Uganda: Primate Paradise

8/9/2019 Uganda: Primate Paradise

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We are very pleased to make our return to this enigmatic and alluring land. In additionto being one o Arica’s most biologically diverse countries, Uganda oers the adventuroustraveler what is oten described as the most proound natural history experience in the world—coming ace-to-ace with mountain gorillas.

While our ocus is on Uganda’s primates, our expedition has been designed to showcasemany o the natural wonders o this rich and diverse country which, in colonial times, wasreerred to as the “Pearl o Arica.” Divided rom east to west by the Equator and romnorth to south by the western corridor o the Great Rit Valley, Uganda lies at the very

heart o Arica. Its habitats include the rain orests o the great Congo Basin, the wetlandso Lake Victoria and the White Nile, the semi-arid deserts o the Sahel, and the acaciasavanna o the south. Tese varied ecosystems create a microcosm o Arican environmentsand support all the large animals that have lured travelers to Arica or centuries—lions,leopards, elephants, cape bualos, and the world’s largest concentrations o hippos and Nilecrocodiles. An incredible 1,000 bird species have also been recorded here, the highest totalor any area o its size in Arica.

And then there are the primates… Nowhere else in Arica can the adventurous traveler view

such a wide diversity at such close range. We hope to see a dozen primate species, rangingin size rom three-ounce nocturnal bush babies, to 400-pound, knuckle-walking mountaingorillas. Along the way we will also discover bands o chimpanzees, and a wealth o lesserprimates—red and black-and-white colobus monkeys, gray-cheeked mangabeys, and red-tailed and L’Hoest’s monkeys.

Te highlight o this expedition is, o course, gorilla trekking in the Bwindi ImpenetrableForest and we spend two ull days in this lie-changing endeavor. In a world where wildliespecies are disappearing by the day, here in Uganda the gorilla population has increasedby six percent over the past six years. Appropriately strict rules are necessary to protect andconserve these magnicent primates, yet allow or the discerning traveler to view them inthe wild. In essence, once close contact has been made with one o the three habituatedgorilla groups, observers are allowed to spend one hour—at ranges as close as just 15eet—with the gorillas. By oering two ull days o gorilla trekking, we hope to enjoy ourtime savoring the experience and taking wildlie photos o a lietime.

Join me on a Uganda saari whose highlights oer a mind-boggling array o superlative wildlie experiences: a river cruise to the base o the Nile’s highest cataract at MurchisonFalls; hikes through a vast mahogany orest in Kibale National Park, home to large

communities o chimpanzees and other primates, over 250 buttery species, and 360 specieso birds; and a cruise along the Kazinga Channel, one o the continent’s best birding regionsand home to the highest densities o hippos on the planet. Add these experiences to theawe-inspiring encounters with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat and you havean adventure like no other on Earth.

With kindest regards,

Jonathan Rossouw Expedition Leader & Zegrahm Director

DEar aDVEntUrEr

NILE CROCODILE



Days 1 & 2 Usa / LonDon, EngLanD /

EntEbbE, UganDa Depart USA on your independent ight toLondon. Connect with your evening ightto Entebbe.

Day 3 EntEbbE / KampaLa On arrival we drive to Uganda’s capital city o Kampala and check in to our hotel, EminPasha. Ater an aternoon at leisure, we enjoy dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 4 EntEbbE / mUrchison FaLLs

nationaL parK Tis morning we transer back to Entebbeairport or the short ight to Murchison FallsNational Park, which straddles the impressiveVictoria Nile.

Uganda’s largest national park, a scenic wonderland o rolling palm-studded grasslands, acacia woodland, papyrus swamps,and the meandering Victoria Nile, is home tosome o the most impressive concentrations

o animals in all o Uganda. We have two ulldays to enjoy the magnicent scenery andbountiul wildlie o this unique area. Mealsand overnights at Paraa Safari Lodge.

