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4 Beautiful But Hidden Safari Parks Not to Miss in Uganda

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Uganda has 10 national parks in the different regions. All the parks have the unique features  that you cannot find in the other. Though the most notable visited national parks are Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth national park and Murchison Falls National Park, there are some beautiful but hidden national parks that you should not miss in Uganda. These include Kibale Forest National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Bwindi Forest National Park to mention but a few. Here is a list of national parks hidden in the far end but with thrilling beauty you would not want to miss out, and these include;

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Mgahinga is one of the smallest national parks in Uganda sitting at an altitude of between 2,227m and 4,127m in the virunga conservation area, mgahinga is in the foothills of virunga ranges sharing with the neighboring Rwanda and Congo. The Virunga ranges include Mt Gahinga  at 3,473 meters above sea level  covered up by Crater Lake on top, un fortunately it was covered by swamps. Gahinga literally means” a pile of rocks”.

Mount Muhavura as the highest peak at 4,127 meters Seen from far beyond Kisoro town, hiking mount Muhavura takes about 6 hours but with rewarding views of Lake Edward and George in Kasese, Queen Elizabeth national park, Ruwenzori mountain ranges and Bwindi forest.

Mount sabyinyo,” old teeth” it is one of the oldest volcanoes in the Virunga conservation area, the thrilling part of is once you hike it, at the mountain you are physically present in three countries, Uganda Rwanda and Congo. This hike though is a bit a tough and takes about 8 hours.

Semuliki national park

Semuliki National Park cuts across the Semliki Valley on the remote, western side of Ruwenzori. The park is dominated by the great Ituri Forest of the Congo Basin, one of Africa’s most ancient and bio-diverse forests that survived the ice age 18,000 years ago. The forest includes 305 species of trees recorded, of which 125 species are restricted to this park alone, savannah grassland, swamps and hot springs.

The forest is home to numerous Central African wildlife species, and the local population includes a Batwa pygmy community that originated from the Ituri, Batuku cattle keepers, Bwamba farmers and Bakojo cultivators As a result, this park provides a taste of Central Africa without having to leave Uganda.

The beauty of semuliki national park include 53 species of mammal which have been recorded including the rare and nocturnal and diurnal species like , chimpazees, olive baboons, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Vervet, Red-tailed and Mona, Blue Monkeys, and Guereza Colobus, De Brazza’s Monkeys. While nocturnal primates include Galagos and Pottos. Other mammal species include, Bush pig, Water Chevrotain, Buffalo, Sitatunga, White-bellied Duiker or Dwarf Antelope, Beecroft’s Anomalure and elephants

Semuliki national park is also home to various bird species, among these include, Red-chested Owlet, Bates’ Nightjar, Chocolate-backed, White-bellied and African Dwarf Kingfishers, White-crested, Black Dwarf, Red-billed Dwarf, Piping and Black-wattled Hornbills, Red-rumped Tinker bird, Spotted, Spot-breasted Ibis, Hartlaubs’s Duck, Chestnut-flanked Goshawk, Red-thighed Sparrow hawk, Long-tailed Hawk, Forest Francolin, Nkulengu Rail, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon, Black-collared Lovebird, Yellow-throated Cuckoo Lyre-tailed and Zenker’s Honey guides, African Piculet, Gabon Woodpecker, Red-sided Broadbill, White-throated Blue Swallow, Green-tailed Bristle bill, Forest and Grey Ground Thrushes, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Brown-crowned Eremomela, Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher, Ituri Batis, Red-billed Helmet -Shrike, Red-eyed Puff-back, Black-winged Starling, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, Blue-billed, Crested and Red-bellied Malimbes, Pale-fronted and Chestnut-breasted Negro finches, Grant’s Bluebill.

Pian Upe reserve

This is the second largest conservation area in the greater regions of karamoja. Pian upe covers an area of about 2,788km2 to the north of mountain Elgon and is managed by Mountain Elgon Conservation department under Uganda wild life authority.

