EXCEPTIONAL HONEYMOON AND ROMANTIC DESTINATIONS IN UGANDA

Are you looking for a secret place to spend your honeymoon or romantic love with your dear one? For honeymoon and romantic safaris, Uganda is undoubtedly an exceptional destination for you to spend that lovely moment in life. After wedding romantic love in Uganda is now possible with the most up market and luxurious lodges that offer the required ambiance to visitors on honeymoon safaris at a pocket friendly costs. The perfect honeymoon destinations lodges are worth spending your romantic safari as it comes with special memories especially for those who wish to express or celebrate their relationship in a new style on African dream safari in Uganda. Honeymoon safaris have become one of the interesting areas that you shouldn’t miss in life.

Some of the most outstanding honeymoon destinations in Uganda include;

Chobe Safari Lodge

Just as in Murchison falls national park, Chobe safari lodge is a five star facility in the wilderness. If you are looking for exciting honeymoon experiences then look not further than Chobe lodge. There is the River Nile, nature walks, fishing, game drives, swimming in the pool and mouthwatering meals for you to enjoy while on honeymoon and romantic love.

Wild water lodge

This features among the few remarkable lodges for you to spend your romantic experience at the mighty Nile in Jinja. You live on a private island in the midst of the rushing River Nile. It is undoubtedly one of the remarkable lodges of a kind that comes with romantic setting for you and your dear one to enjoy. It comes in tented cottages that have everything any romantic lover or honeymooners wish to have in their lives-private decks, mouthwatering food, nature walks on the island making one of the best areas to relax and chill from while enjoying the tropical sun.

The Mihingo safari lodge

It is ultimate luxury facility in the African wilderness of Lake Mburo National Park, special for honeymooners as well as couples. It is an incredible lodge, with each tented cottage private from each other, and comes with spectacular views even when you are at the bathrooms, you will certainly have great moments in your life. You can engage in horse riding while catching a glimpse of the surrounding wilderness of the park or simply swim in the swimming pool. Meals are exceptional and you will really enjoy private wilderness dinner with your special one. This incredible lodge caters for honeymooners and other romantic relationships.

The Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Luxury lodge inside Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Besides engaging in gorilla trekking and after you retire around this camp, as a couple or honeymooners, this is the perfect place for you to have romantic moment with your special one. Sanctuary Gorilla Forest is one of such unusual honeymoon sites to give you that exceptional and romantic experience in life. The camp is situated within the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park where over half of the mountain gorillas in the world live.

Clouds mountain gorilla lodge

This is another luxury facility at Nkuringo Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. It comes with perfect luxurious and comfortable accommodation and spectacular views of the Great Virunga Mountains.

The Chameleon Hill Lodge

This is an exceptional lodge in Uganda. It stands out as one of the unique lodges of all those in Uganda. This luxury facility comes with stunning Lakes and architecture that is certainly not the norm your imagination can go free. You can explore Lake Mutanda with your dear one while in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the Southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

Bird nest resort at Lake Bunyonyi

Just at the shores of the magical Lake Bunyonyi comes the Bird nest resort. Being here allows you to explore the 29 islands that are confined within this spectacular Lake. It is the best area for visitors traveling for gorilla trekking and after spends a night or honeymooners who wish to have a chilling and relaxing environment for themselves.

Ishasha wilderness camp in the universal Ishasha region of Queen Elizabeth National Park

Ishasha wilderness camp is one of the best lodges for visitors on honeymoon safaris in Uganda. It is situated around Ntungwe River and it offers stunning views of the surrounding areas as well as best site for you to look out for the rare tree climbing lions in Ishasha sector. Around lunch time and afternoon you will enjoy spectacular wildlife species in the River especially elephants as they gather to take a bathe.

