Gorilla trekking

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HORSEBACK

UGANDA HORSEBACK SAFARIS

Uganda Horseback Safaris  ,around Uganda depending on your area of interest.

Whether it’s a physical challenge you are looking for or just want to meander through villages on the banks of the Nile and around the Uganda roads we can make it happen for you. By taking a guided tour through Mabira Forest you will see places you can’t go in a vehicle and also learn about local flora and fauna around the area.

We also offer guided Uganda tours to Uganda national parks and tourist attraction areas and its viewpoints as well as individual horseback rides.

Lake Mburo National park is one of the best places to go to for horseback rides. The best ride in the park is a 4 to 5 hour ride onto the 4 km long grassy Warukiri Range situated in the middle of the park with stunning 360 degree views of the surrounding hills and valleys in the Park. 

At the end of this range is a waterhole, which often attracts buffalos and other animals combined with a magnificent view onto 9 of the 12 lakes surrounding Lake Mburo National Park. This ride changes the whole feeling of the park, making it absolutely spectacular.

Horseback safaris are an exciting way to see the wildlife around Lake Mburo National Park and Queen Elizabeth national park. Without any engine sound and fumes you feel part of nature and often get the chance to see the more timid animals. It is an exhilarating experience not to be missed. We sometimes see eland and buffalo and nearly always warthog, topi, impala, duiker, bushbuck, waterbuck and zebra on our horseback safaris, although this depends very much on the time of year and the rain fall in the area. Experiencing game from horseback is very special; zebra come towards you to check out the strange relative without stripes. Even the normally very shy eland curiously look at the horses without running away, just keeping their distance.

The maximum weight limit for guests is 100 kg, but most of the horses cannot carry more than 80 or 90 kg. We provide fully adjustable helmets in all sizes and chaps. We ride with English style saddles or western-style trail saddles. We recommend that you wear long trousers and strong shoes if possible with a heel. At the moment we are not taking more than 6 guests out at a time. All our rides are accompanied by at least one experienced horse guide, but in most cases there are 2 guides accompanying each ride.

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Uganda Birding – shoebills, chimps and gorillaWith over 1000 species, Uganda offers the highest concentration of birds in Africa and is the most accessible place to see the legendary shoebill.The misty peaks and fern-loaded forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda’s birding hotspot is one of the best settings to search for albertine rift endemics. Furthermore, these mountains offer perhaps one of the greatest wildlife experiences on earth: the opportunity to come face to face with one of our closest relatives, mountain gorilla, in its natural and dwindling habitat.This trip will start by the shores of Lake Victoria in Entebbe, exploring its Botanical Gardens (the setting of Weissmuller’s Tarzan movies), moving onto the reedy and dense channels of Mabamba and Kamengo swamps in search of the mythical Shoebill. We then “trek” north to the open game plain of Murchison Falls where large game such as elephant, giraffe, kob and hippos await. We will also have a chance to enjoy the Albert Nile Delta and its prolific birdlife and Murchison Falls, arguably Africa’s most powerful waterfall. Here, the Nile forces its way through a gap in the rocks, only 7 meters (23 ft) wide, and tumbles 43 meters (141 ft), then flows westward into Lake Albert. Next will be Kibale forest, one of Africa’s best primate exploration enclave and indeed the site where you will have a chance to come up, close and personal with one of your closest relatives – chimpanzees. Great forest birding will be complemented with awesome waterfowl birding at Kasinga Channel in the nearby Queen Elisabeth National Park.From here we climb towards Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP where birding for the famed albertine rift endemics will be spiced with the ultimate wildlife encounter and experience Uganda has on offer…the unique and ultra special chance to trek and come face to face with the primal, hulking and ever humbling mountain gorilla. Offering 24 of the 26 albertine rift endemics recorded in Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, spans an ecotone from Buhoma’s lowlands to Ruhiza’s highlands. At Buhoma, pitta-like short-tailed warblers and kivu ground thrushes skulk in the mossy undergrowth. African grey parrots fly overhead while chimpanzees shriek from deep in the forest. At Ruhiza, the cloud-swathed Virunga volcanoes (of Diana Fossey fame) loom in the distance. Here we’ll search for the near mythical African green broadbill and Grauer’s rush warbler. It is even suggested that at least one undescribed species might even be lurking in the park!Mburo NP down in the Acacia clad plain near Lake Victoria will beckon us last, and our trip will end birding and game viewing this interesting habitat and birding its papyrus stand for some classic papyrus specials. The trip ends back in Entebbe.Uganda is one of the friendliest and safest African countries to visit. After its distant and devastating political past, it is now recovering fast and emerging with a renewed outlook, tourism infrastructure and an enthusiastic and contagiously positive attitude people.Join Africa Geographic’s leading guides as they unveil the magic of this birding realm. With a maximum of 6 guests and an expert local leader at the helm working the flocks, this trip always supercedes expectations. Detailed ItineraryDay 1: Arrival in EntebbeArrive in Entebbe where you will be met by an Africa Geographic representative and transferred to The Boma Hotel.  In the afternoon we have scheduled a visit to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens. Established at the turn of the 20th century, this is a place of blooms, lush vegetation and gnarled old trees native to Uganda – it is certainly a beautiful introduction to the tropics, made all the more exciting by the presence of Colobus monkeys, awesome insects and great birds to be had.  Right at the entrance in the tall trees one usually finds a pair of Verreaux’s eagle owls. Closer to the water’s edge the key birds to get are orange-tufted and red-chested sunbird, as well as orange weaver. The latter breed in the bushes on the shores of the lake along with slender-billed, northern brown–throated, yellow backed, Jackson’s golden–backed, black-headed and Vieillot’s black weavers. Along the lakes’ edge one can find long-tailed cormorant, common squacco and black-headed herons, hamerkop, African open-billed stork, grey-headed gull, various terns, giant and pied kingfishers, and swamp flycatcher. Collared pratincoles are often present and the stunning black headed gonolek and red- chested sunbird occur in the dense scrub covering the headland.Your guide will also join you at dinner and explain the plan of action for tomorrows’ assault on Mabamba Swamp in search of Shoebill.Dinner and overnight at the The Boma Hotel

