Uganda's Gorillas & Chimps

(Driving time: approx 6 hours)] This morning we take an early breakfast before checking out of our hotel. We travel to Kibale Forest National Park, west from Entebbe, passing some beautiful Ugandan countryside along the way. Our destination is a luxury tented camp, located just outside the national park. Kibale National Park covers an area of 766 square kilometres and is Uganda's newest national park, although it has been renowned for decades as a worldwide centre for serious primate research. The equatorial rainforest here contains the highest concentration of primates in the world, including 13 species of primates. Approximately 500 chimpanzees live here, making it a perfect place for researching these gregarious apes. This afternoon is at your leisure and you may choose to relax in the forested surrounds of our camp or enjoy an optional walk in search of birds. Kibale National Park is full of lakes, marshes and grasslands, and its slopes contain several distinct types of forests (lowland tropical rainforest, deciduous forest and montane forests), creating perfect habitats for a variety of birds. With more than 325 species, such as colourful turacos and noisy hornbills, the bird life is audibly abundant! A more silent, but equally enchanting, encounter comes from standing amongst clouds of fluttering butterflies, of which this park boasts 144 different species!

(Driving time: approx 3 hours) This morning we set off trekking in Kibale National Park in the hope we may spot some chimpanzees. Whilst 13 primate species inhabit the park, it is undoubtedly these apes that attract the most attention. A sustainable ecotourism initiative that allows people to visit this park has been running since 1992 and has ensured that many of Kibale's chimpanzees are now habituated to human visitors. They are easily sighted at times when the sticky fruit of the huge fig trees ripen, whilst at other times our local guide will know where to find them. As we walk through the ancient and pristine rainforests, the extraordinary abundance and exotic diversity of life is revealed to us. Broad buttress roots anchor trees that reach over 50 metres high, creating thick treetop canopy and draping vines that are ideal adventure playgrounds for chimpanzees. Our morning is spent looking out for good sightings, as they crash and bound through the treetops and along the forest floor. From Kibale we continue our journey to Queen Elizabeth National Park, a stunning reserve that covers almost 2000 square kilometres. After entering the park we game drive through to Mweya Lodge, our accommodation for the following two nights. This lodge is located on a peninsula, on the edge of the Kasinga Channel.

(Driving time: approx 4 hours) This morning we check out of Mweya Lodge and continue our game drive through the unspoilt southern Ishasha area of Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is famous for its tree-climbing lions that like to rest on the branches of the large fig trees. Leaving the national park we continue on to Buhoma Homestead, our base for the next two nights. Situated inside the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the small homestead features large twin share rooms, en suite facilities and a veranda that looks into the forested home of the mountain gorillas. The lodge combines excellent local hospitality with seclusion in this enchanting wilderness area. After lunch an afternoon walk takes us to a beautiful waterfall within the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, before we return to camp to enjoy a sumptuous dinner.

(Driving time: approx 7 hours) This morning we depart Bwindi and drive through an area known as 'Little Switzerland' to the drier Ankole area and Lake Mburo National Park. After entering the park we game drive to Lake Mburo Mantana Camp for lunch. An afternoon boat trip to a local fishing village gives us a great insight into the local culture. Extensive acacia woodland and five lakes make up Lake Mburo National Park, an area that is home to a stunning array of wildlife. It is the best place in the country to see eland (the largest species of antelope), as well as zebra, topi, impala and several types of birds that gather around acacia trees. Whilst the lakes provide a home for hippos, crocodiles and a variety of waterbirds, the swampy fringe region provide a hideaway for secretive species such as sitatunga and red, black and yellow papyrus gonalek. Our camp has been built to provide stunning views over three of Mburo's five lakes, but is also a great place to enjoy the incredible African sunsets. Each tent has twin beds, a bathroom and a veranda that faces the setting sun and the the dining room has been built on stilts to provide superb views across the treetops to the lakes.