Most Popular destination to visit while on a Safari through Uganda. Bwindi – Murchison falls – Kibale forest – Kidepo valley – Queen Elizabeth – Lake Mburo National park.

Popular destination to visit while on a Safari through Uganda. There is nothing more enthralling in this world than visiting the various national parks of Uganda while on a vacation. Uganda has ten national parks but we shall look at five popular ones that give travelers a whole new experience while on a safari. We shall have them in order of how best to visit following an itinerary;

Most Popular destination to visit while on a Safari through Uganda

Murchison falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park has become the most thought-after tourism destination in Uganda because of the possibility of viewing the African big five. The Park itself has four of the big five animals that is to say lions, leopards, elephants, and buffaloes. The rhinos are found at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola district which is within the vicinity of the park. En route to Murchison Falls National Park, most tourists dash off to the rhino sanctuary to track the rhino and then continue to the park to view the other big five animals henceforth completing the whole experience.

Besides the big five animals, Murchison Falls National Park has other tour highlights like a hike to the top of the falls to witness how the Nile forces its way into a narrow gorge to plunge into the basin. This feature is a very beautiful sight and great for photography. Boat rides are also carried out on River Nile in the park. There are two boat trips arranged on the Nile; the first one is to the bottom of the falls where you view the might Murchison falls from the river base and on this cruise, you might as well encounter some water birds, hippos, crocodiles, monitor lizards and sometimes elephants and buffaloes n the river banks. The other boat cruise arranged is to the delta area where the major attraction is to view the shoebill. This is one of the places in Uganda where the shoebill can be viewed in the wild.

Kibale Forest National Park

The primates capital of the world. Kibale Forest National Park has the highest concentration of primates in the whole of Africa with 13 different species. Some of the primates found in the park include chimpanzees, grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkey, pottas monkey, blue monkey, black and white colobus, and so forth. Although Kibale has numerous species of primates, tourists mainly visit this natural forest to encounter the chimpanzees. The chimpanzees are very shrewd and interesting animals to interact with. They are capable of using tools like stones, sticks, and other natural surroundings to gather food and also build their shelter. They also show compassion to one another as though they are human beings. The chimpanzees are related to mankind with 95% DNA similarity. And a date with the chimpanzees in Kibale is always a memorable one, plus you have a 98% guarantee of viewing the chimpanzees making Kibale one of the places that you are assured of viewing the chimps in their natural habitat.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park formerly known as Kazinga National Park is one of the oldest wildlife conservation areas in the country. It used to be the most visited national park in Uganda but it lost its glory to Bwindi impenetrable national park and Murchison falls national park due to the Human-animal conflict that has led to a drastic decline in the number of wildlife species in the park. However, it has still got an edge over the others and this is why it is still among the top five popular parks while on a visit to Uganda. Queen Elizabeth National Park has the best plains to view wild animals and within its short savannah plains, travelers spot wild species like lions, buffaloes, elands, warthogs, antelopes, elephants, oribis, Uganda kobs and so many more.

This Park also has the highest concentration of birds in Uganda with over 600 species. Queen Elizabeth National Park also offers the most epic boat ride experience in the country. The boat ride operates on a famous and formidable water channel, Kazinga which entwines the two great lakes of Edward and George. The 2 hours’ boat ride at the channel avails lots of thrilling experiences of viewing aquatics like crocodiles, hippos, waterbucks on the banks, water birds, and also other animals like elephants and buffaloes which normally loiter at the banks of the channel quenching off their thirst after a heavy graze.  When you drive south of the park is the Ishasha sector famed for the tree-climbing lions. In this sector in case, you are lucky, you may encounter the tree-climbing lions, leopards, topis, elephants, buffaloes, and countless birds.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

This is situated at the southwest edge of Uganda in the Kigezi region. It is one of the most visited national parks in Africa because of being home to one of the most unique wildlife species you can ever imagine, the Mountain Gorillas. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to over half of the total population of these endangered species in the world. It is one of the few places on this planet to meet up close and personal with these gentle beasts in a gorilla trekking expedition.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is just 9 hours away from Kampala and the road leading to the Kigezi region from Kampala is well paved and direct and hence making a self-drive safari a very viable option for the traveler. Aside from the Mountain Gorillas, this park is often referred to as the bird watchers’ paradise as the forest hosts a number of the Albertine endemics.

Lake Mburo National Park

This is the nearest park to Kampala the capital of Uganda. It is about a 4 to 5 hours drive from Kampala and the same drive time from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It is located in the central-western region of Uganda. This is a very nonchalant national park compared to the others. Nonetheless, it has lots of wildlife species and tourism activities to engage in. For instance, a game drive is possible where tourists view animals like zebras, giraffes, antelopes, buffaloes, elands, and many more. A boat ride at Lake Mburo is also a great experience to get involved in while on a self-drive safari. The boat experience offers sights of different marine animals like hippos, water birds most notably the African Finfoot, and waterbucks.  Lake Mburo National Park is one park, a visitor can either start off or end off with the trip due to its proximity to Kampala and Entebbe, the two start and endpoints of every safari trip in Uganda.