Mweya safaris lodge

This comes with several rooms and many options especially with its tented cottage. If you wish to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park, this is the best place for your honeymoon safaris as it offers you with amazing views of the Kazinga channel with its unique wildlife species as well as birdlife. Mweya Safari Lodge is another Sheraton that you can find in the wilderness of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Papaya Lake Lodge

This overlooks the two crater lakes. If you are visiting Kibale National Park, this is the best place for you to experience your love with your dear one. It is a fusion of Africa with classical European style. This is from the art décor from African artisans used throughout to the fusion of the food. They have amazing and luxurious cottages set apart from one another for privacy, a fantastic swimming pool from where you can view the Rwenzori Mountains, crater lakes and the adjacent areas.

Pineapple Bay Resort

This is the island paradise on Bulago Island. It is one of the best areas to end your honeymoon safari in Uganda. The honeymoon cottage comes in swimming pool, nature walks and times fro reflection dinners on the beach. You have a cottage right on the beach overlooking Lake Victoria which allows you to watch the sun rise and set.

Equator snow lodge

This is situated in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains. It comes with exceptional views of the mountains as you hike around it, learn how to fish with your hands and enjoy the crackling fire in your room. This lodge is one of the outstanding facilities with only 4 cottages, but comes with amazing honeymoon experiences.

Kyaninga lodge

This offers an ultimate luxury comfort overlooking a pristine Crater Lake. It has a swimming pool, lawn tennis court and offers delicious food for the honeymooners. The views alone are worthy visiting the place during your honeymoon safari.

In conclusion, besides wildlife safaris, Uganda’s wilderness destinations are equally the best for honeymoon and romantic trips. If you are planning your wedding and you are not sure of where to go after for your honeymoon, consider most of the lodges around national parks as your best option for you to spend a wonderful moment with your dear one.

FASCINATING FACTS THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT AFRICAN ELEPHANTS

Elephants feature among the very few most sought after big game in the wild. They are a few large mammal species of the Elephantidae family that come in only 3 (three) species; the African bush elephants (Loxodonta Africana), the African forest elephant (Loxodonta Cyclotis) and the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). They are mainly sighted around the sub Saharan Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Elephantidae is the only thriving family of the order proboscidea. African elephants are slightly bigger than the Asian type and can easily be identified by their larger ears and that look somewhat like African continent. They have a head and body length between 5 and 7.5 meters, a tail length between 1 and 1.5 meters, with a weight between four and seven tones. Their necks are short and they have a large barrel like body, with stocky legs and on their fore feet they have 4 toes and 5 toes on their hind feet. Their skin is 2.5 cm thick!

A GREAT AFRICAN ELEPHANT

The ears radiate heat to aid keep them cool but at times the African heat is too much. These mammal species are forced to go to water bodies and enjoy showering by sucking water into their trunks and spraying it all over themselves. After, they usually spray their skins with a protective coating of dust. An elephant’s trunk is actually a long nose used for smelling, breathing and trumpeting, drinking and grabbing things especially food. Its trunk comes with over 100000 various muscles. African elephants have 2 (two) finger like features on the end of their trunk that they can use to grab small things. Both male and female African elephants have tusks they use to dig for food and water and strip bark from trees. Males use the tusks to fight one another but the ivory has also attracted violence of a far more dangerous sort. Since the ivory is of a great value to some humans, most elephants have been killed for their tusks. This kind of trade is illegal today but it has not been absolutely eradicated and some African elephant numbers still remain endangered.

AFRICAN ELEPHANTS

Diet

These spectacular mammals depend on roots, grasses, fruits and bark and many more. An adult elephant consumes up to 300-400 pounds of food in one day and they take about 50 gallons of water each day. These wildlife species rarely sleep, they roam over great distances while foraging for the large quantities of food that they require to sustain their large bodies.

Female elephants stay in family herds with their young ones but adult males in most cases roam on their own. Females have serious commitment with their babies. They have a longer pregnancy compared to any mammal species-they take about 22 months. At birth, elephants weigh about 200 pounds and stand at three feet tall. Unlike the Asian elephants, for African elephants they are never easily domesticated. They most range from Sub Saharan African and the rain forests of Central and West Africa. These unique mammals also demonstrate much of fission fusion society where multiple family groups gather together to socialize. They live from 8 to 100 members and span up to 70 years and communicate by touch, sight, smell and sound especially by use of infra sound and seismic communication over long distances. Their intelligence has been rated to that of Apes and cetaceans.

