Visit Uganda for an amazing wild safari
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Budongo Forest is home to two ecotourism sites: Kaniyo Pabidi and Busingiro. Kaniyo Pabidi is en route to Murchison Falls and offers excellent chimpanzee trekking. Busingiro is home to the Royal Mile, one of the top bird-watching tracks in the country. The forest is also a good place to see other primates including black-and-white colobus and red-tailed monkey. Birds and butterflies are abundant.
Wildlife:
Many primate species are easily encountered. Aside from chimpanzees, red-tailed monkey, blue monkey, black-and-white colobus and olive baboon can be seen. Nocturnal creatures include potto and several galago species. Also of interest are the high number of birds and butterflies recorded. Herds of buffalo and elephant also visit the park from neighboring savannah reserve, Murchison Falls. Although you might see their tracks, they are seldom encountered.
Budongo Forest has the largest number of chimpanzees in Uganda with a population of about 800. Budongo’s main attraction is tracking a troop of habituated chimps at Kaniyo Pabidi. Our guide will take you, on foot, along the forest trails to find them. Once found, you can observe them for one hour. They may be feeding in the canopy, or if you’re lucky they will be resting and grooming on the ground, although they are often on the move. If so, you will have to walk at a remarkable speed to follow them. Budongo forest is an amazing spot for chimpanzee viewing and birding.
Bwindi Impenetrable NP is a UNESCO world heritage site and it is the best place in Uganda to track mountain gorillas. The park protects half the world’s population and has several habituated groups. The forest is also a bird-watcher’s paradise with 350 species recorded, including many Albertine Rift endemics.
Bwindi is located on the edge of the Albertine Rift, a region harboring the most vertebrates in any region of a comparable size in Africa. It contains a huge number of endemic and threatened species and is therefore a hotspot in conservation. Butterflies are something of a specialty, with an impressive list of 220 species, eight of which are endemic to the Albertine Rift and three only occur in Bwindi.
Wildlife & Animals
The main attraction in Bwindi is its mountain gorillas. Of its population of approximately 400 individuals, more than a hundred are habituated. Bwindi has more than 120 mammal species, the second most of any park in Uganda (after Queen Elizabeth NP). Most of these are small forest species. Elephant is the only one of the Big Five that is present, although they are rarely seen. More regularly encountered are some of the six antelope species, which include bushbuck and several types of duiker.
Kibale National Park (formerly Kibale Forest NP) is the best place for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda. There are 13 species of primates that have been recorded in the park, which is the highest number in Uganda. Aside from chimpanzee, several species can usually be found on the primate walks. Birds and butterflies are abundant and here is a bird watchers paradise.
Wildlife:
Kibale is one of the best places in Africa to view many primate species. Visitors can expect to see five or six species in addition to chimpanzee. Species active during the day include vervet, Red-tailed and Blue monkey, Black-and-white colobus, Olive baboon, Red colobus and Grey-cheeked mangabey. Other mammals including lions, elephants and buffalos are present but rarely seen.
Kibale supports a range of habitats over different altitude zones. The tropical forest on the Fort Portal plateau changes to savannah in the Albertine Valley floor in the south. The forest has suffered less from logging in the past compared to some other forests in the country and is therefore still relatively pristine and home to some very big mahoganies, figs and other hardwoods. The Worlds Best Chimpanzee Encounter_ Uganda.
The Kidepo Valley is in a remote corner of the country, which is rarely visited by tourists, due to the expense and difficulty of getting there. The park is a true wilderness destination for the adventurous with jagged mountains, often lost in rain clouds, enclosing the park. It has excellent wildlife viewing during the dry season, featuring several species not encountered anywhere else in the country.
Wildlife & Animals:
The park has arguably the most diverse fauna of any park in the country. It is particularly rich in predators, including lion and bat-eared fox. Black-backed & side-striped jackal are both present. There are large herds of buffalo. Twelve antelope species occur in the park, including Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi, eland and klipspringer. One hundred Uganda kobs were transferred into the park from Murchison Falls National Park_ in 2017. The park has a very impressive mammals list. Twenty species of predator are resident, and several don’t exist in any other Ugandan park including _Cheetah and Black-backed jackal). Lion and leopard also occur. Elephant, Burchell’s zebra, Buffalo and Rothschild’s giraffe are all regularly seen, but black rhino has recently become extinct. Twelve antelope species are present – some of which don’t occur anywhere else in the country.
Scenery:
Two valleys (Kidepo Valley and Narus Valley) on either side of predominantly mountainous terrain dominate the park. There are wide, sweeping views of the Narus Valley from many vantage points. Open grassland is interspersed with acacia trees, desert dates and rocky outcrops.
Narus Valley is where most of the wildlife is located. Kidepo Valley is drier and has suffered from local poaching, although this is improving as the park’s border with South Sudan is now better protected. Kidepo _Uganda’s secret northern wilderness…….
Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most popular savannah reserve and has the widest variety of wildlife of any Ugandan park. The variety of habitats includes grassland savannah, forests, wetlands and lakes. This provides the setting for an extensive range of large mammals and primates. Be sure of the Big five presence here and regularly seen.
Queen Elizabeth spans the equator line _ with the size of _1,978km² _
monuments on either side of the road mark the exact spot where it crosses latitude 00.
The park was founded in 1952 as Kazinga National Park, and renamed two years later to commemorate a visit by Queen Elizabeth II.
The park is home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species.
The Katwe explosion craters mark the park’s highest point at 1,350m above sea level, while the lowest point is at 910m, at Lake Edward.Queen Elizabeth National Park is understandably Uganda’s most popular tourist destination. The park’s diverse ecosystems, which include sprawling savanna, shady, humid forests, sparkling lakes and fertile wetlands, make it the ideal habitat for classic big game, ten primate species including chimpanzees and over 600 species of birds.
Birding in Queen Elizabeth
Classified as an Important Birding Area (IBA) by Birding International, Queen’s great variety of habitats mean it is home to over 600 species. This is the greatest of any East African national park, and a phenomenal number for such a small area. The park’s confluence of savanna and forest, linking to the expansive forests of the DR Congo allows visitors to spot East as well as Central African species.
Present in the park are numerous water birds, woodland and forest dwellers in the Maramagambo Forest, 54 raptors and various migratory species. Key species include the Martial Eagle, Black-rumped Buttonquail, African Skimmer, Chapin’s Flycatcher, Pinkbacked Pelican, African Broadbill, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Black Bee-eater, White-tailed Lark, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Canary, Corncrake, Lesser and Greater Flamingo, Shoebill, Bar-tailed Godwit.
Set against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori Mountains, the park’s magnificent vistas include dozens of enormous craters carved dramatically into rolling green hills, panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel with its banks lined with hippos, buffalo and elephants, and the endless Ishasha plains, whose fig trees hide lions ready to pounce on herds of unsuspecting Uganda kob.
As well as its outstanding wildlife attractions, Queen Elizabeth National Park has a fascinating cultural history. There are many opportunities for visitors to meet the local communities and enjoy storytelling, dance, music and more. The gazetting of the park has ensured the conservation of its ecosystems, which in turn benefits the surrounding communities.
Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park is truly a Medley of Wonders!
Murchison Falls NP, part of the greater Murchison Falls Conservation Area (MFCA), offers excellent wildlife viewing. The MFCA includes Kaniyo Pabidi, which is a great place for chimpanzee tracking. Most big safari animals are easily seen, including the Big Five. The Victoria Nile bisects the park. At Murchison Falls, the Nile is channeled through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment. Boat trips to the spectacular Murchison Falls, perhaps the most impressive waterfall in East Africa, are a highlight – especially if you hike to the top where the immense power of the Falls is best appreciated.
Murchison Falls became one of Uganda’s first national parks in 1952_ Size: 3,840km2
At Murchison Falls, the Nile squeezes through an 8m wide gorge and plunges with a thunderous roar into the “Devil’s Cauldron”, creating a trademark rainbow.
The northern section of the park contains savanna and borassus palms, acacia trees and riverine woodland. The south is dominated by woodland and forest patches
The 1951 film “The African Queen” starring Humphrey Bogart was filmed on Lake Albert and the Nile in
Murchison Falls National Park lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the sweeping Bunyoro escarpment tumbles into vast, palm-dotted savanna. First gazetted as a game reserve in 1926, it is Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area, hosting 76 species of mammals and 451 birds.
The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile, which plunges 45m over the remnant rift valley wall, creating the dramatic Murchison Falls, the centerpiece of the park and the final event in an 80km stretch of rapids. The mighty cascade drains the last of the river’s energy, transforming it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the rift valley floor into Lake Albert. This stretch of river provides one of Uganda’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles. Regular visitors to the riverbanks include elephants, giraffes and buffaloes; while hippos, Nile crocodiles and aquatic birds are permanent residents.
Notable visitors to the park include Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway and several British royals.
Wildlife and Birding
Big Game
The park is home to 76 species of mammals including four of the “Big Five”, with huge herds of buffaloes and elephants, well-camouflaged leopards and a healthy population of lions. It is also known for its giraffes; in Uganda these can only be viewed here and in Kidepo Valley. Other species viewed regularly along the game tracks include Jackson’s hartebeest, bushbucks, Uganda kob, waterbucks and warthogs. Resident crocodiles and hippos as well as other, visiting wildlife are found along the river.
Primates
Olive baboons are common along the roadsides – be sure to keep car windows and doors shut if you don’t want to lose your lunch! Blue and red-tailed monkeys and black-and-white colobus can be found in the forested sectors. The savanna-dwelling patas monkey is only found here and in Kidepo Valley National Park. Around 800 chimpanzees live in the Kaniyo Pabidi and Budongo Forests.