The above parks are the most thought-after parks for clients on a Uganda safari however, on rare occasions, some have included Kidepo Valley National Park, Mount Elgon National Park with a stop at Sipi Falls, then Semliki Wildlife Reserve, Mount Rwenzori National Park. Due to the reliability and beauty of the volcanoes of Mgahinga gorilla National Park, some travelers have visited this area to explore the volcanoes, track the mountain gorillas in the area and also engage in the Batwa Cultural Experience.

Feel free to contact us for a safari to any of the destination above.

The oldest gorilla group leader, Kanyonyi dies. – Gorilla trekking – Gorilla  Conservation  –  Gorilla habituation – Uganda- Rwanda 

The oldest gorilla group leader. Mountain gorillas’ conservation is at the forefront of many conservation initiatives in both Uganda and Rwanda. This is so because, mountain gorillas are among the world’s most endangered species. There are only about 800 remaining mountain Gorillas globally, and all of them left in the Greater Virunga region comprising of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo, with Uganda accounting for more than half of the number of all the remaining population of these amazing giants.

After the death of Kanyonyi, leader of the oldest gorilla group in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) in Uganda the need for the conservation of the mountain gorillas become stronger.

Kanyonyi was the leader of the Mubare mountain gorilla family and died after a brutal fight with a lone wild silverback, only identified as Malaya. Born on November 1, 1996 to Ruhondeza and Kashongo, Kanyonyi passed on at the age of only 21 years. During the same fight, one of his offspring was also brutally torn into pieces, dying instantly.

Dr Gladys Kalema Zikusoka, one of Uganda’s biggest conservationists, the Chief Executive director of Conservation Though Public Health, an organization focused at the conservation of this gentle giants says the death Kanyonyi was such a very unfortunate event.

In her message, Dr Gladys said “Kanyonyi first fell off a tree while harvesting fruits for the family, and while he was recovering after treatment, a lone silverback fought with him because he wanted to take over his group. Kanyonyi in his weakened state was not able to put up a good fight, and sustained many injuries, which though they were healing, left him weaker than usual. When I last visited Kanyonyi he was eating quite well, but still limping and walking slowly, with one adult female gorilla, Karungyi and her baby keeping close by his side”.

Fighting amongst free-ranging gorillas for family leadership is considered part of their normal behavior patterns and enables natural group succession. The death of Kanyonyi therefore came as a result of injuries sustained during the fight with Malaya. “Conservation through Public Health participated in the post mortem, which confirmed the major cause of his death to be an infection in the hip joint after the fall. I have known Kanyonyi since he was born 21 years ago”, says Dr Gladys.

Kanyonyi, was a playful young silverback who liked interacting with human visitors. Over the past five years, Kanyonyi kept the Mubare gorilla group together and enabled it to grow through attracting many females to the family.

When the Gorilla Conservation Coffee social enterprise started in 2015 to support farmers living around Bwindi, a decision was made to name the first coffee blend after Kanyonyi who symbolized the gorilla conservation efforts in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park since tourism began in 1993.

The death of Kanyonyi was and still is a big blow to the Mubare family. The death robbed the country of a formidable gorilla group leader that was the backbone of tourism and gorilla tracking in Uganda. The group was on the verge of disintegration when Kanyonyi took over and brought in more members by attracting more females.

According to Uganda Wildlife Authority, it is not clear what the next step will be because it is very difficult to determine the group dynamics. “The group does not have a ranking male to take on the custodian of the group. However, we also know that there is a wild lone gorilla, Malaya that managed to beat up Kanyonyi and his father, so we hope that gorilla Malaya that is marauding in the forest will take on the reigns. It is still too early to tell, but our rangers are monitoring our rangers are day and night trying to monitor the movements, health and try to see if they will still remain in clusters or disintegrate”, he said.

The history of Mubare Group

Mubare was the first gorilla group to be habituated for tourism in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park beginning in 1991, and following a two-year habituation period the group was officially opened for tourism in 1993 with 12 group members. The group leader at the time of habituation was Ruhondeza who fathered Kanyonyi. In August 1994, Ruhondeza staged one of his major battles in which he recruited six new family members believed to be remnants of the then Katendegyere gorilla family which disintegrated into the DR Congo later in early 1998. Some of Ruhondeza’s unique characters included practice of infanticide of his own male offspring. By the time of Kanyonyi’s birth, about five male baby gorillas born in the Mubare group had been murdered by Ruhondeza.

The birth of Kanyonyi

Ruhondeza was almost 24 years old when he sired Kanyonyi and he demystified the former belief in his infanticide character by allowing Kanyonyi and his male siblings including Muyambi, to live up to maturity. By 2011, Ruhondeza could no longer manage to stage major battles – as he had further advanced in age and some of his group members had to disperse while others succumbed to natural death, reducing the group size to only three members. Ruhondeza died on June 26, 2012 when he was 39 years old.

The oldest gorilla group leader

Kanyonyi’s leadership.