Wild life species in pian upe include wild cats like cheetahs, serval, leopard, civets, and jackals the Primates include patas monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, and mammal species like Cape buffalo, topis, giraffes, elands, waterbuck, Ugandan kobs, zebras and so many others.

The reserve is also a birding destination with array of 242 amazing bird species like Jackson’s Hornbill, ostrich white-headed buffalo-weaver and others

Reptiles are also in pretty in the reserve which includes geckos, skinks, rock python, water snakes, lizard, savannah monitors among others.

Kidepo National Park

In the semi-arid region of karamajong lies Kidepo national park, the furthest park but yet with exciting features in the wilderness. The park has rare species like cheetah, hunting dog, ostriches that you will never find in any national park. Kidepo National Park was gazetted in 1962 and it host over 77 mammal species which include elephants, leopard, bush duiker, jackal, bushbuck, bush pig, giraffes, bush baby, buffalo and much more as well as around 475 bird species including the endemic species like the pygmy Falcon, Varreaux’s Eagle plus , Egyptian Vulture.

The slopes of mountain murongole are occupied by the IK people, who are the tiniest ethnic group found in Uganda, and have their own special culture.

 

Complete Guide to Hiking Mount Nyiragongo

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To the Far East of the war prone Democratic Republic of Congo is Africa’s oldest National Park, Virunga. It is at Virunga National Park that the world’s largest lava lake and the Nyiragongo volcano can be found. Mount Nyiragongo is located about 20 km away from Lake Kivu and Goma town. As an active volcano, Mount Nyiragongo is prone to frequent eruptions. It is unclear how many times eruptions have occurred in the mountain but about 34 eruptions have been recorded since 1882. The volcano still shows signs of erupting anytime after the most recent which happened as recently as in 2002. These eruptions have often led to the loss of several lives given that the lava floods flow out at great sped of less than an hour. The 1977 eruption claimed the lives of at least 70 people but the most devastating one recorded was recently in 2002. More than 140 people were killed and at least 120,000 more displaced with the volcano releasing great volumes of lava which headed for Goma town and continued up to the airport and Lake Kivu shores. The earthquakes that followed for 3 months left Goma town in great ruin. The volcano is now stable with the bubbling and roaring fires from the lava lake on the mountain summit attracting thousands of tourists who are interested in hiking mount Nyiragongo volcano each year to DR Congo.

How to reach Mount Nyiragongo

Hiking to the peaks of mount Nyiragongo is not for the faint of heart. Those who can brave the hike will be rewarded with beautiful scenery at the very top crowning it all by bearing witness to wonderful sightings of nature at its best. The lava lake at the top of the volcano explodes from side to side looking for the smallest space to explode out. This sighting of the exploding lava lake is considered one of the best in the world.

How do you get to Mount Nyiragongo. The journey usually starts from Rwanda or Uganda because most visitors to Nirgaongo tend to combine Nyiragongo hiking with other activities like gorilla trekking, hiking the Congo Nile Trail, game drives or boat riding in Lake Kivu. The journey from Kigali to Goma in Congo takes about 3 hours. You can take public transport if you are travelling on your own or use the services of a tour operator to transport you all the way to the starting point of the trail in Goma. The journey from Rwanda to Congo is very interesting with the beautiful landscape, great scenery, tea plantations and the Lake Kivu among the things that will catch your eyes. Mount Nyiragongo is less than an hours’ drive from the border with Rwanda. Crossing the Congo Rwanda border involves going through rigorous checking at the checkpoint. You will need to have all your travel documents and most importantly your yellow fever vaccination certificate to be able to cross the border.

