Engagi – Primate Safaris

This day you will be welcomed into the country by a professional guide who will check you in at your place of residence in this historical peninsula-Entebbe. Overnight at the lodge

After a good first rest in Uganda, we shall have breakfast and head further north to Uganda’s biggest conservation area-MFNP. This is a savannah park with a good species list ranging from the big mammals, reptiles, birds to our primates of interest which will be the Patas Monkeys which area a ground dwelling monkeys in Uganda’s savannahs. Other primates include the olive baboon and Vervet Monkeys. Overnight at Pakuba Lodge

After an early morning breakfast, we shall head out to a game viewing drive with focus to get the primates here. This park however boasts of over 75 mammas and hence sightings of other big mammals is unavoidable and this will give us an opportunity to see big game including the savanna elephant (biggest land mammal), buffalos, leopard, lion, hyena, jackals, giraffe as well as a variety of antelopes like the hartebeest, Oribi, Uganda Kob, waterbucks, and bushbuck to mention a few.

After our morning game drive, we shall head back to the lode for a hot lunch and later go to the jetty, welcomed by the stubborn olive baboons as we wait for our afternoon boat cruise. A boat to the famous falls from where this park derives its name is also very rewarding. This will be on Victoria Nile, part of the mighty and long River Nile. Along the cruise are many schools of hippos, big crocodiles, a good array of birds as well as big mammals as they drink some water in the hot afternoons. The highlight of this boat is the beauty and energy of the Murchison falls. An optional one hour hike to the top of the falls is very rewarding for those able and interested. Back to the lodge

After breakfast, we shall drive south to the famous primate capital of the world. Kibale NP is named so due to the high primate diversity in this forest.

This is the only mid altitude forest as it shares both the lowland and highland forest inhabitants and hence the species diversity. This is home to over 15 primate species including chimpanzees (man’s closest cousins) with over 50 individuals of this great ape. This drive is the longest on this trip as we cross from the northern savannas to the moist rain forests of south western Uganda. Overnight at the lodge

This is a very exciting day as man interfaces with his closest cousins. We shall head out to the park offices after breakfast for a briefing prior to chimp tracking. This is where details of the dos and don’ts while with these delicate primates are shared and after we head out to witness these interesting creatures as they go about their daily activities. This is normally a half day experience and parked lunch boxes are taken as nature may dictate that you have a longer stay in the forest.  Overnight a Fort portal town

After breakfast, we shall carry our parked lunch boxes and head to the scenic Rwenzori slopes as we head to Semuliki NP. This is a special park as it is mainly a lowland forest and part of the central African Ituri forest which makes it uniquely endowed in the whole of East Africa. Semuliki National Park is about 70 kilometers from fort portal tourism city and this is not only an easy to access area but also a hidden treasure for nature lovers. It harbors a variety of unique mammals especially primates but also a birding hotspot which earned itself the Birder’s haven slogan.

Some of the unique mammals include; the Uganda Mangabey, Debrazza and Dent’s Monkeys, Red-tailed and Vervet Monkeys, Uganda Red and Mantled Guerezza Colobus monkeys to mention some. Semuliki is also a vulcanicity hotspot and the male and female hotspots are a big attraction in this lowland forest park. Overnight back in Fort portal

This is a short distance from Fort Portal to the park offices. QENP is a biosphere reserve as it hosts not only a good list of wildlife but man is part of the ecosystem with twelve communities permanently living in the park. The park boasts of an average 95 mammals, and 612 bird species among others. This savannah park is one of the famous destinations in Uganda as it is named in commemoration of the queen of England visit in the ear 1950. This park has got a variety of wildlife but also physical features as a result of vulcanicity and faulting. The park is centered right at the floor of the Albertine Rift Valley and volcanic craters that bring the Jurassic feeling are part of the beautiful sceneries in queen Elizabeth National park. Overnight at the lodge of choice

This day is a break from the marathon intake of primates though the park harbors some of the primate species that will already be seen somewhere else like the olive baboons and Vervet monkeys. We shall have an early morning game drive in Kasenyi plains in search of the grazers. This also provides us with high chances of sighting the big cats as they hunt and feed from the many ungulates there. We shall later crown our morning game drive at Lake Kasenyi (also called Lake Bunyampaka) which is in one of the park communities and a salt lake as well as a crafts village. This may also give us a chance to have a bush breakfast but also a toilet break before returning to the lodge.

