Monday 31 July 2017

OH UGANDA! HERE ARE THE TOP REMARKABLE DESTINATIONS


If you decide to take trouble and head off for a Uganda Safari, you will surely be rewarded with phenomenal wildlife sightings and a level of exclusivity that can rarely be had at any cost in neighboring countries.
Located at the point where the East African savannah meets the Central African rainforest, the country is one of the most bio-diverse in the world, and within its comparatively diminutive frame lie the continent’s highest mountain range, its largest lake, and the source of the world’s longest river, and visitors are at last waking up to its compelling mix of spectacular scenery, incredible wildlife and warm and welcoming people.  Here are just some of the reasons why you should be one of them…

1. To track chimpanzees in Kibale

A beautiful wrap of thick equatorial rainforest, Kibale National Park Uganda boasts the highest concentration of primates in all of Africa. Its thirteen species include black-and-white colobus monkeys and impish grey-cheeked mangabeys but everyone is here for the chimpanzees. On a day-long Chimpanzee Habituation Experience, you’ll follow a troop of whooping and hollering chimps as they swing through the forest, gathering in the treetops to play, doze or feast on figs.
When the midday heat burns through the upper canopy, the chimps descend, sliding down vines and striding right past you. If such an extraordinarily close encounter doesn’t give you goosebumps, the sound of the males messaging each other will: they drum on the buttress roots of giant fig trees with such force that the ground around you shakes.
Where to stay Primate Lodge Kibale is set slap bang in the middle of the park, just a few minutes from the start of the tracking trailhead. Swish refurbished cottages look out into a wall of forest, and there’s a tree house for the intrepid.

2. To raft the Nile

The unassuming colonial-era town of Jinja is East Africa’s adventure capital, its wide range of watersports growing out of the unique opportunity to raft at the Jinja source of the Nile. The surge of tumultuous white water that runs 20 kilometres downriver from Lake Victoria rivals the Lower Zambezi, and is a heart-thumping ride over rapids bearing names such as Hair of the Dog and Bad Place. 
Where to stay, occupying an island in the middle of the Nile, Wildwaters Lodge is spectacularly sandwiched between two sets of deafening rapids, with lovely wooden cottages and a natural riverside swimming pool.

3. To meet the Karamojong

Rubbing shoulders with Kenya and South Sudan in the far northeast of the country, the disparate Karamoja region sees only a few visitors bound for the remote wilderness of Kidepo Valley National Park. Yet the area is home to one of Uganda’s most intriguing peoples: the Karamojong, a historically fierce tribe of cattle-raiding pastoralists. Visits to a Karamojong manyatta and explore their traditional homesteads – beehive huts encircled by a protective wall of spiky brushwood – and usually feature cultural dancing, or “high jumping”, which is similar in style to the more famous Masaai just across the border.
Where to stay, Apoka Safari Lodge in Kidepo can arrange visits to nearby Karamojong villages. 

4. To swim in a crater lake

There are dozens of volcanic crater lakes in and around the Ndali-Kasenda region of western Uganda, but shimmering Kyaninga is the jewel. Fringed with forest and crisscrossed by gliding hornbills, the lake is a mesmerizing granite blue. It’s semi active, so although 225 metres deep in parts, the water hovers around a pleasant 21 degrees. Add in the fact that it’s one of East Africa’s few lakes that are free from bilharzia and you have the perfect place for a spot of wild swimming.
Where to stay, the gorgeous thatched cottages at Kyaninga Lodge are staggered along a ridge overlooking the lake. The huge rooms all have stunning views, and the range of local activities include an early morning Crater Walk and time spent with village elders at a nearby farm.

5. To spot a prehistoric beast

Uganda’s oldest conservation area, Murchison Falls National Park draws visitors to its famously thunderous waterfalls, where the full force of the Nile is explosively squeezed through a gap in the Rift Valley Escarpment. But this is also one of the best places in the country to see the primeval-looking shoebill, a towering, hook-beaked bird that feeds on baby crocodiles and looks like it was dreamt up by the creators of The Dark Crystal.
Where to stay, Baker’s Lodge enjoys a superb setting on the banks of the Nile, its eight cottages hidden among acacia trees and fronting the river. Watch out for hippos munching on the grass outside your room at night.