Climbing Mount Nyioragongo

Climbing mount Nyiragongo takes approximately five hours and can be strenuous and challenging for one with low levels of fitness. It is important to prepare mentally and physically to deal with the steep sections of the mountain. Porters are available for hire at the starting point and foot of the mountain. The activity usually starts as early as 9am in the morning after breakfast. You start by heading out to the Kibati Ranger post in Virunga National Park for briefing about the activity. There are stops in between the hike to allow climbers refresh and also marvel at the scenery down below. The first part of the trail involves hiking through sections with little gain in altitude. This is where those who have a second thought about their level of fitness and overall ability to complete the hike can decide to quit. The second section is characterized increasing altitude and loose small lava rocks just after the first stop (resting point) that may cause you to slide off balance if you didn’t come with suitable hiking shoes.

In the third segment, speed is reduced and focus is priority. Besides the small lava rocks from the previous section, slippery stones and the higher altitude makes hiking more challenging.

The forth and longest segment of the hike is characterized by a stretch of steeper slopes and higher altitude. The weather gets colder as you hike higher and the rains are common around this segment hence requiring good layering and raincoats.

The fifth and final segment is the shortest but steeper than all the other sections. However the sight of the nearby cabins at the summit is enough motivate any would be hiker to reach the top. Moreover hikers who get to this point are allowed to complete the rest of the journey at their own pace unlike the beginning sections where you have to stick with the group.

The mountain top

There are two sets of cabins adjacent to each other on top of the volcano. Two cabins are built a few feet from the volcano and the other a few feet down the mountain. They are furnished with two small mattresses with pillows.

The top of the mountain has strong winds and is much colder than one would expect leaving you freezing if not well prepared. Warm clothing and a cup of coffee will come in handy while at the top.

After such a tiring ascent to the summit, being able to spot the lava lake and bubbling orange magma will give you a great feeling of accomplishment – an exciting lifetime experience that cannot be described by words or pictures.

Descending the volcano

The descent is rather quick and fast session that on average takes about 3 ½ hours. ut almost challenging as hiking up. The steep segments of sharp rocks require extreme care to avoid stumbling off to the ground. This part of the journey is becomes interesting as you will enjoy the full view of Virunga National Park,  the town of Goma and the extreme end of Lake Kivu in Rwanda.

Tips for hiking Mount Nyiragongo

Hire a porter: Hiking with heavy backpack loads can make it difficult to navigate the steep slopes of the mountain. Porters are used to hiking this mountain and can help with your heavy luggage while also support you climb the tough segments of the hike. Each porter is allowed to carry a 15kg load and hiring costs about $24 per porter.

Know your fitness levels and physical limits: Hiking mount Nyiragongo requires some level of fitness. Ascending to the top can be strenuous and demanding while descending applies pressure to your ankles and knees often causing knee pain at the end of the hike. You need to know how reaction and sensitivity to weather changes as it can get really cold on top of the summit.

Mental readiness: Being physically fit is great but not enough to successful hike Mount Nyiragongo. You need to come prepared to complete the journey knowing that you will go through some physical challenges. It’s recommended you take a few days getting your body ready for major hikes by having minor hikes. Those who are on a longer safari can achieve this by first going for gorilla trekking or waterfall hikes before embarking on a greater challenge like Nyiragongo.

Have a hiking stick: A walking stick is highly recommended for both ascending the steep slopes and descending down the slope. Hiking sticks will help you remain stable and gain momentum during the hike.

Be property cautious: It’s important to always keep your belongings close to you, especially money, laptops, camera and any other valuable items you might have come along. The cabins on top are not as protected as you would expect.

Carry along a yellow fever certificate: To avoid more expenses while crossing the DR Congo border, try to get the yellow fever vaccination and card.  The card is a requirement before crossing to DR Congo.

Carry warm weather gear: Carry along extra warm clothes to help keep you warm when it gets too cold on top. Mere layering may not be enough. You will also need thicker pants, heavy stockings, a scarf and heavy sweater.