Day 5 mUrchison FaLLs

nationaL parK We continue our exploration o the park by

saari vehicle and river boat in search o suchcharismatic animals as the elegant Rothschildgirafe, Cape bufalo, and elephant. Smallerherbivores such as Jackson’s hartebeest, bushduiker, oribi, and Ugandan kob are plentiul,and support a healthy population o lions. With luck, we should also encounter bands o terrestrial Patas monkeys, a primate restrictedto the arid savannas o the Sahel.

Highlights o our stay are game viewingcruises on the Nile. An upriver oray bringsus to the oot o Murchison Falls. Tismemorable ten-mile journey delivers us toone o Arica’s most powerul and dramatic wateralls. At this point, the mighty VictoriaNile is squeezed through a mere 15-oot- wide chasm and released over a sheer clif to

cascade nearly 150 eet to the rocks below,providing wonderul photographic opportuni-ties. En route, keep binoculars and cameras atthe ready or the large herds o hippopotamusand enormous Nile crocodiles, with Capebufalos, waterbucks, and elephants in closeattendance. Birders will thrill to the speciesthat live in this region: Goliath herons, rock pratincoles, red-throated bee-eaters, and

possibly even shoebills—surely one o the world’s strangest birds.

Day 6 KibaLE nationaL parK Ater an early breakast we begin our longbut ascinating drive to Kibale, traveling romthe Rit Valley into a patchwork o colorulvillages and agricultural lands. Eventually wereach a mixture o orest and tea plantations;

at the oothills o the looming Ruwenzoris,or “Mountains o the Moon.” We overnightat beautiul Ndali Lodge , situated on a highsaddle between two crater lakes.

Day 7 KibaLE nationaL parK We spend a ull day in Kibale NationalPark, one o Arica’s most researched and

documented areas. Home to several largecommunities o chimpanzees, many o Kibale’s primates are well studied and

14 Days

primatE paraDisEUganDa

WATERBUCK

MURChIsON FALLs



accustomed to human observers. Te reserveis accessed by a series o well-marked andmaintained trails and walking is relatively easy.

Chimpanzees are abundant here. ypically,they live in large communities and are locatedby their characteristic pant-hooting calls asthey execute their nomadic treks along orestpathways and orage or ruit in the canopy above. Although they eed primarily on gsand other ruits, they also hunt and eat otherorest animals. At these times, the chimpanzeesuse their extraordinary social and communica-tive skills to band together and rush throughthe orest to capture ground dwellers such asbushpigs and duikers.

Although chimpanzees are our main ocus, we will also spend time viewing the other wildlie species which inhabit this diverse orestreserve. Tose commonly encountered includegrey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed and vervetmonkeys, and both red and black-and-whitecolobus monkeys. Te orest is also home to waterbucks, civets, bualos, genets and, thoughrarely seen, Uganda’s largest population o orest elephants. We return to Ndali Lodge ordinner and overnight.

Day 8

KibaLE nationaL parK / QUEEn

ELizabEth nationaL parK Ater an early breakast, we return to Kibaleto continue our search or chimps. Ater lunch we bid arewell to the park and head or QueenElizabeth National Park. Te our-hour drivetakes us once again to the western corridor o Arica’s Rit Valley. We arrive at our lodge,

Entebbe

Fort Portal

QUEENELIZABETHNATIONAL

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KIBALE NATIONAL

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BWINDI IMPENETRABLE

FOREST

Kampala

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LAKE

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situated on a blu overlooking the KazingaChannel and Lake Edward. Dinner andovernight at Mweya Safari Lodge .

Day 9

QUEEn ELizabEth

nationaL parK An early start gives us a ull day to explorethis celebrated park, including a boat tripalong the Kazinga Channel. Tis narrow ribbon o water teems with huge herds o hippos—the largest concentration in the world—and bualo, and connects Lake

Edward with smaller Lake George. Birdshere are both numerous and spectacular,including multiple species o eagle, stork, waterowl, kingsher, and bee-eater.Regarded by some as one o Arica’s bestbirding locations, more than 560 birdspecies have been recorded. A late aternoongame drive takes us in search o waterbucks,elephants, giant orest hogs, and even lions

and leopards. We return to Mweya Safari Lodge or dinner and overnight.