The death of Ruhondeza marked the onset of an era for an enthusiastic young man, ready to demonstrate that he too can lead at a youthful age of just 16 years. Among the few remaining family members were one of Kanyonyi’s sisters (Malaika/Angel) and his only brother (Muyambi/Helper). Beginning October 2012, Kanyonyi, in the company of his younger brother Muyambi embarked on a mission to restore the lost glory of their father’s family through recruitment of new members, and by November 2013 Kanyonyi had recruited three members from the wild into his family thereby increasing the family size to six. He continued to pursue more members and by January 2014 he had five more members, two from Habinyanja and three from Rushegura bringing the numbers to eleven members. During his short tenure, Kanyonyi sired eight infants from eight different females in his group but only four are still alive as the other four died in infancy.

The death of Kanyonyi leaves many conservations organization with questions of what exactly should be done for the multiplication of more gorillas and protection of those that already exist.

Contact us for any more inquiries about gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda

Kalinzu Forest, home of the Chimpanzees – chimpanzee tracking – chimpanzee habituation 

Kalinzu Forest Reserve Located in western Uganda is remarkably one of the most spectacular forest reserves that any nature lover shouldn’t miss to explore while on a safari to Uganda. Kalinzu forest is one of a few natural forests that still thrive in Uganda and it is set around Bushenyi district just near Queen Elizabeth National Park and Maramagambo forest. It is about 382 kilometers drive from Kampala and it straddles at elevation of 1400 meters. It extends up to 147 square kilometers and its establishment was mainly to offer refuge to its diverse wildlife.

Kalinzu Forest

What to see in Kalinzu Forest Reserve?

Kalinzu forest is famous for its Chimpanzee tracking experience that allows trackers to spend at least one hour with primates that are 98.7% related to mankind. Kalinzu is one of the best places for primate watching safaris in Uganda. Out of the 220 chimpanzees in this Forest reserve, 70 of them were habituated by Japanese Researchers to make them used to the presence of humans, hence are open for tracking. Just like chimpanzee tracking in other places, tourists need to carry packed lunch, enough drinking water (of at least 2 liters), wear long sleeved shirts, have to be at least 12 years to be allowed to track these primates, have to wear long trousers, sturdy hiking boots, light rain jacket and a hat.

Kalinzu Forest Reserve is popular for its over 414 tree species including shrubs; primates like 220 chimpanzees, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, more than 380 bird species thus making it a true birder’s paradise (includes the black and white casket, Great blue turaco and many others); over 100 months and 270 butterflies, reptiles. The key wildlife species to catch a glimpse while you are on Uganda safari at this nature reserve include elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, leopards, wild pigs, lions and many others which can be spotted along the savanna grassland side of this nature reserve.

Tourists travelling to Kalinzu Forest Reserve have to note that there are no lodging facilities in the Reserve, but camping will offer the most interesting wilderness accommodation. However, tourists who are not comfortable with camping can drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park (is about 3-4 hours’ drive).

A visit to this forest takes you through its distinct trails each of which rewards you with unique experiences. They include;

The Valley trail

This trail takes you about 2 hours to hike through it. This spectacular trail is a three and a half circular loop and rewards tourists with the fascinating views of the steep deep valley, hence the name Valley trail. This trail involves hiking along the ridge and transverse several interesting tree species such as the renowned “Mutragyne rubrostipuleta”-commonly known as the Viagra tree that boosts sexual performance in men.

The river trail

River trail is a short trail and a hike through it takes you about 1 hour. It takes you through River Kajojo or elephant waterway.  While here, you have a chance to come across several primate species. This is the shortest of all the trails in Kalinzu Forest Reserve and takes only one hour to complete but is very rewarding. The main attraction along this short trail is River Kajojo-locally translated as the Elephant River, because the elephants used to bathe in the river hence the name “Kajojo”. This interesting trail also introduces tourists to some of the species of “Parinari excelsa” that is the Climax tree within Kalinzu Forest reserve and a giant strangler figure. You will also see several primate species such as the chimpanzees, the black and white Colobus monkeys, Red-tailed monkeys and the L’Hoest’s monkeys along this trail.

The Palm trails

This is a 5 kilometers’ trail which takes you about 2 hours depending on your hiking speed. You will wind through its woodland trees and get to fire tree a unique tree species in this reserve. This 5-kilometer round trip lasts between one and a half hours to 2 hours and crosses through a comparatively flat terrain. While on this trail, tourists are rewarded with wonderful tree species found along the path, the popular and interesting one being the Flame tree known for its vast, red tulip-like flames which are believed to increase Libido in Women, the magnificent Dragon tree and the Raphia Palm tree commonly used to make mats among others

Waterfall trail

The waterfall trail is 11 kilometers and takes you about 5 hours and while here, you will have magical views over stunning Kilyantama waterfall. This trail is an 11 Kilometer round trip that takes between 4 and 5 hours and involves tourists trans versing through some hilly areas and wet terrains. This hiking trail allows tourists to see the breathtaking Kilyantama waterfall that will welcome the visitors with its roaring sounds and serene environment.

