you).

We must also stress that, while you have a very good chance of seeing gorillas, success is NOT guaranteed. They are wild creatures with no fixed routine and finding them requires the skills and experience of your tracker sand guides, as well as luck. The trackers and guides have helped to habituate the gorilla groups and know them intimately. They will take you to the area where they left the gorillas the day before. Before leaving they may be able to suggest how long the hike might be.

If you are back intime the afternoon you can take a guided walk and experience the local community in the Ntungamo village. The people of Nteko are largely self sufficient. The community experience discovers how they rely on local producers to provide commodities such as medicine, tools, soap, beer, baskets and food.

Day 5

After breakfast we depart by road to Semliki Wildlife reserve. This drive will take aproximatly10 hours, but there is a lovely walk you can take through the Bwindi Impenetrable forest to the Buhoma side of Bwindi and then drive (walk 2 1/2 hours walk and then a 7hour drive).

Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve, the oldest protected area in Uganda and home to a staggering array of flora and fauna.  The Reserve is situated in the basin of the Western Rift Valley. It is one of the most diverse habitats in Africa with wonderful examples of Riparian forest, gallery rain forest, borassus palm forest, and short and high grass savannas. Chimps exist next to elephant, lion and buffalo as well as the usual Western Uganda species.

Nestled on the crest of the beautiful Wasa River Valley is the small and luxurious Semliki Safari Lodge. The eight rooms are tented with large four-poster beds, Persian carpets and en-suite bathrooms.  At night through the canvas you can hear the animals moving, the lions roaring and often the leopards harsh sawing as it hunts baboons. We have a lovely swimming pool area, ideal for relaxing, while still feeling as though you are truly in the heart of Africa. The food prepared by our chefs could best be described as ‘fusion food’, and we endeavor to use as much local, fresh produce as possible.

After an early morning rise, tea in your tent and a good breakfast before you depart on A Boat Trip on Lake Albert to try and see the incredible and rare shoebill, visually a cross between a dodo and a dinosaur. The lake is superb: there are sand cliffs where brightly coloured colonies of red-throated bee-eaters dart in an out of their burrows, there are several fishing villages along the way, virtually untouched by the ‘western world’. Then drive back to the Lodge through the borassus palm forest and the acacia savannah reveals different species of raptors and passerines.

Or
An early morning rise, tea in your tent, and then you will go down into the beautiful gallery rainforest to track wild chimpanzees.  Chimps are tracked by researchers in Semliki at dawn and dusk, as they tend to disappear in the middle of the day. The Semliki Chimp Project is jointly run by The Uganda Safari Company and the University of Indiana. The project was initiated to study bipedalism and the rare geography of Semliki makes ideal to study this important stage in man’s development. There are also a number of bird species which are found in this picturesque forest. The time of this walk is hard to predict – please seek information previous to the walk from our lodge managers and the researchers to find out more about the current location of the chimpanzee groups and the likeliness of finding them.

In the afternoon
A spot light night game drive will give you the chance to see fantastic nocturnal species.  This is the only place in Uganda where you can do a night drive! You never know what you may see.  Sometimes the big cats (lions and leopards) are sighted as well as the diminutive genet and serval cats. Unusual nocturnal dwellers also show themselves such as forest elephants, white tailed mongoose and slender mongoose, standard and pennant winged nightjars depending on the time of year. There are always surprises on the night drives.

Or

A forest walk in the Mugiri River Forest.  This is a beautiful riverine rain forest bordered by riparian forest. Colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys and chimpanzees live here as well as a host of butterflies and bird species.  There are also large mammals and sometimes seen are the shy forest elephants.

Day 7

After an early breakfast we will depart towards Entebbe for your boat over to Bulago island. You will only need an overnight bag and can leave all you heavy luggage with the vehicle.You will overnight at the new lodge before departing to Kidepo tomorrow.

The Uganda Safari company and Wildplaces are about to embark on another new venture….expanding their portfolio of properties to five! Construction on the development of Bulago Island Lodge will commence on the 1st September 2009 and we envisage reopening the fully refurbished lodge in time for Easter in 2010.

BULAGO ISLAND

With 6kms of sandy beaches and almost 10kms of shore line on 500acares, Bulago is a small paradise away from the hustle of urban life. Surrounded by Lake Victoria its shoreline is made up of rocky outcrops and low cliffs. Around the shore the soil is highly fertile and tree covered. The north-east tip of the island contains a small portion of rainforest. The interior of the island is less fertile and is covered with savannah-like grassland.

A number of local farmers are able to provide a range of fruit and vegetables, ducks, chickens, pigs and goats. The fish – Nile Perch and Tilapia – can be caught by line or bought from the local fishermen.

Activities on the island
Sailing on the lake
Nile Perch and Tilapia Fishing
Water skiing
Sun downer cruises
Nature walks
Bird watching
Horses thrive on the island and there are currently two Somali ponies used for riding.

Day activities from the island
Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary is located just 4 miles south of Bulago Island.
Entebbe zoo and botanical gardens

By Boat
it takes about 30 minutes by speedboat from Entebbe to Bulago, depending on the condition of the lake.

Day 8, 9, 10

After breakfast you will depart for the main land and your guide will drive to Entebbe for your flight to Kidepo Valley National Park.

You will be met by staff of our lodge at the airstrip, then drive to the lodge which takes only 5 minutes. Please talk to our lodge managers about the many places you can visit and activities you can do. They will be in the best position to advise you which areas to venture out to for the best game viewing and also weather conditions might cause a change of your itinerary. Let the explorer awake in you and take you to the best locations at the best time!

Game drives and walks at Apoka are directed by nature not time! Take a walking safari along a sandy dry river bed fringed with palm trees, climb to the top of a rocky outcrop and take in the views! We move slowly along isolated tracks to fully appreciate all around us, looking for tracks and signs of the animals movements we can stop at any point to investigate further. We may take a walk to track the lions, or even cheetah, always surrounded by Zebra, Waterbuck, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Warthogs, Patas monkeys and big herds of Buffalo.

Afterwards, relax in your outdoor bathtub under the stars, take a dip in our big rock swimming pool overlooking the savannah and a waterhole frequently visited by animals before having dinner at the main building.

Apoka Safari Lodge is located in the middle of Kidepo Valley National Park. It offers ten big tented rooms with hardwood floors, hot running water (solar heated) and comfy furniture located around a dramatic rocky kopje each with the most astounding views out across the plains to the jagged mountains in the distance.  Outdoor bathtubs are carved out of the rock face, the furniture is handmade.

Our staff are from the local community – the Apoka experience is truly unique, indigenous and natural.  While the décor is uncluttered – a minimal aesthetic that uses the dramatic scenery and light as its inspiration and adornment – comfort is de riguer. Oversized armchairs, king size beds, cushions in little private nooks, soft summer weight duvets, Egyptian cotton towels and wonderful fusion cuisine. It is just a short drive from the airstrip to the lodge. From the pool, carved into the rocks, you can observe animals at the below waterhole. Meals are served from a set menu but please do speak with our chef should you have special wishes.

Day11

After breakfast you will return back to Entebbe. International Airport for your outbound flight.

DID I SAY HOW MUCH I LOVE MY JOB??

If you would like to read about one of my colleague’s trips to Uganda, please click on the following links:

Sheena Knox             Click here