African Paradise FlycatcherDay 2: Mabamba or Kamengo Swamps and onto MasindiOne of the most reliable places to view Shoebill, the most sought after Bird in Africa is found a short distance from Kampala in the Mabamba or Kamengo Swamps.Mabamba Swamp is a large marshland cris-crossed by various channels that provide the perfect habitat for countless waterbirds besides shoebill. Here, other marsh species such as swamp flycatcher, winding cisticola, malachite kingfisher, black-headed weavers, yellow-billed duck, long-toed lapwing, African jacana and blue-headed coucal, banded martin, grey-rumped and Angola swallows, African pygmy goose, rufous-bellied and purple heron, blue-breasted bee-eater, black crake, African marsh harrier, fan-tailed widowbird are not hard to find, and occasionally one can also be rewarded with the rare and endangered blue swallow.After our morning search we head fro lunch in Kampala and proceed north shortly after towards the town of Masindi.  En route we will look for white-crested turaco. Common roadside species that you can expect to see include long-crested eagle perched atop telephone poles, Wahlberg’s eagle, palmnut vulture, black-winged kite, African harrier-hawk, lizard buzzard, the hulking and impressive great blue Turaco, raucous eastern plantain-eater, black-and-white-casqued hornbill, crowned and African pied hornbills, dazzling-blue woodland kingfisher, broad-billed roller, splendid and Rüppell’s starlings, African thrush, northern black flycatcher, sooty chat, gregarious grey-backed fiscal, scarlet-chested sunbird and pin-tailed whydah.

Great Blue TuracoDay 3: The Royal Mile – Budongo ForestAfter a very early breakfast we will drive to Budongo Forest to bird the famous Royal Mile. We will spend most of today in the vast Budongo Forest Reserve, the largest natural forest area in East Africa. Concentrating much of our attention on “The Royal Mile”. Among the numerous specials we hope to find include buff-spotted flufftail, tambourine dove, blue malkoha, chocolate-backed, blue-breasted and African dwarf, the hulking white-thighed hornbill, yellow-spotted, hairy-breasted and yellow-billed barbets and their cousins, speckled, yellow-throated and yellow-rumped tinkerbirds. Western oriole, green hylia, grey and yellow longbills, the rarely encountered Uganda woodland warbler, grey, buff-throated, black-throated, and the stunning black-capped apalises, rufous-crowned eremomela, green and the elusive lemon-bellied crombec, fraser’s forest flycatcher, chestnut-capped flycatcher, purple-headed starling, little green, greychinned, collared, olive-bellied and the aberrant greyheaded sunbirds, yellow-mantled weaver, crested and red-headed malimbes and white-breasted nigrita. Greenbuls are abundant, and we shall work slowly through any flock that we encounter looking for plain, grey, yellow-whiskered, slender-billed, honeyguide, white-throated, red-tailed and the striking spotted greenbul. The beautiful Nahan’s francolin is sometimes heard, and we will require luck and patience to see it. We will search the undergrowth alongside the track for the numerous understory skulkers, namely scaly-breasted, brown and pale-breasted illadopsis, fire-crested alethe, fraser’s rufous thrush, red-tailed rufous thrush, yellow-browed and olive-green camaropteras and greythroated tit- flycatcher. We will keep an eye on any openings in the forest canopy, as Cassin’s hawk eagle and crowned eagle, white-throated bee-eater and Cassin’s, mottled and Sabine’s spinetails are all possible.Packed lunch at Budongo, Dinner and overnight at Masindi HotelAfrican Blue FlycatcherDay 4: Murchison Falls NPThis morning we will proceed towards Murchison Falls along the valley floor to the southern banks of the Victoria Nile River and the top of Murchison Falls. En route we will stop at Kaniyo Pabidi to look for Puvel’s iladopsis, and per chance chimpanzees. Further along we will bird the vicinity of Sambiyo Lodge. This area holds a very different diversity of birds including brown-backed woodpecker, brown babbler, red-winged warbler, purple starling, chestnut-crowned sparrow-weaver, black-bellied firefinch, cabanis’ and brown-rumped buntings, white-breasted cuckooshrike and red-winged pytilia.Other species to keep an eye out for include African cuckoo, African grey Hornbill, grey woodpecker, northern and redfaced crombecs, African paradise flycatcher (the spectacular white morph), northern puffback, black-crowned and brown-crowned tchagras, tropical boubou and red-cheeked cordonbleu.The top of Murchison Falls is an awesome sight to experience that affords excellent views of the Nile as it is squeezed through a 20-foot wide gap in the rocks and dropped 145 feet over the escarpment. It is said to be the largest natural force of water in the world, creating what appears to be a boiling caldron of water.Dinner and overnight at Para Safari Lodge

