Travel Writing
An Adventure in Uganda
Uganda is best known for being home to around half of the world’s remaining population of endangered Mountain Gorillas, but as I found out on my recent visit, there is a lot more to Uganda than just gorilla trekking. Uganda is home to all of the so called ‘Big 5’, has some superb Primate viewing (with around 20 species present), and also offers some of the most spectacular scenery to be found anywhere in Africa.
Having arrived in Entebbe, on the shores of Lake Victoria, my own trip included visits to some of Uganda’s most important National Parks including Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. And by spending a little longer in each location I was able to enjoy a wide range of activities. These included nature walks around some of western Uganda’s beautiful Volcanic Crater lakes, visits to Community ecotourism projects such as the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, Boat trips through the Kazinga channel that connects Lakes George and Edward, and of course Chimpanzee and Mountain Gorilla trekking.
After a day to relax in Entebbe I headed west on the 5 hour drive to the town of Fort Portal. The most well known attraction in this part of Uganda is Kibale Forest National Park, home to some of the best Chimpanzee viewing to be had anywhere. Kibale is also home to a significant number of other primates as well as great bird viewing with over 300 bird species recorded in the Forest.
During my two days in the area I was able to enjoy a morning Chimpanzee trek, visit Tinka’s Homestay to experience a Traditional lunch, and visit the Bogodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community led project that provides visitors with the chance to walk the 4.5km trail through the Magombe swamp, with a local guide helping you spot the many birds, butterflies and monkeys that make their home here. All the fees paid by visitors are ploughed back into community projects such as a local secondary school.
I then travelled onwards to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Here the open plains were filled with Uganda Kob, and many other species of plains game such as Buffalo, Waterbuck and Elephant.
Lions were also seen well and, like in some other parts of East Africa, in Queen Elizabeth they have developed a particular fondness for climbing trees.
One of the most welcome aspects of the trip was the ability to enjoy many activities beyond the usual safari game drives. So while in Queen Elizabeth I enjoyed a 2 hour boat ride through the Kazinga channel, providing for some excellent sightings of elephant, hippo and of course many water birds such as African Fish Eagles. A range of walks were also possible from my Lodge including to the Kyambura Gorge and to a local community project to see how locally grown coffee beans are processed into delicious Ugandan coffee.
After 3 nights in Queen Elizabeth I headed south on the 3 hour drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, home of the mighty Mountain Gorillas. While many people spend just a couple of nights in Bwindi, I had decided to dwell longer and spend 4 nights in the area split between two of the different sectors in the park. My first stop was the most popular trekking area of Buhoma in the north of the park.
Like much of Uganda there are a range of activities on offer in addition to trekking the gorillas, and there are opportunities to enjoy a range of walks, wander around the local village, and visit schools or the local hospital that have been helped financially by gorilla tourism – 20% of the money paid by visitors to trek the gorillas is spent on community projects, providing a major incentive for the local population to help conserve the gorillas and their forest home.
The next morning I Ieft the lodge early for my first gorilla trek. We were entertained by some local school children performing a song and dance before being briefed by a Park Ranger on the gorillas and our hike into the forests to meet with them.
About 2 hours after commencing our walk we were invited into a dense patch of foliage to see a huge Silverback, relaxed and eating his breakfast completely unmoved by our presence. Under the guidance of our Park Rangers we slowly moved around this gorilla family’s temporary breakfast bar and were able to get incredibly close to a few other members of the family including a baby that clinged tightly to its mother.
After exactly one hour with these peaceful creatures we began the walk out of the forest arriving back at the lodge for a late lunch and a well-earned relaxing afternoon.
My final destination was also in Bwindi, in the south western sector of the Park near the village of Nkuringo. This time, rather than drive to my new destination I decided to walk.
Accompanied by armed Park Rangers I left Buhoma shortly after 0800 for the 18km walk through the forest, initially in deep shade on a nice flat walking track, later crossing streams that flowed through the forest and onwards to a much tougher final leg involving an uphill stretch that took me from 1500 metres above sea level to over 2100 metres.
It was hard going as the day warmed up, but as I climbed scenery revealed itself that took your breath away far more than the uphill hike could. As we reached the end it really did feel like we were on top of the world.
On my last day in Uganda I wanted to see the gorillas again, but this time I chose the recently introduced option to trek a group in the process of being habituated.
The Gorilla Habituation Experience involves trekking a gorilla family that Park Rangers have been in the process of habituating for around two years. They are still not fully relaxed around humans and so they were less tolerant of their visitors, so the experience involved a lot more walking through the forest as we followed the gorillas as they regularly moved on. Nevertheless it was an interesting experience and enabled me to spend four hours with the gorillas. And the youngest member of the gorilla family still gave us some great viewing!
From the southern end of Bwindi, not far from the border with Rwanda, I took the flight back to Entebbe to connect to my homebound flight, bringing to a close my 11 days in Uganda. The trip reminded me of what a beautiful country Uganda is, filled with amazing wildlife and scenery, welcoming and friendly people, and plenty to do for even the most active and curious of visitors.
There is certainly much more to Uganda than the Gorillas, so maybe you should try it for your next trip to Africa?
Copyright © Wayne Hammond 2019
Exploring Tanzania’s World-Famous Reserves
Tanzania’s world-famous northern safari circuit consists of a series of iconic natural spectacles including Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater and of course the renowned Serengeti. My own trip included visits to all these areas, but I started in the less visited, but beautiful Arusha National Park. Overlooked by Mount Kilimanjaro, Arusha National Park provides for some varied activities and during my day in the park I walked with an armed ranger observing herds of Buffalo, and spent the afternoon canoeing past pods of Hippo on Momella Lake.
