Drumbeat Autumn 2017

There’s more to Uganda and Rwanda than the mountain gorillas REPORT BY ALICE To the south, against the border with Burundi is Nyungwe National Park, an enormous swathe of pristine mountain rainforest where it’s possible to track chimpanzees and several endangered monkey species. The chimps are vocal and noisy, and tracking them as they hoot, scream and grunt their way through the forest is one of Africa’s most adrenaline charged of all wildlife encounters. With some 275 bird species, and an extraordinary high-rise forest canopy walkway, it’s an appealing addition to a Rwanda itinerary. Head north east and you’ll find Akagera National Park where lion and rhino have recently been re-introduced, elevating the park to Big 5 status. As yet, the accommodation options are relatively simple but we’re confident there’ll soon be something we can recommend in this fascinating park. It’s not only the Aardvark Safaris’ team who love this lively country. We’ve witnessed a clutch of excellent lodges arrive over the years and now two of the industry’s best known operators have arrived. Wilderness Safaris’ Bisate Lodge is the hot new accommodation option for gorilla trackers. Within easy driving distance of the Volcanoes National Park it’s a great base here. The luxury One & Only group is also set to enter the Rwanda market with its acquisition of Nuyngwe Forest Lodge and Gorilla’s Nest. We’ll keep you posted on progress and opening dates. Uganda – Uganda’s fertile lands are made up of terraced hillsides, dense rainforest, numerous lakes, waterfalls, mighty rivers, volcanoes and snow- capped mountains. With greater choice for general wildlife viewing, it’s arguably a more complete safari destination than its smaller neighbour. Gorillas are the big draw, and are found in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga National Park. And while Rwanda has recently increased the price of its tracking permits to $1,500, Uganda offers the experience at $600 (or $450 in low season). The greatest population of Uganda’s gorillas is in Bwindi, around six hours by vehicle, or a short light aircraft flight, from the capital Kampala. The lush rainforest vegetation means tracking can be slightly harder than in Rwanda, but the reward of an hour face to face with our closest living relatives is well worth the effort. Tick the gorilla box and there’s plenty else to see and do in Uganda. Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited and with elephant, lion, buffalo, hippo and leopard it’s the Uganda park most like those in neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania. In the far south there are the famous tree climbing lions of Ishasha and with some 610 bird species – possibly the most in any African park – it’s a bird watching paradise. Another of Uganda’s gems is Kibale Forest National Park, one of Africa’s best primate hot spots with 13 species recorded, including nearly 1,500 resident chimpanzees. It is possible to track chimps here, but for real immersion Ngamba Island on Lake Victoria hosts a chimp sanctuary that affords visitors a unique glimpse into the animals’ way of life. There are more chimps in lovely Semliki where you can also spot pygmy hippo, forest elephant and myriad butterflies and birds. The Great Rift Lakes Albert, Mburo and Victoria with their forest-fringed shores and rolling green hills are all worth a visit. The prehistoric-looking shoebill wades the shores of Lake Albert while Mburo is home to rare endemic ungulates. Exploring by boat or on foot adds another aspect to safari here. Murchison Falls, Uganda’s largest national park, lies astride the Nile as it plunges through the falls into Lake Albert. It’s remoteness means it’s often overlooked on an itinerary which is a great shame since there are few reserves in Africa that have such diversity of habitat. All this means fantastic wildlife viewing which includes the extraordinary shoebill, elephant, buffalo lion, Uganda kob, hippo, crocodile and plentiful birdlife. Rwanda – Tiny, landlocked Rwanda is known as ‘the land of a thousand hills’ and offers an experience of tropical Africa at its most lush and exuberant. Gorillas aside, travellers can enjoy an incredible number of bird species, protected primate communities including chimpanzee, colobus and golden monkeys, savannah wildlife and a particularly vibrant cultural tradition. If you have time, it’s definitely worth visiting the Genocide Memorial in Kigali – a powerful and moving memorial to a very bleak period in the country’s history. Gorilla tracking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park is magnificent and if you’re short on time it’s logistically an easier destination than Uganda. The park is where Dian Fossey – widely credited with saving gorillas from extinction by bringing their plight to the international community – carried out her research, and where today there are 12 habituated family groups available to track. Easy to access from Kenya and Tanzania, gorilla tracking here combines perfectly with a safari elsewhere in East Africa. The mountain gorillas get top billing in both these countries – and rightly so, as nothing compares to meeting one of our closest relatives in their home patch – but scratch below the surface and there are plenty more reasons why these lovely countries should feature on a safari itinerary. www . aardvarksafaris.co.uk l P14