 Kenya, Uganda (Rwanda)
Download and print the relevant pages for this safari from our brochure (PDF)
|
 |
KENYA
Day One we travel north to camp at the foot of Mount Kenya before overnighting in Samburu National Park with the great table mountain of Ololokwe in the background. Samburu is home to elephant, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and Grevy's zebra. Crocodile can be found sunning themselves on the bank of the river and lion, leopard and cheetah are often seen. This is the land of Samburu pastoralists and we pass their traditional manyattas (villages) on the rough bumpy drive into the park. We can spend time in a local school and find out a little of local pastoral traditions while we are here. Due to road conditions we now travel via Thompson's Falls on our way to Uganda, the markets by the Falls allowing us time to practise our bartering skills.
Alternatively on day one we head towards Lake Baringo, where we can take guided bush walks, watch fish eagles being hand fed and take a boat trip across the lake, home to hippo and crocodile. We also visit the Ngempe fisherpeople and a local Pokot tribe for traditional dancing and to enjoy some haggling for traditional bead work.
From here we are on our way to Uganda. The stopover by the Naiberi River at Raj's Bar in Eldoret - the coolest in Africa - is always guarantee of a fun night.
UGANDA
Reaching Uganda we stock up in the capital, Kampala and then drive on to camp in Entebbe, by Lake Victoria.
We head to Ngamba Island by Sesse Canoe, Ngamba being a sanctuary for a group of orphaned chimpanzee who are now enjoying their days roaming free in the forest on the island. Here we get some close up photos of the chimpanzee as well as enjoy their crazy and often noisy antics when they return for the morning supplementary feed.
Chimps are the primate genetically most similar to humans and their behaviour is remarkably like ours. They can use tools such as rock hammers to open nuts, and live in communities of males, females and young, with males often forming coalitions to remain in dominance. Working together to ambush pigs or colobus monkey, they sometimes augment their mainly vegetarian diet with meat. The chimps' keepers talk about chimpanzee conservation while we are on the island and the local village provides a traditional meal.
We now head south west across the Equator towards the Virungas visiting Mpambira Royal Drum makers on the way. Passing terraced hills where villagers tend their fields we make our way south west to Kabale.
The region is home to an extraordinary number of primate species, both monkeys and apes. The mountain gorillas live in family groups on the densely forested volcanic slopes of the Virungas. They spend their days slowly foraging for food usually travelling on favoured trails between their eating and nesting places, trained rangers taking us to visit those groups habituated to human contact.
We usually trek in the Parc Nacional de Volcans in Rwanda visiting in the markets and a local orphanage in Ruhengeri during our visit, as well as the Genocide Museum in Kigale. Staying at Lake Bunyoni over this time as well we can take canoes out on the lake and enjoy a feast on the local crays. Nestled into the steeply terraced Mfumbiro Hills as the mists roll across the lake in the morning, you may spot otter or crested crane, the national emblem of Uganda, whilst here.
Following our gorilla trek we now head to Queen Elizabeth National Park on the months when we don't visit the Masai Mara, from the 18th October 08 through to 9th March 09. Queen Elizabeth allows us another chance to see the wildlife of the plains as well as hippo, crocodile and water birds during a cruise on the Kazinga Channel.
Reaching Jinja, the source of the White Nile we travel on to Bujagali Falls. For the adventurous the white water rafting here offers the huge thrills of negotiating rapids from grade 3 to 5.
We can also help out in a local school working alongside Soft Power, a voluntary organisation, assisting the local schools in the area.
KENYA
Kembu, an upcountry farm, named after its large chameleon population, is our next stopover. Here we usually enjoy a group meal by a roaring log fire.
Our next destination is Lake Nakuru National Park.
Settling in their millions to feed on the blue-green algae and diatoms in the soda lake, the pink flamingo at Nakuru create a spectacle of great beauty and the views from the escarpment at Baboon Cliffs allow us to see across the park which was originally created in 1961 as a bird sanctuary. Since then the park has been extended when rhino were introduced, both black and white rhino. The park is also home to Bohor reedbuck, Defassa waterbuck, zebra and Rothschild giraffe, and also has a healthy lion population. On a lucky day as well you may spy a leopard lounging in a tree.
We now camp up at Fisherman's Camp, Lake Naivasha, visiting Elsamere for afternoon tea with the black and white colobus feeding on the lawns. The birdlife at Naivasha is spectacular and the hippo enjoy browsing along the shore line.
The option of taking a boat over to the aptly named Crescent Island enables you to take guided game walks for a close up experience with Africa's wildlife....... zebra, gazelle, giraffe and python, Or an entire day can be spent cycling amongst game in Hells Gate National Park with its rugged terrain, the remnants of past volcanic activity, or take a guided walk to Crater Lake.
On departures from 18 May to 28 September 09 we now set off on safari on the rolling savannah plains of the Masai Mara when the world's largest migration of land mammals is usually arriving from the Serengeti. During the migration over a million gnu, zebra and antelope are on the move. The predators - lion, leopard, cheetah and hyenas - are also usually not far behind, the open landscapes of both the Mara and the Serengeti offering unique opportunities to experience the unfolding drama of nature between prey and predator.
Returning to Nairobi we visit Sheldrick's Elephant Orphanage to view the baby elephants feeding and their play session, as well as The Giraffe Park. We spend our final night together in one the local restaurants and say our goodbyes.
If you would like information on climbing Mount Kilimanjaro before or after this safari please contact the London office.
Please note from the 9th October this itinerary adjusts to a New 20 day route which ends in KIGALE, RWANDA. For full details of the itinerary changes please contact our office.
Or want to extend your safari to allow time to visit the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Click below.
VISIT THE SERENGETI AND NGORONGORO CRATER! ... click here for details ...
|
|
|
|