Game drives are also an option in the park, as is, for the more adventurous, a 2-3 day hike up the 4500 metre high Mount Meru. While it is easy to overlook Arusha National Park and head straight out to the more famous parks, a day or two here can be a nice addition at the start of a longer Tanzania safari.
Next up was Tarangire National Park. The park has a number of private concessions on its borders providing the opportunity for nature walks, night drives and cultural visits, while waterholes in front of some camps provide for animal viewing without leaving the comfort of your lounge chair! Inside the park, the permanent Tarangire river attracts huge numbers of wildlife particularly in the dry season, and the park is known for its large herds of elephants that come to the river daily to drink. Another feature of the park is the giant Baobab trees that dot the landscape, some said to be over 3000 years old.
After leaving Tarangire I drove a couple of hours towards the Ngorongoro Highlands, with magnificent views of the Great Rift valley below, and onwards to the Ngorongoro Crater. The Crater is one of Africa’s most famous natural wonders and the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world. Measuring up to 19 kilometres wide, the floor of the Crater is home to large numbers of wildlife including all of the Big 5, and provides for some excellent Lion and Rhino viewing. The popularity of the Crater can make it quite crowded, but by staying on a camp or lodge on the Crater Rim you can leave your lodge/camp very early with a picnic breakfast and enjoy this magnificent place free from the large numbers of other tourists that arrive by mid-morning. And you can also enjoy the stupendous views 600 metres down to the Crater floor!
The alternative to staying on the Crater Rim is in lodging in the Ngorongoro Highlands, around the town of Karatu. Accommodation in this area is located near and sometimes on working coffee farms providing a lovely relaxing atmosphere with beautiful tropical gardens that benefit from the rich volcanic soil found in the area. They also tend to offer a wider set of activities than the camps and lodges on the Crater rim, providing visitors with the chance to get a genuine sense of rural Africa.
Lake Manyara was my next stop. This small park on the floor of the Rift Valley is dominated by its namesake – a shallow alkaline lake that occupies typically around two thirds of the park. The lake, along with the park’s forests and woodlands, mean Manyara is a great place for bird watching, and the park is also home to some particularly large troops of baboon that hang around the road side and make themselves easy to photograph.
Having driven from Arusha through Tarangire, Lake Manyara, and the Ngorongoro Highlands, I then took the short flight to the Serengeti. It’s possible to drive to the Serengeti from the Ngorongoro area but it can take several hours so flying this element of a Tanzania safari can save you time and be more comfortable compared to driving.
I started in the central area of the Serengeti, in the Seronera valley. This busier sector has the greatest number of camps and lodges (and therefore of other vehicles) but also has very reliable wildlife viewing, and I was able to see elephant, buffalo and lion in good numbers in the couple of days I spent here. I then took the short flight up to the northern Serengeti, where with luck my timing gave me some chance of seeing the migrating Wildebeest on their journey south back from Kenya’s Masai Mara. This is a particularly beautiful part of the Serengeti with the landscape largely comprising of stunning open plains, punctuated by the crocodile infested Mara River. As it happened I had missed the bulk of the migrating herds, which just highlights the unpredictability of this natural event, but the area was still full of wildlife and the scenery was wonderful!
From the northern Serengeti I took the flight back to Kilimanjaro International Airport to connect to my homebound flight, bringing to a close my 10 days in Tanzania.
Copyright © Wayne Hammond 2018
Botswana Mobile Photographic Safari
“She’s got cubs!” was the cry from our expert safari guide, Des Pretorius. Despite 25 years’ guiding experience even he could not contain his excitement. Just 15 metres away were two tiny leopard cubs, being led out into the open by mum, clear for us to see, in perfect early morning light. Magical.
This was one of many stellar wildlife sightings during a recent mobile safari through northern Botswana’s Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. But this was no typical safari. I was joined by five other amateur wildlife photographers, two of Botswana’s finest safari guides in Des and co-guide Grant Reed, and professional photographer and trip organiser, Dean Fitzpatrick. This was a safari organised by wildlife photographers for wildlife photographers, that strange breed who can sit for hours with sleeping lions so they are ready to capture the ‘perfect shot’ when they do finally decide to wake up and do something interesting.
Botswana is known for its exclusive safari experience, based around a high cost low volume approach to tourism. This means you will see few other visitors as you seek out your big game encounters. However, at most safari camps you still generally share your game drive vehicle with other people. Great if you all want a similar experience, less so if you have a particular interest such as photography.
This is where specialist photography trips can offer a more tailored experience. You share your safari with a handful of fellow travellers who are looking for much the same experience as you. During my trip to Botswana this meant long hours in the field to maximise photographic opportunities, combining early starts and late finishes to make the most of the early morning and late afternoon ‘golden light’. We also benefitted from our shared willingness to stay with particular sightings and wait patiently for situations to develop. On this trip there was no racing around the bush ticking of as many large mammal sightings as possible, no heading out on our morning game drive after a lazy breakfast, and no chance of returning to camp for an early shower and a drink in the bar before dinner. Not with Des, Dean and Grant running the show. They worked us hard, with a regular diet of 14 hour days out in the bush. But, as with so many things in life, putting in the hours brought us the rewards.
During one particularly busy afternoon we had the choice of spending more time with our leopard family, watch lazy lions finish off a zebra they had killed the previous night, or follow a pack of rare wild dogs that had moved into the area.