Red-throated Bee-eaterDay 5: Albert Nile Delta and Murchison FallsToday we will depart with packed lunches towards the northern sectors of the park where the best birding and most of the game in this park is to be found. The wide expanse of grasslands and whistling acacias to the north of the Nile holds a number of typical dry savanna birds such as secretarybird, black-chested snake eagle, tawny and martial eagle, shikra, dark chanting goshawk, harlequin quail, Heuglin’s francolin, helmeted guineafowl, collared pratincole, black-headed lapwing, swallow-tailed and northern carmine bee-eaters, black scimitarbill, short-winged and black- backed cisticolas, speckle-fronted weaver, Shelley’s sparrow, bar-breasted firefinch and black-faced quail-finch to mention some.Some species whose ranges may be centered in the Sahel reach their southern limits here too, and we hope to find the stately abyssinian ground hornbill and white-fronted black chat.This morning we will also drive slowly along the Niles edge checking a number of stakeouts  where  the magical and archaic looking shoebill occurs Other water birds we can expect to see  include darter, intermediate egret, goliath and purple herons, woolly-necked and yellow-billed storks, hamerkop, egyptian and spur-winged geese, osprey, African fish eagle, black crake, African swamphen, the majestic grey crowned crane (Uganda’s national bird), Senegal thick-knee, long-toed and spur-winged lapwings, African jacana, malachite and giant kingfishers and the dainty wire-tailed swallow. Colonies of colorful red-throated bee-eater or loquacious pied kingfisher populate the river banks.Mammals abound here too we hope to come across bushbuck, giraffe (Rothschild’s Giraffe form), African buffalo, Uganda kob, oribi and defassa waterbuck, hartebeest, topi, buffalo, sitatunga, bushbuck, warthog, bush pig, leopard, several species of mongoose, African genet, spotted hyaena, black-backed jackal and bat-eared fox. If we are lucky we may see groups of the shy patas monkey, while this is one of the best places in Uganda to find lion.In the late afternoon, we will launch on a boat trip along the Victoria Nile to the base of Murchison Falls, viewing game and birds en route. Nile Crocodile are in abundance here awaiting stunned Nile Perch as they recover from their epic “joy-ride” down the falls. Hippo and water birds are in abundance, and there’s a good chance of seeing shoebills as well. Interestingly, this is where part of the movie The African Queen was filmed.Energy levels dependent, you may also want to drive towards the falls slowly and checking out all nightjars, courser and owls, for here pennant-winged and standard-winged nightjars are both possible, as is grayish eagle owl and bronze-winged courser.Nocturnal mammals that you may encounter include leopard, serval, white-tailed mongoose, African civet, crested porcupine, blotched and common genets and Uganda grass-hare.All meals and accommodation at Para Safari LodgeGrey crowned craneDay 6: Butiaba escarpment and Kibale ForestToday we leave for Kibale Forest, a long yet interesting drive ahead of us awaits.We will stop very briefly at the Butiaba escarpment to search for specials, depending on our timing, as our drive is approximately eight hours. Leaving the Rift Valley we pass through beautiful agricultural countryside where an abundance of people, fruit, vegetables and subsistence farming becomes evident.We will have packed lunches along and take our lunch en route.  We reach Kibale Forest in the late afternoon, where we will dinner and overnight at Chimpanzee Forest Guest HouseDays 7 –  8: Kibale ForestOne of these days we will embark on a Chimpanzee trek, in Kibale, our chances of finding these, our closest living relatives, are excellent.Kibale National Park will be today’s birding destination. The towering Kibale Forest has the highest primate concentration and species diversity of any reserve in East Africa. Primate highlights might include sightings of localized central African red colobus, handsome L’Hoest’s monkey and the scruffy grey-cheeked mangabey.The birds at Kibale are typical of medium-altitude forest, with excellent mixed species flocks and specials such as Afep and the globally-threatened White-naped Pigeons, Red-chested Owlet, Narina Trogon, white-headed wood hoopoe, dusky-blue flycatcher, shrike-flycatcher, superb and green-headed sunbirds, chestnut wattle-eye and black-and-white mannikin.It is also here that we stand a chance of finding the gorgeous green-breasted pitta, though we will require a good dose of luck and perseverance to find this delightful beauty!One of the afternoons we will take a walk around Bigodi swamp which is a good site to see white-winged warbler, papyrus gonolek and with luck papyrus canary.Meals and overnight at Chimpanze Forest Guest House

Papyrus GonolekDay 9: Queen Elizabeth National ParkToday we leave Kibale and head for Queen Elizabeth National Park.  The drive passes through Fort Portal and then south along the eastern length of the Rwenzori Mountains, where you can sometimes see the glaciated peaks. We again descend into The Great African Rift Valley and Queen Elizabeth National Park.Queen Elizabeth National Park offers a myriad of habitats, from open savanna to rainforest, dense papyrus swamps and crater lakes to the vastness of Lake Edward, it is little wonder that QENP boasts one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any game reserve in the world.Almost 100 mammal species and a remarkable 606 bird species makes this superb safari territory, with elephant, a profusion of Hippos, the elusive Giant Forest Hog and handsome Uganda Kob all regularly sighted around the tourist village on the Mweya Peninsula, which also boasts a marvelous waterfront setting in the shadow of the Rwenzori Mountains.Along the roads and tracks next to Kasenyi we will focus on species including Rüppell’s vulture, bateleur (one of Africa’s most spectacular raptors), brown snake eagle, peregrine falcon, grey kestrel, rednecked spurfowl, harlequin quail, kurrichane and the rarely encountered black-rumped buttonquails, African crake, pied avocet, temminck’s courser, senegal and crowned lapwings, the marsh dwelling black coucal, blue-breasted bee-eater, greater honeyguide, flappet, rufous-naped, red-capped and the scarce white-tailed larks, plain-backed pipit, fan-tailed grassbird, croaking, red-faced, and stout cisticolas, marsh tchagra, blacklored babbler, southern red bishop, flocks of red-billed quelea, red-billed firefinch and black-chinned quailfinch.Afternoon game-drive and boat trip to bird the Kazinga Channel.Overnight and dinner at Ihamba LodgeDay 10: QEP to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP

After breakfast we drive through th

e park’s Ishasha region searching for the famous tree-climbing lions.Later we head south on a five-and-a-half hour journey to Bwindi Impenetrable Park (a World Heritage Site) and passing through the scenic area known as The Switzerland of East Africa.Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: A magnificent verdant swathe across the steep ridges of the Albertine Rift Valley, this ancient rainforest – one of the few in Africa to have flourished throughout the last Ice Age – is home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas. The national park has 90 mammal species, including 11 primates, of which the black-and-white colobus, with its lovely flowing white tail, is abundant. The forest birding ranks with the best in Uganda, with 23 highly localized Albertine Rift endemics present.Birding en route, and on arrival will be weaved into the day depending on road progress and arrival time in Buhoma.Overnight at Community Camp Ground BandasDay 11: Gorilla Trekking and Birding BuhomaAfter breakfast, take a short drive to Park Headquarters and meet with excellent local guides and trackers who will give a talk on the etiquette of gorilla trekking. We then hike into the forest where the gorillas were seen the night before and start tracking from that point. The trekking can take between 1 and 6 hours and you climb to altitudes in excess of 7 500 feet.  The terrain is rough and at times muddy.  Although the hike is physically demanding the beauty of the forest and surrounding scenery make the trekking worthwhile. Once the gorillas are located all fatigue is forgotten, as the experience is often described as being the most profound natural history experience in the world. Picnic lunches are provided and it is important to take plenty of water. Cameras and plenty of fast speed film are recommended. It can rain at a few minutes’ notice; hence waterproof clothing is a good essential, as are zip lock bags for cameras and film.Looking deep into the expressive brown eyes of these gentle giants is surely the most exciting and poignant wildlife encounter that Africa has to offer – but we should not let it distract from Bwindi’s broader biodiversity, a result of its immense antiquity and an altitude span of 1 160 to 2 607m.Overnight at Community Camp Ground BandasUgandaDay 12: BuhomaToday we will bird some of the forest trails leading out from camp. Species we will search for include olive long-tailed cuckoo, bartailed trogon, dusky tit, abyssinian ground thrush, white-bellied robin-chat, equatorial akalat, whitetailed rufous thrush, red-throated alethe, white-bellied crested flycatcher, white-eyed slaty flycatcher, bocage’s bushshrike, northern double-collared sunbird, black-billed weaver and Magpie mannikin.High exposed perches in the open forest are favored by African goshawk, the dazzling Black bee-eater, blue-throated roller, sooty flycatcher and forest starlings including Waller’s, Stuhlmann’s and narrow-tailed. One of Bwindi’s star avian attractions is the diminutive, pitta-like Neumann’s warbler, a vocal yet very secretive bird!Other under-storey birds we hope to see include displaying African broadbill, banded prinia and the handsome black-faced rufous warbler. The mid-storey and canopy supports Elliot’s and Tullberg’s woodpeckers, Cabanis’s, kakamega and Ansorge’s greenbuls, the enigmatic Chapin’s flycatcher, strange Grauer’s warbler and White-browed crombec. The rare Jameson’s antpecker may also been seen probing under moss on dead branches or gleaning warbler-like in the canopy, while scarce swifts forage over the forest.Other wildlife that we may be fortunate enough to find here include the huge yellow-backed duiker, guereza colobus, L’Hoest’s, blue and red-tailed monkeys, chimpanzee and several species of squirrels including fire-footed rope, carruthers’ mountain, ruwenzori Sun and Red-legged sun squirrels.Overnight at Community Camp Ground BandasDay 13: Buhoma to RuhijaAlthough the distance is not large, the birds we are after en route to Ruhija deserve some time and patience, they are all good and great grabs to work for. The farm bush around Buhoma can yield Red-throated Wryneck, Copper and Variable Sunbirds, Baglafecht, Black-necked and African Golden Weavers, Yellow Bishop, Village Indigobird and Blackthroated Canary.Further up we reach a river crossing known colloquially as the  “The Neck”, and here we stand a great chance of connecting with Black Sparrowhawk, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Cassin’s Honeybird, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, White-chinned Prinia,Mountain Wagtail, Pink-footed puffback, the rare tiny sunbird, and the “sexy” Brown-capped weaver.Cultivated areas along the road provide seeding grasses for several seedeaters, our main being the highly sought-after Dusky twinspot and yellow-bellied and Kandt’s waxbills. African stonechat, streaky and thick-billed seedeaters, African citril and Yellow-crowned canary.Noisy Chubb’s cisticola will mock us from the bracken, and hopefully the stunning Doherty’s bushshrike will make a stellar appearance to please the crowds. Mackinnon’s shrikes adorn the roadsides from high, exposed perches.The ranger station at Ruhija is situated at an altitude of 7500 feet, and from our lodge nearby we will be able to enjoy the breathtaking views over Bwindi’s steep, forested valleys. If it is clear, we may even be able to see the distant Virunga Volcanoes that straddle the Uganda / Rwanda / DRC border. Ruhija is likely to be one of the highlights of any trip to Uganda with excellent birding in spectacular surroundings!Overnight and meals at Gorilla Mist CampDay 14: RuhijaAt least one day will be spent exploring the highland forest at Ruhiza-the site with most of the Albertine endemics. The star attractions here are collared apalis, Ruwenzori Hill babbler, Grauer’s warbler, Shelly’s crimsonwing, dusky crimsonwing, archer’s robin-chat, regal sunbird, blue-headed sunbird, dwarf honeyguide and many others.The trail to Mubwindi Swamp promises to reveal some of the most difficult of all rift-endemics including the mythical African green broadbill. Mubwindi Swamp holds Grauer’s rush warbler and Carruther’s cisticola.Overnight and meals at Gorilla Mist CampDay 15: Ruhija to Mburo NPThis morning we leave Ruhiza and head for Mburo NP.  We will spend most of today getting there but will be able to bird and enjoy Mburo’s superb wetlands and acacia savanna woodlands in the afternoon and following morning.Potential and sought after species include African marsh harrier, white-backed, lappet-faced and white-headed vultures, brown snake eagle and African hawk-eagle. Mburo’s woodlands are the northern-most example of the southern savanna system and are therefore home to several species at the edge of their range. Most sought-after of these is the elusive Red-faced Barbet, known only from remote northeastern Tanzania, Rwanda, and here.We will also search for crested and coqui francolins, emerald-spotted wood dove, red-chested, jacobin, levaillant’s, klaas’s and dideric cuckoos, blue-naped and speckled mousebirds, lilac-breasted roller, striped kingfisher, green wood hoopoe, common scimitarbill, spot-flanked barbet, nubian and bearded woodpeckers, several swallows including lesser striped, red-breasted, mosque, red-rumped and white-headed saw-wing, black cuckooshrike, white-browed scrub robin, trilling cisticola, the meadowlark-like yellow-throated longclaw, chinspot batis, yellow-billed oxpecker, grey penduline tit, arrow-marked babbler, brubru, wattled starling, greater blue-eared starling, marico sunbird and red-headed weaver. Specials we will watch for include African finfoot, long-tailed cisticola and green-capped eremomela. Mammals we may find include foraging groups of banded and dwarf mongoose surveying the world from atop their adopted termite mounds, common zebra, hippopotamus, common warthog, eland (the world’s largest antelope), defassa waterbuck, bohor reedbuck, impala, oribi, and topi. En route to Mburo and outside the park, we will come across some of the world-famous long-horned Ankole cattle, an amazing breed of cattle that put Texan Longhorn breeds to shame.  Overnight and dinner at Arcadia Cottage

