10 Day Great Bird Watching Expedition.

  Uganda is located right on the Equator, at the crossroads of the East African plains.Karibuni Safaris has organized a 10 day premier bird watching experience that you, your family and your friends can enjoy in the heart of East Africa. The 10 day bird watching expedition will include visits to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the Queen Elizabeth National park. 

Among other species of birds you will see are the Yellow Eyed Flycatcher, the Kivu Ground-thrush and the Red-faced woodland warbler seen respectively in the pictures following.

Queen Elizabeth National Park along had over 550 avian species of birds and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has 350 species of birds. Working together with the these parks, Karibuni Safaris stands on its promise of customer satisfaction, with great accommodation and an unparalleled fun and nature-interaction experience.

What are you waiting for? Pick up your travelling shoes and book a trip with us at our website. Need more information on the itinerary, follow this link.

Any of your travel questions can be sent to us at contacts@karibusafari.co.ug or info@karibusafari.co.ug.

More contact information can be found on this site.

We look forward to hearing from you. :)

Change of contacts

There has been a change in the contacts for Karibuni Safaris.

You can now contact Karibuni at

contacts@karibusafari.co.ug and info@karibusafari.co.ug rather than the resently said

contacts@karibusafaris.co.ug and info@karibusafaris.co.ug.

We apologize for the confusion.

A HOME...OR HELL RUN?

This story is a follow up from David K's Excursion to Kibaale National park. It describes the misfortunes of he and his travel companions. We hope that you will read and enjoy this sad.. yet funny story and hope that you will pick a few lessons as regards being fully prepared for your next trip into the Wild! Enjoy!!

We started our 6-hour journey for Kampala city at 2 PM expecting to get there at about 10 pm. After barely driving 25 KMs, our rear tire got a puncture in a prime tree climbing lion territory. We had no car-jack and the spare tire was deflated! Fortunately a truck not too far from us had tire problems too. We used the truck driver’s hydraulic system to inflate our tire and borrowed his car-jack to replace the spare tire. That was when we discovered the car couldn’t start as its battery was empty! The truck driver simply started his truck and drove away shaking his head at our sheer bad luck.

Not too long after, we started flagging down vehicles. To our dismay, they are few, far in-between and those who dared stop asked us whether we had jump wires used to restart the engine. You guessed right we didn’t have any! We were eventually rescued by a well prepared motorist and got back on the road; time check 4.30 pm. We had already lost 2 hours of our day and still had to take a detoured at the Simba Safari camp to pick a journalist Edwin who had asked for a lift. He would later regret this decision.

At 6 pm, we got to Kasese, fueled up, fixed the spare tire (this would turn out to be a crucial decision), and set off for Kampala at 6.30 PM. On the way we stopped to buy fruits in a township 20Kms from Fort Portal and as fate would have it, our driver switched off the car engine. After buying the fruits the car couldn’t start! We were ONCE AGAIN, asked for jump wires. You already know our answer to that. A few moments of discussion ended with us buying the jump wires; however, motorists refused to stop and help us start the car; their excuse, “Sorry, we are in a hurry!” We eventually got a good Samaritan who helped us start the car, but no sooner had he driven away, our car started to stall again. Lucky enough, we had saved his cell phone number and asked for his assistance once again: he obliged to help for a fee, so much for Good Samaritan....; time check 10.25 pm.

We finally set off for Fort Portal at 10.35pm after losing 2 more hours and vowed not to turn the car engine off again. A quick stop over in Fort Portal to freshen up and buy snacks would have us leave for Kampala at 12 am. We got to Kampala at 3.30 am; prime time for traffic police to hassle truck drivers with faults. The police stopped us because our right head lamp was kaput and it took us the better part of the hour to negotiate our freedom.

