Uganda by Millie

Uganda was everything I was expecting and more - green lush mountains, misty mornings, rainforests, gorillas, chimps, monkeys... primates galore! What I hadn't really expected was the abundance of fantastic birds, wildlife, the never-ending stunning scenery, the endless welcoming smiles and children waving along the roadside. It is somewhere where you can walk around and meet the locals, visit orphanages and schools and observe everyday life in this beautiful green gem of a country.






I was lucky enough to see the extremely rare Shoebill Storks on Lake Albert in the Semliki Wildlife Reserve - I also had the thrill of trekking unhabituated chimpanzees with a ranger in Semliki's Mugiri Forest (right up there in my top experiences of Africa). In Queen Elizabeth National Park we saw a variety of wildlife before heading to the Impenetrable Forest in Bwindi for our much anticipated mountain gorilla trek. It is one of those incredible experiences that really takes quite some time digest - it is a surprisingly peaceful and moving experience. Mihingo Lodge in Lake Mburo was the perfect place to relax after our trek, located on top of a hill with stunning open views down over the plains that seem to stretch on for ever.