What to do in Kalizu forest reserve

While on Uganda safari, the notable safari activities to take part in this forest reserve include chimpanzee tracking, bird watching, forest walks, butterfly identification and many others.

Where to stay in Kalinzu forest reserve

The accommodation options in this nature reserve take you camping at forest station at Nkombe. This means, you have to have your own tents.  But the nearby accommodation options include Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge, Mweya Safari Lodge, Kichuwamba/Katara Lodge, Kyambura Game Lodge and many others.

How to get to Kalinzu Forest

This forest reserve is set in western Uganda about 5 hours’ drive from Kampala. You can drive from Kampala through Masaka-Mbarara and then to Bushenyi. A visit to Kalinzu forest can be combined with wildlife safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park which gets you the best of thrilling African experiences.

Feel free to contact us for any details concerning a chimpanzee tracking safari to Kalinzu forest and to Queen Elizabeth national park.

Exploring Murchison falls with tourist activities – Wildlife safaris Uganda.

Exploring Murchison falls. Murchison Falls National Park is the largest and one of the most visited national parks in Uganda covering approximately 3,893 square kilometers. It is located in north-western Uganda, at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley from the shores of Lake Albert up to the Karuma Falls and is bisected by the Victoria Nile. Notable among the many tourist attractions is the magnificent Murchison Falls where River Nile waters plunge 43 meters down after flowing through a narrow gorge of 7 meters width creating one of Uganda’s most beautiful sightings.

The National Park is home to over 76 species of mammals and about 450 bird species. Animal species in the park include; giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, among others and some of these can be seen while on a boat ride along the river Nile. The River Nile supports animal life as well as it does birdlife in Murchison Falls National Park and the bird species include; Goliath heron, the rare shoebill, white-thighed hornbill, dwarf kingfisher, great blue turaco among others. Rhinos were once extinguished in the park due to poaching but they are now being taken care of at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, south of Murchison Falls National Park. All the “big five”; buffaloes, elephants, lions and leopards can be found in the park.

Exploring Murchison falls.

Tourist activities in Murchison Falls National Park.

Birdwatching

Birding is among the most rewarding activities to be done by any tourist visiting Murchison falls National Park. The Park is home to over 300 bird species which can be seen during launch trips, guided nature walks and game drives. While in the park, birders will get to see a number of bird species from the endemic migratory and a number of water birds given that where you will see a number of birds species. During birding in the park you will also get to see bird species like the endangered shoe bill stork however there are other bird species that can be seen within the park and these include; the Marabou Stork, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Secretary Birds, Black-bellied Bustards, Open-billed Storks and Widow Bird, the Swallow-tailed bee eater, Red-throated Bee-eaters, Pied, Giant and Malachite Kingfishers, Francolin, Hornbills, Grey heron, Hamerkop, Shrikes, Flycatchers, Cuckoos, Woodpeckers; Crombecs and Warblers. The riverbanks are also home to ducks, geese, stilts and plovers.

Game Drives

Game drives are among the most popular activities in Murchison Falls National Park that will offer you rewarding experiences during your Uganda Safaris. The Park is a home to a number of attractions including the famous Murchison falls, four of the big five animals including the lions, elephants, buffalos and the leopard and these are just among the 76 mammal species in the park. Game drives in this park are carried out in the Buligi peninsula where you will have exceptional views of lake Albert and the Victoria Nile and interesting about the area is the fact that lions in the park are commonly sighted in the area hunting for prey which is commonly the Uganda Kobs.

Ballooning Safaris

Exploring Murchison falls. There are a number of activities in the park that will ensure you have an amazing time engaging in them but among them, you should not kiss out on participating in the hot air ballooning which involves having the chance to see the park from an aerial view after you book your hot air balloon. This incredible activity will give you the opportunity to see different animal species in the park like common duiker, defassa waterbuck, oribi reedbucks, impalas, buffalos, bush pigs, giraffes, eland, and zebras, Uganda kobs, bird species like  Blue Quails, he Lesser and Great Swamp Warblers, Chubb’s and  Caruthers’s Cisticola Black Crake, Common Squacco, Striated, Black-headed,  Herons White-headed and Black-billed Barbet, Greenwood Hoopoe, Blue-breasted Shining-blue Kingfishers can also be seen flying over the hot air balloons which will be rewarding while in the park which will be quite memorable in the park.

Boat Rides/ Launch Trips

Boat rides are some of the amazing activities in Murchison falls. You will have the chance to see rewarding views and attractions for instance during the upstream launch trip from Paraa for example you will see a number of animal species grazing in the plains of the park like the buffaloes, elephants, zebras among other animal species frontal views of the falls in the park where you can take pictures of the attractions and the numerous bird species in the park and during the sundowners launch trip, you will have an amazing experience watching the sunset as you watch a number of animal species catching their last bite of the day as the carnivores in the park come out from their hiding spots to catch prey for dinner.