Day 10

QUEEn ELizabEth nationaL

parK / bwinDi impEnEtrabLE

ForEst Ater breakast we set out or Bwindi,stopping rst to explore MaramagamboForest where we may encounter pythonsand monitor lizards. Ater lunch our drivethrough the Ugandan countryside windsthrough rolling hills, cultivated lands, andvillages that make or excellent photo-graphic opportunities along the way.

We arrive at the permanent luxury-tented

Gorilla Forest Camp, set on the edge o the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a WorldHeritage Site and one o the most biologi-cally diverse areas on the planet. Lateron that evening we will have a briengon gorilla-watching etiquette ollowed by dinner and overnight.

Days 11 & 12

bwinDi impEnEtrabLE ForEst We spend two days at Bwindi trackingmountain gorillas. Each day we will divideinto two groups and, ollowing an early breakast, depart or the orest. Under thesupervision o trained local guides, wehead to the site where the gorillas wereseen the previous day and then begin oursearch. Once the gorillas are located, we

will make our approach and sit quietly by them, watching and observing, with ampletime or photography, or simply enjoyingthis unique experience. Te moment o looking into the sot brown eyes o agorilla, to marvel at its size, and yet gentle

countenance, as you introduce yoursel tothe amily group is truly unorgettable.

Other activities at Bwindi include oresttrekking or the lesser primates, colobus,

red-tailed, and L’Hoest’s monkeys. Tereare also opportunities to look or the many

bird species that make this montane oresttheir home. Dinner and overnight at theGorilla Forest Camp.

Day 13 bwinDi impEnEtrabLE ForEst /

EntEbbE Ater breakast we board our charteraircrat or the short ight to Entebbe andreturn to Kampala or a brie tour and ournal dinner and overnight at Emin Pasha.

Day 14

EntEbbE/ LonDon, EngLanD /

Usa ranser to the airport or your independentearly morning ight, arriving London andconnecting with ights homeward.

RED-TAILED MONKEy


GREy CROWNED CRANE




tErms & conDitions

1. rEsErVations: 25% o the expeditionare, along with a completed and signed Reservation

Form, will reserve a place or you on this ZegrahmHoldings LLC, d/b/a Eco-Expeditions (ECO),program. Te balance o the expedition are is due120 days prior to departure. Air are is also due atthis time. All prices are quoted in U.S. dollars andmust be paid in U.S. dollars. Credit cards acceptedor deposit only.

2. cancELLation anD rEFUnD

poLicy: Notication o cancellation o thisprogram and any independent travel arrangements

must be received in writing by ECO. At the time we receive your written cancellation, the ollowingpenalties will apply:

•120ormoredayspriortodeparture: $500 per person

•60through119dayspriortodeparture: 50% o expedition are

•59dayspriortodeparturethroughdayof departure: 100% o expedition are

Some air are may be nonreundable. Once anexpedition has departed, there will be no reundsrom ECO or any unused portions o the trip.Te above policy also applies to all extensions andindependent travel arrangements made in conjunc-tion with this program.

3. trip cancELLation anD

intErrUption insUrancE: We strongly advise that all travelers purchase trip cancellationand interruption insurance as protection against

an emergency that may orce you to cancel orleave rom an expedition while it is in progress. A brochure describing coverage will be sent to youupon receipt o your reservation.

4. sharE poLicy: Accommodations on allECO programs are based on double occupancy.I you are traveling alone and wish to shareaccommodations, a roommate will be assigned toyou whenever possible. When pairing roommates,

we will always pair participants o the same sex.

All shared accommodations are nonsmoking.Upon booking you will be required to pay a SingleSupplement, i we are able to pair you with a room-mate the supplement will be reunded. Please notethat single accommodations are limited and cannotbe guaranteed throughout.

5. mEDicaL inFormation: Participation onan ECO program requires that you be in generally good health. It is essential that persons with any medical problems and related dietary restrictions

make them known to us well beore departure. Wecan counsel you on whether the expedition youhave selected is appropriate or you.

Te tour leader has the right to disqualiy any participant at any time during the tour i he/she eels the participant is physically incapableand/or i a participant’s continued participation

will jeopardize either the individual involved orthe group. Tere will be no reund given underthese circumstances.