s.

African FinfootDay 16: Mburo NP to EntebbeThis morning we will spend some time birding the acacia woodlands and if people are up for it and are still required we will do a boat trip into the papyrus fringed lake in search of a few more Papyrus specials. Here to, if early enough and with luck on your side, you may encounter both white-backed Night herons and African finfoot.At the Kigambira Loop we will look for savanna and Acacia woodland species including blue-naped mousebird, spot-flanked barbet, nubian woodpecker, northern black tit, red-headed lovebird, green-capped eremomela, Ross’ turaco and the highly sought-after red-faced barbet. After lunch, we will drive through to Entebbe (5 hour drive) where the trip will come to an end in Entebbe.Overnight at The Boma Hotel (Entebbe).

Redfaced BarbetDay 17: DepartureThis morning you could visit the UWEC (zoo) as an optional activity, since it is not far from The Boma Hotel, and very much depending on your departing flights.  A transfer to Entebbe International Airport for everyone’s departing flights will be arranged.End of services.Additional InformationClimate:  Being located on the equator Uganda is warm throughout the year. Variations do occur but they are negligible, only altitude has a real effect. The months of June – July are characterized as the cooler months, but even then temperatures will rarely drop below 20C at night, although it could get hot when we travel north to Murchison. The probability of rain is low as the rainy season has already come and gone, and the next one is only in September. Even if it did rain earlier than expected the most common forms of precipitation would be afternoon sporadic thunderstorms or light rain.Difficulty: Walking the trails is easy throughout the trip. The exception is Ruhiza in Bwindi which slightly demanding as the hike to get to Mubwindi Swamp is a steep trail down, and slow climb up, and if it rains it can be rather slippery. However this trail is vitally worth it and holds some of the best birds that Bwindi has on offer. In general a small degree of fitness is required. The terrain during the Gorilla tracking can never be predicted and can indeed be very steep, however walking sticks and an expert team of trackers and porters will be along to assist, wait and make sure the experience is a pleasant one.Accommodation: This tour has been designed with a tried and tested, very affordable, and great value for money set of accommodations that understand birders needs and idiosyncrasies and will allow this trip the best flexibility, location and logistics required to be most successful.Price Includes All accommodation, meals, mineral water during transfers, access to all parks and reserve, transportation in a 4×4 vehicle or minivan with pop-up roof, boat cruises mentioned in the itinerary, fuel, driver and guide fees.  24/7 office support.Price Excludes: International flights, visas, items of personal nature, telephone calls, laundry, alcoholic drinks, travel and medical Insurance, tips, excess baggage charges, any activities not specified in the itinerary.Booking and payment details: Once you have decided to join this safari, you will need to to contact us for a booking form, which will include details relating to deposit and final payments etc. As our groups are small they fill up quickly.

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Welcome to Uganda also known as The Pearl of Africa. Located in East Africa, it is bordered on the west by Congo, on the north by the Sudan, on the east by Kenya, and on the south by Tanzania and Rwanda. Although generally equatorial, the climate is not uniform as the altitude modifies the climate. Southern Uganda is wetter with rain generally spread throughout the year. In the centre of the country at Kampala and Entebbe (on the northern shore of Lake Victoria), most rain falls from March to June and the November/December period. The south of the country is heavily influenced by one of the many forests there, and one of the world's biggest lake, Lake Victoria, which contains many islands and birds. Main Tourist Attractions are Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park; Kidepo Valley National Park; Lake Mburo National Park; Mgahinga Gorilla National Park; Mount Elgon National Park; Murchison Falls National Park; Queen Elizabeth National Park; Rwenzori Mountains National Park; and Semuliki National Park.

Tours offered by Pinnacle Africa Safaris

Pinnacle Africa Safaris one of Africa,s travel experts. We specialize in custom-made safaris to track gorillas, chimpanzees, and other primates. We have many gorilla tours and over 5 chimpanzee safaris, wildlife safaris, bird watching, eco-tourism and cultural tours  in Uganda, Rwanda, Congo and Burundi. We also provide you with travel advice. We are experts in Events Management. We can arrange Business Meetings, Conferences, and Conventions in Uganda, Rwanda, Congo and Burundi . For those who wish to travel to Kenya, Tanzania, or Central and Southern Africa, we  arrange your safari programs through our associated agents. Contact us for details.

There range of tours and vacations in Uganda include but not limited to the following;

 

GORILLA TOURS  pinnacle safaris

 
Tours to Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks to track the endangered mountain gorillas.

 

WILDLIFE SAFARIS with pinnacle safaris

These include tours filled with game drives in Uganda's national parks. See mammals including lions, buffalo, rhino, elephant.

 

BIRDING SAFARIS with pinnacle safaris

 
Uganda is truly a bird’s paradise. Go bird Watching in Uganda's birding areas.

