Reason to Take a Uganda Gorilla Safari Now

Are you interested in ecology or nature? A Uganda gorilla safari is worthy a take for you. Mountain gorillas are one of the greatest apes in the world and the rest of the apes include man, chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans and the gibbons. Gorillas are the hugest primates in the world.

There are two species of gorillas in the world that is the western and eastern gorillas. The gorillas are classified by the regions they live in.

There are also sub species of gorillas for the case of the eastern gorillas, there are the eastern lowland gorillas and the mountain gorillas.  Cutting the chase we emphasize on the mountain gorillas that are found in Uganda. The mountain gorillas are only found in Uganda, Rwanda, and The Democratic Republic of Congo.

There are a few mountain gorillas left in the world with the population of 880 and Uganda has almost a half of these gorillas (420 which are found in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park).

Mountain gorillas are endangered species that are almost getting extinct in the world. This is due to the very many threats the gorillas are facing like destroying of their inhabitants by local people to get timber and logs. Gorillas also have a very low reproductive rate where by the female gorillas produce one infant at a time and also take a period of four years to produce another. They are also poached by the locals in order to get game meat. This has led to wildlife organization like world wildlife fund (WWF) to embark on conserving and preserving them. The organizations have encouraged visiting the mountain gorillas in their natural environment in order to witness how precious it is to watch the gorillas.  So by visiting the gorillas in Uganda, a person pays money for tracking them of which the money is used to cater for the conservation and protection.

Conservation and protection of the gorilla is one of the reasons to take a Uganda gorilla safari now.

Gorillas are also very interesting animals to watch and also the gorilla tracking at large is a very adventurous and exciting tourism activity to undertake. Gorillas make one wonder if they are animals or humans since they normally associate among each others like humans. Many people enjoy interacting with these unique animals and come to Uganda over and over again to watch them. So do not miss to see one of man’s closest cousins in the jungle because at any one at time the gorillas will be no more. What makes it more exciting is that one has travel from the capital to the far southwestern part of Uganda.

But one should not be worried of the accessibility of the park as you can reach the park by hiring a safari car in Uganda through a tour company or travel agent or booking a charter flight to the park.

The prices of gorilla tracking are relatively low compare to other countries where they are trekked. Everyone would like to save some money due to its scarcity so take on Uganda gorilla safari now before the prices escalate.

Things To Do On A Safari To Rwanda

Located in central Africa and it’s also known as ‘’a land of thousand hills’’, Rwanda is the principal tourism destination that attracts tourists from different parts of the world. Like its counterpart Uganda, Rwanda is also a landlocked country and has no seaport, this central African country lifts as one of the few countries where a person can go and have a life changing experience especially when next to real nature of Africa. It has many tourism fraternities although a few people especially foreigners don’t really know what precisely makes this small country unique that almost everyone wishes not to miss visiting it. A number but some of the most interesting tourist activities one should not miss while on Rwanda safari include;

Gorilla tracking;- This is the leading attraction in Rwanda, over 80% of travelers to Rwanda visit the volcanoes national park for gorilla tracking, the park houses over 400 individuals out of 900 mountain gorillas left worldwide and Rwanda is known as the best gorilla safari destination in the world. Spending some excellence time with the gorillas in their natural environment a moment in life very difficult to forget and trust me, you will always want more of a gorilla tracking safari. A gorilla permit is a passport to anyone to see these animals in their natural habitat and you are advised to book your gorilla permit prior to your tracking dates at least 2-5 months as permits are at a very high demand the earlier to secure your permit the better to avoid inconveniences. Rwanda gorilla permits costs USD 750 per person per tracking including park entrance and a ranger guide.

Wildlife Tours;- Game drives through Akagera national park provides a great opportunity to view various species of wildlife some of which are rarely seen. Game drives can be carried out either in the morning or in the evening and some of the games expected to meet include lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, kobs, wild pigs, buffaloes, zebras, antelopes, and many more. A wildlife safari to Rwanda is one of the most thrilling tours one will ever have as it comes with different nature wonders on top of wildlife encounters.

Cultural Tours;- Culture is certainly Africa’s best tourism lure, cultural encounter with the local people is really magnificent, especially for those who are interested in knowing how the African people live. A walk through some of the villages in the country gives visitors a chance to meet and interact with some of the elders from different cultural background. The local people will perform their traditional dance and music to foreigners and if interested they can join them through their music and dance, it’s really a great experience and I trust before getting back home you will get to learn some of the locally used words. A cultural safari to Uganda gives them a chance to find the truth by themselves and also have a remarkable experience in Africa.

