What you should know about Gorillas of Uganda and Rwanda - Uganda and Rwanda safaris

Being the number one tourist attraction in Uganda and Rwanda,its vital to know the important facts about the gorillas before going for an Africa Gorilla Safari.

Gorillas mainly feed on vegetables and are herbivorous apes.
A male gorilla's height is 6 feet (about 1.8 meters) and it weighs between 478 to 485 pounds.This size in males mainly depends on the subspecies.
The female gorilla's height is about 5 feet (1.5 meters) with a weight of around 98 kg.

Gorillas have 10 fingers and 10 toes,32 teeth, forward-looking eyes and small ears on the side of their heads,just like humans.

Gorilla's stomachs are larger than their chests and this is because of their enlarged intestines,that are necessary for digesting bulky and fibrous vegetation eaten.
A gorilla eats about 18kg of food per day due to the low nutritional quality of the food eaten.

A Gorilla can walk upright but predominantly walks on 4 limbs.
There is no specific language for gorillas but it is estimated that gorillas have more than 22 distinct sounds,that are used for communication.
A normal gorillas spends 40% of the day eating,40% of the day playing and foraging and 20% of the day sleeping.

Gorillas divide themselves in small groups known as troops and each group has a male leader.
 
A female gorilla reproduces when she is around 8 years old.When this time comes,she leaves her troop and forms her safe troop because of safety reasons.
A newly born gorilla grows very fast and it starts to walk at about 6 months old.

The major predator for gorillas are crocodiles and leopards.

Gorillas mainly live in tropical forests in Africa.
The mountain gorillas are found around Virunga volcanoes in Rwanda,Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

Facts about the Gorillas

Order: Primates

Family: Homonidae

Genus: Gorilla

Species: Gorilla gorilla and Gorilla beringei


"Come to East Africa and have a glance at these hard-to find Gorillas"

The elegant mountain gorillas of Uganda and Rwanda - Uganda and Rwanda Safaris

A mountain gorilla

Also known as the"Pearl of Africa",Uganda is a green country blessed with blessed with deep Lakes, mountains and it's one of the favorite for tourists.

One of the greatest attractions in Uganda and Rwanda are the mountain Gorillas and Uganda has half of the world's remaining mountain Gorillas population.

Most of the Mountain Gorillas in Uganda are found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. 


Gorilla Safaris in Uganda will help you visit this East African country and get a chance to see these hard-to find mammals. 

At the moment,a tourist is required to get a Gorilla permit before seeing these gorillas and these permits are got from Uganda Wildlife Authority.
 
Facts about the Gorillas
Gorillas have an interesting lifestyle and they live in groups of 20-36 members.In each of these groups,there is one male leader and others are females with their young ones.
At birth of a baby Gorilla that weighs about 2.6 kg,the mother takes good care and the males are always there to offer security.
A gorilla spends 30% of the day feeding,30% traveling and 40% resting.The gorillas spends most of its time on ground unlike other primates.They move for  more than a kilometer everyday in search for food.
Since they feed mainly on vegetables,Gorillas spend there time in greener areas where they can easily get the food.A male adult can eat about 20kg a day.

In the day,the gorillas rest and play with their friends and family.This activity is mostly liked by the young gorillas.They hug,bite,hit and pull each other.

As the gorillas wind up their day,they construct their nests where to spend a night.Each gorilla has its own nest except for the young gorillas that must sleep next to their mothers.Constructed of tree-branches and leaves,these nests are built on ground.

"Come for a Uganda Safari or Rwanda Gorilla Safari and see these Gorillas for yourself".

4 Days adventurous Itenerary - Uganda Safaris

This iteneraly will help you have aclue about a Uganda Safari before you personally visit the country

Day 1: Travel to Bwindi
Wake up early in the morning and have a cup of tee before leaving your hotel in Kampala for a Gorilla Safari at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.Before reaching the park,you will stop in Masaka town for lunch and spend a few minutes relaxing.Depending on the gorilla group you want to track,you will chose any of the lodging options in Ruhija,Nkuringo and Buhoma.Spend the whole evening enjoying the breathtaking views of Bwindi while at the lodge.


Day 2: Gorilla Tracking in Bwindi in Bwindi
Early in the morning,you will be briefed by the guide before setting off for trekking.Mountain Gorilla trekking will start at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and this takes long hours and sometimes the whole day.While tracking these had-to-find species,watch out for other mammals like the buffaloes,black fronted duikers,bushbucks and elephants.Return to the lodge for lunch and relaxation,enjoying the splendid views of hills.