 

ECOTOURS with pinnacle safaris

We focus on low impact responsible tourism in areas of natural beauty where nature thrives.

 

CULTURE IN UGANDA with pinnacle safaris

Uganda is a mega-hotspot for travellers interested in experiencing African culture. with over 52 tribes, Uganda is one country with a diverse population, all under one government.

 

MOUNTAINEERING  activities with pinnacle safaris

Prepare for thrilling adventures that will involve you trekking Uganda's Rwenzoris Mountains and Mt Elgon

For more information or inquries about this post ,send me an email to fredlutaaaya@hotmail.com or fred@pinnaclesafaris.com

TOURS AND SAFARIS

Destinations

we offer well designed, affordable tour packages for those who wish to embark on exciting safaris within Uganda. From the big game in Kidepo Valley, past the beautiful lakes and falls fed by Lake Victoria, to the hot springs in the Rift Valley and the amazing primates in the forests of Kibale and Bwindi, there's so much to see and do in The Pearl of Africa.

• 2 days Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and The Source of The Nile
• 2 days Murchison Falls
• 4 days Murchison Falls including Nature Walk through Budongo Forest
• 4 days Kibale Forest for Chimpanzee tracking and Sempaya Hot Springs at Semliki National Park
• 4 days Kidepo Valley National Park and Murchison Falls
• 5 Days Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo National Park
• 6 days Sipi Falls and Mount Elgon Hiking
• 7 days Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi National Park
• 10 days Gorrila and Game Tour

2 days Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and The Source of The Nile (optional 1 day Ngamba Island or Jinja)

Itinerary

DAY 1
Depart Entebbe at 9am to Ngamba Island via speedboat (40 mins). View the chimpanzees at feeding time followed by a short tour of the island and its facilities. The sanctuary was established in 1998 to care for the animal habitants and manage the ecosystem of the entire island.
Return to Entebbe and depart for Jinja. Arrive in the afternoon, have lunch and view Owen Falls Dam, Uganda’s main source of hydro-electric power. Evening rest or activities such as quad biking, nature walks etc followed by dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 2
Breakfast is followed by your choice of activities including rafting-Jinja has some of the best rapids in the world ideal for white-water rafting-or a calm boat cruise, bungee jumping, mountain hiking, fishing, bird watching etc. Return to Entebbe by 6pm.

End of trip.

2 days Murchison Falls

Itinerary

DAY 1
Depart Entebbe at 8:30am via Aerolink to Bugungu airstrip. Proceed to Paara Safari Lodge for breakfast. After breakfast view the two falls named Uhuru and Murchison, view the river Nile and numerous bird species after which lunch is served back at the lodge. After lunch a boat cruise lasting about 3-4 hours. Following the cruise is dinner and an overnight.

DAY 2
Begins with an early breakfast followed by a ferry crossing over the Nile to do the game drive. The game drive, which lasts 4-5 hours is mainly done around the mating grounds of open Savanna grasslands and delta where, from its source, River Nile joins Lake Albert to form Albert Nile which proceeds to the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt, through Sudan. During the game drive Rothschild's Giraffe (endangered), Cape Buffalos, lots of Uganda Kobs, Hartebeests, Elephants and other wildlife including Lions can be regularly spotted.
Return to the lodge for lunch and a short rest before leaving for the airstrip and departing for Entebbe.

End of trip.

4 days Murchison Falls including Nature Walk through Budongo Forest

Itinerary

DAY 1
At exactly 8:00am we set off from Kampala and drive to Masindi town for lunch at Coat View Hotel. After lunch we proceed to Murchison Falls National Park, through escarpments of Albertan Rift Valley, drive to the top of the Falls for a hike and witness the beauty of the two falls named Uhuru and Murchison, after which we proceed to Red Chilli Rest Camp arriving at 6:30pm for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 2
We set off at 6:30am with packed breakfast for an early morning Game Drive across the River Nile by Ferry Crossing. The game drive which lasts 4 to 5 hours in channel tracks is mainly done around the mating grounds of open Savanna grass lands and Delta where, from its source, River Nile joins Lake Albert to form Albert Nile which proceeds to the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt, through Sudan. During the Game Drive Rothschild's Giraffe, Cape Buffalos, lots of Uganda Kobs, Hartebeests, Elephants and many more species including those of the cat family like Lions can be regularly seen. Another game drive in the evening is done to give you a second chance where you'll be able to have a close look.
DAY 3
A walk through Budongo Forest Reserve to see primates and numerous species of birds. After lunch a boat cruise, which takes 3 hours, on the River Nile towards the bottom of the falls for a clear view of the 40meters of thundering falls and lots of Hippopotamus, Crocodiles, numerous other bird species, big reptiles and mammals thronging the river shores to quench their thirst. Activities like hiking are also done. Thereafter we return for dinner and an overnight.
DAY 4
After breakfast depart for Entebbe.

4 days Kibale Forest for Chimpanzee tracking and Sempaya Hot Springs at Semliki National Park

Itinerary

DAY 1
At 8:00am set off from Tamani Tours offices in Entebbe thus reaching the scenic town of Fort Portal for lunch. Lunch is followed by a few hours drive to Kibale Forest Reserve where you will have dinner and spend night in a luxurious lodge.

DAY 2
The day begins with a hearty breakfast after which your experienced guide will lead you on several hours of chimp tracking in the forest. Budongo Forest is famous for its fascinating primates and wide variety of bird species. After a recess for lunch, nature walks in swamps will be done returning in the evening for dinner and a well-deserved rest.

DAY3
After breakfast a drive to Semliki National Park (packed lunch at hand) will take you to the amazing hot springs bubbling up from the depths of Sempaya to demonstrate subterranean forces that have been shaping the Rift Valley for the last 14 billion years. Several animals will be seen including the famous variety of bird species that make their home in the area. After spending the day at Semliki you will then return to your lodging for dinner and an overnight.