Birds
The varied habitats of Uganda’s largest park make it home to a variety of birds with 451 species recorded. The list includes the Shoebill Stork, the Goliath Heron – the largest heron in the world – and pairs of elegant Grey Crowned Cranes – Uganda’s national bird. Also seen along the banks of the Nile are the Blue-headed Coucal, Swamp Flycatcher, Squacco Heron, African Jacana, Sandpipers, Denham’s Bustard, Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Black-billed Barbet, Black-headed Gonolek, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, Piapiac, Silverbird, Weaver Birds, Pied, Giant and Malachite Kingfishers, Red-throated Bee-eater, White-browed Sparrow Weaver, Speckle-fronted Weaver and African Quail-Finch.
The park takes its name from “Gahinga” – the local word for the piles of volcanic stones cleared from farmland at the foot of the volcanoes.
The British administration declared the area a game sanctuary in 1930; it was gazetted as a National Park in 1991.
Mgahinga has one habituated trans-boundary gorilla group.
The Batwa were self-sufficient – and visitors can see how during a fascinating tour with a Batwa guide to learn the secrets of the forest
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park sits high in the clouds with the size of _ 33.7km2, making it Uganda’s smallest National Park _ at an altitude of between 2,227m and 4,127m. As its name suggests, it was created to protect the rare mountain gorillas that inhabit its dense forests, and it is also an important habitat for the endangered golden monkey.
As well as being important for wildlife, the park also has a huge cultural significance, in particular for the indigenous Batwa pygmies. This tribe of hunter-gatherers was the forest’s “first people”, and their ancient knowledge of its secrets remains unrivalled.
Cultural Encounters in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
The Batwa Trail
For generations, Mgahinga’s dense forests were home to the indigenous Batwa: hunter-gatherers and fierce warriors who depended on the forest for shelter, food and medicine.
When the national park was established the Batwa were evicted from the forest and abandoned their low-impact, nomadic lifestyle. The only time they are permitted to re-enter their cherished forest is as tour guides on the Batwa Trail, on which visitors will discover the magic of the Batwa’s ancient home while enjoying nature walks and learning about the cultural heritage.
The Batwa demonstrate hunting techniques, gather honey, point out medicinal plants and demonstrate how to make bamboo cups. Guests are invited to the sacred Garama Cave, once a refuge for the Batwa, where the women of the community perform a sorrowful song which echoes eerily around the depths of the dark cave, and leaves guests with a moving sense of the richness of this fading culture.
Wildlife
Aside from the endangered mountain gorilla, Mgahinga is home to many other mammal species. However, as in all forests, animals tend to be hard to spot. The very rare golden monkey, endemic to the Albertine Rift, can also be tracked. Other mammals include black-and-white colobus, buffalo, elephant, bushbuck and duiker.
Scenery
Mgahinga’s most striking features are its three conical, extinct volcanoes, part of the spectacular Virunga Range that lies along the border region of Uganda, Congo and Rwanda. Mgahinga forms part of the much larger Virunga Conservation Area which includes adjacent parks in these countries. The volcanoes’ slopes contain various ecosystems and are biologically diverse, and their peaks provide a striking backdrop to this gorgeous scenery.
Lake Mburo National Park is a compact gem, located conveniently close to the highway that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda. It is the smallest of Uganda’s savannah national parks and underlain by ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks which date back more than 500 million years. It is home to 350 bird species as well as zebra, impala, eland, buffalo, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, leopard, hippo, hyena, topi and reedbuck.
Together with 13 other lakes in the area, Lake Mburo forms part of a 50km-long wetland system linked by a swamp. Five of these lakes lie within the park’s borders. Once covered by open savanna, Lake Mburo National Park now contains much woodland as there are no elephants to tame the vegetation. In the western part of the park, the savanna is interspersed with rocky ridges and forested gorges while patches of papyrus swamp and narrow bands of lush riparian woodland line many lakes.
The park in Size is _ 370km2
Altitude: 1,220m – 1,828m above sea level and wetland habitats comprise 20% of the park’s surface.
This scenic little park, is home to several wildlife species not easily seen elsewhere in Uganda. These include _Rothschild’s giraffe, Burchell’s zebra and impala. Although elephant are absent from the park, there is plenty of other wildlife to see. This is the only park in Uganda where people can view savannah animals on foot, from a mountain bike, horseback and in a vehicle. Farmers from surrounding properties sometimes graze their cattle inside the park, disrupting local wildlife.
Wildlife
The park’s varied habitats support 68 mammal species. Rarities include impala, which, in Uganda, only lives in Lake Mburo, and Burchell’s zebra and eland which are found only here and in Kidepo.
Other species include warthog, buffalo, oribi, Defassa waterbuck and reedbuck. Leopard and hyena are also present while crocodile and over 300 hippos are found in the lake. Previously extinct in the park, lions have recently been sighted again.
Birds
Around 350 bird species have been recorded to date. These include the Red-faced Barbet, only seen in Lake Mburo, the endemic African Finfoot and the rare Shoebill. Other key species are the Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Saddle-billed Stork, Brown-chested Lapwing, African-wattled Lapwing, Carruther’s Cisticola, Tabora (Long-tailed) Cisticola, African Scops Owl, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill and White-winged Warbler.
