Author: gorilla

The Nyakagezi Gorilla Group based in Mgahinga National Park which had crossed to Rwanda last year is back in South Western Uganda. All nine members are back and in a healthy condition. Nyakagezi Gorilla Group is the only resident habituated gorilla group in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, located about 10 km from Kisoro.

This group is keeps migrating between Congo DR, Rwanda and Uganda, migrate across international borders, mainly in search of “greener pastures” (patches with more food). Across the three countries, such movements have drawn interest of the different countries especially when it becomes of Gorilla habituated to tourism. These kind of groups are known as transfrontier groups and are under the management of the trilateral memorandum of understanding signed between Uganda Wildlife authority (UWA), RDB by the time ORTPN and ICCN in 2006 on “the collaborative monitoring of and Sharing revenues from Transfrontier tourism Gorilla Groups”. Such cases have been happening: Kwitonda group moved 8years ago to PNV In Rwanda from PNV in DRC and has been benefiting of the implementation of the MoU by sharing the tourism revenue by 50% between Rwanda and DRC as indicated in the MoU.

This, therefore, implies that Uganda Wildlife Authority can now sell gorilla tracking permits for Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and therefore some relief of the pressure on Bwindi, where the bulk of the gorilla tracking takes place. It will also benefit tourism into the Kisoro area of Uganda, which in itself is one of the most scenic parts of the country and holds many more attractions interesting for tourists visiting the country.

Nyakagezi group of gorillas currently has 10 members. The family includes the lead silverback Bugingo who is around 50 years old and father to most of the group; his silverback sons, Mark and Marfia; and two blackbacks, Rukundo and Ndungutse, who love to pose and play in the trees. The two females, Nshuti and Nyiramwiza, both have babies Furraha and Nkanda respectively. Although gorilla tracking in Mgainga Gorilla National Park can take an entire day it is generally less physically demanding than that at Bwindi National Park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in the far south-western corner of Uganda. The huge cones of the Virunga Volcanoes, Muhavura (4,127m) , Sabinyo (3,645m) and Gahinga (3,474m), dominate the landscape here at Uganda’s smallest national park. Mgahinga may be Uganda’s smallest national park at only 33 km², but it combines with the Parc National des Virunga in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda to create a conservation area of 434 km².

Other Wildlife and Attractions in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Birds in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

The varied habitats of Uganda’s smallest park make it home to a variety of birds with 179-184 species recorded. The list includes the Ibis, Pin-tailed Whydah, Speckled Mousebird, Stone Chat, Grey-capped Warbler, Wax Bills, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Firefinch, White-naped Raven, Black Kite, Rwenzori Turaco, Blue-headed Coucal, Paradise Fly-catcher, Rwenzori Batis, Double-collared Sunbird, Rwenzori Nightjar.

Golden Monkeys in Mgahinga 

The endangered golden monkey is endemic to the Albertine Rift, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park offers a rare chance to track these striking creatures, high in the dense bamboo forests on the Gahinga trail. There is an estimated 3000-4000 individuals in the Virunga area which 42-60 are habituated in Mgahinga.

Other Wildlife in Mgahinga

Mgahinga is home to 76 species of mammals, although they are difficult to glimpse in the wild forest vegetation. They include giant forest hogs, bush pigs, forest buffaloes, elephants, bushbucks, golden cats, side striped jackals, black fronted duikers and South African porcupines.

Kibale National Park contains one of the loveliest and most varied tracts of tropical forest in Uganda but how do you travel to Kibale Natonal park? Forest cover interspersed by patches of grassland and swamp, dominates the northern and central parts of the park on an elevated plateau. The park ins home to a total of 60 mammal species, most famously the 13 species of primates including the chimpanzee. It also contains over 375 species of birds. Kibale adjoins Queen Elizabeth National Park to the south to create a 180-km long corridor for wildlife between Ishasha, the remote southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, as Sebitoli in the north of Kibale.

How to Get to Kibale/ Travel to Kibale National Park for Chimps tracking

Kibale National Park is located in western Uganda, 26km southeast of Fort Portal town. Kanyanchu River Camp, the primary center for tourism activities, can be reached from Kampala either from the north, via Mubende and Fort Portal, or from the south through Mbarara and Kamwenge.