The following morning was just as action packed. After leaving camp well before six we tracked down the wild dogs and watched them pace up and down a large stream as they sought out the best crossing point. After 20 minutes they took the plunge – literally – and we watched and photographed as they splashed across the water right in front of us. Soon after the pack began hunting a herd of impala, with our vehicles racing across the plains behind them in hot pursuit. By the time we caught up with the dogs the kill had been made and little of the poor impala was left, in what seemed like no more than a few minutes. The speed of it all was breathtaking.
Dean Fitzpatrick, a New Zealander who spent several years working in safari lodge management, started organising photographic safaris in Botswana in 2006.
“I had already spent many years in Africa, travelling, working and photographing,” Dean recalled. “It was during this time I met a great number of people, and most had cameras slung over their shoulders. They had come to Africa to photograph wildlife, but many had little knowledge of animal behaviour or the environment they found themselves in and a great number had huge enthusiasm but not the technical skills necessary to ensure their short time in Africa was photographically rewarding.”
He went on, “So I found myself giving impromptu photography lessons, quite literally on the bonnet of my car or through open windows across lion sightings, just passing on helpful tips and information. It was great fun and often, days later, I would see the same folk and they would be excited, full of confidence and bursting at the seams to show me their images. It was from these experiences that the idea of providing dedicated Photographic Safaris came.”
Working with a small and very select group of safari guides, who are themselves excellent photographers, Dean leads the safaris himself, sharing his knowledge and experience to help clients improve their photographic technique. The emphasis is on learning in the field. On this safari there was no after dinner classroom style sessions on exposure theory or post processing techniques. Instead Dean, Des and Grant provided gentle advice and encouragement during game drives, enabling the group to put into immediate practice their newly acquired knowledge. With three experts on hand to help just six guests, and up to 14 hours a day spent in the field, there was plenty of opportunity to ask questions and learn new skills without any formal learning time.
With so much of the trip spent on game drives we had little time to relax in camp, although the occasional afternoon break gave us the opportunity to review images, clean our kit and take a quick siesta. The safaris use mobile tented camps, more economical than luxury lodges and providing a more authentic nature experience. Here, plunge pools and claw foot bathtubs are replaced with three by three metre dome tents, complete with cot beds and open air ‘en-suite’ bathrooms. Not the height of luxury by any means, but perfectly comfortable for the few hours of the day spent in camp, and as close to nature as one can get.
Our tents were put up (and taken down) by a small, enthusiastic crew of camp staff. Every three days we’d leave early in the morning and spend the day in the bush, slowly making our way to a new location up to 100km away. We’d stop regularly to take photographs of the prolific wildlife to be found along the way, and arrive at our new camp site in darkness to find the tents erected, our luggage inside, the camp fire burning, and a delicious dinner just waiting to be served.
After spending the first six days of the trip in the world renowned Okavango Delta, we drove north into Chobe National Park’s Savuti marsh. Here the marsh had flooded for the first time in 20 years, bringing fresh life and an even greater abundance of wildlife to the area. We saw large herds of buffalo and elephant, as well as giraffe, cheetah, and wildebeest. We also sat patiently with a little bee eater as it hawked for insects from a small road side branch, all of us trying to get a super sharp picture of this tiny bird in flight. I’m not sure any of the group got the shot but we had great fun trying, while at the same time further testing our improving photography skills.
By the end of the trip we’d spent time in some of southern Africa’s most famous national parks, seen a fantastic array of wildlife, and learned a huge amount about wildlife photography. We’d even managed to get one or two good photographs between us. The entire group agreed it had been a fantastic adventure, a view shared by our guides. As Dean said, “I’m passionate about wildlife photography as are all the guides here, and that passion will get us out of bed at four in the morning most days, but what excites us most is when we see clients bounding out of bed in the small hours, full of confidence, empowered from what they have already experienced, and ready for more.”
We all agreed that it would be difficult to go back to a typical safari after this trip, and we all vowed to do it again soon. Just before we left camp for the final time, Grant explained why: “Wildlife photography is never ending. You are constantly trying to capture better and better images, and no matter how good today’s shot might be, you always want to get back out there tomorrow and try for something better.” Quite so, and this safari had made us all more determined to continue with our own photographic journeys.
Copyright © Wayne Hammond 2012
Zimbabwe – Back to its Best
I first planned to visit Zimbabwe in 2000. At the time it was one of Africa’s crown jewels, famed for its game packed national parks, stunning scenery and hospitable people. Politics then got in the way. President Mugabe’s forced seizure of white-owned commercial farms, with the stated aim of benefiting landless black Zimbabweans spiralled out of control, leading to violence, hunger and the collapse of the tourist industry. As the political situation worsened the trip never happened, and, like many others, my love of Africa took me elsewhere, to Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Mozambique and Zambia.
In late 2010, attracted by a more stable political environment and the promise of great game viewing and few other tourists, my visit to Zimbabwe finally happened. With international flights to Zimbabwe now limited my trip started in Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka. From there it is just a two hour road trip to the Zimbabwean border at Chirundu, the Zambezi river beyond, and after a short motorboat ride, Mana Pools National Park.
Mana Pools is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was recently voted by National Geographic as the fourth most beautiful national park on earth. I stayed at Ruckomechi Camp, situated in a private concession just west of the park itself. My huge tent offered wonderful vistas of the Zambezi river coupled with wildlife literally on my doorstep. Elephants were an almost permanent presence, attracted by the seed pods from the Albida trees that surround the camp. On several occasions detours were required when making my way to my tent to avoid the friendly local pachyderms. Game drives were equally productive. Sleeping lions, cheetah and a pack of wild dogs were seen just minutes from camp. I even spotted a leopard as I was escorted back to my tent camp one evening after dinner. On my last day I took to the water in a small pontoon boat, dodging hippos and sailing up close to elephants along the shoreline. Then, as the sun set behind me I cracked open a beer to enjoy a classic Zimbabwean sundowner.