Spot Fishing

Sportfishing is another rewarding activity in Murchison falls national park that tourist can engage in during their Uganda safari and this is carried out at the base of the falls where a number of fish species can be caught more especially the Nile Perch, Cat fish, Tiger Fish, electric cat fish, Nile tilapia among other fish types. After the activity you will get to keep the fish caught as a reward for your participation in the activity.  While on the activity, you’ll get the chance to see a number of bird species like Black-headed, and Black-billed Barbet, Blue Quails, Great Swamp Warblers, Herons White-headed, Chubb’s and Caruthers’s Cisticola Black Crake, Common Squacco, Striated, , Greenwood Hoopoe, Blue-breasted Shining-blue Kingfishers, you will also get to see a number of animal species quenching their thirst from the shores and river banks,

Hiking/ Nature Walks

Nature walks are among the memorable activities in Murchison falls national park carried out along the different trails that lead to  Kaniyo Pabidi and Rabongo Forests where you will see a number of attractions within the park like a number of primate species like the black and white colobus monkey, vervet monkey, red tailed monkey, mona monkey, Dent’s Monkey, silver monkeys among other primate species during the nature walks  along the Nile delta, you will also see a number of bird species like the shoe bill, Amur falcon, booted eagle, red faced barbet, sooty falcon, bunting, crested barbet, western reef heron, grasshopper buzzard among other bird species.

Feel free to contact us for any information and inquiries about trips to Murchison falls national game park

Cultural encounters around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Community Encounters – Batwa pygmies’ – gorilla trekking 

Cultural encounters around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi impenetrable national park is not only a place where you trek mountain Gorillas but a place where you have  to learn about culture and ways of the first people to inherit the forest, planning a trip to this part of the world gives you an opportunity to directly  support the development of Batwa people  . And the funds can be used to construct local schools and many more.

There are two dominant cultural communities around Bwindi impenetrable Forest National Park and that’s the Batwa and the Bakiga. It’s believed that the Batwa were the very first people who lived in the forest and because of their short appearance, they are referred to as the Batwa pygmies.

Their ways of life.

The Batwa lived, hunted and gathered in the forest, the forest provided whatever they needed to have in life from food to medicine. Later on, conservation initiatives and the need by government to protected and preserve mountain gorillas and their natural habitat kicked in. with these initiatives, the Batwa were pushed out of the forest and started living a miserable life. Owning land to them was new since they lived in harmony in the forest but everything changed because of conservation. Because of these conservation initiatives, the Batwa in some ways become refugees in their own land. They lost their traditional ways and culture, ways of living in their normal and beloved forest as they now leave on the edges of forest that once belonged to them.

The Batwa experience.

An experience of the Batwa trail gives you a lifetime opportunity to learn about the day-to-day life of the first people who lived in the forest with the gorillas. spend time with people of small stature yet with very big and generous hearts. Learn as they guide you through the forest, dance, sing and story tell their traditional ways of farming, handling the bow, gather honey, and picking herbal medicine from roots and leaves a local way of treating the local people. Get a chance to share a local meal with them from plants and goat stew. The experience shows you how they lived in grass thatched houses and caves with their families and hunted small animals for food. The trail begins with a nature walk, hike through the forest as you learn from the first keepers of the forest. This can take any time between an hour to a full day depending on how you wish to have the experience.

The Batwa live outside the Bwindi Forest and very popular in the regions of Nkuringo, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Buhoma. Batwa trail can also be an added advantage to your Gorilla trekking to have a chance to spend time with the first people of the forest. The Batwa trail currently costs $80 and takes place in Mgahinga whereas the Batwa experience costs $100 and takes place in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest.

Contact us any time with any inquiries about booking both gorilla trekking adventures and the Batwa cultural and community experience.

Exploring Lake Mutanda, home to the Punishment Island – Gorilla Trekking – Bwindi forest- Mgahinga gorilla national park.

Exploring Lake Mutanda, home to the Punishment Island. Lake Mutanda is located in south western Uganda in Kisoro district and its a small fresh water lake a few miles from Kisoro town, the lake Mutanda is such a magnificent sight to visit situated on the foothills of three Virunga mountains and that is Mountain gahinga, mountain sabinyo and mountain muhabura, the three volcanoes create such an amazing scenic view filled with white fluffy clouds which are seen floating around the peaks

Lake Mutanda is home to many beautiful and scenic islands totaling to 15 in number covered by beautiful vegetation. Only one of these islands is habited by the local community and survival activities practiced by the community on this island include crop and tree planting. Lake Mutanda is served by River Rutshuru which flows north wards to Lake Edward. Lake Mutanda is surrounded by dazzling scenic landscape which is composed of rolling hill covered by lush trees, shrubs and terraces of crops which make your visit to this lake very fascinating and exciting.

Lake mutanda is habited by a local community of Abagesera clan. The Abagesera calm occupies a piece of the island where it lives and carries the growing of crops like sugarcane, bananas, peas and many more, in the portion occupied by the community there is a church established on the top of the island which is a worshiping centre for the locals mostly from the mainland and access it through a canoe ride.