6. To hike the Rwenzori

Forming an imposing border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, and snow-capped even at the height of summer, the legendary Mountains of the Moon are Africa’s highest range. The hiking is tough – it’s a good eight or nine days to complete the Kilembe Trail in the southern section of the park, though much shorter routes are available – but the rewards are considerable: remote trekking through a pristine wilderness of craggy peaks, glacier lakes and a lunar landscape dotted with giant groundsel plants.
Where to stay, Rwenzori Trekkers located in the shadow of the mountains, is the closest accommodation to the Kilembe trailhead, but you’ll be more comfortable, and still within range, staying in the Ndali-Kasenda region.

7. To cruise the Kazinga channel

Queen Elizabeth National Park is blessed with a variety of beautiful habitats, from the open plains of the Kasenyi sector to the densely wooded scrub of the Mweya Peninsula and fig-tree-studded Ishasha. But it’s the boat launch on the Kazinga Channel that’s the real highlight of a visit to Uganda’s most popular national park.
You’ll drift lazily past huge pods of hippos; close-up encounters with buffalos, crocodiles and Nile monitors are virtually guaranteed, and herds of elephants regularly come down to the water to drink and bathe in the shallows.
Where to stay, It’s worth spending a night in different sectors of the park. Mweya Lodge is a fairly large bush hotel with a personal feel, and an infinity pool that overlooks the Kazinga Channel. In the far south of the park, spectacular Ishasha Wilderness Camp makes the most of its beautiful setting, with luxurious safari tents spread along a scenic stretch of the Ntungwe River.

8. To track gorillas in Bwindi

A full day spent tracking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Uganda is probably the most remarkable wildlife experience on earth, something you wouldn’t wish to miss on your Uganda Safari is a Gorilla Safaris tour.
On the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s new Gorilla Habituation Experience, you’ll be accompanied by park rangers as you track (and monitor) these powerful yet peaceful creatures, first locating their overnight nests before following a trail of broken branches and tell-tale silver hairs to the gorillas themselves. What follows is 3 or 4 hours of lifelong memories, as you watch immense silverbacks tearing up and munching on huge bundles of vegetation while playful youngsters roly-poly amongst the undergrowth.
Where to stay, one of the groups of gorillas currently being habituated in Bwindi are tracked from the trailhead at Rushaga, where the staff at the forest-facing Gorilla Safari Lodge are super-friendly and the chef serves up some of the best meals in Uganda.

Friday 21 July 2017

PHOTOGENIC ZEBRAS OF LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK

Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest of Uganda's savannah parks located in Kiruhura District, Western Uganda.  The park boasts of a variety of zebras, hippopotami, impala, warthogs, buffaloes among others. The park is also a bird lovers haven boasting over 300 bird species
Lake Mburo National Park is the nearest game park from Kampala City, located 240 kilometers by road in western Uganda. Reachable within about a two and half hours’ drive, the park offers visitors an opportunity to see some of Uganda's wildlife and beautiful countryside in just one day of your Uganda Safari.

But let’s talk about the amazing beautiful zebras in Lake Mburo National Park, there is nowhere else in Uganda you will find the biggest group of zebras and Impalas like in Lake Mburo.
Before even making an entrance through any of Park’s gazetted entrance gates, as you close in to the park you will start seeing these amazing zebras some even mix with the local farmers’ Ankole Long Horned Cattle common in the area as they graze together. Foreign tourist and even citizens are required to pay park fees before proceeding into the park and this can be done at any of the three main entrance gates, that is Sanga, Nshaara or Kanyinanshaara gates.
And it is quite amazing seeing these zebras snuggle on a beautiful evening game drive as they graze and the energetic young ones hopping around in satisfaction after suckling their mothers.

And to those who love taking photos of these beautiful zebras, you will surely get that moment as these black and white crossed wonderful animals are not really scared of your safari cars as you drive through the park as most of the other animals will be keeping a distance, some will actually pose as they gaze at your movements and other will just continue grazing and not be bothered by your presence. Make your trip to lake Mburo National Park and take your best shot of a zebra to proudly show to family and friends back home. 