After four wonderful days I left Mana Pools for the contrasting landscapes of Hwange National Park. Hwange - the size of Belgium and located in the south west of the country - is Zimbabwe’s most popular big game area. Famed for its diverse and prolific year round game viewing, it is particularly known for the large herds of elephant that are lured to the pumped water pans that are dotted around the park. During my visit it did not disappoint. My first evening drive brought a lone cheetah on a recent kill. During the following days I saw lions, more cheetah, visited a Hyena den and watched the pups play around my vehicle, and enjoyed a rare sighting in most of Africa, the beautiful sable antelope. Habitat destruction and poaching have reduced populations of these magnificent animals to only a handful of places across the continent. In Hwange, there are approximately 100 Sable which are seen regularly on game drives. The icing on the cake came during my final game drive as we stopped our vehicle close to a water pan, cracked open sundowners and watched as literally hundreds of elephant came down to drink, bathe and play. This was one of my finest experiences in over 20 trips to Africa.
The following morning I took the short flight to Victoria Falls, and a stay at the recently opened Elephant Camp. This luxurious tented camp is just 10 minutes drive from the Falls on a wildlife concession operated by the Wild Horizons Wildlife Trust, a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance and promote environmental conservation in Southern Africa. The concession is home to a group of orphaned elephants, their upkeep part funded by offering tourists the opportunity to ride on the back of these gentle giants. It is also home to Sylvestor the Cheetah. Sylvester was orphaned when just two days old when his mother was attacked by lions. He now lives permanently on the concession and acts as an ‘ambassador’ for the Trust, interacting with the public to raise awareness of the cheetah’s endangered status. The Lodge itself is the height of luxury. Each suite has its own lounge, large deck with plunge pool and views over the concession and the Batoka gorge beyond.
Even during Zimbabwe’s hard times the Falls continued to attract thousands of visitors, usually zipping across into Zimbabwe for a day or two at the end of safaris into Botswana or Namibia. During my trip in November the water levels were low, providing clear views of the 300,000 gallons of water that cascade over the falls every second. Afterwards I followed tradition and walked to the famous Victoria Falls hotel for afternoon tea and a slice of history at this grand old hotel, still going strong over 100 years after it was built.
My trip to Zimbabwe - 10 years in the planning - ended at the Falls. It proved to be a fabulous trip. All three locations provided magnificent scenery and wonderful game viewing, yet each area provided a contrasting experience to the one before. The quality of accommodation and service were top notch throughout and the Zimbabwean people were as welcoming as ever, and excited to welcome tourists back to their country of which despite the recent troubles they remain justifiably proud.
Copyright © Wayne Hammond 2011
The House in the Bush
There’s nothing quite like a delicious lunch served on your own private veranda, particularly when it follows an exciting early morning game drive in one of Africa’s greatest national parks. The bonus at Nomadic Encounter’s Acacia House is that your veranda is less than 20 metres from a waterhole that attracts a whole range of game including elephant, buffalo and impala. Then there are vervet monkeys, baboons and countless birds, flitting across the scene at regular intervals. And just to make it even more special, your safari guide, chef, waiter and house staff are there for you, and only for you, dedicated to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
Nomadic Encounters run three Bush Homes in Kenya’s Masai Mara. Each has three en-suite bedrooms and come with their own complement of house staff, and critically, your own guide and vehicle. This means that you can set your own safari agenda. No need to agree schedules with those you share your vehicle with as is usually the case at most safari camps. No need to adhere to camp routines. No need to make sure you arrive at the dinner table at the predetermined time so as not to hold up dinner with other guests.
Many people enjoy the opportunity to meet new people at safari camps. For them, drinks around the camp fire with other camp guests, communal eating and shared game drives are part of the rich safari experience. But for those who want a more private and personal experience, Acacia, Mara and Topi Houses provide a welcome alternative to the usual camp life.
The Houses are a partnership between Rainee Beaton and Jackson Loiseyia – both well known in Kenya’s safaris circles for their involvement over many years in Rekero camp, regarded as one of the top camps in the Mara. Jackson is one of Africa’s top safari guides – knowledgeable, enthusiastic and hugely charismatic. He is also a well known TV personality having starred in a number of BBC Nature programmes.
Two of the Houses are located next to each other in the Ol Chorro Losoit valley, in the far north of the greater Mara area. Here all of the big game can be found but you can drive around the valley and see no other vehicles, a real treat for those used to the Mara’s crowded big cat sightings. Alternatively you can drive down to the plains of the Mara North conservancy, home to some of the Mara’s most famous locations such as Leopard Gorge.
Topi House is located on the border of the Mara reserve in the Olare Orok conservancy. From here sorties into the reserve are the norm, to keep tabs on the migration and potential river crossings, and to see the lion prides and other predators that make the Mara their home year round.
The Houses are perfect for families – a private guide for each House and plenty of space, plus Acacia and Mara Houses share a pool with a view of the waterhole and a help yourself drinks bar. The Houses also work well for couples or adult groups,
particularly for those with have specialist interests such as photography.
The Masai Mara remains one of Africa’s greatest game reserves, full of game at any time of the year and boosted between July and September by the famous Wildebeest Migration. The Nomadic Encounter’s Houses provide a new approach to an East African safari, away from the crowds in private concessions and offering the flexibility that comes with a private guide and vehicle. I can’t imagine a better way to enjoy the Mara.
