5 Days Chimpanzees and Lake Mburo Wildlife safari

The 5 days chimpanzees and wildlife safari to Lake Mburo National Park will enable you to do game viewing, birding, nature walks, and boat cruises at Lake Mburo National Park.  This comely park of rolling hills and open grassy valleys interspersed with thickets, woodlands, and rich wetlands is the only place in Uganda where impalas still occur. It is also the best place to see large herds of elands (Africa’s largest antelopes). Furthermore, it is one of the only two Ugandan national parks where Burchell’s zebras are found and where a guided game walk is possible. Kibale National Park gives you a view of man’s closest relatives, for it has the most chimpanzees in Uganda and Africa as a whole. Other primates here include the black and white colobus monkeys. The nearby community runs Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary which offers birders an explosive adventure with a bird list of 335 assorted bird species.

Tour Highlights of this 5 days chimpanzees and wildlife safari

• Day 1: Airport pick up and transfer to hotel in Kampala

• Day 2:Transfer and Horse ride/ cycling tour in Lake Mburo National Park

• Day 3: Morning game drive and sports fishing at lake Mburo national park

• Day 4: Transfer to Kibale National Park

• Day 5 : Chimpanzee trekking and transfer back to Kampala

getting there

This tour starts and ends in Kampala or Entebbe

• Book your own international flights - Fly to/from Entebbe International Airport

• A transfer from and back to the airport can also be arranged

• Additional accommodation in Kampala or Entebbe before and at the end of the tour can be arranged for an extra cost.

The Equator

 Uganda is one of only 13 countries in the world where the imaginary line that divides the earth into two halves can be crossed. This is of course the Equator, which lies equidistant from the North Pole and the South Pole and which is also the longest line of Latitude, just over 40,000 kilometers long. On our trip to the Western Uganda destinations such as Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga, you will notice two cement circles marking the Equator line on the Kampala-Masaka road. Though these circles are not great aesthetic achievements, they certainly provide a tingling bout of excitement as those of us with two feet find ourselves lodged in the opposite hemispheres with a small step- with one foot in the northern hemisphere and the other in the south hemisphere- or so we are led to believe. As soon as we seek a scientific response, the romance of firmly being ensconced in both hemispheres loses some of its allure.  This is so because while a one-dimensional geometric locus (which is what a line is) has no width (hence we can straddle it easily), over time it has been calculated to cover an average of nine meters because of a variation known as the Chandler wobble.

But-- as we live for today-- we should all take a photographic evidence for posterity that at this moment in time, you can indeed be in both hemispheres! 

If you are also an amateur scientist or a wannabe in that field, then our trip along the Kampala-Masaka road could give you an opportunity to test the Coriolis effect: and as your friends from Stockholm and Sydney will attest, water flows in different directions in those households.  But be prepared for some bit of disappointment as this effect- referring to wind deflection in opposing directions in the hemispheres as a result of earth rotation- is so minimal that it will not make a great video memory post to your social media platform(s).

In spite of this, there is no need for despair as there are other tangible experiences at the Equator you could undertake with a bit of patience.  For example, if you remain there long enough, you will find that the daylight and nighttime are precisely the same duration. Moreover, temperatures and humidity are fairly constant, thus making the guess-the-month from a photo-shoot a rather tricky undertaking.

 It should thus not come as a surprise that the Kayabwe Equator stop is a truly unique opportunity to take photos, buy some local souvenirs and have a meal and a drink.   Twist Africa Safari recommends the AidChild’s Equator Café and Gallery in particular, not only because it has excellent coffee and snacks and an unparalleled selection of contemporary arts and crafts for sale, but as it is one of the two centers by AidChild, a foundation focusing on development and education for an HIV-free generation. The revenue of the café provides tutoring, leadership coaching, job-skills training, music education, nutrition and wellness support to dozens of interns who then pass on the knowledge gained in their local community.

Lake Mburo National Park     

Lake Mburo National Park is located in Lyantonde along the highway en route Uganda’s national parks in Western Uganda. It is situated on the ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks which date back to more than 500 million years ago. The park is the smallest of all savannah national parks in Uganda. It is approximately 370 square kilometers and managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

 According to the Ankole people (one of the main tribes in Western Uganda), the creation and name of the lake are based on historical events. The legend has it that two brothers, who known as Kigarama and Mburo, used to live in a big valley. One day, Kigarama had a dream and advised his brother that they had to move. Mburo chose to ignore his brother, and Kigarama moved up into the hills. The valley down flooded and a lake was formed, thus drowning Mburo. Presently, the lake is said to be named after the drowned brother, and the hills overlooking the lake are called Kigarama Hills, named after his brother who survived the catastrophe.

 Lake Mburo, together with the other lakes in the area, creates a chain-link to a wetland which lends a hand in providing pasture and water to the wildlife. This park happens to be the only place where you can find impalas in Uganda. The lake harbors various endangered species of fish such as the endangered cichlid fish species which have significantly reduced over time.

 The park is home to about 70 mammal species and over 350 bird species. Some of the animals found in the park include zebras, crocodiles, impalas, eland, buffaloes, water buck, hippos, warthogs, jackals, leopards, reed bucks, as well as hyenas.

 On top of the fantastic game drives (both daylight and nocturnal) and boat rides, the park can also be explored using mountain bikes, on foot and on horseback, allowing you to see a variety of wildlife. Seasoned rangers are readily available to accompany visitors on the hiking expeditions. Bird watching would round up a perfect tour with the various viewing spots available. These include Warukiri, the roadsides between Rwonyo camp, the swampy valleys of Miriti, the Salt lake, and the Rubanga forest.