Packing List for Hiking Mount Nyiragongo

  • Good hiking shoes: These should be comfortable (preferably waterproof) walking shoes with rubber soles that would give good grip of the rocky slippery slopes while keeping your feet warm and dry.
  • A rain jacket: This will protect you from any downpour. They should be light weight so as to easily ascend the mountains.
  • Sunscreen and hat: This will help guard you from the suns heat and any downpours.
  • Warm clothes: Layering is vital to keep you warm during the hike. The weather gradually gets colder as you gain altitude and actually gets worse at the top.
  • Camera and Binoculars: A camera is vital to keep records of the amazing lava lake and great scenery around the Virunga ranges. You will need binoculars more especially while descending the volcano to catch the full view of the Virunga National Park along with distant shores of Lake Kivu on the other side of Rwanda.
  • Daypack: A water proof falling backpack is very essential to protect your valuable belongings such as the camera, smart phones and iPads from damage from the rains.
  • Packed lunch and bottled water: Hiking Mount Nyiragongo will make you tired, thirsty and hungry. Moving with something to drink and eat is essential.
  • Portable charger: A charger will help keep your digital devices powered all the time on top of the mountain.
  • Headlamps/flashlights: The mountain top is dark with no power or light supply of any form. Having a flash light can help you when it comes to moving around to the kitchen or toilets.

Note: Hiking mount Nyiragongo is a year round activity but we recommend that you target the dry season that runs through from June to mid September. The other months except for January, February and partly December are coupled by heavy rains that make the mountain steeps more slippery.

Mount Nyiragongo hiking permits go for $300.

Besides Nyiragongo hiking there are other great attractions within Virunga National Park such as Mountain Gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, bird watching and wildlife viewing among others.

Enjoy Your Uganda with Stays at Inns of Uganda

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For the discerning tourist, a trip to Inns of Uganda would be ideal to discover the Pearl of Africa’s best-kept open secret. Inns of Uganda, with two camps – Nile Safari Camp and Jacana Safari Lodge – offer the ideal setting. The two camps are accessible by road but guests can fly to Pakuba where Inns of Uganda staff will be on hand to receive them. Visitors can view birds as the y move towards the Nile Safari Camp along the banks of river Nile in north-western Uganda. Nile Safari Camp boasts 12 rooms and a swimming pool with impressive, professionally done interior design. The elaborate and environment –friendly design ensures that a holiday package here adds value and quality to the lives of people who visit the camps.

At Jacana Safari Lodge, in the vast Queen Elizabeth National Park, guests can have a lifetime experience of low-impact water activity on boating trips in which they view birds, chimpanzees, monitor lizards and hippos. This camp shows the visitor the essence of visiting Uganda. The cuisine at the camps blends perfectly with the excellent and pleasant nature of the staff.

Jacana is built with materials derived from the immediate environment in line with Inns of Uganda’s ecotourism campaign. The lodge has 15 chalets, swimming pool, sauna, sun downer and dinner pontoon. The surroundings fit well with the structures adopted by the two camps. For instance, the lodge literally grows out of the forest with a tree house-like appearance. The scenery and congeniality of the camps’ staff together with Inns of Uganda’s ability to blend the natural environment with the design of the camps offer guests a memorable safari.

Chobe National Park – An African Wonder

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You will be delighted to hear that Chobe National Park is not only the second largest national park in Botswana but also has one of the greatest concentrations of game found on the African continent. The Park is divided into four sections, the Serondela area, the Savuti Marsh area, the Nogatsaa and Tchinga, and the Linyanti Marsh.

You might think what are you supposed to do in a national park that has four sections. Well the logical thing to do is to view the wildlife and experience the magic of Africa. The first section of the park you want to visit is the Serondela area. This section of Chobe National Park is filled with dense green forests which in turn attract African wildlife like elephants, buffaloes and the famous bee-eater. The Serondela area is the most visited part of Chobe National Park because it is situated near the Victoria Falls. Well if you ever visit Botswana go see the Serondela area in Chobe National Park, it will truly amaze you.