Acacia woodland bird species are especially well represented, while forest species may be found in Rubanga forest. These include Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Hairy-breasted Barbet and Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, among others.
Lake Mburo can be visited anytime, with wildlife viewing highlights year-round. In the dry seasons (from June to August and December to February), animals gather around rivers and waterholes, and during the wet seasons (March to May and September to November), large numbers can be seen in the open valleys.
Hilly gateway to the western safari circuit _ amazing Uganda .
Semuliki National Park sprawls across the floor of the Semliki Valley on the remote, western side of the Rwenzori. The park is dominated by the easternmost extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Congo Basin. This is one of Africa’s most ancient and bio-diverse forests; one of the few to survive the last ice age, 12-18,000 years ago.
The park size is _220km² with an altitude of 670-760m above sea level
Semuliki Forest Reserve was created in 1932 and upgraded to national park status in 1993.
It is the only tract of true lowland tropical forest in East Africa, hosting 441 recorded bird species and 53 mammals.
Large areas of this low-lying park may flood during the wet season,a brief reminder of the time when the entire valley lay at the bottom of a lake for seven million years.
Four distinct ethnic groups live near the park – Bwamba farmers live along the base of the Rwenzori while the Bakonjo cultivate the mountain slopes. Batuku cattle keepers inhabit on the open plains and Batwa pygmies, traditionally hunter gathers, live on the edge of the forest.
The Semliki Valley contains numerous features associated with central rather than eastern Africa. Thatched huts are shaded by West African oil palms; the Semliki River (which forms the international boundary) is a miniature version of the Congo River, the forest is home to numerous Central African wildlife species, and the local population includes a Batwa pygmy community that originated from the Ituri. As a result, this park provides a taste of Central Africa without having to leave Uganda.
While Semuliki’s species have been accumulating for over 25,000 years, the park contains evidence of even older processes. Hot springs bubble up from the depths to demonstrate the powerful subterranean forces that have been shaping the rift valley during the last 14 million years.
Birds
Birdlife is especially spectacular in Semuliki with 441 recorded species, representing 40% of Uganda’s total bird species and 66% (216) of the country’s forest bird species. The list is expanded by the riverine habitat and a fringe of grassland in the east of the park. There are numerous rarities; 46 Guinea-Congo biome species are found nowhere else in East Africa while another 35 can be seen in only two or three other places in Uganda. Five species are endemic to the Albertine Rift ecosystem. Species to look out for here include the Nkulengu Rail, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Piping Hornbill, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Black Dwarf Hornbill, White-crested Hornbill, Black-casqued Wattled Horbill, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, African Piculet, White-throated Blue Swallow, Yellow-throated Nicator, Leaf-love, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, Crested Malimbe, Red-bellied Malimbe, Blue-billed malimbe, Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, Orange-cheeked Waxbill.
Wildlife
The forest is home to 53 mammals of which 27 are large mammals. 11 species are endemic to the park including the pygmy antelope and two flying squirrel species. It is also home to the peculiar water chevrotain, known as the “fanged deer”.
The park is home to forest elephant and buffalo which are smaller versions of their savannah-dwelling relatives. The forest is remarkably rich in primates including the chimpanzee, baboon,grey-cheeked mangabey, black-and-white colobus, Central African red colobus, blue, red-tailed, de Brazza’s, vervet, and Dent’s mona monkeys. Nocturnal primates include the potto and bushbaby. Hippos and crocodiles are common along the Semliki River.
The Rwenzoris – the fabled Mountains of the Moon – lie in western Uganda along the Uganda-Congo border. The equatorial snow peaks include the third highest point in Africa, while the lower slopes are blanketed in moorland, bamboo and rich, moist montane forest. Huge tree-heathers and colorful mosses are draped across the mountainside with giant lobelias and “everlasting flowers”, creating an enchanting, fairytale scene.
The park size is _ 996km2
The park was gazetted in 1991 and was recognized as a World Heritage site in 1994 and Ramsar site in 2008.
Highest point: 5,109m above sea level on Mt Stanley’s Margherita Peak. Mt. Stanley is bisected by the border with the DR Congo.
The Rwenzori is not volcanic like East Africa’s other major mountains but is a block of rock upfaulted through the floor of the Western Rift Valley.
The Rwenzoris were christened the “Mountains of the Moon” by the Alexandrine geographer Ptolemy in AD 150.
The explorer Henry Stanley placed the Rwenzori on the map on 24th May 1888. He labeled it ‘Ruwenzori’, a local name which he recorded as meaning “Rain-Maker” or “Cloud-King.”
The oldest recorded person to reach Margherita Peak was Ms Beryl Park aged 78 in 2010.
Rwenzori Mountains National Park protects the highest parts of the 120km-long and 65km-wide Rwenzori mountain range. The national park hosts 70 mammals and 217 bird species including 19 Albertine Rift endemics, as well as some of the world’s rarest vegetation.