Copyright © Wayne Hammond 2011
Uganda is best known for being home to around half of the world’s remaining population of endangered Mountain Gorillas, but as I found out on my recent visit, there is a lot more to Uganda than just gorilla trekking. Uganda is home to all of the so called ‘Big 5’, has some superb Primate viewing (with around 20 species present), and also offers some of the most spectacular scenery to be found anywhere in Africa.
Having arrived in Entebbe, on the shores of Lake Victoria, my own trip included visits to some of Uganda’s most important National Parks including Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. And by spending a little longer in each location I was able to enjoy a wide range of activities. These included nature walks around some of western Uganda’s beautiful Volcanic Crater lakes, visits to Community ecotourism projects such as the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, Boat trips through the Kazinga channel that connects Lakes George and Edward, and of course Chimpanzee and Mountain Gorilla trekking.
After a day to relax in Entebbe I headed west on the 5 hour drive to the town of Fort Portal. The most well known attraction in this part of Uganda is Kibale Forest National Park, home to some of the best Chimpanzee viewing to be had anywhere. Kibale is also home to a significant number of other primates as well as great bird viewing with over 300 bird species recorded in the Forest.
During my two days in the area I was able to enjoy a morning Chimpanzee trek, visit Tinka’s Homestay to experience a Traditional lunch, and visit the Bogodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community led project that provides visitors with the chance to walk the 4.5km trail through the Magombe swamp, with a local guide helping you spot the many birds, butterflies and monkeys that make their home here. All the fees paid by visitors are ploughed back into community projects such as a local secondary school.
I then travelled onwards to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Here the open plains were filled with Uganda Kob, and many other species of plains game such as Buffalo, Waterbuck and Elephant.
Lions were also seen well and, like in some other parts of East Africa, in Queen Elizabeth they have developed a particular fondness for climbing trees.
One of the most welcome aspects of the trip was the ability to enjoy many activities beyond the usual safari game drives. So while in Queen Elizabeth I enjoyed a 2 hour boat ride through the Kazinga channel, providing for some excellent sightings of elephant, hippo and of course many water birds such as African Fish Eagles. A range of walks were also possible from my Lodge including to the Kyambura Gorge and to a local community project to see how locally grown coffee beans are processed into delicious Ugandan coffee.
After 3 nights in Queen Elizabeth I headed south on the 3 hour drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, home of the mighty Mountain Gorillas. While many people spend just a couple of nights in Bwindi, I had decided to dwell longer and spend 4 nights in the area split between two of the different sectors in the park. My first stop was the most popular trekking area of Buhoma in the north of the park.
Like much of Uganda there are a range of activities on offer in addition to trekking the gorillas, and there are opportunities to enjoy a range of walks, wander around the local village, and visit schools or the local hospital that have been helped financially by gorilla tourism – 20% of the money paid by visitors to trek the gorillas is spent on community projects, providing a major incentive for the local population to help conserve the gorillas and their forest home.
The next morning I Ieft the lodge early for my first gorilla trek. We were entertained by some local school children performing a song and dance before being briefed by a Park Ranger on the gorillas and our hike into the forests to meet with them.
About 2 hours after commencing our walk we were invited into a dense patch of foliage to see a huge Silverback, relaxed and eating his breakfast completely unmoved by our presence. Under the guidance of our Park Rangers we slowly moved around this gorilla family’s temporary breakfast bar and were able to get incredibly close to a few other members of the family including a baby that clinged tightly to its mother.
After exactly one hour with these peaceful creatures we began the walk out of the forest arriving back at the lodge for a late lunch and a well-earned relaxing afternoon.
My final destination was also in Bwindi, in the south western sector of the Park near the village of Nkuringo. This time, rather than drive to my new destination I decided to walk.
Accompanied by armed Park Rangers I left Buhoma shortly after 0800 for the 18km walk through the forest, initially in deep shade on a nice flat walking track, later crossing streams that flowed through the forest and onwards to a much tougher final leg involving an uphill stretch that took me from 1500 metres above sea level to over 2100 metres.
It was hard going as the day warmed up, but as I climbed scenery revealed itself that took your breath away far more than the uphill hike could. As we reached the end it really did feel like we were on top of the world.
On my last day in Uganda I wanted to see the gorillas again, but this time I chose the recently introduced option to trek a group in the process of being habituated.
The Gorilla Habituation Experience involves trekking a gorilla family that Park Rangers have been in the process of habituating for around two years. They are still not fully relaxed around humans and so they were less tolerant of their visitors, so the experience involved a lot more walking through the forest as we followed the gorillas as they regularly moved on. Nevertheless it was an interesting experience and enabled me to spend four hours with the gorillas. And the youngest member of the gorilla family still gave us some great viewing!
From the southern end of Bwindi, not far from the border with Rwanda, I took the flight back to Entebbe to connect to my homebound flight, bringing to a close my 11 days in Uganda. The trip reminded me of what a beautiful country Uganda is, filled with amazing wildlife and scenery, welcoming and friendly people, and plenty to do for even the most active and curious of visitors.
There is certainly much more to Uganda than the Gorillas, so maybe you should try it for your next trip to Africa?
Copyright © Wayne Hammond 2019
Exploring Tanzania’s World-Famous Reserves
Tanzania’s world-famous northern safari circuit consists of a series of iconic natural spectacles including Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater and of course the renowned Serengeti. My own trip included visits to all these areas, but I started in the less visited, but beautiful Arusha National Park. Overlooked by Mount Kilimanjaro, Arusha National Park provides for some varied activities and during my day in the park I walked with an armed ranger observing herds of Buffalo, and spent the afternoon canoeing past pods of Hippo on Momella Lake.