The northern approach is shorter and quicker, with a 300km tarmac road running to Fort Portal followed by 36km of gravel to Kanyanchu. From Kampala there are several buses doing daily trips to Fort Portal town. These are however unreliable and frequently breakdown or have accidents along the way. They are therefore not highly recommended.

Kibale Forest National Park is most normally approached from Fort Portal using the Kamwenge road. If your are driving from Fort Portal town centre, follow Lugard Road north for about 1km. immediately before the bridge across the Mpanga River, turn right. You know you’re on the right road when after about 500m you pass a hospital to your right (with signposts reading ‘blood bank’ and ‘canteen’ perched in intriguingly close proximity). About 12km out of Fort Portal, you reach a major junction, where you need to fork left (the right fork, incidentally, leads to Lake Nkurumba and Ndali Lodge in the heart of Kabarole Crater Lake Field). After another 8.5km you pass the signpost for the Rweetera Tourism Society Camping Site and then 2.5km later Crater Valley Resort, from where it is another 12km to Kanyanchu Campsite and a further 5km to Bigodi.

Public transport to Kanyanchu used to be restricted to two or three dangerously overloaded pick-up trucks running daily between Kamwenge and Fort Portal. These have been recently supplemented by more regular mini-bus taxis, which run back and forth between Bigodi and Fort Portal throughout the day and are far more comfortable and safer than the trucks. Tourists are routinely overwhelmed by the taxi touts, so it’s advisable to check what local passengers are paying. There is normally no transport on Sunday.

A little used alternative route to Kibale Forest National Park runs north from Mbarara via Ibanda and Kamwenge. North Ibanda the road is unsurfaced but mostly in pretty good condition, and with a private vehicle it should take about 3 hours. Using public transport you will probably have to change vehicles in Ibanda and Kamwenge and may well have to overnight at one or other town – both posses a few cheap guesthouses. You can easily pick up transport from Kamwenge to Fort Portal via Kanyanchu. If you are heading this way, you might want to investigate the Mpanga Falls and nearby cycad fields between Kamwenge and Ibanda.

Future generations risk losing Nyero Rock, a tourist destination in Ngora District, to vandalism and adverse weather conditions that have ruined the archeological paintings.
The three-tiered rock shelter, famous for its ancient paintings on its inner surfaces, is believed to date as far back as the Iron Age.

Ms Rose Ntale Mwanja, the commissioner of museums and monuments in the Ministry of Tourism, said the fading of the paintings was because of exposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight and rainfall.
These form algae around the paintings, a process the government has tried to stop for a while but cannot because of the rules governing the preservation of the monuments.

“We tried to put cement to stop rainwater from dripping onto the paintings at the two sites but we are now consulting with somebody to see if we can work without the cement,” Ms Mwanja said by telephone yesterday.
However, she said the site at Obuin in Soroti District was still intact because it is in a dark room, adding that the government had discovered another 56 paintings in the region.

“We have discovered other sites in Mukongoro, Komuge Kakoro, Kapir, Paliisa and idolwe Island in Namayingo District, which we have proposed to the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to be listed as world heritage sites as we embark on developing our rock art trail,” she said.
When contacted for a comment, both Ms Agnes Akiror, the State Minister for Tourism and Mr Augustine Omare Okurut, the secretary general of Unesco, confirmed the developments.

“We are trying to educate the communities to appreciate these natural sites to conserve them for tourism and encourage our own children to invest and develop them,” Ms Akiror said. “I brought this to the attention of Kumi District local administration sometime back but I do not think they took it seriously,” Mr Omare said.
He said so far, Uganda has only the Kasubi Tombs, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mt. Rwenzori among the world heritage sites.

Is Rwanda safe for gorilla trekking? How safe is gorilla trekking in Rwanda

The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has moved to reassure tourists and the business community that it is safe to travel to all parts of the country. Indeed Rwanda ais safe for gorilla trekking despite fighting in some parts of DRC.

This comes just days after the DR Congo-based FDLR militias staged two attacks in the Western and Northern provinces, killing one person in either incident, before fleeing back to the troubled neighboring country.