Chimpanzee tracking; for primate lovers, Rwanda is a best country to go on a safari, it houses over 13 species of primates coupled with chimpanzees the most close relative of man sharing 98% of human genes. These chimpanzees are fabulous fan to watch when playing in fruitful trees or tree blanches not only chimpanzees that can be seen in the forest of Nyungwe national park, but other primate species can also be seen like the black and white colobus monkey, baboons, red colobus monkey, civet monkey the list is endless.

Other tourism activities one can think of while planning for a trip to Rwanda include; – hiking adventure, nature walks, city tours, boat ride, and more.

Golden Monkey Tracking in Rwanda

Golden monkey is another thrilling adventurous that one should not miss on a safari in Rwanda. This amazing adventure activity is done in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. These beautiful monkeys are scientifically known as (Cercopithecus Mitis Kandti) and are also considered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered. These primates live in the high altitude forests of the Volcanoes National Park.

Golden monkey tracking is one of the most done tourist activities enjoy on a Rwanda safari at the park as they are fabulous fan to watch when playing on fruitful trees of bamboo forest. They are playful and inquisitive and often spend their time leaping from bamboo branches on the forest floor towards the base of the volcanoes and they have overcome their original shyness to accept their daily visit by researches and tourists.

There two habituated groups of golden monkeys opened to visitors every day, one group comprises around 90-100 members and its base is at the foot of Mt. Sabyinyo, and the other group can be tracked at the base of Karisimbi and it comprises around 70-90 members. Like mountain gorillas, golden monkey are tracked in the morning after reporting at the park headquarters at Kiningi at 7.00am to receive short briefings from the park wardens about the dos and don’ts while with these rare monkeys, after you follow the ranger guide to the bamboo forest in the volcanoes national park to begin the activity. Tracking time is un predictable, it can go from 1-6 hours searching for them, so a reasonable degree of fitness is needed and don’t forget to come with tracking gears like study pair of walking shoes, long sleeved shirts or blouses.

Like mountain gorillas, you are also strictly allowed one hour ounce you meet these beautiful monkeys, the number of visitors are not limited and the fee for a golden monkey tracking is presently usd$100 per person by the trek, in case you need a porter they can be hired at the entry point of the park. Since they are regarded as the most playful creature leap from tree to tree which is really entertaining, but however photography may be somehow very difficult we therefor recommend setting your camera to a fast shutter-speed to allow for low light in the dense scrub and to improve your chances of taking the golden monkeys on film! So if have an extra day in the volcanoes national park and you’re interested in primate safaris, golden monkey tracking is a delightful experience not to be missed. For more information about golden monkey tracking, permits, please contact us

White Water Rafting the Nile River in Uganda

The source of the Nile is one of the most spectacular white water rafting destinations in the world and for many doing a safari to Uganda a rafting trip is the highlight of their adventure. Currently there are four companies offering exhilaration without compromise. The two most popular and pioneers are the Adrift adventure company and the Nile River Explorers, the other two operators include equator rafters based on Speke camp, Bujagali and the latest entrants the Nalubale rafters.

All the companies take on the big four including the bad place Itanda but there is always a boat on standby just in case you decide the rapids are too big for you. All of them also include a set of incentives to lure you over including meals, free night stays, beers DVDs and videos of your big day out if you think no one will believe you were brave enough back home.All operators accept credit cards and you can also book through your lodge or guest house.All of them can pick up punters from popular hotels in Kampala and drop them off in the evening for those who choose to stay around jinja.

Adrift also offers popular family float trips over two days, which gives young children a taste of the river action and gives adults a chance to try their hand at river boarding. There are also two to three days combination for the full Nile experience and a rafting bungee combo if you really want to push your button.

The adrift Nile high bungee is the only Ugandan bungee jump, at 44m plunge into the Nile River close to the river bank. It is a little intimidating from above but really safe just relax and pilot your best swan dive for a thrill of your life.

Nile river Explores offer the longest day ride (30km) on the river, as it puts in further upstream than the others. The team also offers a second day of rafting for repeat offenders. They also operate the most popular camping ground in town above Bujagali falls.

Quad biking along the beautiful banks of the Nile is a real blast thanks to the All-terrain Adventures with more than a dozen bikes , after a little spin on the practice circuit, the time has come for you to experience the unexplainable fun in exploring the criss crossing paths and trails in the nearby countryside. The trips range from an hour to a full day. However you could give the twilight cruiser with a meal in a local home.

The Nile flyer operated by the adrift adventure company is your chance to fly across the river Nilesupported by a steel wire. This is similar to hang gliding with a guaranteed safe landing. This is another way of getting up close and personal with the mighty Nile.

Other popular activities also growing in popularity, include river boarding for the brave hearted – taking to the mighty waters of the mighty Nile armed with only a boogie boat and a kayaking course to teach you how to tame the waters of the mighty Nile with just a paddle. Tandem kayaking trips, and sunset puddles are also available. All in all the Nile is set to compete with the Zambezi for the Title of Africa’s favourite river for frolic in the coming years.