They tend to have self awareness and show empathy for their deceased colleagues. African elephants are listed as vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their biggest threat is mainly ivory trade and habitat loss as well as human wildlife conflicts. In the 20^th century, there were fewer than million African elephants and nearly 100000 Asian elephants. Currently, about 450000 to 700000 African elephants are believed to exist and 35000 to 40000 Asian elephants are left.

In Uganda, you will find both African savanna elephants and smaller African forest elephants. The best places to sight spectacular mammal species in Uganda include Kibale Forest National Park, Rwenzori National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Semuliki National Park, Mount Elgon, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

In conclusion, Uganda is a home to the big five game. Most commonly the African elephants, Lions, Leopards, Rhinos and Buffaloes that are wide spread through out its larger safari destinations. If you are looking for amazing big game safaris, then look not further than Uganda!

WHAT TO EXPECT IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

Are you planning your safari in Uganda but you do not know where to go? When it comes to wilderness safaris, Murchison Falls National Park features as one of the most exceptional safari destinations that you shouldn’t miss to visit while on Uganda safari. This park features as Uganda’s most famous and the largest protected area with spectacular biodiversity and exciting tourism activities for your safaris. Expanding to about 3840 square kilometers, Murchison Falls National Park is situated in Northwestern Uganda and it offers refuge to not only stunning wildlife species but also provides a home to Murchison falls which features as one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world, where the mighty River Nile is forced into a narrow gorge of about 8 meters into the Devils cauldron making an ever present rainbow. 

MURCHISON FALLS

Murchison Falls National Park is undoubtedly, one of Africa’s most popular protected areas and it features numerous biodiversity including about 15000 elephants at a time but due to poaching and political unrest their population was reduced including other wildlife species. However, there is hope for wildlife species increase due to the prevailing peace and stability especially for the elephants, giraffes, lions, antelopes, water bucks, hippos, buffaloes and crocodiles.

If you are planning your vacation in Uganda make sure that you include Murchison Falls National Park into your bucket list of safari tours. The following are some of exciting things that you should expect while you are on your Uganda safari.

Game viewing

For the best wilderness safari experiences, Murchison Falls National Park features among a few destinations in Uganda for you to encounter numerous wildlife species. On your game drive, expect to sight a large population of antelope families including the bush buck, water buck, Thomson’s gazelle and dik dik and many more. Bigger herbivore like giraffe and elephants and many more, you can also watch a film about how the Uganda Conservation Foundation and Uganda Wildlife Authority are committed to conserve the critically endangered Rothschild in Murchison Falls National Park. You will also sight big numbers of Buffaloes, lions, Leopards, Jacksons Hartebeests, warthogs, Uganda Kobs and many more.

GAME DRIVE TO SEE AFRICAN ELEPHANTS

Launch trip

Take a boat cruise to the base of the falls and cruise down the mighty Nile where you will observe several wildlife species both water and land species. While on a launch cruise you will sight the largest confinement of hippos and crocodiles as several water bird species. 

LAUNCH CRUISE TO THE FALLS

Murchison Falls National Park offers refuge to over 450 bird species and higher chances are you will spot most water species. For birding safaris in the park, you will be able to sight the papyrus gonolek, goliath heron, Abyssinian ground hornbill, northern red bishop, squacco heron, red throated bee eater, African quail finch, elusive shoe bill stork, swamp fly catcher and many more. 

ELUSIVE SHOE BILL STORK

The park is comprised of forests, swamps and Riverine woodland, savanna and acacia trees that all offer numerous bird species. You can also visit top of falls and have a wonderful moment, take photos as you catch a glimpse of the spectacular waterfalls.

