We are back from 14 days safari with Self-Drive Kigali in Uganda and Rwanda. We chose medium accommodation option. We had time of our lifetime. We rented a Toyota Land Cruiser with popup rooftop and a guide and it was the perfect car to take on game safari with my friends. On arrival to Entebbe Airport we were picked up by our guide/ driver for the whole 14 days, Emma.
He was just amazing and very professional during the whole trip. We have done quite a few trips in Africa and Emma was most hard working and determined guide we have come across so far.
His knowledge about wild life, politics, and history of the area was great. All the accommodation selected by Self-Drive Kigali were good and all lodges/hotel had hot water facilities and they were providing great meals.
Our favourite was Silver back lodge in Bwindi. Amazing views/food/location/service. We both are vegetarians and we did not struggle at all. We did two Gorilla tracking, one in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and one in Rwanda. Please be aware that if you want to enjoy it, being in good fitness is important. We have witnessed it becoming torcher for some people due to altitude/weather/steep hikes etc.
We also did Chimpanzees tracking and Golden monkey tracking. They both are just amazing too and relatively easy hikes.
A few highlights:
Murchison Falls National Park deserves to be in the same category as Victoria Falls, Niagara Falls, and Iceland’s Gull foss. We had the top of the falls to ourselves for 20 minutes and it was a magical experience. In Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks, we saw the Big 5 and got tons of quality time with the animals. Some highlights included dozens of hippos/elephants on the Kazinga Channel and watching lions mate.
In Kibale National Park, the chimp tour was awesome. It was a nice intro to the gorilla tour that we took a few days later. But because it was a habituated group, we ended up getting closer to the chimps and they didn’t run away from us.
We did the four-hour Gorilla Habituation Experience trip in Uganda with the gorillas and it was spectacular. One of the most unique travel experiences one could imagine. Tough hiking but it paid off. Top five lifetime travel experience (up there with Antarctica and back country camping in Alaska).
In sum, Uganda is a potential tourism juggernaut. Come for the primates, stay for the Big Five.
We also crossed to Rwanda and went gorilla tracking and walking with golden monkeys in Volcanoes National Park. The Park headquarters is a really nice area with free good-quality coffee from a social enterprise supported initiative (nice touch!), comfy seating, and clean toilets. Our guides and trackers were happy, friendly, and passionate about the animals they were showing us and conservation to protect them.
Patrick was our gorilla tracking guide and was so knowledgeable about them, clearly so fond of the gorilla group we visited, extremely calming before seeing them, and a lot of fun with high energy. After a moderate trek hour long trek into the forest, we encountered a large group of gorillas of varying ages. The guides did an excellent job of getting us in a safe place to view the gorillas and take pictures. It was an amazing experience.
Seeing gorillas was a-once-in-a-lifetime, magical experience. Permit fees are high but part of the funds go to supporting conservation, research and protection of these amazing animals, and to supporting local communities to live harmoniously side-by-side with gorillas.
We had a wonderful time on an easy hike to see the golden monkeys – a truly memorable experience watching these great characters who try to pinch potatoes from the land that butts up to the forest. Our guide told us that the monkeys recognize the guides’ and porters’ uniforms so they know they can sneak the odd potato, creating an unusual conservation synergy as the tourists love watching them which in turn creates an income for the local communities, who act as guides and porters.
After the two experience, Emma drove us to Kigali for a night, the following day we did the Kigali genocide memorial tour before our flight back home. This museum is a great way to get educated on the genocide that occurred in 1994. The events leading up to it are presented in chronological order as well as historical photos during and afterward.
Even though there is lots to read (in both French and English), we found the audio guide was a good supplement to the signage. There are multiple mass graves out in the gardens (including one that is still open so as to view inside). There are also additional exhibits about other genocides that have occurred in recent human history. After the Experience, we had our last lunch and Emma dropped us for our Flight back home. I must recommend Rwanda, for Primate and nature lovers.
Add Comment