Uganda
Nestled in the arms of the Great Rift Valley, Uganda is where East African savannah meets West African jungle and where vastly different eco-systems are less than a day’s journey apart. Here you may safari with the lions on the open savannah, cruise down the Nile and embark on a primate trek through the lush rainforest.
Highlight: Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park is home to great numbers of elephants, giraffes, buffalo, as well as large numbers of antelope species, including bush buck, water buck, Thomson’s gazelle and dik dik. Lions and leopards are also commonly seen while on game drive through the park. Here you may cruise down the Nile, observing the animals from a different perspective as they come to the water’s edge to drink. Large concentrations of hippos and crocodiles congregate in these waters and the birding is spectacular.
Highlight: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is a swathe of ancient forest that covers the steep ridges of the Albertine Rift Valley (the western branch of the East African Rift) and is one of the most biologically diverse forests in Africa with 90 mammal species (including 11 primates) and 23 highly localized bird species. Slightly more than half of the world’s mountain gorilla population resides in Bwindi at an estimated 280-320 individuals living in 15 groups. In addition to gorilla trekking, there are guided forest walks and cultural walks to meet and interact with individuals from the local Batwa community.
