In the Land of Mountain Gorillas: The Story of an "Epic" Trip (page 8 of 8)

Thank you, thank you, Esther, for your fantastic travel journal.

We’ll all leave with regret. Even Ronnie? Well, in a way, he added his own touch to your safari, left his unique mark. And he highlights how much you deserve credit for pulling off a successful (and original...) safari, willy-nilly.

A safari you’ll relive with so much pleasure when you reread your remarkable journal in a little while. And then, maybe, you’ll have fun (?) putting a name to all your bird encounters, just to extend the joy of being there a bit longer.

Your journal really fueled my desire for Uganda (and my birding grail, the shoebill) which, unfortunately, has been pushed back a year... thanks to Covid—I’ll never drink that again!

Thanks again and

Vale!

BL

Hi Esther,

A huge thank you for this travel journal that I LOVED and will definitely re-read several times before our first trip to Uganda planned for August. 🙂

I completely relate to your storytelling, your emotions, your passion for wildlife, your various frustrations, and even the annoyance and disappointment with your guide and tour operator—because we had a very similar experience in Tanzania in 2019 (which I’ll soon turn into a travel journal). We even ended up with a smaller vehicle with tiny back seats, and at 6’5", I had to push my guide’s backside every morning. My partner eventually snapped and burst into tears the morning of our safari at Ngorongoro Crater. As a result, she couldn’t be convinced to do another guided trip, so we’re doing Uganda self-drive! 😮

I was wondering, do you recommend bringing our own boots? Not that I want to overshare my measurements here, but mine take up a lot of space in a suitcase. 😄

For the guided night walk, this is the first time I’ve read feedback on this activity. What kind of observations can you expect to make at night in Kibale or elsewhere? I’d love to see bush pigs, but I’m not sure if it’s possible to spot them on foot. We’ve already done several night drives in Southern Africa, mostly in search of predators or nocturnal mammals (aardvark, aardwolf, brown hyenas, porcupines...) and several night hikes in the tropical forest in French Guiana, but mainly to observe frogs and snakes.

About the Mabamba Swamp, I didn’t quite understand. Were you supposed to go by ferry and then ended up taking a boat directly from the port? Did your guide and the 4x4 stay at the port?

Thanks again for your feedback, and I look forward to discussing it further! 🙂

Pierre

Hello Pierre, So happy to hear you enjoyed our adventures! It brings back such wonderful memories—I feel like I’m right back there again :-) It wasn’t the easiest trip emotionally, but Uganda has this magical, disorienting charm. It’s been a while now, and the memories aren’t as sharp, but I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

First, the boots. We debated a lot about bringing them—let’s be honest, they’re heavy and take up a ton of space in the suitcase. It really depends on what you plan to do. For us, they were essential during hikes in Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks, where the terrain was steep and muddy. Next time we go back, they’re definitely coming with us again :-). The guides in Mgahinga were also wearing boots. I don’t think the lodges we stayed at provided them, but they do wash them inside and out.

The Night Walk: We chose Kibale because it was the only place we’d read about where nighttime walks were possible. Once there, we could’ve also done one in the Bigodi wetlands—if I remember correctly, Bush Pigs can sometimes be spotted near the village at night. The terrain is more open than in Kibale, where the forest is dense.

During our Night Walk in Kibale, we saw a huge civet cross our path and a few Thomas’s Galagos.

A friend who went in March 2024 saw Thomas’s and Demidoff’s Galagos, as well as an insectivorous bat.

As for the Bush Pig, we didn’t see any ourselves. But M, the place we stayed one night—Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge in Katunguru, by the Kazinga Channel—has Giant Forest Hogs visiting their garden at night. They warn you when you arrive not to leave your bungalow because they’re dangerous. They seem way more intimidating than Bush Pigs.

The same friend, who went last March, saw one on the way back to the lodge after the boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel. They’re huge!

For the trip to Mabamba, the plan was originally to take the ferry to the other side and then switch to a pirogue.

In the end, our guide found a motorboat to take us to the marshes. Once there, we switched boats in the middle of the lake.

Hope this info helps with your preparations—wishing you all the best!

Esther