If you think the worst was over, do you remember the tire we repaired in Kasese. Well when the traffic police finally let us go that tire gave way as if to punish us for the failed mission of frustrating our journey back home. Fortunately there was a gas station nearby from which we borrowed a car-jack from a truck driver and replaced the flat tire. At this point in time, the tire was completely damaged beyond repair.

I finally got home at 4.30 am, almost 14 hours later. It is with this that I warn you to know and take it upon yourself to check the car-road- worthiness on your next trip to the wild. See you around.

ISHASHA NTUNGWE RIVER CAMP

Ishasha Ntungwe River Camp is located in the Southern end of Queen Elizabeth National Park which is famous for the rear tree climbing lions. To reach this gem of a camp you enter the southern gate and drive 75 KMs on a motorable dirt road. The camp was designed by the proprietor Allan with eco-friendly materials and  uses solar energy for cooking, lighting and boiling bath water.

  

We left Kibale National Park at 4 PM and arrived in Queen Elizabeth National Park at 6 PM. We then detoured to Simba Safari Camp to get journalists who were covering our trip and finally arrived at Ishasha Ntungwe River Camp at 10 PM. Enroute we encountered assorted mammals like Elephants, Wildebeest, Warthogs and Uganda Knobs, to mention but  a few, and were careful to avoid knocking a viper crossing the road. We approached the camp through a dirt road with dumb surroundings that lowered our hope for a successful lion-hunt.

  Fortunately, when we got to the camp gate, our hope was immediate lifted. The camp was a site to see with well lit pristine gardens.  The Ishasha Ntungwe River Camp manager showed us our tents (which had modern facilities) and were later invited for a sumptuous four -course dinner. After supper we set out to the camp fire and the manager narrated stories of wild animals and the local community amidst sounds from the forest and the flowing Ishasha River half a kilometer from the camp. We retired to bed at 12 PM since we had an early start in order to see the tree climbing lions.

 

Our day of mishaps began with all of arriving late for breakfast. We had an 8:30am departure to see the lions; unfortunately, we were an hour behind schedule and to top it off, the vehicle ran out of diesel! The driver ran to buy the fuel and returned with petrol. As he poured it in the tank, I asked, “why that diesel was pink?”- mishap number four! He immediately stopped pouring and we then sent someone else to get the diesel while we emptied the fuel tank; not exactly an easy task, might I add! When we finally left, we had lost two hours.

  On arrival into the park, the lions had probably gone to rest. Our two-hour search only yielded Elephants, Wildebeest, and Water Bucks, Wart hogs and other antelopes but no tree lions. We turned back to the camp in low spirits. The chef cheered our spirits by doing some magic and came with a three course lunch complete with organic vegetables grown at the camp. The meals at the camp were superb and thanks to the creative chef, who conjured something out of nothing.

 

Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary

Bigodi wetlands sanctuary is managed by Kibaale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED) on behalf of the community. This sanctuary is one of the most successful community based project initiated and managed by Ugandans. The wetland is 8 kilometers long and is an important wildlife corridor for Kibale Forest. The local community benefits through schools, clinic, roads and other community services given free to its members. The community now appreciates conservation of biodiversity and the benefits of ecotourism.

 

We set off for Bigodi at 12.30pm. En route, we found moulds of elephant dung which provided the only evidence of the presence of the rear Forest Elephant. We arrived at the booking office at 1 pm and after paying a fee of 10,000 shillings (5 US Dollars), we met Ivan our guide. We were then provided with a pair of boots and binoculars. Ivan was very knowledgeable about birds, plant species and primates. The trail in Bigodi takes about 3 hours we opted to do half trail as our Itinerary was very tight.

  On the way to the trail we passed by a group of children who had gone to fetch water from the swamp. We then came across a tree hosting a very large colony of the Great Blue Turaco; Ivan told us this sanctuary holds the largest colony of the Turaco in the world. It is aptly named “The Home of The Blue Turaco”.

