Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border

shantonob · 16th September 2016, 16:19

Fantastic. Its really awesome to be up close to our ancestors, given there are so few of them left. Waiting for more photos to feast on.
The post reminds of African Safari that i used to watch on Doordarshan as a kid.

KiranPatil · 16th September 2016, 17:11

At first I thought It was a thrilling travelogue of a country full of civil war

This is one of the finest piece of information including Car, Journey, Jungle Safari, Rare species and what not. Photos are ice on cake. Excellent.

Felt good for Uganda that this country has came out of civil wars and now a main contributor to the noble cause of saving Gorillas.

Voted 5 star.

swiftnfurious · 16th September 2016, 22:42

You have a set of fantastic pics and a beautiful written log. Happy to see people go all out to satisfy their passion. I am not sure I'd do 'treks' inspite of my love to see forests / primates.

Orange GTX · 16th September 2016, 23:19

Simply awesome !
Narration and snaps so beautifully compliment each other.
Loved the first hand information about wild life in Africa.
Snaps are at par with Discovery and Nat Geo.
After long time read about some unusual and faraway places.
Kudos

and thank you for sharing.

Bops · 16th September 2016, 23:56

Beautiful Travelogue & nice pictures. Loved the lush green rain forest.

shankar.balan · 17th September 2016, 07:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by hothatchaway

Curious to see the ubiquitous Chinese making inroads (literally) even in the African wilderness. Had read about Chinese settlements in one of Paul Theroux's books on Angola but seems to be true in the eastern part of the continent as well.

Thanks for sharing!

Read Wilbur Smith's Elephant Song - the Chinese keep building infra in Africa and taking mineral and mining rights in return. It is a new form of Imperialism.
The Chinese are also doing this all over Australia and even in British Columbia.
The sad thing is that they strip the land of everything and have absolutely no care for the environment at all. (I met a traveller from British Columbia in Heathrow a couple years ago and he showed me frightful photos...)

Quote:

Originally Posted by snan

Thanks friends - glad to know you liked the report.
Shankar - couldn't agree more. By the way, if you loved Gorillas in the mist, you must watch Virunga too, if not done already.

Ajmat, others - I used Churchill Safaris; http://churchillsafaris.com/ ; you can refer me to Raymond (PM me if you need his contact details). They can

Will Watch Virunga. Also take a reference from Beautiful People which was a great film and a bad reference from "Congo" which was a fool movie.

Ah - Ajmat is the MAN - he's my travel inspiration - if he goes, then I shall follow humbly in his footsteps for sure...

BeantownThinker · 17th September 2016, 09:22

Wow! Wow! WOW!!!

There is no other way in which I can express what I feel about the absolute beauty of nature. Very well written report and some brilliant photos as well. As many have said "Yeh dil maange more".

The photos of the gorillas are superb. You can see the peace and serenity in their eyes that you rarely see in the ones in captivity. This is where they are meant to be.

LoneRidder · 17th September 2016, 12:49

What a lovely travelogue! Very very beautiful pictures. Gorilla pictures are serene and mesmerising! Would be reading the log again

embee · 17th September 2016, 14:19

Nice Travelogue!
Must have been an awesome trip!
Beautiful, crisp & clear pictures!
Thanks a lot for sharing.

cunnuvila · 18th September 2016, 18:20

Beautifully written, captivating photographs! Amazing thread! What an experience it must have been!

vickzkool · 19th September 2016, 00:51

A fantastic travelogue , incredible pictures and very well written , one of my dream holidays which I hope to complete over the next year or so , awaiting the next set of pics ! Thank You for sharing !!

snan · 19th September 2016, 09:05

Here are few more pics giving an idea of the place

Kazinga channel that interlinks Lake Edward and Lake George close to Congo border

Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border-img_2559.jpg

another dirt track which leads to a nice drive - more tricky if raining !

Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border-img_2565.jpg

Salt lake which attracts flocks of flamingos

Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border-img_2579.jpg

Head gear of Batwa pygmies - here a mom with her child. Life of Batwa is now challenging since their tribe has been removed from forest for conservation but has not integrated with locals. Still lives in periphery adjacent to forest land doing odd jobs. Tourist dollars are helping in free education of their kids. Also inter marriages and better nutrition has led to increase in average heights of the pygmies.

Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border-img_2818.jpg

Traditional way of fire making by pygmies

Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border-img_2831.jpg

This shot shows the challenges facing conservation while there is a large population growth around the forest. Same challenges as in many Indian forest ecosystems. A clear delineation between forest and farmland which unfortunate inhabitants of forests do not recognize, leading to man-animal conflicts

Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border-img_2929.jpg

The number of kids going to school has increased. However, many of them leave school to sell drawings etc to tourists in the hope of making money for lunch. But NGOs now clearly discouraging tourists from giving any money since if the practice is not stopped more and more kids would go out of school into money making schemes.

Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border-img_2930.jpg

Over head shot of inland Uganda from bush plane showing long dirt track and houses

Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border-img_2953.jpg

Ankola cattle - an amazing species of cow from these regions.

Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border-img_2933.jpg

Venkatesh.C · 19th September 2016, 12:48

I know i will never go to these lovely places.. Thank you for taking me there

your sharp pictures and the lovely eyes of the primates have given me the satisfaction of being with nature. Thanks again

palitrana · 19th September 2016, 16:20

We did Kenya and thought it was an awesome adventure. By your report Kenya seems like the Shimla to the entire Himalayas while Uganda would be like those remote treks! Thanks!

And also thanks for the like to the expedition portal, opened up a new dimension for late night reads to me!

hemanth.anand · 19th September 2016, 17:05

I don't have any more adjectives or superlatives that people have not written before.
Truly mesmerizing, reading throught he travelogue I could imagine the sounds of the forest and I felt like I was there.
Could you give more info on the trip organisers and how easy is it for common people to arrange these trips?
Also were there special vaccination requirements for the Visa? I have heard some vaccination requirements for Visa of some countries having rainforests.
It would be nice if you could also let me know he photography gear that you carried around.

16th September 2016, 16:19	#16
shantonob BHPian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: KOLKATA Posts: 41 Thanked: 129 Times	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border Fantastic. Its really awesome to be up close to our ancestors, given there are so few of them left. Waiting for more photos to feast on. The post reminds of African Safari that i used to watch on Doordarshan as a kid.
	(1) Thanks

16th September 2016, 17:11	#17
KiranPatil BHPian Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Pune Posts: 39 Thanked: 80 Times View My Garage	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border At first I thought It was a thrilling travelogue of a country full of civil war This is one of the finest piece of information including Car, Journey, Jungle Safari, Rare species and what not. Photos are ice on cake. Excellent. Felt good for Uganda that this country has came out of civil wars and now a main contributor to the noble cause of saving Gorillas. Voted 5 star. Last edited by KiranPatil : 16th September 2016 at 17:13. Reason: Spelling correction.
	() Thanks

16th September 2016, 22:42	#18
swiftnfurious Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 7,251 Thanked: 9,786 Times	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border You have a set of fantastic pics and a beautiful written log. Happy to see people go all out to satisfy their passion. I am not sure I'd do 'treks' inspite of my love to see forests / primates.
	() Thanks

16th September 2016, 23:19	#19
Orange GTX BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 36 Thanked: 43 Times	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border Simply awesome ! Narration and snaps so beautifully compliment each other. Loved the first hand information about wild life in Africa. Snaps are at par with Discovery and Nat Geo. After long time read about some unusual and faraway places. Kudos and thank you for sharing.
	() Thanks

16th September 2016, 23:56	#20
Bops Newbie Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Coorg Posts: 2 Thanked: 0 Times	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border Beautiful Travelogue & nice pictures. Loved the lush green rain forest.
	() Thanks