The most popular among the islands in Lake Mutanda, is the notable punishment island historically important to the local bakiga community. This island is so attached to the culture of the bakiga people because it’s a place where criminals and social misfits like pregnant girls were taken and dumped as a punishment, and in most cases died there. This is the reason why the locals are afraid of this island as it is perceived as a haunted island by the souls of the dead.

Lake Mutanda and its islands are habitants to a variety of wildlife. The wildlife in the lake and islands include birds, fish and snakes. Bird species include pian-tailed whydah, great cormorant, pied kingfisher, malachite kingfisher and sunbirds. Mutanda is not inhabited by many bird species because of its high-altitude location which facilitate the cold weather conditions at the lake which are very unfavorable to bird life.  Other wildlife living in mutanda and the islands include three fish types that is cat and mad fish, snakes like pythons, chameleon, monitor lizard, clawless otters and hippopotamuses.

Exploring Lake Mutanda, home to the Punishment Island

Tourist activities on Lake Mutanda

Visiting the islands

A safari to Lake mutanda is never complete without visiting the islands, Mutanda is dotted with many beautiful islands such as Punishment Island, Python Island and many more. Visiting the islands is done through a boat on the waters of Lake Mutanda, and while on the boat ride, you get to encounter many mysteries of the islands such as skeletal caves on Punishment Island and Python Island which is a home to python snakes.

Batwa cultural experience

Batwa experience showcases the cultural side of your safari to Mutanda, the lake is surrounded by Kisoro hills which are covered by thick forests. These forests were habitat for the ancient gatherer-hunter Batwa pygmies, though the Batwa people were forcefully chased out of the forest, they still live in two places near Mutanda that is Buniga forest and some parts on the boundaries of walk in Mgahinga forest national park. On a visit to these forests, you will enjoy cultural dances and songs, interact with the elders, spot the Batwa practicing local hunting tactics, building style using local materials and many more.

Nature walks and Hiking

Lake Mutanda is surrounded by numerous hills and to access the lake is only done by hiking, while hiking you get to enjoy beautiful breath-taking scenic views, hiking to and around Mutanda is a 2 Days’ hike from Buhoma sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park to Nkuringo sector. It is on the second day that you ascend to Lake Mutanda and on this activity many trails are used to get to the beautiful lake.

Mountain biking

Mountain biking around Mutanda is an adventurous activity though a bit challenging, this safari involves riding through the hilly terrain surrounding the lake. While biking you get to enjoy the scenic views of green vegetation covered hills, mountain biking requires you to be physically fit and the activity doubles as an entertaining one and also for exercising. As a tourist on this activity, you can either come with your bikes to the lake or rent the bikes from Kisoro

Canoeing boat rides    

Canoeing is one of the most spectacular activities offered on Mutanda, canoeing takes on a canoe ride on the calm waters of the lake. As you ride on the lake you get to enjoy the cool breeze of the lake and the beautiful scenic views around the lake and also you get to see many bird species such as Pin-tailed Whydah, Kites, Malachite Kingfisher, weaver birds, Great Cormorant, Ibis, the Grey-crowned cranes, pied kingfishers and many more.

Photography, filming and Sightseeing

Lake Mutanda is a very picturesque lake with scenic sights making the lake mutanda best for sightseeing, the lake also offers a great opportunity for taking wonderful memorable pictures and exciting travel videos.

Exploring Lake Mutanda, home to the Punishment Island. 

Contact us for more inquiries about a trip to Lake Mutanda.

Jinja Uganda’s tourism capital – Source of the Nile – White water rafting – Bungee Jumping – Quad Biking – Horse Back riding.

Jinja Uganda’s tourism capital.- Jinja is located in Busoga sub-region, in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is approximately 81 kilometers by road, from Kampala, the capital and largest city of Uganda. It sits along the northern shores of Lake Victoria, near the source of the White Nile. The city sits at an average elevation of 1,204 meters (3,950 ft) above sea level.

The city was founded in 1901 by British settlers. It was planned under colonial rule in 1948 by Ernst May, German architect and urban planner. May also designed the urban planning scheme for Kampala, creating what he called “neighborhood units.” Estates were built for the ruling elite in many parts outside the center city. Very few tour activities can compare to the experience one derives from the tourist activities under taken while on a visit to jinja the home to the source of river Nile, the world’s longest river.

White water rafting on River Nile

Jinja has over the years gained a strong reputation of fun and adventure. The availability of spectacular physical features including the source of the longest river in the world has attracted multitudes of people from far and wide who opt to experience fun and adventure during their visit to The Pearl of Africa.

The wonders of Jinja are quite invigorating and the popular tour activities are just right even for the most adventurous of people. Most people usually prefer to use the services of a tour company in Uganda so that they fully enjoy these wonders.

Some of the wonders of Jinja and popular tour activities include the following;     

White Water Rafting on River Nile

Very few tour activities can compare to the experience of white water rafting on River Nile, the world’s longest river. The scenery is stunning, to say the least. The weather is conducive all year round and the water rapids look surreal. White water rafting on River Nile is best done in groups and an all-day rafting session covers a distance of about 21 kilometers through eight big rapids. In some parts, the water is calm, clear and perfect for swimming. Plenty of bird species can also be seen hovering around.