The next section in the park is called the Savuti Marsh area. Long ago, in fact millions of years ago this was a large inland lake whose water was cut by tectonic movements. These days the Savuti marsh is fed by the Savuti Channel, which supplies the marsh with water. The Savuti Marsh is covered with savannahs and grasslands, which attract thousands upon thousands of wild animals every year. During the rainy season you will be able to see an astounding amount of different bird species in the park as well as lions, hyenas and zebras. Now and then you might also be privileged to see a cheetah. If you unable to make the rainy season don’t despair because even in the dry season you will be able to view warthogs, kudus, impalas, zebras, wildebeests and the king of the Chobe National Park the elephant. If ever you want to experience a large scale migration of animals you must visit the Savuti Marsh. It is renowned for its annual trek of zebras and predators.

The third section of Chobe National Park is The Linyanti Marsh. This section of Chobe National Park also called the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve. This region is shared between a very small number of private camps. Travellers to this region will be able to view the African wildlife privately and exclusively. If you ever end up in Botswana during the dry season, then The Linyanti Marsh is the place to visit. During the dry season huge concentrations of species such as the zebra and elephant can be seen. It is also renowned for lions and hyenas. All bird lovers will find this region of the Chobe National park irresistible.

The last region is the Nogatsaa and Tchinga, a hot and dry hinterland. All that’s known about this area is that it holds water well into the dry season and during this time it’s a great place to spot elands. I only recommended this area to the adventurous traveller. You truly need hair on your teeth if you want to visit this section of Chobe national park.

The true attraction of the Chobe National Park however, is its elephant population. You have not experience the true spirit of Chobe national park, until you see the African elephant.

The Deserts of Africa – Unimaginable Beauty

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Africa – the second largest continent in the world is also home to the largest desert in the world—the Sahara. In fact there are three deserts on the continent—The Sahara, the Namib and the Kalahari. Together these three amazingly vast and diverse land masses cover a large portion of Africa. Beautiful, yet treacherous, these areas of the continent provide a rich geological and cultural history that dates back millions of years.

The Sahara Desert – As inconceivable as it seems, this desert is ever changing, shrinking and growing in size. Satellite photos studied from the early 1980s show that the Sahara’s southern edge is expanding into the Sahel, a dry band that separates the desert from the Savanna. But the mid-1980s saw this area grow green and wet again. A common trade route for many centuries, caravans traveled through the Sahara spending days and weeks traversing the immense landscape. Several desert oases here made trade possible between the ports of North African and the southern Savannah markets.

There are around 4 million people or so that dwell in the Sahara, mostly in Mauritania, Western Sahara, Algeria, Libya and Egypt. Additionally there is a fascinating and impressive array of animal life, include gerbil, jerboa, cape hare, desert hedgehog, barbary sheep, oryx, gazelle, deer, wild ass, baboon, hyena, jackal, sand fox, weasel and mongoose. The bird life includes more than 300 species. This vast life and diverse culture comes all in one desert.

The Namib Desert – The sand dunes of the Namib Desert are the highest dunes on Earth. While the Sahara is the largest desert in the world, the Namib is considered the oldest desert, having endured arid or semi-arid conditions for at least 80 million years. In the Nama language, Namib means “vast”, and this is no exaggeration. At 50,000 kilometers, the Namib-Naukluft Park is the largest conservation area in Namibia and one of the largest in the world. Wind blows the thirsty Namib Desert sand into sharp ridges. Amazingly there are animals, insects and plants that reside in this beautiful, yet mostly inhospitable region of the world. One of its most unusual inhabitants, the Welwitschia, is a shrub-like plant that grows just two long, strap-shaped leaves continuously throughout its lifetime. It is believed that they are very long-lived, possibly living 1000 years or more. Some individuals may be more than 2000 years old.

