For many years Uganda has been ranked among the best tourist destinations in the world. Gifted by nature, Uganda is endowed with beautiful scenery, excellent in flora and fauna, seasonal water bodies, many lakes and rivers with the biggest lake in Africa and a source of the 2nd longest river Nile in the world, sand beaches, entertainment center both cultural and trending. Uganda is one of the destination one interested in natural adventures would not miss out.
Now we wanted to explore Uganda and see the best of the Pearl of Africa’s adventure which covered all kinds of experience for our first time exploring the Pearl. The adventure will include watching wildlife on the game drive, nature walks into dark forests, tracking chimpanzees and the world’s most endangered mountain gorilla’s, boat cruising on the great Nile River, cultural experiences name it.
Now through our adventure for the full trip we covered four national parks in different regions of the country, which are Kidepo Valley National Park at the horn of northern Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park in the northwestern region, Kibale Forest National Park in the western region and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in the south west back to Kampala.
Our first day departing from Kampala after a simple briefing by our guide entirely about the trip, set off for the long journey to Kapchorwa through Jinja, Mbale, had lunch on reaching Kapchorwa and then after lunch refreshments we continue to explore the beauty of Sipi falls hiking the edges of Mount Elgon through the three series of falls, trekking on Elgon slopes through plantations, bushes and villages from one falls to another with the highest phase of 1600 to 1900m tall eastern region the capital Kampala. We had our dinner and overnight at twilight campsite.
On our second day we had our early breakfast then set off for the long journey that goes through Moroto to Kabongo and then finally Kidepo Valley National Park. The bumpy, dusty road and a beautiful scenic view dominated the drive, and we had the opportunity to view the real traditional life of the Kejengo people and their housing hurt style the famous manyatta. Reaching into Kidepo National Park at Apoka camping site our guide had to report our arrival to the park office. We had to prepare our dinner at Apoka campfire site before we relaxed and we had an incredible camping overnight hearing the king of the jungle roaming in the wee hours of the night.
The next morning we were prepared to comprehend what Kidepo can offer led by an armed park ranger on a game drive, it was another chance to exhaust the true African wildness on a game drive in Narus valley, we encounter herds of buffalos, elephants, Jacksons beast, Rothschild giraffes, ostrich, chances 0f seeing satisfied lions after their great hunt of a buffalo in Narus valley, it was not our day to watch a cheetah though is only in Kidepo valley national park where they are found. Counting bird species which will advance on your adventure experience. Philip our park ranger was a great deal of the day who throughout narrated tales of the wildness.
Then we turned to the campsite for lunch after the game drive and refreshed for the next activity visiting the local community at Lorokul village within the park. We had great tme interacting with the kejongos we were told their cultural believes and we participated in the karamajongo traditional dance and selecting your best marriage partner in the midst of the dance jumping higher just parallel to your body then finally we donate a little to the locals and we said bye and then turn back to camp site for dinner and overnight.
We departed the next morning to Murchison falls national park, have a stopover in Gulu town for lunch and after continue to Murchison falls park crossing the Nile on the ferry, then continuing to lodge to relax for the next day trip, having dinner and overnight there.
Counting on our fifth day, had breakfast and set off for the game drive in the park and there we had chances of watching some of the big five i.e. elephants, lions, leopards, and buffaloes plus other animal, and for different species of birds which we were told that the Park has more than 400 bird species notable one including the egrets, horn bills, herons, kingfisher, ibis among others. Return back to the lodge for lunch and relax. In the evening hours the go for boat cruise on the great Nile River for scenery viewing for animals and birds. The cruise will farther lead to viewing the great powerful falls many other wild animals and reptiles of the Nile. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Having breakfast at the lodge in Murchison, then setting off to Kibale Forest Park had lunch in fort portal town and the check in the park and had a simple community visit at KAFRED and see how the locals have involved in conserving the nature and how they are benefiting from it. Then return to fort portal the most beautiful town in the pearl and we had dinner and overnight there.
The next morning after breakfast then heading for the guided forest walk adventurous chimpanzee trekking in kibale forest national park, only here in the world where you find 13 different primate species which include the red and black tailed colobus, baboons, blue monkey, vervet monkey mangebay, the rare red colobus and L’Hoe’s monkey species. Chimpanzee tracking was the highlight activity for bird watching adventures will be a better place for over 100 bird species.
Turn to fort portal town for lunch and prepare for the natural walk and hiking right after visiting the Amabere ga nyina mwiru and hiking just a long the Crater Lake Nyamirima to the highest top of the world and have the most memorable scenic viewing. Turning back to our lodge preparing for last destination and in your mind just imagining on when to reach the destination, getting dinner and overnight
The next morning getting breakfast and the setting off from the western region to the south west for the great mountain gorilla, it’s another full day of traveling having a stopover in Kisoro for lunch and continue to Bwindi impenetrable National Park having dinner and overnight in the forest lodge.
The next morning having breakfast and set off on a guided forest walk in search of the incredible mountain gorillas which started at 8:00clock and the starting point in Buhoma grouped in the group of 8 briefed and given an armed park ranger to take us through the all process of trekking. We trekked Habinyanja family led by Makara the silver back, the family takes some energy to trek it has it took us 6 hours finding them and we were given one hours to interact with the giants taking photos at a distance of 7 meters. Remember Uganda hosts almost half of the world’s mountain gorillas. This is the most adventurous activity and is the highlight all other safari activity in Africa.
Having breakfast in the morning, then we proceeded to Kampala having a stopover in Mbarara town for lunch and at the equator to take photos and finally continued to Kampala with marked the end of our adventurous safari I named the “best of the pearl”.
Note for. For gorilla tours and chimpanzee tracking book your trekking permits in advance at least three month before your trekking date from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), but for the rest of the activities you can pay at the park office per activity. You can inquire through Gorilla hub tours to book your trekking permit.