“We would like to reassure visitors that it is business as usual at all our tourism destinations. Travelers to Rwanda continue to enjoy the magnificent scenery, pleasant climate, rich culture and diverse wildlife in our national parks, including the rare mountain gorillas,” Clare Akamanzi, acting CEO, RDB, said in a statement.

“The situation in Eastern DRC has resulted in two isolated skirmishes on Rwandan territory which were rapidly contained and border security has been reinforced to prevent recurrence,” the statement added.

Akamanzi said the Government “guarantees peace and security in all tourist destinations across the country”.

She observed that the tourism sector has registered tremendous progress over the past years and continues to be the country’s number one foreign exchange earner.

“While ecotourism remains the key attraction for visitors coming to the land of a thousand hills, we are working to increase conference and events tourism, a goal that will be facilitated by newly registered hotel investments such as Marriott, Radisson Blu and most recently Sheraton,” Akamanzi added.

On Tuesday, the Minister of Defence James Kabarebe told the bicameral parliament that necessary measures had been taken to prevent renewed FDLR threat.

FDLR is a blacklisted terrorist organization whose members are largely blamed for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which claimed the lives of more than a million people.

The RDB has recognized local communities neighboring Volcanoes National Park for promoting mountain gorilla tourism. Revenues generated from the tourism sector have this year increased by 11 percent compared to the same period (January-June) last year.

Information from Rwanda Development Board (RDB) indicates that so far, US$128.3m has been raised compared to us$115.6m generated in the same period last year.

Noteworthy, is that the rare Mountain Gorillas contributed more money, since majority of the tourists are interested in the Gorillas that live in the Volcanoes National Park.

The head of the tourism body at RDB, has pointed out that this increase in revenues for the sector, will ultimately trickle down to the communities that live around the Virunga, in addition to financing conservation efforts.

For tourism to continue to grow and flourish especially in regard to the rare mountain gorillas that are characterized as being on the verge of extinction, the role of conservation efforts can not be over emphasised.
And to carry out successful conservation, the local communities around the Virunga Mountains have a fundamental role to play. As has been noted, the local communities must have a stake in the tourism sector and a sense of ownership.

This is only possible when they are direct beneficiaries of the revenues that accrue from the tourist attractions and activity in their area. This will help in avoiding poaching and land use in a manner that destroys the natural habitat of  for example; the mountain gorillas.

By ensuring that the proceeds from the sector trickle down to the community, the managers of the tourism sector are investing in the sustainability of tourism and also guaranteeing social welfare of the communities.

The World Wild Fund (WWF), under its Rwenzori Mountains Conservation and Environment Management Project, has devised several approaches to minimise degradation of the park.

Mr David Duli, the country director WWF, an international conservation NGO, said the park is of great importance to the world because of its botany and beauty and therefore requires expertise to strengthen its conservation.

“We came up with the project in order to strengthen the conservation of the Rwenzori Mountains ecosystem and maintain its biodiversity and water catchment values in harmony with sustainable utilisation of resources for the benefit of Uganda and the international community” Mr Duli said. He noted that conservation efforts are helping the park to regenerate. The park covers the Rwenzori Mountain catchment area which, among others, includes Mubuku, Nyamwamba, Mpanga, Semliki rivers that flow from the mountain.

Rwenzori Mountains National Park is located in southwestern Uganda on the east side of the  Albertine rift valley. It is along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), just above the equator. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is situated in the Bundibugyo, Kabarole, and Kasese districts, 25 km from the small town of Kasese. The park has area of 996 km2, 70% of which is above 2,500 m.

The park comprises most of the centre and eastern half of the Rwenzori Mountains. The ice-capped Rwenzori Mountains are even higher than the Alps. Margherita Peak, one of Mount Stanley’s twin summits is Africa’s third highest peak at 5,109 m. Africa’s fourth and fifth highest peaks (Mount Speke and Mount Baker) are also located in the park. The park has glaciers, snowfields, waterfalls, and lakes and is one of Africa’s most beautiful mountain region.