Bungee Jumping

Jinja is well known for Bungee Jumping, an adrenaline pumping experience where you plunge yourself 43 meters down into open space before partly immersing yourself into the Nile water at the Nile High Bungee. Bungee jumping is an activity much loved by those who want to test the limits of their adventure spirits.

Source of the Nile tour

The River Nile has its source in Uganda. At this point the Nile water is seen setting off from the still Lake Victoria water at a reasonable speed before making its way up to the Mediterranean Sea, making it the longest river in the world.

Boat Rides along the Nile.

A typical tour in Jinja is bound to include a boat ride along the River Nile. Boat Rides give visitors a chance to encounter lots of bird species and stunning scenery. Bird watching is best done while on one of these boat rides.

Kayaking

Kayaking on River Nile is a great way to experience the river up close. The weather is always right foe Kayakers to explore the Nile, the beautiful surroundings and exotic birds.

Horse Riding

Horse riding is done along the shores of River Nile and it is a great way to explore Uganda’s beauty. The surrounding landscape and the local communities make horse riding such a fun and adventurous experience. Birdwatchers also stand a chance of encountering many of the different bird species along the shores of River Nile.

Quad Biking

Quad biking takes adventure to a whole other level and does not require prior driving experience. A free training session is conducted before each safari and trips are tailored to suit the riders’ ability and give the best possible adventure. Sliding across the puddles and potholes in mud makes quad biking much more fun.

Contact us for a trip to Jinja, home to the source of River Nile 

Explore Lake Bunyonyi a gateway to the gorilla highlands- gorilla trekking from Rwanda to Bwindi – lake Bunyonyi adventures.

Explore Lake Bunyonyi a gateway to the Gorilla highlands. Lake Bunyonyi also known as the places of many birds. It’s one of the attractions in the Southwestern region located in the district of Kabale.  Lake Bunyonyi also known as the places of many birds. It’s one of the attractions in the Southwestern region located in the district of Kabale. The lake is the second deepest after Tanzania’s Lake Tanganyika in Africa with up to a maximum depth of 900m approximately 2953 feet. The lake is also the feature that appears on the 5000 shillings currency note of Uganda currency. Bunyonyi in the native language means small birds and harbors up to 200 bird species including Herons, egrets, African Harrier Hawk, grey crowned cranes among others.

Lake Bunyonyi boasts 29 scenic islands surrounded by a protective ring of highlands in Southwest Uganda. It stands at 2,952ft, hence the second deepest lake in Africa after Lake Tanganyika. It was christened Bunyonyi, a local word to mean numerous little birds which justifies the 200 plus bird species recorded there.

The lake and its surroundings are one of the richest in cultural experiences surrounded by some of the most exciting tribes in Uganda the Bakiga, Bafumbira, and Batwa “pygmies” living on a hill overlooking Echuya forest, who are indigenous to the area. This informal association of people is willing to tell the African story and unlock the tourism potentials of this incredible country Uganda. The climatic conditions in the gorilla highlands are unpredictable, but always turn cooler overnight. During day, the weather is unsettled, cloudy with abrupt rainfall.

Explore Lake Bunyonyi a gateway to the Gorilla highlands

Tourist attractions and activities on Lake Bunyonyi

Cultural and community Encounters:

The surroundings of Lake Bunyonyi are mainly occupied by two tribes that is the Bakiga and the Batwa. The tribes were introduced to the area after being evicted from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The Batwa people are still practicing their culture in a very Unique way in the area. Tourists can get a chance to listen to the pleasant cultural dances and music performances by the Batwa people. On the other hand, the Bakiga are the original settlers of Lake Bunyonyi and the people have been cultivating on the hilly terrace of the islands. They also have a rich tradition that comes with a lot of admirable things such as the cultural dance that requires a lot of energy to dance if you attempt to do so. They also have ancient stories of how they used to dump unmarried pregnant girls on the punishment island.

Kyahugye Island home to Bunyonyi Eco Resort.

Kyahungye Island is the closest island to the shores of the Lake and covers an area of almost 74 acres. The top of the island is flat and has been developed for tourists to engage in activities like birding, Nature walks among others.

Other Island:

Bunyonyi boasts of 29 islands and the ones that mainly standout include the Punishment Island locally known as Akampene. This island is the center of attraction because of the ancient practices that come along with its name. During the early days of the Bakiga people, the island was used as an area for dumping unmarried pregnant girls from the community as this was against the cultural laws of the Bakiga people. This was done to educate the younger girls against such acts in the community. However, men that did not have cows as a bride price to pay to the girl’s parents were usually seen heading to the island to pick girls, they wanted from Akempene Island.