Day 3:Cultural walks
On your third day,enjoy a wonderful visit to the local communities which will enable you to meet and greet the local people that live next to the gorillas.Also meet different the traditional healers,the blacksmith at at work and visit the authentic homesteads.Alternatively,you can learn how to grind the millet,make an African-styled baskets and preparing some local dishes.Enjoy some cultural performances by the Batwa and Kiga people.Return to the lodge for dinner and night.

Day 4: Hiking
After your breakfast in the morning (those staying at Buhoma),take an adventurous hike through Bwindi Impenetrable forest to Munyanga Waterfalls.Visitors staying in the south of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest can walk from Nkuringo to Buhoma.In the afternoon,you will set off from Bwindi to Kampala together with your luggage.
There is no doubt that this will be the best Uganda Gorilla Safari you have ever experienced

Chimpanzee tracking at Murchison Falls National Park - Uganda Safaris

Chimpanzee tracking is one of the interesting activities at Murchison Falls National Park with over 100 chimpanzees. Chimp tracking can act as a supplement of a Gorilla safari in Uganda and Rwanda. Apart from the chimpanzees, there are; gorillas, elephants, lions, antelopes, monkeys, leopards, buffaloes  hippos and over 200 bird species, offer a wonderful wildlife adventure at the park. The green Savannah also provides a magnificent breath taking atmosphere.

A chimpanzee at Murchison Falls National Park

The park is located in north western Uganda, spreading inland from the shore of Lake Albert around the Victoria Nile. It is named for the Murchison’s waterfall. The park is sometimes referred to as Kabarega national park.

The park is suited in Masindi district in western Uganda and in Nwoya district in northern Uganda, That’s in the northern part of Albertine rift valley. A place where the massive Bunyoro escarpment amalgamated into the enormous plains of Acholi land. It’s well known to be one Uganda’s ancient conservation areas.

         

The park is subjugated by woodland, wetland, Savannah as well as tropical forest that are well known to be a habitat for over 76 mammal species and over 450 different bird species. It’s on a low plain and the temperatures tend to be hot with a maximum of 290c.

 In Murchison there are four of the ‘big five’ that is buffaloes  elephants, lions and leopards. Other mammals include the giraffe, warthog, hartebeest, and the Uganda kob among others. The remarkable Murchison doesn't only have a great diversity of wild animals but also birds, for example the rare shoe-bill stork.

         

Some of the attractions are, the unique Murchison falls (kabarega falls) as well as the river Nile with its streaming hippo and serried ranges of crocodiles along the sandbanks, as well as large numbers of different species getting down to drink and bathe.

          

‘Paraa’ a word from the local Luo language means a place of hippos and this is among the most prominent attractions within the park as it supports the largest concentration of wildlife in the entire park

             

Budongo forest, which is the biggest mahogany forest found in the whole of East Africa as well as habitat to the largest number of chimpanzees throughout Uganda.

Other attractions include the Karuma falls, the Nile cruise, Rabongo and Kaniyo Pabidi.

The park has a number of accommodation centers that is, the red chilli rest camp which is mainly for budget travelers, Simbiya safari lodge, Paraa safari lodge, and others. It’s better to come and explore this yourself.

Silverback Lodge - Uganda Safaris

Silverback Lodge is found in Bukoma area of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (western Uganda) and it offers a sweeping view of the park.The park is a home to over 355 mountain gorillas,more than 100 mammals,non-habituated chimpanzees,over 346 bird species and 165 tree species.
The lodge overlooks Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and its perched on raised plat form to offer stunning views to visitors on a Uganda Safari.From the front of the lodge,a visitor can watch different species of birds as they roam about the whole area and sometimes primate viewing.

Accommodation
Silverback Lodge has 12 rooms and these include;

• 7 twin rooms
• 4 double rooms
• 1 single room

These locally designed rooms built of local materials are strategically located to offer a wonderful view of the park.The common materials that were used to construct these rooms are:sisal ropes,forest vines and shining slate stones.Each of these rooms has a private en-suite bathroom,a private veranda with comfortable chairs where a visitor can sit and enjoy a wide view of the flora and fauna of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.This makes a Uganda Safari unique compared to others.