Chimpanzee trekking

Budongo forest is situated on the Southern part of Murchison falls national park and is conserved within the Budongo and Kaniyo pabidi forest reserve. This forest covers an area of about 790 square kilometers and has more than 465 species of plants, 250 butterflies, large mammal species including the chimpanzees, Black and white colobus monkeys, Red tailed monkeys, Blue monkeys, Potto and Galago species as well as over 366 birdlife 60 of which are west or central African bird species that are protected within less than 5 areas in East Africa. Chimpanzee trekking is conducted in the Kaniyo Pabidi forest reserve. Chimpanzee habituation began officially in 1992 and guided chimpanzee walks start at 8:00am. These fascinating apes can be sighted around May and August.

CHIMPANZEE TREKKING IN BUDONGO FOREST

Lodges

Safaris in Murchison Falls National Park are only complete with lodges and accommodation facilities for tourists to spend a night after their breathtaking adventures in the park. Some of the notable accommodation facilities for you to stay include Paraa safari lodge, Red chili rest camp and Pakuba lodge. At the park boundaries you can choose to stay in Murchison River lodge, Bakers lodge; in Masindi town you can spend a night in Court view hotel, Paradise hotel and Masindi hotel and in Pakwach, you can stay in Global village guest house.

In conclusion, while planning your safari in Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park should be a must to visit destination for you. There is a lot more waiting for you to explore in this park. With the above listed activities, you won’t be left out of choice. Do not miss to enjoy over 76 species of mammals, 450 bird species that make this park a safari paradise in Uganda. Other activities for you to enjoy include sport fishing, nature and forest walks, community walks and cultural experiences and many more.

UGANDA'S ENDANGERED GREEN BREASTED PITTA

Planning your birding safari to Uganda? Did you know that the Green breasted pitta is one of the only two pitta species in Africa?  A visit to Kibale Forest National Park one of the most exceptional primate capital of the world rewards bird lovers with magical birding encounters of life time! Credited for over 13 distinct primate species, Kibale National Park also offers refuge to over 350 distinct bird species in its juggle making it one of the best avian safari destinations in Africa. When you think about bird watching in Uganda, think not further than Kibale for you to look out for the rare Green breasted pitta. Scientifically referred as "pitta reichenowi," the endangered Green breasted pitta is undoubtedly the only second pitta species thriving in entire African continent. However, their distribution is also sighted within the subtropical and tropical rain forests in Central Africa Republic, Cameroon, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Amazingly, in Uganda the endangered Green breasted pitta lies between 1100 and 1400 meters. Whereas there are historical records of viewing it from Budongo and Mabira forest reserve, Kibale Forest National Park features as the only hotspot for you to look out for the pitta in the entire country. This bird species vocalizes at first during the summer months of June to August. If there are hard to find and most sought after avian species in Africa then you have a reason to visit Kibale National Park in Western Uganda for life time bird encounters especially as you search for this endangered bird species in the jungles. The Green breasted pitta features a plumage is similar to that of the African pitta with the breast green and the throat surrounded by a black line. The young ones have duller, darker plumage and a brownish olive breast. This specie belongs to the pittidae family.

THE RARE GREEN BREASTED PITTA

Kibale National Park is proud to be a home to the rare L’Hoests monkeys, the wild chimpanzees, the endangered Red colobus monkeys, Black and white colobus, playful Olive baboons, 4 wild felids, 70 mammal species and over 250 tree species which make up a forest where a large number of birds live. For life time birding safaris, visit Kibale National Park in wet season which occurs from March to May and September to November.

Besides the rare Green breasted pitta, Kibale National Park still offers more bird species for you to sight including the endangered Nahan’s francolin, Yellow spotted Nicator, Yellow ramped tinker bird, Little greenbul, Superb sunbird, Speckled tinker bird, white thighed hornbill, Grey winged robin, African pitta, Black billed Turaco, Purple headed starling, Purple breasted sun bird, White bellied crested flycatcher, Masked apalis, Scarlet tufted, Red chested fluftail, Joyful greenbul and many more.

In conclusion, the rare Green breasted pitta is one of the hardest birds to find not only in Kibale National Park but also across African continent. It is the second pitta specie in Africa and in Uganda it can be looked out in Kibale National Park. You can combine your chimpanzee trekking safaris and birding tours in the park and you will be rewarded with life time experiences.