Game drives are also an option in the park, as is, for the more adventurous, a 2-3 day hike up the 4500 metre high Mount Meru. While it is easy to overlook Arusha National Park and head straight out to the more famous parks, a day or two here can be a nice addition at the start of a longer Tanzania safari.
Next up was Tarangire National Park. The park has a number of private concessions on its borders providing the opportunity for nature walks, night drives and cultural visits, while waterholes in front of some camps provide for animal viewing without leaving the comfort of your lounge chair! Inside the park, the permanent Tarangire river attracts huge numbers of wildlife particularly in the dry season, and the park is known for its large herds of elephants that come to the river daily to drink. Another feature of the park is the giant Baobab trees that dot the landscape, some said to be over 3000 years old.
After leaving Tarangire I drove a couple of hours towards the Ngorongoro Highlands, with magnificent views of the Great Rift valley below, and onwards to the Ngorongoro Crater. The Crater is one of Africa’s most famous natural wonders and the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world. Measuring up to 19 kilometres wide, the floor of the Crater is home to large numbers of wildlife including all of the Big 5, and provides for some excellent Lion and Rhino viewing. The popularity of the Crater can make it quite crowded, but by staying on a camp or lodge on the Crater Rim you can leave your lodge/camp very early with a picnic breakfast and enjoy this magnificent place free from the large numbers of other tourists that arrive by mid-morning. And you can also enjoy the stupendous views 600 metres down to the Crater floor!
The alternative to staying on the Crater Rim is in lodging in the Ngorongoro Highlands, around the town of Karatu. Accommodation in this area is located near and sometimes on working coffee farms providing a lovely relaxing atmosphere with beautiful tropical gardens that benefit from the rich volcanic soil found in the area. They also tend to offer a wider set of activities than the camps and lodges on the Crater rim, providing visitors with the chance to get a genuine sense of rural Africa.
Lake Manyara was my next stop. This small park on the floor of the Rift Valley is dominated by its namesake – a shallow alkaline lake that occupies typically around two thirds of the park. The lake, along with the park’s forests and woodlands, mean Manyara is a great place for bird watching, and the park is also home to some particularly large troops of baboon that hang around the road side and make themselves easy to photograph.
Having driven from Arusha through Tarangire, Lake Manyara, and the Ngorongoro Highlands, I then took the short flight to the Serengeti. It’s possible to drive to the Serengeti from the Ngorongoro area but it can take several hours so flying this element of a Tanzania safari can save you time and be more comfortable compared to driving.
I started in the central area of the Serengeti, in the Seronera valley. This busier sector has the greatest number of camps and lodges (and therefore of other vehicles) but also has very reliable wildlife viewing, and I was able to see elephant, buffalo and lion in good numbers in the couple of days I spent here. I then took the short flight up to the northern Serengeti, where with luck my timing gave me some chance of seeing the migrating Wildebeest on their journey south back from Kenya’s Masai Mara. This is a particularly beautiful part of the Serengeti with the landscape largely comprising of stunning open plains, punctuated by the crocodile infested Mara River. As it happened I had missed the bulk of the migrating herds, which just highlights the unpredictability of this natural event, but the area was still full of wildlife and the scenery was wonderful!
From the northern Serengeti I took the flight back to Kilimanjaro International Airport to connect to my homebound flight, bringing to a close my 10 days in Tanzania.
Copyright © Wayne Hammond 2018
Botswana Mobile Photographic Safari
“She’s got cubs!” was the cry from our expert safari guide, Des Pretorius. Despite 25 years’ guiding experience even he could not contain his excitement. Just 15 metres away were two tiny leopard cubs, being led out into the open by mum, clear for us to see, in perfect early morning light. Magical.
This was one of many stellar wildlife sightings during a recent mobile safari through northern Botswana’s Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park. But this was no typical safari. I was joined by five other amateur wildlife photographers, two of Botswana’s finest safari guides in Des and co-guide Grant Reed, and professional photographer and trip organiser, Dean Fitzpatrick. This was a safari organised by wildlife photographers for wildlife photographers, that strange breed who can sit for hours with sleeping lions so they are ready to capture the ‘perfect shot’ when they do finally decide to wake up and do something interesting.
Botswana is known for its exclusive safari experience, based around a high cost low volume approach to tourism. This means you will see few other visitors as you seek out your big game encounters. However, at most safari camps you still generally share your game drive vehicle with other people. Great if you all want a similar experience, less so if you have a particular interest such as photography.
This is where specialist photography trips can offer a more tailored experience. You share your safari with a handful of fellow travellers who are looking for much the same experience as you. During my trip to Botswana this meant long hours in the field to maximise photographic opportunities, combining early starts and late finishes to make the most of the early morning and late afternoon ‘golden light’. We also benefitted from our shared willingness to stay with particular sightings and wait patiently for situations to develop. On this trip there was no racing around the bush ticking of as many large mammal sightings as possible, no heading out on our morning game drive after a lazy breakfast, and no chance of returning to camp for an early shower and a drink in the bar before dinner. Not with Des, Dean and Grant running the show. They worked us hard, with a regular diet of 14 hour days out in the bush. But, as with so many things in life, putting in the hours brought us the rewards.
During one particularly busy afternoon we had the choice of spending more time with our leopard family, watch lazy lions finish off a zebra they had killed the previous night, or follow a pack of rare wild dogs that had moved into the area.
