Uganda is a country of bountiful scenery and offers a wide variety of activities from gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, boat safaris to land safaris. Winston Churchill called it ‘the Pearl of Africa’ for its unparalleled beauty, abundant wildlife and biodiversity.
Direct and regular flights to Entebbe (just outside the capital city of Kampala) can be booked from Belgium, Rwanda and Kenya to name a few. A visa is required to enter Uganda if you hold a Canadian passport. There is no visa on arrival programs therefore your only options are to apply for a visa online prior to arriving or obtaining an East African Tourist visa in Rwanda or Kenya. We purchased this type of visa online with the entry point being Uganda even though we were arriving from Rwanda. The reason we did it this way is because in Rwanda Canadians do not need to pay for a visa or even need one.
Food and Beverage
The cuisine of Uganda has been greatly influenced by English, Asian, Arab and Indian cuisines. It’s difficult to describe Ugandan food as one entity as each region has specific specialities. However, the staple food is matoke which are cooked bananas. Other popular choices include cassava, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, yams, beans, peas, groundnuts, cabbage, onions, pumpkins, and tomatoes. Chapati is a type of roti bread and is found just about at every restaurant and roadside food stall.
Bell lager and Nile lager are popular Ugandan beers, but each region has their own beer. Locally brewed and fermented beer made from millet or banana is also very popular. Pombe and Lubisi are the names they typically go by.
Kalinzu Forest: Chimpanzee Trekking
Chimpanzee trekking in Kalinzu Forest is a party favorite activity to do and is not a very physically demanding. The forest has about 50 chimpanzees that live there and these primates are all fully habituated to humans. There are 2 treks a day: one in the morning that begins at 8am and another in the afternoon that begins at 3pm. Each trek is different as chimps move continuously throughout the day. That being said, a trek can take anywhere between 3 and 5 hours from start to finish. Once you reach these glorious primates, your permit allows you to spend 1 hour with them. The guides at Kalinzu Forest are well trained and experienced. They go above and beyond to seek the chimps out and follow them.
One of the realities with any wildlife experience is that there are no guarantees. We were very lucky on our trek. We hiked 45 minutes into the forest and we located the chimpanzees high up in the trees. The best way to approach any trekking adventure is to go in hoping for the best and prepare for the disappointment of not seeing any wildlife. Managing expectations is the number one rule when it comes to wildlife experiences. If you do have a great encounter, then you can count yourself amongst the lucky ones.
Our trek was lovely and the pace was steady. The terrain was manageable and the grade was mostly flat. Once we reached the primates, we knew instantly because I felt something wet land on my arm. It turned out to be chewed seeds that a chimpanzee spat out from high above. They spent most of our time with them high in the trees. There was one attempt to relocate and that became a very loud and obnoxious affair. Once they decided to move, the trees started to sway vigorously and they all climbed down and moved on the ground in front of us and across s small river. At this point we were able to observe a few baby chimps that were originally too high up to see.
The biggest challenge on the day of the trek was photography due to our subjects being high up and more often than not having the sun against them. Experiencing chimpanzees in the wild and in their natural habitat was an incredible experience that will forever be etched in our memories despite having only been able to capture a few dozen photos.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited and popular savanna park. It’s location in the southwestern region of the country along the border of DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) makes getting there from Entebbe a very long drive. Easily a 8-10 hour drive depending on rainfall make the journey arduous. The highway is relatively well maintained however there is a lot of slowing down and speeding up due to speed bumps located at every village. We passed the equator which was pretty cool as there are signs and stops to celebrate the division of the northern and southern hemispheres.
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers an area of 1978 sq km. The park stretches between Lake Edward in the south up to Lake George in the north. The elevation fluctuates from 2,985 to 4,560 ft above sea level.
Although the national park is a coveted destination for viewing wildlife, it also offers visitors with breathtaking landscapes of craters, and crater lakes. Some of the more popular wildlife includes lion, buffalo, leopard, elephant, chimpanzee, hippo, and crocodile. The park is home to over 95 mammalian species and over 600 bird species.
The ecosystems in Queen Elizabeth National Park are varied and this diversity is characterized by acacia savanna, tropical high forests, salt lakes, savanna grasslands, tundra, and wetlands. Lake George and Lake Edward are both partly salted and are connected by way of the Kazinga channel.
Kazinga Channel
The Kazinga Channel is a 32 km wide body of fresh water that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. There are 2 hour boat safaris that run daily in the morning and afternoon that will cover the entire length of the channel.
If you are an elephant lover like my husband and I, this particular boat Safari is the right one for you as there is an absolute guarantee of seeing lots of elephants….especially during the tail end of the dry season when the elephants venture down to the water to drink and play. They will drink anywhere between 100 and 200 litres of water daily as a means to replace up to 5 litres lost every hour through trans epidermal water loss (through the skin) and 50 litres of urine each day.