Biodiversity is extraordinarily high with 17 regionally endemic birds and 12 regionally endemic mammals. The elephant, common chimpanzee and l’hoests monkey are globally threatened species (IUCN 1994b). The park is noted for its remarkable plants, which has been described as some of the most beautiful in the world (Riley, Laura; William Riley (2005). Nature’s Strongholds: The World’s Great Wildlife Reserves).

The broken montane forest dominated by Sybmphonia globulifera, Prunus, Yoshania alpina, Albizia spp.and Dombeya spp. occurs at about 2400 m. 199 tree species (18% of the country’s total) have so far been recorded in this zone . Next is the bamboo (Arundinaria alpina) forest up to an altitude of 3000 m, a heather zone dominated by giant heathers such as Phillpia trimera and small trees such as Hagenia and Rapanea, frequently over 10 m in height up to 3800 m, and afro-alpine moorland that ends at the snowline at 4400 m.
There are five distinct vegetation zones in the park, which change with altitude. Most significant are the giant heathers, groundsels, ericas and lobelias of the tree heath and alpine zones.

The park has 241 species of birds (27% of the country’s total), 78 species of butterfly, and four primate species.

The Kasese District natural resource officer, Mr Joseph Kitswera, said there has been a reduction in soil erosion and landslides. “Bare hills were restored which has reduced soil erosion, landslides and siltation in our rivers,” Mr Kitswera said.

He said conservation of the park will improve tourism in the Rwenzori region. More than a million trees have been planted on degraded hills in the Park covering more than 1,000 hectares of the protected area.

The Minister of Tourism, Ms Maria Mutagamba, who visited the park recently, said degradation in the parks is reducing.

“Much as the culture still remains, the problem has come down compared to the past when it was very rampant,” she said.

One hundred and two mammals species were recorded in the park. The Rwenzori duiker Cephalophus rubidus is found nowhere in the world and the Rwenzori otter shrew Micropotamogale rwenzorii is only known from here and Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda. The park has elephant, giant forest hog, sitatunga in small numbers and buffaloes, which had once disappeared, have re-appeared. Hyrax and leopard also occur in  the park as well as four species of diurnal primate: the common chimpanzee (curently estimated 500 indiviuals, Plumptre et al 2003a) found in the lower altitude forest areas, a sub-speceis of Agolan colobus (colobus angolensis ruwenzorii), the Rwenzori colobus, restricted to this park, L’Hoests monkey and the blue monkey

Because of its physical and biological values, the park was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 1994. Among rare reptiles, the strange-nosed chameleon Bradypodion xenorhinum is endemic to the Rwenzoris.

A wild mountain gorilla feeding away in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

KIGALI – Following the recent insurgency in DRC near the Rwanda/Congo border, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has embarked on an exercise to closely monitor mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.

According to Rica Rwigamba, who is in charge of tourism at RDB, the gorillas succumbed to extreme cold weather in the Virunga Massif in the Northern Province.

“There is high mortality rate of babies of mountain gorillas between 1 to 3 years. But, we have increased close monitoring by the wardens who will report any abnormality or sign of illness so that our veterinary doctors treat them immediately,” Rwigamba said.

Rwigamba, however, said that tourism activities have not been affected by the conflict in DRC. Mountain gorilla trekking is still going on there.

“Our aim is to increase the number of mountain gorillas and to conserve them; what happened was unusual, but it was a loss in terms of conservation,” she said.

When lovesick youth proclaim things like ‘I will climb any mountain for you’, they have no idea what they are saying. For Titus Kakembo, Mount Elgon looked like an attractive challenge, until he started the actual climb. Climbing Mount Elgon is one adventure that will creat the most memorable experiences for anyone.

As we set out to climb Mount Elgon, we were treated to the semierotic Kadodi dance as jubilant residents performed the ritual jog and dance to the beat. Kadodi is a traditional dance to celebrate the Bugisu rite of imbalu (circumcision), the initiation of boys into manhood.
Friends, relatives and in-laws to be of the circumcised boys are in carnival mood. They tell tales of the brave candidates rubbing hot pepper or salt in the raw wound. This is done by initiates, just to impress the opposite sex or be elevated a rung above their peers.