The Rwenzoris are a world-class hiking and mountaineering destination. A nine- to twelve-day trek will get skilled climbers to the summit of Margherita – the highest peak – though shorter, non-technical treks are possible to scale the surrounding peaks.
For those who prefer something a little less strenuous, neighboring Bakonzo villages offer nature walks, homestead visits home cultural performances and accommodation, including home-cooked local cuisine.
Wildlife
The park is home to 70 species of mammal, including six Albertine Rift endemics; four are endemic to the park and three are rare species. Other mammals include the elephant, chimpanzee, Rwenzori otter and leopard. Though wildlife is difficult to spot in the dense forest, do look out for primates such as colobus (Angola and black-and-white varieties are both present) and blue monkeys; small antelope such as bushbucks; and unusual reptiles such as the three-horned chameleon.
Vegetation
Rwenzori Mountains National Park is known for its distinctive flora rather than its fauna. On the route to the peaks, hikers climb through a series of distinct altitudinal vegetation zones; montane forest, bamboo, tree heathers and afro-alpine. The latter, with its emblematic giant forms of Senecio (groundsel) and lobelia, is one of the world’s rarest botanical communities, being limited to East African mountains above 3800m.
Birds
The park is home to 217 bird species including several Albertine Rift endemics. Among these are 17 species that are endemic to the park making Rwenzori an important birding area (IBA). The forest zone at 1800m contains a diversity of birds including the Rwenzori Turaco, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Long-eared Owl, Handsome Francolin, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Archers’ Robin-chat, White-starred Robin, Rwenzori Batis, Montane Sooty Boubou, Lagden’s Bush Shrike, Slender-billed Starling, Blue-headed Sunbird, Golden-winged Sunbird, Strange Weaver and several varieties of Barbets, Greenbuls, Apalises, IIladopsis, Flycatchers and Crimsonwings.
THE GREAT _ BERYL PARK _ CANADIAN _ 78 YEARS.
No mountain too high for Beryl Park, 78 years _ in 2010
The beginning of the climb, with spectacular scenery _After fulfilling her 30 year old dream of climbing the Rwenzori Mountains in western Uganda, Beryl Park from Canada is not sure of accomplishing a similar feat in future. She needs not anyway. She is already a world record breaker.
One of the tough rocky climbs Park had to tackle.The 78-year-old successfully reached Margherita Peak, 5,109 metres above sea level, on November 13 / 2010, making her the first recorded — by the Guiness Book of World Records — advanced age female climber to successfully reach the highest peak of the Rwenzori.
“I don’t know if I will do a Rwenzori climb again. But I will continue climbing the Rockies three times a week in summer and skiing three or five times a week in winter in Canada,” Park told journalists in Kampala.
“I have always dreamt of climbing the Rwenzori Mountains for the past 30 years because they sounded so lively whenever they were described to me. So I had to come and see it for myself and reach Margherita,” Parke said, adding: “It is a wonderful and lovely feeling.
“The climate and vegetation keeps changing from day to day compared with Kilimanjaro which has the same climate and vegetation throughout the trek.” _ Uganda is such a beauty_ Amazingly beautiful and stunning .
“We have had people in their 60s and 70s climb the mountains but none were 78 years old…” said the acting executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, Mark Kamanzi, at a function to honour Park on her remarkable achievement in Kampala.
“Therefore we can confidently say that Ms Park set a new record for tourism in Uganda, and we are profoundly grateful to her for choosing to climb the famous Mountains of the Moon. She is now one of the 15,000 tourists from all over the world who have climbed the Rwenzori mountains, but one of just a few thousand who have reached the Margherita Peak .
In April 2010, the great Park contacted the Rwenzori Trekking Services asking if they would allow a 78-year-old woman to climb the mountains as it was her long time dream to do so.
Park and her climbing assistant stop for lunch break on the mountain glacier;Her April 2010 e-mail read thus: “Dear sir, I am interested in climbing Mt Margherita on the 10-day trek, also doing the trip to see the mountain gorillas. …I live in the Canadian Rockies and ski all winter and hike 2-3 times a week so I am reasonably fit and have a good sense of the conditions that I would encounter. When is the best time to come in regard to the weather? Are you willing to take someone my age?”
The Rwenzori Trekking Services did not hesitate to grant her request. Park opted to book early November so that she could experience the beauty of snow on the Rwenzori.
She arrived in Uganda on November 4 2010. Guided by three recently trained guides, Sandra Ampaire, Enoch Bwabale and Bernard Enaga of Rwenzori Trekking Services, Park started the hike on November 8, 2010, at Mulyambuli gate (1,727 metres) through the Kilembe trail circuit.
The climb
“Over the following five days her determination shone through, even during times when she was tired she remained happy and determined to achieve her goal. On the morning of November 13, her final ascent to Margherita Peak, bad weather closed in and by midday it was snowing very heavily. Despite this, she reached the peak at 3pm tired but happy at achieving the goal she had set herself,” the managing director of Rwenzori Trekking Services, John Hunwick reported.