Activities
While at Silverback Lodge,a visitor can enjoy numerous activities like:

• Gorilla Trekking:  This is done in Uganda's most visited park (Bwindi Impenetrable National Park) which has half of the total number of mountain gorillas in the world.For visitors on a Uganda Gorilla Safari,this  is the best Lodge to stay.
• Nature walks: a visitor at the lodge can enjoy hiking trails that will expose her/him to different primate,birds,tress,butterflies and other organisms.
• Bird watching: This is mainly done in the park which has more than 346 species of birds.
• Cultural Safaris:meet and greet the Batwa people with unique cultural beliefs
• Hiking
• Mountain bikes rides
• The Rushora Trail

Mihingo Lodge - Uganda Safaris

Located in the most peaceful ends of Lake Mburo National Park,Mihingo Lodge offers a comfortable environment for the visitors.While on Gorilla Safari to Uganda,you can stay at this lodge and relax.The lodge has 10 spacious rooms strategically built on wooden platforms with thatched roofs.Mihingo Lodge has a comfortable tent with unique facilities like an en-suite bathroom,showers,Eco-friendly flush toilets and splendid views of the park.
The whole beauty of Lake Mburo National Park can be enjoyed at the lodge's pool and dinning area.

Mihingo Lodge 

Accommodation
The tented rooms are strategically located to provide visitors with a tranquil environment in complete seclusion.Some of these rooms are located on rocky outcrops,in a forest and some near the lake.
There is a main dinning area with enough space built of rocks.

Activities carried out around Mihingo Lodge

• Game Safaris/drives:While at the lodge,a visitor can go for an adventurous game drive within Lake Mburo National Park and enjoy spectacular views of both mammals and vegetation.
• Boat trip:A boat trip on Lake Mburo is assured while at the lodge.This is enjoyed together with spot fishing and splendid views.
• Horse Back Safaris:the lodge offers horse back safaris to visitors and this is done in through valleys and around the lodges.
• Walking safaris near Lake Mburo
• Massage at Mihingo Lodge
• Game walks
• Night game drives
• Playing Tennis

Butterfly watching at Mabira Forest-Uganda - Uganda Safaris

There are many things that make Uganda the pearl of Africa and one of the precious things are the pretty splendid butterflies that dazzle and fly in the region. Mabira forest is found along Kampala-Jinja road and it has the highest number of butterflies with over 600 species of butterflies. These butterflies migrate from different parts of East Africa and converge in this old tropical forest.

Butterflies are forest dwellers and Mabira forest is their number one home in Uganda is host to 70% of African butterfly species but Mabira forest has 50% of the total butterflies in Uganda and some of the species found in this forest are;charaxes and swallowtails.

There are small roads through this thick tropical forest that lead tourists to the best view of the dazzling butterflies as they look for nectar from the flowers. They are best seen in the afternoon as they play in groups searching for friends and nectar.

Apart from Mabira forest, there are other places in Uganda where butterfly watchers can enjoy including;Kibale and Bwindi National parks which are also greatly forested and Serenada Eco Resort that teams with over 15 species of butterflies a day.  

Facts about butterflies

Butterflies are cold-blooded colorful insects whose colors and patterns change depending on the weather (darker during cold times and lighter during hot times).Unlike other insects, butterflies are harmless to crops and farmers don’t mind if they visit their gardens. They always fly in large numbers in the afternoon when it’s warm to make themselves warm since they are cold-blooded. For migrant butterflies, they fly over a long distance to colonize new areas abandoning unproductive habitats. To avoid predators, they sleep beneath leaves at night.

In order to survive, butterflies have learnt tricks in that they fly in jerky patterns making it hard for the predators to hit the target. Some hide in the surrounding vegetation. They also have eyes on their wings to confuse birds letting them to attack from the wrong side.

Though these lovely, harmless butterflies have these tricks, they are preyed upon by birds, reptiles, ants and spiders while their eggs are eaten by hover flies and beetles. Apart fro predators, butterflies are also killed by diseases and bad weather.

It is also noted that larger butterflies double the lifespan of the small ones.

How to get there

We can help you fly into this butterfly world by picking you at Entebbe International Airport and take you to Mabira forest where these butterflies like to stay in huge numbers. Mabira forest is found in the east of Kampala and it is about 30km from town. The journey takes about 90 minutes.