Igongo Cultural Center 

 12 kilometers along the scenic Mbarara-Masaka highway is Igongo Cultural Centre and Country Hotel. It is an impressive recreational complex consisting of a captivating Eriijukiro (the museum of South-western Uganda), a traditional restaurant, a bar and other attractions around it. It is the ultimate destination for lovers of history, art, culture, and comfort. A staple of ultimate African luxury, Igongo merges comfort, relaxation and recreation in an environment offering a gorgeous scenery, beautiful gardens and a beautiful view of various art pieces and cultures exhibited at the entrance of the hotel's lobby and foyer. 

Apart from the breathtaking hotel, there are some exciting opportunities and attractions at Igongo, including a visit to the museum of South-western Uganda (Eriijukiro) that has a collection of art and crafts, photos, information panels, norms, customs, traditions and the history of the people of South-western Uganda and her neighboring kingdoms.

A visit to Itamiro (a cultural village) gives you an experience of cultural village housing. Here you will find the traditional huts for cattle, the Bariisa, and Crop Farmers, the Abahiingi. The village also boasts of a large amphitheater and a venue for bonfires and story-telling sprees.

Nkwanzi Craft and Bookshop is the hub of South-western Uganda’s history containing a collection of various books on culture, growth, and development. There are also various handmade arts and crafts produced by the residents and traditional costumes such as mugamba, the cultural bridal wear, bracelets, and animal skins and hides.

Other possible activities at Igongo include the Ankole farm tour, pottery activities, traditional beer brewing, hiking the eclipse hill and eclipse monument of the 1520AD, milk processing and millet processing, fishing, and canoeing, visiting Ankole's royal tombs, visiting the former Ankole king's palace, among others.

 For the ultimate cultural experience in western Uganda, Igongo Cultural Center and Hotel is the perfect place to go to with an opportunity to get memorabilia from the craft shop.  

Kibale National Park

Kibale National Park covers an area of about 795 square kilometers in size—which, for comparison, is a bit bigger than Madrid and smaller than Berlin-- and is generally regarded as one of Uganda’s most gorgeous tropical forests, dominating the northern and central parts of the park on an elevated Fort Portal plateau. It is a home to many mammals, including 13 species of primates along with chimpanzees which are the most popular in the Park.   In the north, it has a peak of about 1590 meters above sea level and is well known as one of the wettest areas of Uganda.

The park is best known for its chimpanzee encounter during Chimpanzee safaris in Uganda. Kibale’s researchers work with chimpanzees so they are accustomed to human interaction and can be observed safely at a close proximity to the otherwise famously aggressive primates.  The park is also home to other wild animals, including carnivores like leopards and lions that make regular visits to the park, as well as buffaloes, bush pigs and warthogs.

KAFRED-Bigodi Swamp

Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED) is an important stakeholder in eco-tourism in Bigodi, a village situated in the highlands of Western Uganda. KAFRED was founded in 1992 in order to conserve areas of rich biodiversity outside nationally protected areas; wetlands in particular, and to benefit communities from tourism businesses in the area. Bigodi lies in the shadows of the Rwenzori  Mountains, the famous “Mountains of the Moon”. The community is located about 40 kilometers outside Fort Portal and borders Kibale  National Park, which has the highest population of primates in the world. KAFRED’s main focus is to conserve Magombe swamp, also known as the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary.

Other than being the home of the Great Blue Turaco, this bird watcher’s paradise shelters over 200 species of birds. Local guides take visitors through the lush vegetation where in addition to birds, many animals and magnificent flora can be admired. 

KAFRED also offers a cultural experience which takes up to 3 to 4 hours depending on the pace of the group, where you explore the village of Bigodi, including the option of visiting a traditional healer who will share his knowledge about spirits, herbs, plants and local medicines.  A visit to the local school, church and the trading centre –the hub of rural life – is also included in the tour.  Visitors can also admire the work of more than 150 weavers of Bigodi Women’s Group who sell baskets, mats, bags, jewelry and other crafts.

The income earned by KAFRED is used to fund projects in the community including water kiosks and water pumps which provide clean and safe drinking water for over 2,000 households. The construction and management of Bigodi  Secondary School, which is the only secondary school in the Bigodi parish is another successful project and thanks to the tourism revenues, KAFRED is able to support the parents with payment of the school fees and offers education to the less fortunate.  A beehive project has also played a role in generating additional income for the locals.

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SAFARI INCLUSIONS OF THE 5 DAYS CHIMPANZEES AND WILDLIFE SAFARI

Safari includes:

Transportation in a Tour Van/Landcruiser.

Service of an English-speaking tour guide/Driver

One chimpanzee permit per person

Sports fishing

Boat cruise

Game drive

Cultural village tour

Park admissions

Accommodation on full board

Entrance fees to all destinations as per the program.

Transfers to and from Entebbe Airport/Kampala

SAFARI EXCLUSIONS OF THIS 5 DAYS CHIMPANZEES AND WILDLIFE SAFARI

All activities not mentioned in the program

Phone call bills

Tips

International Transfers

Visas to Uganda

Gratitude to tour-guides

Personal insurance

Visas to Uganda

Personal effects of any nature

Hotel fees before and after the safari

3 days Uganda gorilla trekking safari