The Kalahari Desert – A geological wonder, the Kalahari Desert is part of the huge sand basin that reaches from the Orange River up to Angola, in the west to Namibia and in the east to Zimbabwe. The sand masses of wind-shaped sand that are so common in the Kalahari landscape were created by the erosion of soft stone formations. Thanks to vegetation in the area, the dunes were stabilized 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. Strangely enough, the grasses, thorny shrubs and Acacia trees can survive long drought periods of more than 10 months a year. Some scientists don’t consider the Kalahari a true desert because some parts of the Kalahari receive more than 10 inches of rain in a year. Animals that live in the region include brown hyena, lion, meerkat, several species of antelope, and many types of birds and reptiles.

Big Five Animals in South Africa

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The term ‘Big Five’ originated among the hunters of a bygone era to describe not the largest of the animals that they hunted, but the most dangerous.

These are lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros. Every one of these animals has a reputation for pursuing its attacker with intent to kill. Perhaps the most persistent is the buffalo, which will ceaselessly pursue his aggressor, making hunting a life-or-death experience for the hunted and the hunter!

All of these mammals are to be found in South Africa, making this country one of the most popular locations for safari style holidays.

Indeed, South Africa has embraced this rich wildlife heritage and welcomes visitors from all around the world who come to experience close encounters with the magnificent beasts. Many of our game lodges offer the most luxurious accommodation and facilities available for ‘bush’ holidays in the world.

The Sabi Sands Game Reserve in the Mpumalanga province, for example, is arguably the most exclusive game reserve in the country. With no fences existing between the Kruger Park and Sabi Sands, the wildlife roams free between the two reserves. Leopards are the main attraction here, and these awesome creatures are so accustomed to humans that you can even follow them while hunting, in an off-road vehicle. All of the Big Five can be viewed at Sabi Sands.

Other well-known and excellent reserves around the country where one can view the Big Five in South Africa include the world-renowned Kruger Park in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces, the Pilansberg Game Reserve in the North Western Province, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the Northern Cape and the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Park in Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Visitors who are confined to the Cape Town area are often under the impression that they will be unable to view the Big Five. However there is a reserve only 90 minutes from the centre of Cape Town, Aquila, where one can view four of the Big Five. Self-drive or guided drive tours are available from Cape Town – even one day tours are possible, although you may well wish to stay overnight in the appealing accommodation set in 4500 hectares of pristine Karoo landscape. The terrain is varied – from mountains and valleys to wetlands – ideal for game viewing be it in a 4×4 safari vehicle, on horseback or even by quad-bike. Aquila is home to four of the Big Five animals: lion, buffalo, rhino and the rare Mountain Leopard. You may also spot and giraffe and hippo, not to mention herds of wildebeest, zebra, springbok and other bucks, plus baboon, jackal and the bat-eared fox.

What with the wetlands, you can expect a wealth of bird-life viewing to complete your safari experience – all so close to Cape Town!

Those who can travel as far as the Eastern Cape – a pleasant day’s drive along the beautiful Garden Route – can also view the Big Five and other species of game at the excellent Addo Elephant Park and Shamwari Game Reserve – both well-worth the visit for game lovers.

A safari holiday to South Africa is often considered incomplete without sightings of the Big Five. These days most people are content to take home photographs of the living animals rather than skins and hunting trophies. However there are legal hunting reserves for those who feel the need.

10 African Safari Tips That You Must Know Before You Go

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A little bit of pre-knowledge can go a long way on an African safari trip. Here are ten indispensable tips that will improve your own safari experience greatly.

1. Take the early morning drives on safari even thought that often means getting up while it’s still dark.
You’ll be very glad you did because your wildlife sightings will improve. The animals are a lot more active in the early morning and late evening because it is cooler and the nocturnal species are either getting up or going to bed so your chances of spotting them are generally much better.

2. A safari is not only about the big game. Take enjoyment from the surroundings and all the wildlife
you see because if you turn it into a “big five” tick list exercise you might be disappointed. There are a multitude of insects, birds and smaller creatures that can be just as interesting if you take the time to look and find out more.