The following morning was just as action packed. After leaving camp well before six we tracked down the wild dogs and watched them pace up and down a large stream as they sought out the best crossing point. After 20 minutes they took the plunge – literally – and we watched and photographed as they splashed across the water right in front of us. Soon after the pack began hunting a herd of impala, with our vehicles racing across the plains behind them in hot pursuit. By the time we caught up with the dogs the kill had been made and little of the poor impala was left, in what seemed like no more than a few minutes. The speed of it all was breathtaking.
Dean Fitzpatrick, a New Zealander who spent several years working in safari lodge management, started organising photographic safaris in Botswana in 2006.
“I had already spent many years in Africa, travelling, working and photographing,” Dean recalled. “It was during this time I met a great number of people, and most had cameras slung over their shoulders. They had come to Africa to photograph wildlife, but many had little knowledge of animal behaviour or the environment they found themselves in and a great number had huge enthusiasm but not the technical skills necessary to ensure their short time in Africa was photographically rewarding.”
He went on, “So I found myself giving impromptu photography lessons, quite literally on the bonnet of my car or through open windows across lion sightings, just passing on helpful tips and information. It was great fun and often, days later, I would see the same folk and they would be excited, full of confidence and bursting at the seams to show me their images. It was from these experiences that the idea of providing dedicated Photographic Safaris came.”
Working with a small and very select group of safari guides, who are themselves excellent photographers, Dean leads the safaris himself, sharing his knowledge and experience to help clients improve their photographic technique. The emphasis is on learning in the field. On this safari there was no after dinner classroom style sessions on exposure theory or post processing techniques. Instead Dean, Des and Grant provided gentle advice and encouragement during game drives, enabling the group to put into immediate practice their newly acquired knowledge. With three experts on hand to help just six guests, and up to 14 hours a day spent in the field, there was plenty of opportunity to ask questions and learn new skills without any formal learning time.
With so much of the trip spent on game drives we had little time to relax in camp, although the occasional afternoon break gave us the opportunity to review images, clean our kit and take a quick siesta. The safaris use mobile tented camps, more economical than luxury lodges and providing a more authentic nature experience. Here, plunge pools and claw foot bathtubs are replaced with three by three metre dome tents, complete with cot beds and open air ‘en-suite’ bathrooms. Not the height of luxury by any means, but perfectly comfortable for the few hours of the day spent in camp, and as close to nature as one can get.
Our tents were put up (and taken down) by a small, enthusiastic crew of camp staff. Every three days we’d leave early in the morning and spend the day in the bush, slowly making our way to a new location up to 100km away. We’d stop regularly to take photographs of the prolific wildlife to be found along the way, and arrive at our new camp site in darkness to find the tents erected, our luggage inside, the camp fire burning, and a delicious dinner just waiting to be served.
After spending the first six days of the trip in the world renowned Okavango Delta, we drove north into Chobe National Park’s Savuti marsh. Here the marsh had flooded for the first time in 20 years, bringing fresh life and an even greater abundance of wildlife to the area. We saw large herds of buffalo and elephant, as well as giraffe, cheetah, and wildebeest. We also sat patiently with a little bee eater as it hawked for insects from a small road side branch, all of us trying to get a super sharp picture of this tiny bird in flight. I’m not sure any of the group got the shot but we had great fun trying, while at the same time further testing our improving photography skills.
By the end of the trip we’d spent time in some of southern Africa’s most famous national parks, seen a fantastic array of wildlife, and learned a huge amount about wildlife photography. We’d even managed to get one or two good photographs between us. The entire group agreed it had been a fantastic adventure, a view shared by our guides. As Dean said, “I’m passionate about wildlife photography as are all the guides here, and that passion will get us out of bed at four in the morning most days, but what excites us most is when we see clients bounding out of bed in the small hours, full of confidence, empowered from what they have already experienced, and ready for more.”
We all agreed that it would be difficult to go back to a typical safari after this trip, and we all vowed to do it again soon. Just before we left camp for the final time, Grant explained why: “Wildlife photography is never ending. You are constantly trying to capture better and better images, and no matter how good today’s shot might be, you always want to get back out there tomorrow and try for something better.” Quite so, and this safari had made us all more determined to continue with our own photographic journeys.
Copyright © Wayne Hammond 2012
Zimbabwe – Back to its Best
I first planned to visit Zimbabwe in 2000. At the time it was one of Africa’s crown jewels, famed for its game packed national parks, stunning scenery and hospitable people. Politics then got in the way. President Mugabe’s forced seizure of white-owned commercial farms, with the stated aim of benefiting landless black Zimbabweans spiralled out of control, leading to violence, hunger and the collapse of the tourist industry. As the political situation worsened the trip never happened, and, like many others, my love of Africa took me elsewhere, to Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Mozambique and Zambia.
In late 2010, attracted by a more stable political environment and the promise of great game viewing and few other tourists, my visit to Zimbabwe finally happened. With international flights to Zimbabwe now limited my trip started in Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka. From there it is just a two hour road trip to the Zimbabwean border at Chirundu, the Zambezi river beyond, and after a short motorboat ride, Mana Pools National Park.
Mana Pools is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was recently voted by National Geographic as the fourth most beautiful national park on earth. I stayed at Ruckomechi Camp, situated in a private concession just west of the park itself. My huge tent offered wonderful vistas of the Zambezi river coupled with wildlife literally on my doorstep. Elephants were an almost permanent presence, attracted by the seed pods from the Albida trees that surround the camp. On several occasions detours were required when making my way to my tent to avoid the friendly local pachyderms. Game drives were equally productive. Sleeping lions, cheetah and a pack of wild dogs were seen just minutes from camp. I even spotted a leopard as I was escorted back to my tent camp one evening after dinner. On my last day I took to the water in a small pontoon boat, dodging hippos and sailing up close to elephants along the shoreline. Then, as the sun set behind me I cracked open a beer to enjoy a classic Zimbabwean sundowner.