“During the descent the weather worsened and Park had to climb down in complete darkness and heavy fog arriving at camp at 11pm. The next morning, following a good sleep-in and a hearty breakfast, she started her descent arriving back at Kilembe on the afternoon of November 17.”
Hunwick added that, “Beryl showed remarkable strength of character and determination and we congratulate her on a great effort despite the weather conditions. She even had the time and appetite to sit on the glacier and eat lunch which many do not. An incredible effort particularly for a 78-year-old woman.”
According to UWA _( Uganda wildlife Authority ) , tourism on the Rwenzori Mountains was launched at the beginning of the 1990s but suffered a heavy blow between 1998 and 2001 when it had to be suspended during the ADF rebel insurgency. But since 2001 when the mountains were reopened for tourism, there has been a surge in tourist arrivals every year.
This increase became even more evident in 2007 after a new trail — the Kilembe Trail which is being managed by Rwenzori Trekking Services was launched. The number of climbers jumped from 117 in 2001 to nearly 2,000 in 2009. “We expect the numbers to further increase when the planned infrastructure improvements are made,”
UWA’s _( Uganda wildlife Authority )_ future plans for the Rwenzori Mountains include; construction of a visitor’s information centre at the foot of the mountains, improved visitor accommodation facilities, a canopy walk, and expansion of the trail network within the mountains.
After the Rwenzori, Beryl Park visited the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Mburo National Park, and Murchison Falls National Park.
Park, who lives in a small village near Banff National Park, in Calgary, Canada, has already climbed Mount Kilimanjaro twice, the last time being six years ago at the age of 72. She usually spends her winters skiing in the Canadian mountains and her summers hiking across various national parks in Canada.
“I had no idea or even thought of going into the Guinness Book of World Records when I was planning to climb Mountain Rwenzori,” Park says.
In July 2010, George Solt, an 82-year-old from the United Kingdom set a new world record for the oldest person to reach the top of Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain. Solt, a retired chemical engineer, who reached Uhuru peak at 5,896 metres above sea level in memory of his wife, Jen on July 14, 2010, has been recognised by the Guinness World Records.
Park is congratulated by her team leader on reaching Margherita Peak, 5,109 metres above sea level, a record for the mountain for someone her age.In 2008, Jeanne Stawiecki, entered the Guinness Book of World Records for two achievements. At 56, Stawiecki was recognised as the oldest woman to complete the “Seven Summits,” the highest mountains on each continent, and achieving the fastest aggregate time for a woman to complete marathons on all seven continents.
On April 20, 2010, Korean mountaineer Oh Eun-Sun, 44 years, reached the top of the 8,091 metre-high Annapurna in Nepal completing her quest to climb all 14 of the world’s highest peaks and setting the new world record for the First Woman to Scale 14 Highest Peaks.
In January 2010, 17-year-old American, Johnny Collinson climbed the seven highest peaks on each of the seven continents of the world, setting the world record for the youngest person to climb the world’s highest peaks. He climbed Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, in July 2009.
The park size is _ 1,121km²
This extinct volcano is one of Uganda’s oldest physical features, first erupting around 24 million years ago.
Mt Elgon was once Africa’s highest mountain, far exceeding Kilimanjaro’s current 5,895m. Millennia of erosion have reduced its height to 4,321m, relegating it to the 4th highest peak in East Africa and 8th on the continent.
Mt Elgon is home to two tribes, the Bagisu and the Sabiny, with the marginalized Ndorobos forced to dwell deep within the forest of Benet.
The Bagisu, also known as the BaMasaba, consider Mount Elgon to be the embodiment of their founding father Masaba and refer to the mountain by this name.
At 4,000km² Mt. Elgon has the largest volcanic base in the world. Located on the Uganda-Kenya border it is also the oldest and largest solitary, volcanic mountain in East Africa. Its vast form, 80km in diameter, rises more than 3,000m above the surrounding plains. The mountain’s cool heights offer respite from the hot plains below, with the higher altitudes providing a refuge for flora and fauna.
Mount Elgon National Park is home to over 300 species of birds, including the endangered Lammergeyer. The higher slopes are protected by national parks in Uganda and Kenya, creating an extensive trans-boundary conservation area which has been declared a UNESCO Man & Biosphere Reserve.
A climb on Mt. Elgon’s deserted moorlands unveils a magnificent and uncluttered wilderness without the summit-oriented approach common to many mountains: the ultimate goal on reaching the top of Mt. Elgon is not the final ascent to the 4321m Wagagai Peak, but the descent into the vast 40km² caldera.
Areas of Interest
Forest Exploration Centre
The Forest Exploration Centre at Kapkwai, 13km from Sipi town, doubles as an educational centre for schools and the trailhead for climbers using the Sipi trail to the caldera. Three circuits of between 3-7km run through the surrounding regenerating forest, where visitors can visit caves, waterfalls, escarpments and viewpoints and observe birds and primates. Bird species encountered here include Hartlaub’s Turaco, Eastern Bronze-napped Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Dusky-Turtle Dove, African Hill Babbler, Alpine Chat, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Thick-billed Honey guide, Grey Cuckoo-Shrike.