17th September 2016, 09:22	#22
BeantownThinker BHPian Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 285 Thanked: 477 Times	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border Wow! Wow! WOW!!! There is no other way in which I can express what I feel about the absolute beauty of nature. Very well written report and some brilliant photos as well. As many have said "Yeh dil maange more". The photos of the gorillas are superb. You can see the peace and serenity in their eyes that you rarely see in the ones in captivity. This is where they are meant to be.
	(3) Thanks

17th September 2016, 12:49	#23
LoneRidder BHPian Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Bangalore Posts: 388 Thanked: 605 Times	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border What a lovely travelogue! Very very beautiful pictures. Gorilla pictures are serene and mesmerising! Would be reading the log again
	(1) Thanks

17th September 2016, 14:19	#24
embee BHPian Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: DL/GBN Posts: 224 Thanked: 315 Times	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border Nice Travelogue! Must have been an awesome trip! Beautiful, crisp & clear pictures! Thanks a lot for sharing.
	(1) Thanks

18th September 2016, 18:20	#25
cunnuvila BHPian Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Kollam Posts: 48 Thanked: 53 Times	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border Beautifully written, captivating photographs! Amazing thread! What an experience it must have been!
	() Thanks

19th September 2016, 00:51	#26
vickzkool BHPian Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: London, Hyd Posts: 85 Thanked: 126 Times	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border A fantastic travelogue , incredible pictures and very well written , one of my dream holidays which I hope to complete over the next year or so , awaiting the next set of pics ! Thank You for sharing !!
	() Thanks

19th September 2016, 09:05	#27
snan BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: DXB/BLR/KOC Posts: 112 Thanked: 716 Times	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border Here are few more pics giving an idea of the place Kazinga channel that interlinks Lake Edward and Lake George close to Congo border another dirt track which leads to a nice drive - more tricky if raining ! Salt lake which attracts flocks of flamingos Head gear of Batwa pygmies - here a mom with her child. Life of Batwa is now challenging since their tribe has been removed from forest for conservation but has not integrated with locals. Still lives in periphery adjacent to forest land doing odd jobs. Tourist dollars are helping in free education of their kids. Also inter marriages and better nutrition has led to increase in average heights of the pygmies. Traditional way of fire making by pygmies This shot shows the challenges facing conservation while there is a large population growth around the forest. Same challenges as in many Indian forest ecosystems. A clear delineation between forest and farmland which unfortunate inhabitants of forests do not recognize, leading to man-animal conflicts The number of kids going to school has increased. However, many of them leave school to sell drawings etc to tourists in the hope of making money for lunch. But NGOs now clearly discouraging tourists from giving any money since if the practice is not stopped more and more kids would go out of school into money making schemes. Over head shot of inland Uganda from bush plane showing long dirt track and houses Ankola cattle - an amazing species of cow from these regions.
	(9) Thanks

19th September 2016, 12:48	#28
Venkatesh.C BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 287 Thanked: 76 Times	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border I know i will never go to these lovely places.. Thank you for taking me there your sharp pictures and the lovely eyes of the primates have given me the satisfaction of being with nature. Thanks again
	() Thanks

19th September 2016, 16:20	#29
palitrana BHPian Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: mumbai Posts: 78 Thanked: 104 Times View My Garage	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border We did Kenya and thought it was an awesome adventure. By your report Kenya seems like the Shimla to the entire Himalayas while Uganda would be like those remote treks! Thanks! And also thanks for the like to the expedition portal, opened up a new dimension for late night reads to me!
	(1) Thanks

19th September 2016, 17:05	#30
hemanth.anand Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 3,319 Thanked: 15,309 Times View My Garage	Re: Landcruising: Uganda to Congo border I don't have any more adjectives or superlatives that people have not written before. Truly mesmerizing, reading throught he travelogue I could imagine the sounds of the forest and I felt like I was there. Could you give more info on the trip organisers and how easy is it for common people to arrange these trips? Also were there special vaccination requirements for the Visa? I have heard some vaccination requirements for Visa of some countries having rainforests. It would be nice if you could also let me know he photography gear that you carried around.
	(1) Thanks