We shall have an early lunch and continue to Mweya peninsula for an afternoon boat cruise on Kazinga channel. This is a natural channel connecting two rift valley lakes George and Edward which are about 40km apart. Overnight at the Escarpment lodges

After breakfast, we shall head further south to the gorilla highlands via Ishasha (southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park) famously known for the tree climbing lions.

Bwindi hosts more than half of the entire global population of mountain gorillas. This provides a once in a life time experience to the clients as there are a few habituated gorilla families that can be visited on a daily basis. Bwindi Impenetrable national park is not only a gorilla hub but also home to other primates including the other two great apes (man and chimps) and these live together harmoniously. Other primates here include; the L’hoest, Blue, Vervet, and Guereza Colobus Monkeys as well as Olive baboons among others. This impenetrable highland forest is also home to other mammals like the elephants, duikers, forest hogs and an assorted list of birds (more than 330 species) including the 24 of the 27 Albertine rift endemics. Overnight at Haven lodge

This is a very exciting activity that mesmerizes every person that has ever done it and if not careful the anxiety may make one have a sleepless night prior to gorilla tracking. This is all worth it though one is advised to have a good rest before the long walk in the highland forest while tracking the gorillas. Mountain gorillas are gentle giants and a visit to them is indeed one of the world class bucket list activities for anyone before leaving this beautiful planet.

We shall head to the park headquarters after breakfast for the gorilla entertainment and briefing on the dos and don’ts while with these cousins of ours. We shall then be divided into our Gorilla groups and start the trek with our parked lunch boxes and every necessary item as this can take a few hours to a full day’s activity depending on where the family currently is. We shall later return to the park offices after tracking for a graduation ceremony as this once in a lifetime activity deserves that and much more. Overnight back at the lodge

After breakfast, we shall transfer further south near the Rwanda and DRC borders in another gorilla park in the Virunga Massif. This is a very scenic drive through the sharp corners as we approach Kisoro town with volcanic mountains acting as our guides. Mgahinga is Uganda’s part of the Virunga massif and is shared between the three countries of Rwanda, DRC and Uganda. This area harbors the highest population of mountain gorillas and is jointly managed by the three countries. Mgahinga is also home to the beautiful Golden monkeys among other primates and this will be our main focus here. The park gets its slogan “where gold meets silver” from the gold on the golden monkey and the silver on the silverbacks-mountain gorillas. This park also is a good place for hikers as it has three volcanic mountains not forgetting the birders who are well sorted as this park most of the Albertine rift endemics like the Rwenzori Turaco, Shelley’s Crimson-wing and Rwenzori Batis to mention a few.

After breakfast, we shall head out with our drinking water, parked lunch, rain gear and possible medication for altitude sickness among other things to the park headquarters. This is where we shall set off from with our guide to track the golden monkeys. This endangered monkey can only be found here in Uganda and it is humbling to see it go about its routine without fighting with their silver cousins. Overnight at Lake Mutanda Resort

We shall transfer to Lake Mburo National Park after our morning breakfast. This park is found in Ankore-western Uganda and is Uganda’s smallest savannah park. We shall drive through the Kigezi highlands to the beautiful Ankore hills and plateaus to this wooded Savanna Park. This park is named after the calm lake in the Kigarama hills as a result of warping. It is home to a variety of big mammals as well as more than 350bird species. We shall have a hot lunch in Mbarara and later game drive as we check in at the lodge.

We shall have a morning nature walk in Lake Mburo and later transfer to Entebbe Airport for our late night departure or overnight and this will mark our Uganda primate tour.