African Elephants live in herds consisting of related females and their calves. The herds are matriarchal, led by one female. Males will roam alone. The family units of savannah elephants tend to be around 10 individuals. However, it is not uncommon for a parade to have up to 70 individuals led by one female. We saw at least 50 elephants that day belonging to several different herds.
When we reached the end of the channel before it fed into Lake George, the last big hill was adorned with grey blobs. I had to do a double take because these grey blobs were in fact 19 separate adult male African elephants. It was truly a sight to see!
The channel is also home to a wide range of animals, and an assortment of birds. It is also home to one of the worlds largest concentrations of hippos with the current population estimated at around 2000. We saw many Cape buffalo while on our safari and I was surprised at how close we managed to get with the boat to the hippos and buffalo. We saw at least 6 baboon families and 3 dozen warthogs. It always makes me laugh when I see warthogs grazing because they kneel and it looks like they are praying. The vervet monkeys were plentiful too. This was another first for both myself and my husband. An interesting fact about their species is that the males have blue (turquoise) testicles that become bright turquoise when they are seeking a mate.
We only saw 1 Nile crocodile and our guide pointed out that it was a large one. I chuckled because I thought it was a rather small given the fact that I’ve seen Australia’s Salties which can reach the size and width of a mid size SUV with the extended cab. I did find it interesting that we observed children swimming and playing on the shores. When I inquired how they manage to swim and share this space with crocodiles or even hippos (which are far more aggressive and dangerous than crocodiles) I was told that as long as you keep your shadow that is reflected off the water in front of you, crocodiles don’t attack. I don’t think I would ever in a million years try to test that theory lol
Ishasha
African elephants are impossible to miss on Uganda’s savannah plains. The drive (the road is in deplorable condition) between Kaseses and Ishasha through Queen Elizabeth National park put us right in the path of at least 5 male elephants. In fact, they were so close to the vehicle that the minute one of the elephants started swaying back and forth and began to tuck it’s trunk we had to speed up and go as fast as possible to avoid a deadly charge.
Ishasha Wilderness Camp is situated within the Southern Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the Ntungwe river. The area is known as a blissful and ideal retreat for people who truly enjoy being in the wilderness. The area remains unspoiled and offers lots of opportunities to observe wildlife. The Ishasha savannahs are famous for its population of tree climbing lions. They can be spotted resting in the branches of the large fig trees if you are lucky. We did not have such luck that day. The vehicle ahead of us did spot the lions but made too much noise when they were taking pictures so by the time we got there, the lions had climbed down from the trees and moved to a different location. Safari etiquette is a thing while participating in them and noise pollution is a huge no no. Not only does in disrupt the wildlife but it robs the chance to see wildlife from the participants that are in vehicles behind the offending vehicle. We weren’t too bent out of shape because we did see lots of impalas and topi and that was exciting.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable national park is by far the highlight of all visits done to this biodiverse country. It can be done all year around in Uganda however, the best time to go gorilla trekking in during the dry season which is in the months of June, July, August, September and December. We went at the tail end of May which made the trek a tad bit challenging due to the wet and muddy ground. Permits for trekking in this park cost 700USD and must be obtained well in advance and through the Ugandan Wildlife Authority. 75% of that money goes directly to conserving these incredible animals. The remainder goes to the local communities and to the government who provides guides and armed personnel that go on each trek.
The drive up to the Park was treacherous due to the rain. At one point our vehicle slid part way down the mountain and came close to overturning and disappearing into the mountainside. It was really scary. Once the rain let up, the views were an incredible sight. The Virunga mountains could be clearly seen as we were so close to neighboring DRC. All the small villages along the way were all quaint and filled with children who were dancing and waving as we drove by. Once we reached the Gorilla Mist Camp we prepared to acclimatize at 7700ft for the night.
Mountain gorillas who we share 98% of our DNA with are the most protected species on the planet. They can only be found in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Virunga National Park in DRC. Roughly 50% of the worlds mountain gorilla population which is 1063 in total, live in Bwindi.
The park is roughly 321 sq kms and the elevations range from 4000ft to 8500ft above sea level. 60 % of the park has an elevation of over 6500ft which makes trekking even more difficult as the higher you ascend in altitude, the less oxygen is present in the air you breathe.
Bwindi National Park is divided into 4 sectors: Buhoma & Rushaga (the 2 easiest treks) and Ruhija & Nkuringo (the 2 more challenging treks). When we purchased our permits we were assigned the Ruhija sector. The small village of Ruhija can be found close the park entrance. We were so profoundly excited to watch the local women dance troupe perform. It was a joy to listen to their music and their enthusiastic dancing.