Imbalu country
On a Friday morning, I joined some members of the revived Uganda Mountain Climbers Club on a mission to scale the landslide-prone volcanic ranges in eastern Uganda. After a bumpy ride to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) offi ce in
Budadiri, we were ambushed by the imbalu group gyrating to the kadodi beat as if they were possessed.
The band was led by an ochrepainted lad, whose body glistened with beads of sweat under the noon sunshine. He was decorously dressed in intricate strings of beads. Motorists had to pay sh2,000 or more, for the crowd to give way like the Red Sea when the Biblical Moses slapped it with his walking stick.
Besides that, Budadiri is visibly suffering from retarded development. What used to be a tourist hotspot, Wagaigai Hotel, is overgrown with bush. It was named after the highest peak of Mount Elgon. Once plush and comfy, the hotel has since closed down. Today, tourists ride from Mbale on boda boda or rickety mini buses, which are in the habit of breaking down.
The main mosque in Budadiri struggles to stay on its feet as the bricks fall apart. All the mountain climbers can get before embarking on the adventure are chapati for sh300, boiled maize for sh200-sh500 and soda for sh1,000. At Muzafari’s nameless eating place, a plate of katogo is sh2,500 and tea served in a hot steel mug costs sh800.
Residents complain about the banana wilt disease that has destroyed their banana plantations, while coffee is no longer profitable as was the case in the 1960s. Elders prefer the coffee smuggling days of the 1970- 1980s, when they exchanged their produce with essential commodities. They also speak of the menacing landslides costing their lives and property.

In the wild
“Seeing us armed and dressed in army uniforms should not scare anybody,” the assistant UWA warden, Steven Nyandra, interrupts my train of thought. I was worried about my maiden Mount Elgon expedition. “It is strictly to ensure your safety. In our paths are wild animals ranging from sitatungas, tree hyrax, duiker, elephants, bush pigs, leopards and many others that need scaring away as we trespass their territory.”
Besides the wild animals on this trail, there is plenty of birdlife, including the handsome Ross’ Turaco, hornbills, and the Crowned Eagle. We signed our individual credentials in a UWA book and were fl agged off. Nyandra steered clear of mentioning the fact that, due to the Al Shabaab threats to Kenya, Uganda’s security forces beefed up security at popular tourist attractions.

Strong porters
We were joined by spindly-limbed, but energetic porters. They know the mountain so well, they could climb it with their eyes closed. The checklist comprises of food, tents, cameras and luggage for climbers. For a wage of sh50,000 a trip, the porters trek up and down at a fast pace, like a cursor criss-crosses a computer screen as it is controlled by the mouse.
Unlike their sophisticated clients, the porters need no mountain boots, insect repellents or climbing gear. Excitement is written all over their faces as they shuffle about to share the luggage. I overheard careless whispers about “weak urban dwellers” who take several days to do what they are capable of accomplishing in five hours. “I hope nobody has any sickness like a cold, headache, malaria or is under medication,” cautioned Nyandra as we prepared to set off at Bumasika village. He then announced that the climb would take two to five days.
He was confident that two days would do, considering the energy displayed by the members in our group — CharlieLangan, UBC’s Dennis Sigowa, Carolyn Mcpherson, Andy Wunder and Jenny Farmer, beside myself. The cook, Zeveriyo Gibaba, armed with tomatoes, onions, spaghetti, tinned beans, biscuits and maize fl our, assured us that he would take care of us.
“Just take along a huge appetite because you need tones of energy to get up there,” he said. He added that he has been cooking for mountain climbers for four years and was born here, so we didn’t have to worry. I wondered whether I had heard the mention of malewa, a local delicacy made from bamboo, nyamachoma and cans of tinned beer or was it my wild imagination? Earlier on, at the planning stage, there was mention of beef. But it was cancelled as one of the climbers was allergic to meat.