 

As we started the trail the temperatures dropped significantly and visibility decreased to a few meters. After walking for 15 minutes our guide told us to stop and pointed to some trees, showing us monkeys which we failed to see; all we see were moving branches. Further into the wetland we saw different species of monkeys like Grey cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboons, Black and White Collobus, Red tailed, Vervet and Blue tailed monkeys. We were told that there are other mammals like bushbucks, sittings and otters.

The binoculars came in very handy for birding. We saw and identified 10 species during our one - hour excursion. We saw the black winged grey bishop, Emerald Cuckoo, King Fisher, Grey winged Robin Chat, Blue Shrouded Robin Chat, Yellow vented bulbul, Long Crested Eagle. The swamp in the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary was dump but it could also flood and get soggy in the dry season. To overcome some difficult areas places, board walks ways were made. There also tree houses that are used as pavilions for avid bird watch towers

 

On return from Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary we had lunch at Kibaale Primate Lodge set off for Queen Elizabeth National Park, on our way we met a large community of Baboons and Chimpanzees playing along the road, we passed by Ndali Crater lake and finally got to Simba Camp at 5.30 pm.

 

Excursion to Kibaale National Park

There's more to Kibaale, than a wild variety of primate species! David K(not real name), was part of a group excursion to the Kibaale National Park with Karibuni Safaris. When asked about his trip, this is what he had to say...

What did you learn on your trip about Kibaale and what stood out to you on arrival at the park?

Kibaale is small national park established in 1993 and home to 13 species of primates, 335 species of birds, 350 species of butterflies and 351 identified species of trees. On

 21st March, I was invited by Allan the proprietor of Ishasha Itungwe River Camp to visit his camp and make a stopover at Kibaale National Park. We set off at 4 PM and arrived at Primate Lodge 5 hours later, we were welcomed with a banana milkshake. We later had a delicious dinner and set off to camp fire, finally resting at 12 pm.

What did this excursion entail?

Kibaale Primate Lodge is at the center of this forest with eco-buildings designed to blend with forest. To reach your tent camp you move through the forest and cannot see your neighbor’s tent or banda making you a part of the forest.

 In the morning 8am we were briefed by the game rangers and set off the trail for over 3 hours trekking in this pristine and serene environment. We were greeted by a Red Capped Robin chart bird, which imitated our guides whistle. We saw the Emerald Culcoo, Great Blue Toracco and many other birds.

Somewhere in the trail we heard a chimpanzee thumping a tree stamp, our guide told us this is a group of habituated chimpanzees and he was calling his mates to see us. All of a sudden we were surrounded by a community of over 50 chimpanzees of all ages. We saw a chimpanzee grooming its mate and instead of throwing the tick she ate it. (Sure and natural method of disposal). We saw other primates like Blue tailed, Red Tailed, L, Hoesti, Grey-Cheeked Mangabey, Vervet, Black and White Colobus monkeys and Olive baboons.

black and white colobus monkeys

olive baboon

grey-cheeked mangabey

... Having completed this exciting trail and seeing many primates and birds, the next item on our itinerary was a visit to Bigodi Wetland sanctuary. I will tell you more about the amazing Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary in my next blog.

Trip to Mombasa in Kenya

I just recently ended my one week tour of Mombasa and Nairobi towns and I must say I had a wonderful time. I got to visit the Ecological park (Haller park) at Bamburi and I learnt a lot about how the ecosystem balances itself out. I also visited historic sites like Fort Jesus which looks just as it did in 1593 when it was built. I got to live the Mombasa experience as well- taking the 'tup-tups'-(the native name for three wheeled cars), the magnificent coral and sand beaches and the lovely weather of Mombasa.
Nairobi was just as fun though much cooler than Mombasa. I got to visit the Kenya National Museum, Snake park and the Animal Orphanage. That week was definately unforgettable and I took some pictures to share with everyone. Enjoy.

Website Upgrade!