Wednesday 19 July 2017

LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK - UGANDA



LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK - UGANDA

Lake Mburo National Park is one of Uganda’s smallest national parks,  extending over 260km2 with an altitude range from 1220m-1828m above sea level. This park is situated in the Ankole Sub-region in Mbarara district and derives its name from one of its distinct feature Lake Mburo, one of the five lakes that lie within the park boundary and part of a cluster of 14 lakes that are fed by River Rwizi and connected by several permanent and seasonal swamps.
Before the area was gazetted, it was used as a hunting ground for the Ankole people who would graze their livestock from the area as well. It was gazetted in 1933 as a controlled hunting ground and later upgraded to a game reserve in 1963. However, the Bahima continued to graze their cattle from the area and in 1983 the area was transformed into a National park by the government of Milton Obote.
The Park mainly consists of open Savannah and acacia woodlands, with some more common trees being acacia hockii, acacia gerraddii, and acacia sieberiana. The western part of the park is covered by Savannah interspersed with rocky ridges and forested gorges with patches of papyrus swamp with narrow bands of riparian woodland lines on the verges of the lakes.
Lake Mburo is an underrated gem of park, dominated by the eponymous lake which is scenically reminiscent of the more celebrated Lake Naivasha in the Kenyan rift valley. The park is by- passed by the most of the travelers on Safaris in Uganda and other independent travelers, though it’s relatively accessible. It presumably has low big five count, and in particular the lack of elephants and lions. Despite the absence of such heavy weights, Lake Mburo still offers some excellent game viewing opportunities for Uganda safari lovers as you are likely to see many Uganda wildlife species over the course of the day. Lake Mburo is positioned strategically on a break-up of a long drive between Kampala and other national parks along the country’s western border that is Mgahinga national park, Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, Rwenzori Mountain national park and QueenElizabeth national park.

Lake Mburo harbors several species that are not easily observed elsewhere in Uganda, and is the only reserve in the country that supports large populations of impalas, from which the name Kampala Uganda’s capital city is derived and one of only three protected areas country wide where the Burchell’s zebra occurs, the other two being the far less accessible Kidepo Valley National Park and Pian Upe Game Reserve. Other antelopes likely to be seen are Topi, bush back, common duiker, oribi and bohor reed buck. Two diurnal primates occur in the park and these are the Vervet Monkey and the olive baboon. Over 315 bird species have been recorded in the park and it is one of the best places in Uganda to see the acacia associated birds.
Whether you are a first time safari traveler or a seasonal African traveler, a Uganda safari to Lake Mburo National Park with its unique blend of Savannah, creatures, and its wealthy grassland plus lake habitats are simply dazzling.

A MUST STOP AT THE UGANDA EQUATOR LINE, KAYABWE.

The Uganda Equator is definitely one of the most and well-known landmarks in Uganda.” The intersection of the earth’s surface with the plane perpendicular to the earth’s axis of rotation and containing the earth’s center of mass” according Wikipedia, or you can call it an imaginary line that divides the world into two halves.


Getting to the Equator from Kampala City, the capital of Uganda it is about 72 kilometers to get to Kayabwe Mpigi District where this unique feature is located, and making it about 104 kilometers if your starting your journey from Entebbe International Airport.
And in case you’re on your Uganda Safari tour especially those taking the South-Western route of the country, starting from those on a short Uganda Safari to Lake Mburo National Park or visitors to Queen Elizabeth National Park to see the tree climbing lions and even tourists going for Gorilla Safari tours in Bwindi Forest National Park, making a stop at the Uganda Equator should be a must addition to your itinerary.

Get to experience the Equator experiment as they demonstrate to you how the movement of drainage of water from a bowl differs, here you will see water swirling in opposite directions at the different spheres of the Equator. 




It’s really fascinating how water drains down the hole from a bowl in a clockwise direction yet take the anticlockwise direction as it drains from the southern hemisphere down the hole.

It is quite an exceptional experience at the equator, and don’t forget to carry a souvenir for your family and friends back home from a range of unique and purely African made crafts and art pieces available in number of craft shops at the Equator line.

And be sure to grab something for your stomach from a number good spots or restaurants to enjoy a tasty meal and coffee before embarking on your Uganda Safari trip in the South-Western part of the country. 