The higher you go…
On our way up, we met locals going down with loads of potatoes, malewa and firewood. Either way, movement was in single fi le, like soldiers on patrol. Within three hours, we were audibly gasping for breath. The higher we went, the more conversation dropped from the regular banter to monologues.
My breath became laboured; the knees were aching like I had walked from Moroto to the Martyr’s shrine in Namugongo. This was at a height of 2000m above sea level. When I answered to nature’s call, my urine was mysteriously yellow. I developed a pounding headache. The leather mountain boots were feeling heavy and making me move in moonwalk style.
I felt so thirsty and spent. Nyandra noted that it was a red flag. He told me that I did not have to walk at the same pace as the others, but at my own pace. However, I still found breathing harder in spite of having reduced my pace. We took another break and then I was told to take the lead so as not to be discouraged by the others’ speed. Nyandra noticed I was struggling. He told me not to push my limits because it would only get worse as we went higher.

Giving up
After two breaks, I painfully gave up the climb as the rest continued up. I sat down on a stone and Daniel Owiny, one ranger, stayed with me to lead me back down. I had really wanted to reach Wagagai and the cliff described as ‘the wall of death’, but my body was screaming for relief. I knew then the meaning of ‘the spirit is willing, but the fl esh is weak’. To my surprise, descending was no easy task either. We met a thread of safari ants crossing the paths.
They were ready to bite any flesh. Snuggling through my corduroy trouser, one was destined upstairs, another
dug its teeth in my arm through the overcoat and roamed my rucksack. I contemplated stripping myself naked for relief — after all it was just me and Owiny.
Later, Owiny, who was behind me, lost his footing and landed with a thud on his backside. How he controlled his fall without letting the AK47 go puzzled me. I never investigated whether one safari ant had not ventured up his camouflaged army trousers and caused the upset.

Broken bridge
At Bumasifwa trading centre, we parted ways. The wooden bridge on River Machapa that we had used some hours earlier was partly broken and cars could not cross over. A lorry loaded with maize had done the damage to most of the wooden slats. Owiny got me a boda boda that could somehow balance on what was left of the bridge to cross the river. I said a prayer for God to save me from a landslide as I balanced on the motor bike.
By now, my breathing was normal, the headache had disappeared without taking any pain killer and the dizziness was no more! The boda boda left me sh5,000 poorer, for a 15-minute ride, down a slope, in free gear! “I hear before we (Bagisu) settled here, there was a tribe called Elgonyi, who used to occupy this land.
They migrated, but the name was corrupted into what we now call Mount Elgon, ” the boda boda rider narrated. I went to my lodge in Mbale town and the next day I met Denis Sigowa and Peter who had also given up the climb and beaten a hasty retreat back to sanity. They were staggering as if they had been wrestling an elephant.
We had a sumptuous lunch at a boarding house called Last Chance. I was updated on what I missed when I dropped out before reaching Mudde Camp for a night.

What I missed in climbing Mount Elgon

Apparently, the team had gone on in silence, only listening to each other panting for breath. Drama reportedly unfolded when they reached the precarious escarpment called the Wall of Death. That night, when they slept, one of the climbers screamed his head off as he dreamt he had missed a step and was falling down a bottomless pit.
Contrary to expectations, by the time they got to the rest place, Sigowa failed to eat, yet he was very hungry. As usual, the swift porters had already made a fi re and prepared meals — porridge, tea and coffee. The bath water was already steaming hot. There were lots of biscuits and juice.The members of the Mountain
Climbing Club wanted to sample the malewa, but the guides could not let them do that before reaching the peak. That was the end for Sigowa who begun staggering back the next day.
The climbers helped residents in the mountain slopes in roasting a dough mix, which is a raw material for brewing beer. Charlie Langan, a tourist from the UK, went right up to the peak. He says on reaching there, after a 45-minute rest, the first thunder rumbled through the expansive crater.
They quickly started their way down for fear of lightning striking them up there. A minute later, it started raining stones in their faces. The enormous thunder took them off their feet. It happened in a fl ash. They were left completely soaked. The thunder seemed to be below and above. “The guide showed me the Kenya side of Mount Elgon,” Langan recounted. “I remain blown away by what I saw at the tip of Mount Elgon.
There are the Wagagai hot springs, the caldera, Mude Caves and the kind of vegetation you will not see elsewhere in Uganda.” He lamented about the wild life that has been depleted by poachers “We never saw a single mammal mentioned in the writings of the Mountain Climbing Club members of the 1950s. But the bamboo forest and the blue sky is like a piece of canvas. And Sipi Falls on the return route is spectacular,” he observed.
According to him, Mount Elgon is easy and cheap to climb. It needs no special skills. The altitude sickness is mild compared to Mount Kilimanjaro or Mount Kenya. It can be climbed at any time of the year. Hikers have to supply their own tents because there are no huts. Just bring along enough warm clothing.