DAY 4
Return to Entebbe after breakfast.

5 Days Lake Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo National Park

Itinerary

DAY 1
At 8.00am we set off for Masaka to see the Equator, then on to Lake Mburo for lunch followed by a horseback ride safari that is unique to the park. You will catch a glimpse of the Eland, found nowhere else in Uganda. After the horseback safari dinner is served and you shall retire for the day.

DAY 2
Breakfast starts off an eventful day as you'll go on a game drive, return in time for lunch, proceed to a nature walk and participate in an expert-guided bird watching session. Lake Mburo National Park has one of the most varied landscapes in Africa-from forest to open savanna, accacia woodland to rock kopjes, from seasonal & permanent swamps to the open lake itself-there's no shortage of sights & sounds.
A tasty dinner will end the day.

DAY 3
A hearty breakfast prepares you for a long scenic drive to Lake Bunyonyi. Shortly after arrival you a boat trip will take you around the breath-taking islands. Bunyonyi means "Place of little birds" and the scenery is like something out of a storybook, truly magical.
After dinner you will retire for the night.

DAY 4

The day will be spent hiking through the hills on the countless islands in the area and visiting the local community and their industries such as basket weaving. Late afternoon involves canoeing or traditional boat rides from the locals. A heavy dinner will end the day.

Day 5
After an early breakfast you will then depart for Entebbe.

4 days Kidepo Valley and Murchison Falls

Itinerary

DAY 1
An early breakfast at your hotel prepares you for an amazing flight over Uganda as you set off from Entebbe Int'l Airport at 8:30am via Aerolink and arrive in Murchison Falls National Park at exactly 9:30am and embark on a ferry crossing over the Nile for the game drive which lasts 4-5 hours. While there you are bound to catch numerous animals enjoying first light. After lunch you will view the twin falls that are collectively named Murchison. A hearty dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 2
After breakfast you will go bird watching the wealth of bird species that Murchison has to offer, after which lunch is served back at the lodge. After lunch is a boat cruise lasting about 3-4 hours. Afternoon is the ideal time to see the hundreds of bird species resident in Murchison. After the cruise is dinner and another overnight stay.

DAY 3
After breakfast make your way to the airstrip where an Aerolink plane awaits to fly you northward to Kidepo Valley National Park. Shortly after arrival your park guide will lead you on a game drive where you will see the Cheetah, Lion, Ostrich, endangered Rothschild's Giraffe and many more big game.
After lunch in the luxurious Apoka Lodge, a short game drive to the north side of the park will take you near the border with Sudan as you see the actual Kidepo Valley during a walking safari.

DAY 4
After breakfast you will visit the Karamojong community who are indigenous to the region. You will enter their Manyattas (homesteads), learn about their traditional customs & way of life, try on their jewelry & head-dress and even learn how to shoot a bow and arrow like a true Karamajong hunter.
After bidding the Karamajong goodbye you will go the airstrip where you will find an Aerolink plane waiting to take you safely back to Entebbe Int'l Airport.
End of Trip.

6 days Sipi Falls and Mount Elgon Hiking

Itinerary

DAY 1
After breakfast in your hotel, our guide will pick you and your adventure will begin with a drive East towards Mbale Town for lunch after which you will proceed onto Sipi Falls arriving just over an hour later.
Sipi Falls, located at the foot of Mount Elgon is the most spectacular waterfall of several in Uganda. The hike offers stunning views of the Lake Kyoga, Karamoja plains to the north and the slopes of Mount Elgon to the east. You will also visit several caves along the river and even go Trout fishing. Return to Sipi River Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 2
After an early breakfast, the first day of hiking to Mount Elgon begins. Being easy to climb Mount Elgon hiking does not require any specialized equipment or skills to reach the peak, apart from physical fitness. Mt Elgon is not so high so there is no serious risk of altitude-related illnesses.
Following the Kapkwata Trail you will go on a scenic hike through the bamboo, heath and moorland on your way to the Piswa Camp at about 2850 meters.

DAY 3
The day starts with early morning breakfast and a hike up to the rim of the Calderas through beautiful columns of Lobelia Elgonensis along the Sasa Trail. There's also a possibility of visiting the Hot Springs and Suam Gorge before descending to the Hunters Cave Camp at 3850meters, your stop for the night.

Day 4
After an early breakfast, having ascended to the top of the Caldera to the Wagagai Peak at 4321m you shall descend thereafter through the Jackson Summit and the Jackson Pool for an overnight in Mude Camp at 3500 meters.
Day 5
Early morning breakfast followed by a descend through the Sasa Trail to Budadiri and onto Piswa Camp for a short rest before leaving for Jinja Town for dinner and overnight.

Day 6
Breakfast followed by viewing the Source of The Nile after which you return to Entebbe.

End of Trip

7 days Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi National Park

Itinerary

DAY 1
Early morning departure for Queen Elizabeth National Park from Entebbe. En route you will stop for lunch in Fort Portal with scenic views of Mt Rwenzori. At around 5:30pm arrival at Mweya where you will have dinner and spend the night.

DAY 2
Set off at 6:30am with a packed breakfast for a game drive where you'll see the majestic Lion, Zebra, Giraffe, Hyena and a number of Antelope species. Enjoy the 2 hour boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel into Lake Edward. Enroute is the highest concentration of Hippos in the Uganda with excellent photo opportunities.
Return to the lodge for lunch and by 2:00pm another cruise along the lower end of the Kazinga Channel.