3. A pair of good quality binoculars is absolutely indispensable on a safari so make sure you take your own with. Some safari companies do provide them but they might be a little worse for wear after a lot of use and it can be frustrating to have to pass them along to the next person when you actually still want to look at that lion stalking it’s prey.

4. Wear insect repellent in the evenings to ward of those pesky mosquitoes and make sure you leave as
little skin exposed as possible by wearing long trousers, long sleeved shirts and socks to cover the ankles. During the day they are a lot less active so you don’t have to worry about them then.

5. Any good safari operator will have some form of medication available but you might consider taking some of your own with on a “just in case” basis: Anti malarial pills, anti-diarrhoea medicine, motion sickness medication if you suffer from this, mosquito repellent and sunscreen.

6. If you are taking photos using film, remember to bring at least two rolls for each day that you will be on safari and bring spare batteries for your camera because they will go flat at the worst times and you don’t want to miss those once in a lifetime photo opportunities because of that. You
should be able to recharge batteries in most safari areas. Electricity in Africa is 220 – 240V AC50HZ.

7. When it comes to lions, a lot of patience is called for because they spend most of their time during the day asleep. But if you watch them for awhile you might be rewarded by an impromptu hunt or the appearance of cubs from the undergrowth or a similar drama. Patience is the watchword here.

8. Night drives on safari are a great opportunity to see the nocturnal animals that you will never see
during the day but remember that the powerful spotlight which illuminates the surrounding bush and the glowing eyes also attracts a lot of insects so you might think twice before volunteering to hold it.

9. Generally the dry season is a time when you will be much more successful at spotting game because the vegetation is sparse and the wildlife is forced to congregate in the areas where there is still surface water available.

10. It’s not uncommon for safari vehicles to break down because most of the roads are dirt tracks and the cars take a pounding every day. Any company worth their salt should be carrying spares and the driver or guide should have some mechanical experience.

Witness the Wildebeest Migration 2018

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Wildebeest Migration

Here is an amazing wildlife story from wildebeest hippo encounters in the Masai Mara, Kenya. This incredible story was in Masai Mara National Park involving amazing interactions between an injured wildebeest and some hippo’s during a river crossing in the Masai Mara in Kenya. Nature sure has strange ways and this account of the humane nature of a hippopotamus sheds new light on these often unpredictable animals.

This great spectacle was captured during a wildebeest migration, an amazing annual event that happens when wildebeests and other wildlife cross from the Serengeti Plains to the Masai Mara National Park. If you would like to witness this annual event recorded in even in the Guinness World Book of Records, why not book a wildebeest migration safari from local tour operators. For those who have never witnessed a crossing of Wildebeest during the annual migration through the Masai Mara, the adventure literally mesmerizes! Crossings of wildebeest can contain anywhere between 1,000 – 25,000 animals including a variety of animals – zebras, antelopes, lions chasing their prey crossing through the Mara River where there are crocodiles, hippos and other aquatic animals .

African Safari: Back to Basics and Reflections on the Creation

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The Swahili word “safari” originally meant “journey” which is further correlated to “hunting for survival” and “exploration of lands”.

The safari is typically traveled by foot amidst the vast lands. This is of course deemed to be the best way of experiencing the circle of life in the safari since you can reach to the core of the natives and their unique cultures.

Walking trails are continuously maintained so that the explorers are guided along their courses better. However, visitors can always widen their safari options with many forms of travel available with each safari tour package. Other modes of transportation include hot air ballooning, fly-in safaris, driving safaris, canoeing safaris, horseback riding safaris, and elephant back riding safaris.

These do not only add ease on travel but may also allow access to the deeper domains (and often uncharted places) which contribute more thrills while on tour.

As for the categories, African safaris are normally offered in three basic types: permanent tented safaris, lodge safaris, and mobile safaris. There are also a couple of other safari choices customized depending on the traveler’s needs. One good example is the honeymoon safari for newly-wed couples.