Mount Elgon’s slopes are riddled with caves left by moving lava and erosion of soft volcanic deposits. The most accessible are Kapkwai Cave, near the Forest Exploration Centre, and Khauka Cave on Wanale Ridge. Historically, such features acted as shelters for locals and their livestock; later on they provided manure in the form of bat droppings. More recently, they were used by climbers and their porters, and even today, campsites are still located at Hunters Cave, Siyo Cave (near the hot springs), Mude Cave and Tutum Cave – ideal for overnight expeditions.
Jackson’s Pool and Jackson’s Peak
Jackson’s Pool stands at 4,050m and is a natural pool with shallow waters. This pool lies in the shadow of the 4,165m high Jackson’s Peak, a free-standing volcanic plug rising from the western flank of the mountain. These features were named after the explorer Frederick Jackson, who in 1889 was the first European to climb Mount Elgon. The peak is used by the locals as a spot to communicate with their ancestors.
The peaks and the caldera
Mount Elgon’s highest peaks are formed by high points around a jagged rim enclosing one of the world’s largest calderas, at 40km long and 8km wide. The tallest peak is the 4,321m Wagagi, followed by Sudek (4,303m), Koitobos (4,222m) and Mubiyi (4,210m).
The Caldera was formed as a result of magma being drained from the chamber. When it could no longer support the overlying volcanic cone, it collapsed into a depression-like shape. In the eastern corner of the caldera, hot springs are found at the start of the deep Suam Gorge. In the northwest, Simu Gorge was formed by the sheer weight of the water in the caldera cutting two stream beds out of the weak volcanic
Vegetation
Mt. Elgon’s vegetation is banded into broad zones whose characteristics are dictated by altitude and rainfall. The lower mountain slopes are covered with dense forest and regenerating forests, hung with vine-like lianas, epiphytes and lichens. The floor is covered with a carpet of ferns, orchids and flowering plants. Common tree species encountered in the tropical montane forest (1,500-2,500m asl) are olive Oleahochstetteri, prunus africanas, Elgon teak, podocarpus, cedar, Cordia, Neoboutania, allophyllus tombea and Aningueriaadolfi-friedericii.
The zone changes to mixed bamboo at 2,500-3,000m. The bamboo merges into open woodland dominated by hagenia abyssinica and African rosewood interspersed with hypericum – a giant form of St. John’s wort.
The heath zone (3,000-,3500m) is characterized by giant heather interspersed with grassy swards of blonde tussock grass dotted with pink and white everlasting flowers (ericriceum brownie and jonstonii) , flame-colored gladioli, blue delphiniums and red hot pokers.
The moorland or Afro-alpine zone (3,500-4,321m) contains senecio elgonensis, Erica tree, giant lobelias with hairy leaves and plumes of tiny blue flowers, ladies’ mantle tussocks (archimilla elgonesis) and pink and white everlasting flowers.
The summit of the mountain is vegetated by rare Afro-montane species that include giant forms of lobelia and groundsel.
Nkokenjeru Ridge and Wanale
Nkokenjeru Ridge is a distinctive finger of forest extending outwards from the main massif of Mount Elgon. It lies at an elevation of 2,347m and covers a 25km-long tongue of lava that flowed out of the side of the volcano after the cone collapsed to block the main vent. Nkokenjeru Ridge culminates at the superb Wanale Cliffs which tower above Mbale Town; the seasonal Nabuyonga and Namatyo Waterfalls are located here. A trail at this western end of the ridge leads you to Khauka Cave where petrified wood can be found.
This ridge also offers grounds for those interested in paragliding over the Mbale town.
The Nabuyonga Trail is a 5km loop with birding, fauna and flora. Viewpoints overlook Mbale town, Lakes Kyoga, Bisina and Salisbara, and the rugged mountains in Karamoja region. On a clear day, you may enjoy vistas of Wagagai peak and even areas of western Kenya. Beware of throwing a stone into the Nabuyonga stream – local folklore claims that if you do so, a thunderstorm will strike before you leave!
Beyond the park
Sipi Falls
The northern and western sides of Mount Elgon rise in a series of massive basalt cliffs, often several kilometres in length, over which the mountain’s rivers plunge as beautiful waterfalls. The best known are the three waterfalls at Sipi falls, on the Kapchorwa road, just outside the park. The lowest of these falls is the most spectacular as it cascades over a 100m cliff. The second, known as Simba falls, plunges 69m over the entrance to a cave. Visitors can stand in the cave and enjoy a view of the back of the falls. The third waterfall, also known as Ngasire falls, gushes over an 87m high ridge. Sipi Falls is less than an hour’s drive from Mbale on a paved road.
Easily accessible waterfalls are also found at Sisiyi, Bulago, Chebonet and Wanale and many more are scattered across the mountain, offering spectacular views.