Golden monkey tracking or Trekking to see the golden monkeys is another highlight of Volcanoes National Park. The Golden Monkey (Cercopithecus Mitis Kandti) is a local subspecies of the widespread Sykes Monkey, also known as the “Blue Monkey” and is endemic to the high altitude forests of the Volcanoes National Park area. The Golden monkeys are rare species is listed as endangered. The monkeys are playful and inquisitive and often spend their time leaping from bamboo branches or frolicking on the forest floor towards the base of the volcanoes and have overcome their initial shyness to accept their daily visit by researchers and tourists.

There are two habituated groups of Golden Monkey, one group comprises around 80 – 100 members and has its home at the foot of Mt Sabyinyo.

In the same way you track mountain gorillas so will your track the golden monkeys. Treks to see the Golden Monkeys take place in the mornings and visitors are permitted to stay for 1 hour with the monkeys. Departure for the Golden Monkey trek is from the Park’s Kinigi Headquarters at 07:00am. The number of visitors is not limited and the fee for a Golden Monkey permit is currently USD$100 per person per trek. Permits can either be arranged in advance or booked at the park headquarters on the morning of the trek. Porters can be hired at the entry point of the park.

Golden Monkeys are very sprightly creatures, and leap from tree to tree which is really entertaining, if a little difficult to photograph! We recommend setting your camera to a fast shutter-speed to allow for low light in the dense undergrowth and to better your chances of capturing the golden monkeys on film!

This is a great way to spend an extra day in the Volcanoes National Park and if you’re interested in wildlife, this is a rare and delightful experience not to be missed!

If you would like further information or would like help booking your golden monkey permit, or would like to add golden monkey tracking to your tour program, then please either contact us for assistance.

The 1978km² Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandably Uganda’s most popular tourist destination. The Park’s diverse ecosystems, which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes and fertile wetlands, make it the ideal habitat for over 95 mammal species including classic big game, ten primate species including chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds.  It was founded in 1952 as Kazinga National Park and renamed 2 years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II.

Set against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains, the park’s magnificent vistas include dozens of enormous craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, panoramic views of the Kazinga channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffalo and elephants, and endless Ishasha Plains, whose fig trees hide lions ready to pounce on herds of unsuspecting Uganda kob.

As well as its outstanding wildlife attractions, “Queen” has a fascinating cultural history. There are many opportunities for visitors to meet with the local communities and enjoy story telling, dance, music, and more.

1. Big Game

With an astonishing 5000 hippos, 2500 elephants and over 10,000 buffalo thriving in its grasslands and shorelines, Queen  guarantees sightings of some of Africa’s most iconic species. Hearing the elephants’ calls reverberating around Queen’s crater-filled valleys is a magical experience.

Other common herbivores include warthogs, waterbucks, Uganda Kob and topi, as wells as the sitatunga antelope.

2. Big Cats

Queen’s most elusive inhabitants are its felines: lions, leopard, civet, genal and serval cats.

Lions are found throughout the park, but the most renowned live in the southern sector of Ishasha, where they rest on the limbs of fig trees. Solitary leopards are norcturnal and fiendishly well camouflaged! The smaller cats are also predominantly norcturnal and best spotted on night game drives.

3. Birds

Birding in Queen Elizabeth National Park is an incredible treat as it contained a variety of habitats that range from savanna to wetlands to lowland forests. This diversity is reflected in the list of over 600 bird species, the biggest of any protected area in East Africa, and phenomenal of such a small area. Queen Elizabeth National Park is classified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birding International. A majority of birds found in this area are regarded as famous birds of East Africa and are a must see for birdwatchers in Africa!

The park’s confluence of savanna and forest, linking to the expansive forests of the DR Congo allow visitors to spot East as well as Central African species.