One complete safari tour that will take you from the Eastern region to the Southern parts lasts around 10 to 21 days. If you are planning to journey this long, it would be best if you avail from a local tour operator or a specialist so you are sure that you what you get is a complete safari adventure.

It is helpful if you have the knowledge of some of the practices, culture and etiquette to adopt well with the localities. As for your choice of safari package, consider the factors such as meals, accommodation, transportation, driver and guide service, excursions, itineraries and supplemental packages.

There are hundreds of conservation parks and wildlife sanctuaries that display the continuous interplay of the wild in its natural setting, marvelous places untouched by technology, and vast array of flora and fauna.

Life in the safari is more serene and offers more grounds for realizing how beautiful creation is. And all these are topped with the unique (and sometimes peculiar) cultures of different African tribes that mark the richness of their history.

African safari seems to remind us how the sixth day of creation looks like. They are the living remembrances of how the Creator intended things to be- the perfection, the diversity, the coexistence between man and his nature, and the life that surrounds everything.

Visiting the Endangered Gorillas of Congo

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The Democratic Republic of Congo is another home to Mountain Gorillas in Africa. The country has both Lowland and Mountain Gorillas. Gorilla trekking safaris in Congo are becoming popular worldwide! The country is safe and open to all International visitors. The critically endangered mountain gorillas are found in Virunga National Park accessed from Kisoro town in south western Uganda. Kisoro town (Nearby town to the Boarder) is 2-3 hour drive from Kigali in Rwanda, and 6-8 hours from Kampala (Uganda’s Capital).

While on your tracking journey, be sure to hike further into the impenetrable jungles to watch the gorilla families in the wild. The guides and parks rangers will lead you for they can without doubt determine the common area where these gorilla families will be. These are experts in tracking and they keep records of the gorillas for purposes of conservation and protection from poachers.

At the break of day, a drive to Bukima- a warden’s post in the elevation of the Virunga National Park which is a gorilla tracking starting point slightly out of the Goma City will mark the beginning your gorilla tracking quest. Along the way be certain to see natives from the small agrarian villages waving tirelessly at any signs of modernization that they may see. This will most likely give you a glance at the different ways of life nearby.

The length of the trek is wholly dependent on the gorillas which hardly follow a clear path. You will get to understand that they wander a lot and that these itinerant gorillas voyage the jungle in families, only staying in an area long enough to clear it of food. Guides will sometimes be able to track them down in less than two hours but during other times it might take much longer.

Your first sighting might be that of mother apes holding their babies or the juvenile gorillas getting playful or even better the dominant silver backs keeping an eye out for their family! The guides are sure to do more explaining on their range of behaviours.

Mountain gorillas are very social, highly intelligent and great animals to observe and they live in families, the Mountain gorilla also known as the Gorilla beringei beringei exists in two population where by one population of these gorillas is found in the three parks that lie in the Virunga Volcanoes, such as the Virunga national park in the east of DR Congo, Volcanoes national park in North western Rwanda and the Mgahinga national park in south western Uganda, and another population is found in Bwindi Impenetrable National park in the South West of Uganda.

Having a gorilla trekking safari in DR Congo is something one wouldn’t want to miss in a lifetime, watching the Gorillas in the Virunga National Park. The fact that these primates live in families, each family requires a leader where by each family group is headed by a dominant silver back, there are also female gorillas that are in charge of care taking especially to the young gorillas, also there is nothing as amazing as watching the playful juvenile gorillas in the trees. Trekking starts at Bukima Patrol post, so all trekkers are supposed to be there early enough to go through the briefing and also meet their guides.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is still not yet so much explored by various people and if one is adventures this is the way to go since it doesn’t provide the mountain gorillas only, but there is also an opportunity of hiking the Nyiragongo Mountain. So the time to take the safari is now!

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