Ruhija is the most topographically diverse of the sectors and is mainly used for scientific research. At any given time you may come across scientific teams in the area conducting research and habituating future gorilla families. Ruhija is also the only sector in the park where elephants are present. Yes, elephants do live at altitudes of 8500ft!!!!!Their presence poses an added danger to trekking because they are extremely large and can trample and charge when they feel threatened. Because it is located at a high altitude, the Ruhija sector is a challenging trek but it’s also the quietest sector that will enable your visit with the gorillas to more enjoyable and tranquil.
We got to the park around 0700 and waited for wildlife officials to decide which family we would be assigned. Ruhija sector is home to 4 Gorilla groups: Bitukura, Oruzogo, Kyaguriro and the Mukiza family. We were assigned the Mukiza group. My husband and I were fortunate enough to be the only 2 trekkers in our group which made our experience even more special.
As the name of the park suggests the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is very rugged terrain. It’s a rainforest jungle filled with stinging nettles and fire ants. You need machetes just get into the park and to work your way through it. Thankfully elephants had flattened part of our trek so it was less tedious to get through. I’m not going to sugarcoat this experience. It was a a tough trek due to climate, altitude, geography, grade of mountains, flora and of course my age. At 50 what I could accomplish without breaking a sweat in my 30’s is now much more demanding.
Our team was Joy (head trekker), Speria and Walter (2x locals who helped carry our water and food) and 2 local military personnel armed with AK 74s to fend off poachers or elephants if we got attacked. The trek was roughly 11kms….to and from and took us roughly 4.5 hours.
When we first arrived to the location where we were told the group was, I didn’t see any mountain gorillas. We descended down the mountainside which was steep, slippery and hazardous. I stood on the the 35% grade and realized that I was surrounded by them. They were all underneath the bushes and leaves chewing away. I delicately brushed aside several branches and found them.
The Mukiza family is made up of 19 members including: 1 Silverback, 7 adult females, 1 sub-adult, 1 juvenile, 5 infants and 4 babies:) Mukiza group is led by the dominant Silverback Mukiza.
The group was formed in May 2016 after the split of the main Kyaguliro group thus making this group this newest addition to the Ruhija sector. The silverback was majestic and remained calm throughout our interaction.
The rule is to keep a 7 meters distance between us and the mountain gorillas. However, the gorillas didn’t get the same instruction as we did and all decided to come as close as under 1 meter. This meant we had to wear masks.
Our permits allowed us to spend 1 hour with the Mukiza family. Neither one of us can fully put into words what this experience felt like because it was incredibly powerful.
I had babies playing around me and a mother who had just given birth a month prior walk right past me. It was so amazing!!!!!
We made it back and we earned our certifications:) We are official mountain gorilla trackers and we have been invited back by the Ugandan Wildlife authority to be part of the gorilla habituation program 🙂
Lake Bunyonyi
Lake Bunyonyi is a unquestionably the most stunning lake found in Uganda. It has remained relatively unknown to tourists. Bunyonyi as a word that means the place of little birds. Not only is it a place for the birds but a place to find solace and tranquillity. The lake is also a heavenly place to relax, swim, island hop, boat, hike or birdwatch. The lake is hippo and crocodile free so that’s an added bonus lol
Worth the visit or not: WORTH
Traveling in Uganda is definitely off the beaten path as far as adventures go. It won’t be like going to the Caribbean or to Europe. It does require a lot more planning and research but what I can guarantee is that a trip to Uganda will be a lifetime experience and will give you many new and exciting memories.
Ugandans are incredibly hospitable people and the country has a plethora of tribes that are rich in traditional customs and lifestyles. Tribes have distinct values and traditions involving food, welfare, traditional dances, clothing and tribal structure. I implore you to discover as many of them as you can if you choose to visit Uganda.
Wildlife adventures in Uganda are set against jaw dropping backdrops that include: volcanoes, crater lakes, forests, animal rich channels and an incredible savanna. Given that Uganda is big on landscapes, it means that the wildlife it has to offer is astounding. Mountain gorillas are its most famous inhabitant, but the wildlife outside of this activity is second to none. Uganda has rightly earned its moniker of “The Pearl of Africa”.
Uganda is also home to a cultural mosaic of music, art and handicrafts and as such it is a treasure trove of unique and stunning souvenirs. Almost anything that you buy will showcase its rich cultural history and heritage. Intricate beadwork and jewelry are fan favorites as well as colorful textiles and clothing. Handmade pottery and wood carvings caught my eye. There is also a wide selection of coffee and tea that you can purchase to gift to friends. I walked away from this country a very happy and satisfied Muzungu!
Happy Travels:)
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