// UGANDA SAFARI
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is the ancestral home of mountain gorillas and of the Batwa , a forest people
50 miles
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Lake Edward
Albert Nile
Lake Albert
Victoria Nile
Murchison Falls National Park
Kibale Forest
National Park KAMPALA Queen Elizabeth
National Park
Kasinga Channel
Lake Bwindi Impenetrable Victoria Forest
TANZANIA
RWANDA
// ESSENTIALS
SOUTH SUDAN
U G A N D A
Victoria Nile
KENYA
Mabamba Swamp
When to go : Daytime temperatures hover around 77 – 83F all year . It can rain at any time , particularly in the rainforests . December to February and June to September are driest and therefore best for travel . Currency : The Ugandan shilling .
USh3,550 = US $ 1 Language : English and Swahili , plus
numerous African languages . Getting around : Most visitors book
an organized tour by 4WD vehicle or minibus , or hire their own 4WD , with or without a driver .
In the half-day it takes me to reach the village of Buhoma — gateway to Uganda ’ s best-known primate-watching destination — the road climbs more than 2,000ft and the temperature drops 10F . Bwindi Impenetrable Forest , the dense forest of hardwoods , ferns and bamboo that lies beyond Buhoma , is the ancestral home of not only mountain gorillas , but also of a forest people , the Batwa , who used to forage for antelopes , fruit and honey , making minimal impact on the ecosystem . Controversially , they were displaced to make way for the park , and since they couldn ’ t prove they owned any land , they received no compensation . While their struggle for justice remains unresolved , they ’ ve found ways to keep their traditions alive . An immersive outdoor show they call The Batwa Experience — demonstrating how they used to dress , gather medicines and cook — is as entertaining and spirited a cultural experience as any I ’ ve had in Africa .
On the morning of my gorilla tracking expedition , I rise before dawn and wolf
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down a rolex , the rolled-up , omelet-stuffed chapati that ’ s Uganda ’ s favorite breakfast . Soon , I hope , I ’ ll be locking eyes with a mountain gorilla in the wild — one of Africa ’ s most profoundly moving wildlife experiences .
Eating well was a good move . Our route into the forest is relentlessly hilly , with precious little shade , and the trackers have set a blistering pace . Apparently , our gorilla family is on the move . At speed . “ We have to push ,” says ranger Stephen Migyisha . It ’ s tough going , but anticipation drives us on .
When at last we encounter the gorillas , even the trackers are taken aback . Their unusual behavior is explained : they were seeking a safe place to welcome a brand new arrival . Peering into the shade of a shrub , we spot him , damp and impossibly tiny , clinging to his mother ’ s fur .
We ’ re lost for words . These magnificent wild animals have no reason to allow us to approach . But they ’ ve chosen to do so , with a quiet , gentle acceptance that ’ s nothing short of humbling . It ’ s a gift I ’ ll never forget . image : AWL IMAGES ; MAP ILLUSTRATION JOHN PLUMER
30 // pos t c a rds