Tewei Hill
Outside the park overlooking Sipi Falls is the hill where, during the 1960s, Chemonges Kingo, King of the Sabiny would meet his subjects. From the top you can view the three falls, the Karamajong plains and the Wagagai peak.
Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve and Matheniko Bokora Wildlife Reserve
In the plains of Karamoja to the north of Mount Elgon lie Matheniko Bokora Wildlife Reserve and the expansive Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, the second largest protected area in Uganda, with an area of 2,788km2. Wildlife found here includes rare species such as the roan antelope, lesser kudu, Bright’s gazelle and ostriches which, in Uganda, are found only here and in Kidepo Valley National Park. Wildlife is concentrated around the Loporokocho swamp; bird species encountered here include Hartlaub’s Turaco, Eastern Bronze-napped Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Dusky Turtle Dove, African Hill Babbler, Alpine Chat, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Thick-billed Honey guide and Grey Cuckoo-Shrike.
Rock paintings found at various sites within the Matheniko Bokora Wildlife Reserve are believed to date back over 3000 years and were created by the Kushite and Nilotic people.
Nyero Rock Paintings
65km north of Mbale, the Nyero Rock Paintings are the finest of several rock art sites in the region. Three panels are found within the extensive granite outcrop of Moru Ikara, 10km from Kumi Town and 55km from Mbale on the Soroti road. The most impressive is Panel Two which includes two canoes bearing human figures.
Scenic viewpoints outside the park
A detour to Bulago off the Mbale-Sipi road reveals a village standing high above a waterfall facing the Simu Valley towards Butandiga ridge. The route to Kapchorwa beyond Sipi Falls to the north provides a stunning view towards Mount Kadam and the vast plains of Karamoja. The top of the Sironko Valley in Budadiri, enclosed by the Mudangi Cliffs and the Nkonkonjeru Ridge, provides a picturesque view of the montane forest and caldera peaks. Visitors should also drive to the top of Wanale Cliff for panoramic views over the town of Mbale.
Mountain/Volcano Climbing in Mt. Elgon
Many travellers find Mt. Elgon an exciting alternative to the more strenuous climbs in East Africa. It is easier to access throughout the year, less congested and has many of the same attractions, with a milder climate and lower elevation. Climbing the peaks requires no special equipment or technical experience.
The Sasa trail is the shortest but toughest route to the peaks, traversing the community land and allowing you to explore BaMasaba farming settlements and culture. The round trip takes four days and starts at Budadiri town at an elevation of 1,250m. The toughest climb of over 1,600m is completed on the first day, before crossing the park’s largest area of bamboo forest and passing Jackson’s Pool on the way to Wagagai Peak.
The Sipi trail (four to six days, 56km round trip) starts at 2,050m at the Kapkwai Forest Exploration Centre. It is the longest trail to the peaks, passing through the northwestern mountainside through Tutum Cave to enter the caldera and reach Wagagai Peak. The trail begins gently, but becomes tougher on the third day from Kajeri Camp.
The Piswa trail (seven days, 49km round trip) is long and the most gentle trail. Starting at the village of Kapkwata on the north side of the mountain, it traverses the soft wood plantation to the Podocarpus forest. It’s notable for its rich wildlife and spectacular views of the Karamoja plains in Uganda and the Nandi and Kapeguria hills in Kenya. The Piswa trail also passes the hot springs on the way to the caldera and the peaks.
Other hiking options
The various routes can be combines, ascending the Sipi/Piswa/Sasa Trail and descending along the Sasa/Sipi Trail for example. This allows a traverse of the caldera and a visit to the hot springs.
Transboundary hike / cross border tourism: The higher slopes of Mount Elgon are shared with an adjacent national park in Kenya and a transboundary hike can be arranged. After ascending to the caldera with a UWA guide, climbers cross the border to descend with a Kenya Wildlife Service escort.
Katonga is a little-known, low-key wildlife reserve close to the city of Kampala. Efforts to better protect the park against poaching are slowly restoring the animal population. Several antelope species are easily seen, including the Uganda kob. The rare, marsh-dwelling sitatunga antelope can sometimes be spotted as well. There are no roads for vehicle safaris, so the park is best explored on foot.
Katonga is the closest park to Kampala and can be reached from the Fort Portal–Kampala road. It can easily be incorporated in a standard Uganda itinerary.
Wildlife
Katonga doesn’t support most of the large safari animals. Big cats are absent, and elephants and buffalos occur in small numbers only. But the park is one of the few places in East Africa that offers a chance to see the sitatunga antelope. Several other antelope species are present as well, including reedbuck, bushbuck, waterbuck and Uganda kob. Baboons and black-and-white colobus are also regularly spotted. As a first phase of restocking, zebra and impala were translocated to the park from Lake Mburo in 2013. The birding is great due to the variety of habitats.
Scenery
A variety of habitats can be explored in the park including rainforest, papyrus swamps and savannah. The park is on the edge of the Katonga river valley.