It has been a long month for us at Karibuni Safariz, and nothing is holding us back! Come visit our website which has now been upgraded to better suite you.

Our welcome note is located on the homepage, together with some of our best tours.

Any comments and  opinions are welcome as customer satisfaction, is our number one guarantee!

Well, what are you waiting you, follow the link!

Travel to Murchison Falls in Uganda, on the River Nile

Karibuni Safariz now also provides planned trips to the Murchison Falls national park, proudly dissected by the River Nile! The park offers Game drives that start at the crack of dawn, and end at sunset. Allow yourself to get emersed in this savana paradise while seeing such animals as giraffes, buffaloes and even crocodiles. At Karibuni Safaris, we will provide a three-day and two-night itinerary:

 DAY 1.

You will be picked up from your hotel, and wisked away on a panoromic drive Northwestwards through the Luwero Triangle. You will see the Murchison falls and the Budongo Forest( a man-made forest in Uganda).

DAY 2.

A fully guided tour of Murchison Falls National Park will be provided with a tour guide ensuring you see the famous African elephant and the Rothchild's giraffe.

DAY 3.

After breakfast, you will be driven back to your hotel in Kampala.

While at the park, you could choose to live either at the Paraa Safari Lodge  or the Sambiya river lodge

For more information as regards booking and planning that trip, visit us at this sight

We hope to hear from you soon! :)

Karibuni Management.

Hot springs at Semliki National Park, Uganda.

Ever imagine what it would be like to see hot springs in a hot tropical African get- away? Karibuni Safaris is the answer to that question. With our planned trips to the  Semliki National Park near the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda, your hot spring fantasies will not go unfulfilled.

Some refer to hot springs as kind of a "healer"; or a kind of "calming agent". We at Karibuni believe that it should not be left for others to determine your perception of hot springs. It is against this mindset that we invite you, your friends and family to come an venture with us in this tropical paradise while making irreplaceable memories.

Contact us at this website and make a reservation. Your key to edu-tainment, is in your hands.

Chimp Tracking in Kabale Forest Park, Uganda

Hello everyone,

Karibuni Safariz now has a three day excursion into the Kabale Forest park. Kabale Forest Park, located in Western Uganda covers 795 square kilometers of land and is home to thirteen primate species including chimpanzees. The three day trip is tailored for all you chimpanzee enthusiasts looking for a challenge in the steep trails of Kabale.

There is plenty of lodging available for individuals and families.

Not only will you see primate species in this expedition, but you will also get to experience the beautiful flora and fauna of Kabale. Some of these include: 325 species of birds, including 6 that are endemic to the Albertine Rift region, namely black-capped apalis, blue-headed sun bird, collared apalis, dusky crimsonwing, purple-breasted sun bird and red-faced woodland warbler. 

Come and explore the beautiful Kabale Forest Park with Karibuni Safariz! Not only will it be an affordable experience, but it will also  be a memorable experience.

For more information on the trip, contact us on the address below:

Plot 1001 Gaba Road (Next to the American Embassy). Suzie House, Second Floor Suite 21

P. O. Box 10897 Kampala Uganda.

Tel: +256312 110627

Mob: +256751504597/ +256772504597

Alternate phone: +256454437020

E-mail: Contacts@karibusafaris.co.ug

info@karibusafaris.co.ug

And for all international phone calls, our country code is +256.

We hope to hear from you soon!

We have cars for hire in Kampala

Karubuni Safariz now has new cars available for hire in Kampala, Uganda. The  cars range from  saloon cars, 4WD vehicles and omnibuses depending on your need. Karibuni Safaris can also outsource more vehicles for you if you are in need of a fleet of vehicles. Visit our car hire section and see our range of cars for hire in Kampala and other parts of the country.

We can also cater to individuals looks for cars for hire for weddings and other expeditions like cross-country driving. Karibuni Safariz can be contacts at this site for more information on car hire prices and information on availability.

We look forward to hearing from you. :)