Saturday 15 July 2017

AN ENCOUNTER WITH A UGANDAN LEOPARD



Leopard in Kidepo Valley National Park Uganda
Boldly marked by dark rosettes on skin and famously known as the most secretive of all the large carnivores, the leopard is a magnificent sight to those who get the opportunity to spot it.
Leopards can be seen in a number of Uganda national parks although they solitary creatures and if one gets an opportunity to sight one while on safari in Uganda, you should count on your blessings.
Leopards spend most of their time strolling through the Savannah grasslands and forest undercover and also hiding in tree or caves. Leopards are so solitary animals and rarely seen in pairs whereas the other carnivores such as lions, wild dogs, hyenas among others live in groups. The only time one can spot pairs of leopards is only during the mating season mating.
They are fast and stealthy and their spots provide camouflage while in grasslands. Leopards also live a nocturnal life and that’s why it is rare to spot them on a game drive. Lions are leopards’ number one enemies whereby they occasionally hunt and kill them. Leopards also avoid hyenas mainly because they are annoying and occasionally steal their kill before the leopard gets time to hide it.
Leopards are highly adaptable with their surroundings be it rain forests, jungles, mountains or Savannah, they can adapt and survive in this environment. Leopards are fast and agile animals and always pounce on prey from trees and carry them up the trees. They are very strong animals and can take down prey that is 3 times more than their size. Guests on Uganda tours should never go for a nature walk without the presence of an armed ranger-guide or else they will become the leopard’s dinner that day
Leopards are good swimmers and can hunt fish in water or even other reptiles, insects, and small animals that may be grazing near their territories.
Leopards do not have specific mating periods; they mate any time of the year and their gestation period takes about 90-100 days later.
Female leopards give birth up to four cubs and the mother finds well protected area to raise her cubs. The mortality of the cubs is high about 50% and those that survive stay with the mother for about 1 to 2 years and during this time they play with each other and learn to hunt for their own food.
Be sure to visit one of these national parks on your Uganda safari and you just might be one of the few lucky ones.

Wednesday 12 July 2017

IS IT YOUR FIRST TIME!? UNDERSTANDING GORILLA TRACKING SAFARI IN UGANDA

Uganda Gorilla Tracking Safaris continue to be the icing on the cake for those interested in Africa’s adventures today. It is a life changing experience and the kind of experience that would require establishing a monument in everyone’s life story. The world’s largest concentration of primates living in their natural habitats can be found in Africa and Uganda is opportune to have a big percentage of this population. Better more is that Uganda has a number of rarely sighted primate species like the world’s critically endangered Mountain Gorillas and the endangered Golden Monkeys. 

Uganda's population of Mountain Gorillas is 400 plus with new baby gorillas being born, making Uganda the best destination for Gorilla safaris tours in the whole world. These endangered mountain gorillas, just like humans, live in families; but not every one of these families are open to tourists though. It is just the habituated mountain gorilla families which have been gazetted for tracking by tourists.

For a Uganda Safari tour, there are twelve habituated mountain gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and one other habituated family can be found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, making it thirteen habituated mountain gorillas families altogether. And of the thirteen habituated families, the Kyaguriro mountain gorilla family was left aside for research only and does not receive any Uganda Gorilla Safari visitors.

Irrespective of whether it is a high season or low season and regardless of the changes in demand for Gorilla Trekking Safaris in Uganda, The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) maintains its stand of only up to eight tourists that can visit a selected mountain gorilla family per day. This is done primarily to preserve the mountain gorillas and furthermore to accord each and every group of trekkers a chance to fully make the most of their lifetime experience.

And for anyone wishing to make a Gorilla Trekking Safari, having a gorilla permit is a must. As per Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) standard cost, a gorilla tracking permit goes for 600 USD for Foreign Non-residents; 500 USD for Foreign Residents and 250,000 UGX for nationals of the East African Community. UWA keeps up the mandate to either increase or cut on these set tariffs basing on whether it is a high or low season.

Trackers can choose to buy their permits through a tour operator or they can purchase the permit directly from Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters. Using a tour operator is a quicker option though and will most often be less expensive than setting out on the Gorilla Safari all alone. Tour operators will package for you a well-tailored to your pick including accommodation and transportation and also present you with quotations which many times comes with a few discounts.

When the permit is available and the scheduled date is set, tourists can embark on their Gorilla Safari Tour to Bwindi Forest National Park or Mgahinga National Park for a memorable encounter with the endangered Mountain Gorillas.