Uganda
Only once you are with them, will you know. Until then, you can only do your best to imagine the feeling of sitting in the humbling presence of these great apes. Glances of a thousand meanings send shivers down your spine, and the smile on your face after spending an hour with them will tell its own endless stories - of their comical pouts, of their antics and gentle interactions. But, that is not all that is Ugandan. The spaces between chimpanzee havens and mountain gorilla territory are filled with savannahs unlike any other on the dark continent. Groves of euphorbias dot grasslands and salt pans, waterfalls roar and lions climb trees in the eclectic, musical and colourful country that is Uganda - a true wonderland of unimaginable diversity.
A few of our favourite places in Uganda...
Kibale National Park
Meet your closest relatives
Kibale Forest National Park is a great conservation accomplishment, for it was once a logged forest, destined to the usual fate of cut trees. Now, Kibale is a safe haven: 766 km² worth of protected area and one of the last large expanses of montane forest in Africa. Connected to Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) by a 180km- long wildlife-corridor, Kibale is recognised an incredibly diverse ecosystem. Home to a unique array of animals that are found ranging from the montane and lowland forests to the savannahs of QENP, the Kibale Forest’s undeniable highlights are the primates that dwell there, nestled deep within the dense, thick foliage of trees and lianas. In fact, this is one of the last wild places, to view habituated chimpanzees. And, as you trek through the forest in the search of these fascinating great apes, you may very well encounter up to twelve other primate species, making hikes in the Kibale Forest some of the most sought after and unique experiences of Africa.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Gorilla trekking at its finest
Witnessing wild gorillas, after trekking through the jungle they call home, is undeniably one the most extraordinary experiences on Earth. The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of three places left where one can witness these highly endangered species, yet is also home to around half of their entire (slowly increasing) population (alongside Volacnoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the DRC). With numerous families habituated across Bwindi – making it a premier destination for encountering gorillas – one will often get given the choice between option for an easier hike versus a more strenuous one for those who are able or willing to break a sweat. This is a wonderful initiative, for it increases gorilla trekking’s accessibility, an activity that does tend to require decent fitness abilities. Break a sweat you most certainly will – but it is incredibly rewarding. After the ladies of Bwindi village enchant you with their beautiful singing, talented local guides will lead you into the mythical forest and onto an emotional and spiritual encounter that is likely to change you forever.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Home to the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha
Fewer travellers know as much of Queen Elizabeth National Park as they do the Masai Mara or the Serengeti, yet it is as much a ‘jewel of east Africa’ as the latter. A vast expanse that is connected to the land of the chimpanzee in the Kibale forest with an impressive 180km long wildlife corridor, creating one of the more diverse protected areas of Africa. Species ranging from immense elephant bulls, to big buffalo herds, various antelopes and leopards can be found here, but the true highlight, it must be said, are the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha. Lions are known to climb trees on occasion in East Africa, yet never as commonly as those of Isasha, a picturesque region within Queen Elizabeth National Park where Africa’s most famous cats are regularly spotted lounging in the high branches of euphorbia, sausage or acacia trees.
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"an experince that changed my life"
Seeing the gorillas for the first time took my breath away. An experience that changed my life and far exceeded the expectations I had for the expedition – Susan Kelly