African Skimmer

Present in the park are numerous water birds, woodland and forest dwellers in the Maramagambo Forest, 54 raptors and various migratory species. Key species include the martial eagle, black-rumped buttonqail, African skimmer, Chapin’s flycatcher, pinkbacked pelican, African broadbill, Verreaux’s eagle owl, black bee-eater, white tailed lark, whitewinged warbler, papyrus gonolek, papyrus canary, corncake, lesser and greater flamingo, shoebill, bar-tailed godwit.

For the best birding in Queen, don’t miss these birding hotspots: Kazinga Channel, Kasenyi Area, Mweya Pennisular, Maramagambo forest, Ishasha sector, Lake Kikorongo, Katunguru Bridge Area and Katwe Area.

4. The Launch Trip along Kazinga Channel

The Kazinga Channels is an oasis for many of the fascinating species that inhabit the park, and taking a boat tour along it gives visitors the chance to cruose just meters from hundreds of enormous hippos and buffalos while elephants linger on the shoreline.

An average of 60 bird species can be spotted during the trip. Carrying upto 40 passengers, the boats guuarantee a seat with a view, while expert ranger guides narrate the creatures’ stories

The launch trips last two hour and run 3-4 times a day.

5. Chimpanzee tracking and Primate Viewing

Ten primates species enjoy the park’s diverse habitats, the most popular of which is undoubtedly the chimpanzee. Vervet and black-and-white colobus monkeys are easily spotted in the trees, but the bolds of all are the baboons – be sure to keep car windows closed to avoid food thefts!

Kyambura Game Reserve, also known as Kyambura Gorge, is one of the most popular tourist draw of  Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) in Uganda. It is home to a variety of wildlife, including the only primates in the Queen Elizabeth National Park. The area is an important water source for many animals and is surrounded by savanna, but is generally noted for its high concentration of primate life located in the gorge.

Here is where you can see habituated chimpanzees and other types of primates including red-tailed monkey, black-and-white colobus, baboons and vervet monkeys. The park is also known for its variety of avian species including various falcons, the blue-headed bee-eater and the African Finfoot.
The Gorge forms the border between Queen Elizabeth National Park and the Kyambura Wildlife Reserve, a little visited tract of savannah notable less for its wildlife viewing than the waterbirds – in particular flamingo attracted to its lovely crater lakes.

Trekking the chimps in Kyambura Gorge is more physically challenging and therefore is suitable only for reasonably fit people. But it is a real rainforest experience, and the place is fantastic. In my opinion it is one of the best place for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda.

Maramagambo Forest

Buzzing with primates, including chimpazees, baboons and several monkey species, the forest is also alive with numerous birds including the rare forest flycatcher, white-naped pigeon and striking Rwenzori Turaco. One must visit the ‘comorant house’, a large tree that has been turned white by the birds that roost here at night. The shady forest also conceals crater lakes and the “Bat Cave” with a specially constructed viewing room.

6. The Explosion Craters, Lake Katwe Salt Works, Rwenzori Mountains

The 72 huge round basins scattered across the equator are evidence of the Albertine Rift’s bubbling volcanic past, and are a must-see with a particular interest in the region’s fascinating geological history. The 27km drive between Kabatoro Gate and the Queen’s Pavilion takes in views of the enormous craters, circular lakes, the Rift Valley escarpment and the Kazinga Channel, all in front of the mighty backdrop of the Rwenzori mountains.

Lake Katwe

One other famous lookout points is the Katwe Salt Lake where traditional salt mining had been practiced since the 16^th century. The neighboring Lake Munyanyange is a bird sanctuary, as well as a migratory location for the lesser flamingo from August to November.

7. Caves and Cultural Tourism

Tucked beneath the shady canopy of the Maramagambo Forest is the “Bat Cave”. The cave has a viewing room from where visitors cn observe the bats as well as pythons that live alongside them… did you know that these serpents live amongst their prey?!

For a more cultural cave experience, how about a trip to the historic cave at Nyanz’ibiri community, where a local guide will explain to you how it was once used for offering sacrifices and cleansing misfortunes … and as a hiding place during Uganda’s rule by Idi Amin.

Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park is really a Medley of Wonders!