After four wonderful days I left Mana Pools for the contrasting landscapes of Hwange National Park. Hwange - the size of Belgium and located in the south west of the country - is Zimbabwe’s most popular big game area. Famed for its diverse and prolific year round game viewing, it is particularly known for the large herds of elephant that are lured to the pumped water pans that are dotted around the park. During my visit it did not disappoint. My first evening drive brought a lone cheetah on a recent kill. During the following days I saw lions, more cheetah, visited a Hyena den and watched the pups play around my vehicle, and enjoyed a rare sighting in most of Africa, the beautiful sable antelope. Habitat destruction and poaching have reduced populations of these magnificent animals to only a handful of places across the continent. In Hwange, there are approximately 100 Sable which are seen regularly on game drives. The icing on the cake came during my final game drive as we stopped our vehicle close to a water pan, cracked open sundowners and watched as literally hundreds of elephant came down to drink, bathe and play. This was one of my finest experiences in over 20 trips to Africa.
The following morning I took the short flight to Victoria Falls, and a stay at the recently opened Elephant Camp. This luxurious tented camp is just 10 minutes drive from the Falls on a wildlife concession operated by the Wild Horizons Wildlife Trust, a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance and promote environmental conservation in Southern Africa. The concession is home to a group of orphaned elephants, their upkeep part funded by offering tourists the opportunity to ride on the back of these gentle giants. It is also home to Sylvestor the Cheetah. Sylvester was orphaned when just two days old when his mother was attacked by lions. He now lives permanently on the concession and acts as an ‘ambassador’ for the Trust, interacting with the public to raise awareness of the cheetah’s endangered status. The Lodge itself is the height of luxury. Each suite has its own lounge, large deck with plunge pool and views over the concession and the Batoka gorge beyond.
Even during Zimbabwe’s hard times the Falls continued to attract thousands of visitors, usually zipping across into Zimbabwe for a day or two at the end of safaris into Botswana or Namibia. During my trip in November the water levels were low, providing clear views of the 300,000 gallons of water that cascade over the falls every second. Afterwards I followed tradition and walked to the famous Victoria Falls hotel for afternoon tea and a slice of history at this grand old hotel, still going strong over 100 years after it was built.
My trip to Zimbabwe - 10 years in the planning - ended at the Falls. It proved to be a fabulous trip. All three locations provided magnificent scenery and wonderful game viewing, yet each area provided a contrasting experience to the one before. The quality of accommodation and service were top notch throughout and the Zimbabwean people were as welcoming as ever, and excited to welcome tourists back to their country of which despite the recent troubles they remain justifiably proud.
Copyright © Wayne Hammond 2011
The House in the Bush
There’s nothing quite like a delicious lunch served on your own private veranda, particularly when it follows an exciting early morning game drive in one of Africa’s greatest national parks. The bonus at Nomadic Encounter’s Acacia House is that your veranda is less than 20 metres from a waterhole that attracts a whole range of game including elephant, buffalo and impala. Then there are vervet monkeys, baboons and countless birds, flitting across the scene at regular intervals. And just to make it even more special, your safari guide, chef, waiter and house staff are there for you, and only for you, dedicated to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
Nomadic Encounters run three Bush Homes in Kenya’s Masai Mara. Each has three en-suite bedrooms and come with their own complement of house staff, and critically, your own guide and vehicle. This means that you can set your own safari agenda. No need to agree schedules with those you share your vehicle with as is usually the case at most safari camps. No need to adhere to camp routines. No need to make sure you arrive at the dinner table at the predetermined time so as not to hold up dinner with other guests.
Many people enjoy the opportunity to meet new people at safari camps. For them, drinks around the camp fire with other camp guests, communal eating and shared game drives are part of the rich safari experience. But for those who want a more private and personal experience, Acacia, Mara and Topi Houses provide a welcome alternative to the usual camp life.
The Houses are a partnership between Rainee Beaton and Jackson Loiseyia – both well known in Kenya’s safaris circles for their involvement over many years in Rekero camp, regarded as one of the top camps in the Mara. Jackson is one of Africa’s top safari guides – knowledgeable, enthusiastic and hugely charismatic. He is also a well known TV personality having starred in a number of BBC Nature programmes.
Two of the Houses are located next to each other in the Ol Chorro Losoit valley, in the far north of the greater Mara area. Here all of the big game can be found but you can drive around the valley and see no other vehicles, a real treat for those used to the Mara’s crowded big cat sightings. Alternatively you can drive down to the plains of the Mara North conservancy, home to some of the Mara’s most famous locations such as Leopard Gorge.
Topi House is located on the border of the Mara reserve in the Olare Orok conservancy. From here sorties into the reserve are the norm, to keep tabs on the migration and potential river crossings, and to see the lion prides and other predators that make the Mara their home year round.
The Houses are perfect for families – a private guide for each House and plenty of space, plus Acacia and Mara Houses share a pool with a view of the waterhole and a help yourself drinks bar. The Houses also work well for couples or adult groups,
particularly for those with have specialist interests such as photography.
The Masai Mara remains one of Africa’s greatest game reserves, full of game at any time of the year and boosted between July and September by the famous Wildebeest Migration. The Nomadic Encounter’s Houses provide a new approach to an East African safari, away from the crowds in private concessions and offering the flexibility that comes with a private guide and vehicle. I can’t imagine a better way to enjoy the Mara.
Copyright © Wayne Hammond 2011