Mount Karisimbi Hike

This dormant volcanic mountain is located in Rwanda in the famous mountain gorilla national park- volcanoes national park along the Rwanda border with Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s the highest in Rwanda, in the Virunga volcanoes and the sixth highest on the African continent at 4,507 meters above sea level. Mount Karisimbi is located in the western arm of the Great Rift Valley with snow at its peak- locally known as ‘amasimbi’ by the Rwandese. The mountain is bordered by mount Nyiragongo in the west, mount Mikeno in the north and mount Bisoke in the east.

The mountain has various vegetation types at different zones starting with the dense equatorial rain forests at its foot hills afro-montane and bamboo vegetation and lastly the snow capped peak. The equatorial rainforests are homes to one of the world’s most endangered species the mountain gorilla that can only be found in only three countries in the world but best viewed in Rwanda in the rainforests along the gentle slopes of mount Karisimbi. All tourists going for the mount Karisimbi hike have very many chances of viewing the mountain gorillas plus other major attractions like primates especially chimpanzees and monkeys, different bird and butterfly species.

Hiking mount Karisimbi is not that simple! It requires some fitness and energy but its hike can be very rewarding with unforgettable tourist experiences. The hiking can be done in 2 days with roughly 6 hours of ascending the first day and 6 hours of descending the second day.

On the day of hiking, tourists are expected to be at the Kinigi headquarters for briefing and then take a 16 kilometers ride from the head quarters to the trail head where the road ends at a car park for tourist going for the hike in about 30 minutes. Porters can be got at this point and if a tourist has some luggage and cant carry it on his own; he can hire one at around $20 per day.

The Hiking Process

The adventurous climb starts at the mountain foot hills around 2,600 meters above sea level very early in the morning. The Dian Fossey research center and grave yard is at around 2,067 meters above sea level and any tourist interested can visit the place at an extra cost. Hiking goes on through the various vegetation layers to the camping site and resting place at about 3,700 meters above sea level. Here hikers have an overnight, relax and prepare for the completion of the volcanic hike the next day. While at this camp, one can clearly view mount Bisoke which is at the same attitude plus the spectacular evergreen rain forests down hill.

The next morning, you will be expected to wake up early enough for break fast and then continue to finish the hike. As you go higher, the temperature becomes a little colder with very steep slopes and reduction in visibility. After a few more hours of the hike, you will reach the Karisimbi summit which is very cold because of the snow and the cold breezes from the forests on the mountain slopes.After reaching the final destination-the summit, you will then embark on your descending journey which also takes about 6 hours including resting at the camp which is at 3,700 meters above sea level until you reach again to the car parking area on the foot hills if the mountain.

All those interested in hiking mount Karisimbi are advised to wear enough warmth clothes especially in the higher altitudes to avoid getting sick. Heavy jackets, sweaters, hats plus many other head wearing gears, hand gloves and water proof pants and coats are highly recommended; this is mainly because the mountain has equatorial rain forests with high evaporation rates and therefore high chances of rainfall even in the dry season. While uphill, one is supposed to strictly follow the guides’ instructions and is not supposed to make a lot of noise or leave his fellow hiking group members because it might be insecure.

Hiking mount Karisimbi can be best done during the dry season with minimal and limited chances of rain fall that can increase the hiking duration. Good hiking shoes and a walking stick are very good option to enable easy movement through the muddy slopes especially after it has rained.

For better safety while on the hike, tourists are expected to make earlier preparations and get all the necessary gears they will need on the hike especially clothes and sleeping bags. Those with health complications can first seek for medical personnel’s opinion of their quest; after being approved,they can then proceed for the hike.

Would you like to climb Mount Karisimbi? Hiking permits are available at $175 including guiding services and the hike takes two days. You can also take this hike after your gorilla safari in Volcanoes National Park. According to the park management, the hike must be booked atleast two weeks before the date you intend to take the hike.

Top 10 Things to do in Cape Town

If you are visiting Cape Town and wonder what activities you want to do, or only have so many days to spend in this beautiful city, look no further as these are the Top 10 things to do in Cape Town!

This list contains the funkiest, hippest and coolest activities you can do in Cape Town. Find out the best things to do for real travelers, including opinions and tips.

Top 10 activities for Cape Town:

• Climb Table Mountain
• Take Robben Island Tour
• Go hit the beaches in Cape Town
• Shop at the V/A Waterfront
• Have lunch at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
• Watch the shark feeding at the Two Oceans Aquarium
• Eat out in Cape Town at one of the excellent restaurants
• Party and enjoy Cape Town’s nightlife
• Visit the District Six Museum
• Drive to the Cape of Good Hope