Tourist Activities at Lake Bunyonyi

Bird watching:

As its name states “the place of many little birds”, Lake Bunyonyi is filled with a variety of bird species, over 200 bird species can be viewed at Lake Bunyonyi. Nyombi swamp is home to a great number of them and all you need is a boat ride to the place to have a spectacular view of the birds. The birds include the local birds such as Grey Crowned Crane, Herons, the levillant cuckoo, Harrier hawk white tailed blue Monard, and the cardinal woodpecker among others and those that come from Europe when it is winter days in Europe.

Canoe Boat.

This is one of the activities you can’t miss when you visit the Lake. Caneo Boat riding gives you an experience of calmness and quietness and the tranquility of Lake Bunyonyi. It is much thrilling during canoeing at night while listening to the cricket sounds plus the frogs that make it an exciting and memorable experience.

Swimming.

The waters of Lake Bunyonyi have no dangers of hippos and crocodiles plus dangers of bilharzia cannot be found in this lake making it available for swimming by tourists that want to relax and making it fun to swim in the fresh waters of the wildness.

Nature walks.

Tourists can walk freely on the shores of the Lake while having a panoramic view of the islands while listening to the pleasant sounds of the birds and the fresh breeze of Lake Bunyonyi and the community around. On the other cycling is also much possible on the trails of the islands of Lake Bunyonyi.

Cultural tours 

Many cultural insights can be found on the Lake such as the Bakora cave, the Batwa people along with their traditional customs and the Abaheesi who are the traditional smiths. Most of the cultural performances happen to be more memorable and exciting to the tourists. Learning about the cultural past of these communities is an opportunity you can get when you visit Lake Bunyonyi.

Getting to Bunyonyi

Getting to the Lake you will need to first make your way to Kabale from Kampala, a journey that can take up to eight hours long. From Kabale town, Lake Bunyonyi is about 25 minutes’ drive. Some tourists prefer using the Kigali, Rwanda route that takes about 1.5 to 2 hours long to reach Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda.

Explore Lake Bunyonyi a gateway to the Gorilla highlands Contact us for a trip to lake Bunyonyi.

Comparing Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Safaris- Gorilla trekking- gorilla habituation- Book a gorilla trekking trip now.

Comparing Uganda Rwanda Gorilla Safaris- Uganda and Rwanda are the best and finest destinations for gorilla trekking in the whole world since the two destinations house the highest population of mountain gorillas in the whole world. The two countries are home to the largest number of Mountain gorillas. There are a few differences when it comes to gorilla trekking in both countries and these include the trekking routes, accessibility of the gorilla trekking destinations, routes to the destinations the gorilla families, the cost of trekking the gorillas, the cost of the gorilla trekking permits nature of accommodation among others.

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is in most cases for the those that do not have enough time on their hand for a rea African adventure. For those who are willing to spend quite a few days on the gorilla trekking safari. Rwanda is the perfect destination for those people attending conferences in Kigali and would want to encounter the gorillas for a day or even two and at most three. The gorilla trekking permit in Rwanda costs $1500 per person. This makes it more expensive as compared to Uganda where the trek permit goes for $700 per person.  Rwanda has mostly high-end safari lodges, thus making it hard to have affordable safaris here.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is carried out in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and in Mgahinga gorilla national part. These two parks house the highest population of mountain gorillas in the whole world. That fact gives tourist a very high chance of encountering these gentle giants on a first trek. Uganda is the perfect6 destination for tourist wishing to have a true and rewarding gorilla trekking adventure. The distance from Entebbe international airport and from the capital Kampala is about seven hours of driving. These gives you an opportunity to make various exciting stopovers for example at the equator and admiration of the country side while driving to the parks. Uganda gorilla destinations unlike those in Rwanda offer all kinds of accommodation options from, budget, mid-range and luxury accommodation

Best Time to for Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Rwanda.

Gorilla trekking can be done all throughout the year in both Rwanda and Uganda but the best time to go for trekking is during the dry season.

Uganda: The best time for tourists to go gorilla trekking in Uganda is between July and September during the dry season and this is because during this time the trek routes are easily accessible making the trek exercise easy.

Rwanda: the best time to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda is during the dry season but you need to note that the country’s weather is extremely unpredictable that is Rwanda has two dry seasons and two wet seasons. The dry season is normally experienced from mid-December to February and June to September which makes it the best time for gorilla trekking but since the weather is unpredictable you need to carry a rain jacket with you all the time in case the weather changes.

What To Expect on a Gorilla Safari in Uganda & Rwanda

Gorilla trekking in both Uganda and Rwanda is an experience that every tourist should personally take on and this is because the experience varies from one person to another. Both countries have the same gorillas with just a change in the environment that is you will get an hour with the gorilla families assigned to you and 4 hours for the habituated gorilla families. You should hire a potter to help you carry your luggage because the trek routes are not easy to go through especially in Bwindi, do not take photos of the gorillas with your flashlights on because the gorillas might attack you. Due to the constant weather changes, be ready for rain anytime of the day. Each gorilla family will be assigned a maximum of 8 people and 4 people only for the habituated gorillas and you should also expect to wake up earlier than usual because the trek starts very early in the morning.

For any more inquiries about goring trekking in both Uganda and Rwanda, please fell free to contact us.