DAY 3
After a warm breakfast you will go Chimpanzee tracking in the Kyambura Gorge. This unforgettable experience takes you on the trail of several groups of habituated Chimps residing in a forest that lies in a gorge over 100 meters deep.
After lunch back at the lodge you will travel to the salty crater lakes including l Lake Katwe which has been providing salt and other raw materials for over 3000 years. Nearby Lake Munyanyange is the only location for Flamingos in Uganda. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 4
We set off for an early morning drive to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. A game drive will bring you up close to the amazing and fairly famous tree-climbing lions. There are only two populations of lions in the world that climb trees and Uganda boasts one of them. A variety of herbivores can also be seen. After lunch you will be free to spend the rest of the day resting, exploring the surrounding area and taking in the ambience of the valley.

DAY 5
After breakfast at 09:00am set off for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Arrival at around noon followed by lunch and well deserved rest in preparation for Gorilla tracking the next morning.

Day 6
Early breakfast followed by an amazing experience tracking the Silverback Gorilla of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The endangered Mountain Gorillas cannot be found in any zoo in the world because they do not survive in captivity. There are nearly 800 Mountain Gorillas left in the world and some 300 of them live in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

After a late lunch you will spend the remainder of the day with the Batwa Pygmies, learning about their customs and way of life. Until recently, Bwindi's mountain gorillas shared their forest with the Batwa pygmies, a tribe of hunter-gatherers who lived in its caves and trees for more than 4,000 years. Although they never hunted gorillas, the Batwa's proximity increased the risk of infection to animals that share 98 per cent of human DNA. When the National Park was gazetted in 1991, the Batwa were evicted from the forest to protect the primates, thus becoming conservation refugees.
Day 7

After breakfast you will bid the Batwa goodbye and drive back to Entebbe. En route you will see a number of freshwater lakes including a stop-over for lunch in Masaka aka The Equator before proceeding to Entebbe.
End of Trip.
NOTE: Gorilla Permits must be booked no less than 3 months before the tracking date.

10 days Gorilla and Game Tour

Itinerary

Upon your arrival at Entebbe Int'l Airport you will meet our friendly guide who will give you a warm welcome to Uganda and transfer you to your pre-arranged hotel.

DAY 1
After breakfast our guide will pick you from your hotel and by 8.00am set off from Entebbe town, through Kampala City and onto the famous Luwero Triangle in the north west. You will stop for a visit at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and see two of less than 30 rhino in the entire country. The white rhino can be viewed before lunch after which you set off for Murchison Falls, arriving around 5:30pm. Dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 2
After early breakfast set off with a packed lunch for a ferry crossing over the Nile to do a game drive along the Buligi, Albert or Queens trail. You will see a variety of game including Elephant, Giraffe, Antelope, Lion, Hippo and more.
After lunch is a Nile cruise which is ideal for viewing Hippos, Crocodiles and hundreds of bird species including Heron, Kingfisher, Skimmer, Long-crested Eagle, Flamingo and many more. Dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 3
After breakfast is a scenic hike to the top of the Falls where you will see the Nile's beauty perfected. Marvel at the Nile compressing from 50 meters to squeeze through a 60 meter gorge as it drops over 40 meters with a thunderous roar creating thick plume of spray and breath-taking rainbows as it continues on its journey. Return to your lodge for lunch.
At 2:00pm you will proceed to Budongo Forest Reserve for a nature walk. Several primates are resident here including Red Colobus, Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, Red-tailed Monkey and the Chimpanzee among others. Your guide will inform you on the various flora and bird species present. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

DAY 4
Early morning departure for Queen Elizabeth National Park, the largest in Uganda. En route you will stop for lunch in Fort Portal with scenic views of Mt Rwenzori. At around 5:30pm arrival at Mweya where you will have dinner and spend the night.

DAY 5
Set off at 6:30am with a packed breakfast for a game drive where you'll see the majestic Lion, Zebra, Giraffe, Hyena and a number of Antelope species. Enjoy the 2 hour boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel into Lake Edward. Enroute is the highest concentration of Hippos in Uganda with excellent photo opportunities.
Return to the lodge for lunch and by 2:00pm another cruise along the lower end of the Kazinga Channel.

DAY 6
After a warm breakfast you will go Chimpanzee tracking in the Kyambura Gorge. This unforgettable experience takes you on the trail of several groups of habituated Chimps residing in a forest that lies in a gorge over 100 meters deep.
After lunch back at the lodge you will travel to the salty crater lakes including l Lake Katwe which has been providing salt and other raw materials for over 3000 years. Nearby Lake Munyanyange is the only location for Flamingos in Uganda. Return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 7
We set off for an early morning drive to the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. A game drive will bring you up close to the amazing and fairly famous tree-climbing lions. There are only two populations of lions in the world that climb trees and Uganda boasts one of them. A variety of herbivores can also be seen. After lunch you will be free to spend the rest of the day resting, exploring the surrounding area and taking in the ambience of the valley.

DAY 8
After breakfast at 09:00am set off for Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Arrival at around noon followed by lunch and well deserved rest in preparation for Gorilla tracking the next morning.

Day 9
Early breakfast followed by an amazing experience tracking the Silverback Gorilla of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The endangered Mountain Gorillas cannot be found in any zoo in the world because they do not survive in captivity. There are nearly 800 Mountain Gorillas left in the world and some 300 of them live in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

After a late lunch you will spend the remainder of the day with the Batwa Pygmies, learning about their customs and way of life. Until recently, Bwindi’s mountain gorillas shared their forest with the Batwa pygmies, a tribe of hunter-gatherers who lived in its caves and trees for more than 4,000 years. Although they never hunted gorillas, the Batwa’s proximity increased the risk of infection to animals that share 98 per cent of human DNA. When the National Park was gazetted in 1991, the Batwa were evicted from the forest to protect the primates, thus becoming conservation refugees.
Day 10
After breakfast you will bid the Batwa goodbye and drive back to Entebbe. En route you will see a number of freshwater lakes including a stop-over for lunch in Masaka aka The Equator before proceeding to Entebbe.

Uganda Hosts The 2013 Commonwealth local government conference | Africa Travel Guide

Uganda Hosts The 2013 Commonwealth local government conference | Africa Travel Guide