6. LUggagE rEstrictions: Luggagesize and weight limitations or both checkedand carry-on luggage, imposed by the airlinesor as an operational requirement due to type o aircrat, will apply or ights to/rom/within thisprogram. Specications wil l be provided withpre-departure materials.

7. FUEL cost incrEasEs anD

cUrrEncy FLUctUation: In order to keep

rates as low as possible, we do not build into the tripare an allowance to cover possible increases romuel costs or currency uctuations. Tereore, asuel-cost increases may occur and currencies dofuctuate around the world, it may be necessary or us to initiate a rate surcharge at any timebeore departure i there are exceptional cost increases beyond our control.

8. itinErary changEs & trip DELay: Itineraries are based on inormation available at

the time o printing and are subject to change. ECO reserves the right to change a program’sdates, sta, itineraries, or accommodations asconditions warrant. I a trip must be delayed,or the itinerary changed due to bad weather,road conditions, transportation delays, airlineschedules, government intervention, sickness,or any other contingency or which ECO or itsagents cannot make provision, the cost o delays orchanges is not included.

9. itinErary cancELLation: ECOreserves the right to cancel an itinerary beoredeparture or any reason whatsoever, includingtoo ew participants or logistical problemssuch as strikes, wars, acts o God, or any othercircumstances that may make operation o thetrip inadvisable. All trip payments received will bepromptly reunded, and this reund will be the limito ECO’s liability. ECO is not responsible or any expenses incurred by trip members in preparingor the trip, including nonreundable or penalty-

carrying airline tickets, special clothing, visa orpassport ees, or other trip-related expenses.

10. participation: ECO reserves theright to decline to accept any individual as anexpedition member or any reason whatsoever.

11. Limitations oF LiabiLity: Tissection denes ECO’s responsibility with respect toall o our trips, including extensions and indepen-dent arrangements. Please read it careully.

ECO, its Owners, Agents, and Employees givenotice that they act only as the agent or theowners, contractors, and suppliers providing meanso transportation and/or all other related travelservices and assume no responsibility howsoevercaused or injury, loss, or damage to person orproperty in connection with any service resultingdirectly rom: acts o God, detention, annoy-ance, delays, expenses arising rom quarantine,strikes, thets, pilerage, orce majeure, ailure o any means o conveyance to arrive or depart asscheduled, civil disturbances, terrorism, govern-ment restrictions or regulations, and discrepanciesor changes in transit or hotel services over which ithas no control. Reasonable changes in the itinerary may be made where deemed advisable or thecomort and well-being o the passengers.

As described in item 7 above, all prices are subjectto change.

Asdescribedinitem9above,intheeventthat

an expedition must be cancelled, ECO is notresponsible or any personal expenses incurred by trip members in preparing or the program.

On advancement o deposit to ECO, the depositoracknowledges that he/she has read and understandsthe above recited terms and conditions, and agreesto be bound by them.



Jonathan rossoUw

Jonathan is a medical doctor by proession; however, his lielong passion or wildlieled him to trade in his stethoscope or binoculars and take up a ull-time career in theexpeditiontravelindustry.Since1997hehasguidedwildlifeexpeditionsthroughoutthe

globe, and has observed over 7,000 bird species and 700 mammal species in the process. Jonathan has co-authored birding site guides to Southern Arica and Madagascar, andhis guidebook Where to Watch Birds in Uganda is widely acclaimed as one o the nestsite guides ever published. Jonathan is equally enthusiastic about mammals and coral ree shes as he is with his specialties, birds and reptiles; indeed, he has an inectious curiosity and passion or all aspects o natural history. Jonathan is a director o Zegrahm & EcoExpeditions; he leads travelers on expeditions to all seven continents and scouts new destinations or Eco-Expeditions.

what to EXpEct

Participants on this adventure should be t and capable o hiking along orest trails thatare oten steep and muddy; hikes will be rigorous and several miles in length. Sometravel days will be long, involving rides in 4x4 vehicles over bumpy roads that requiresitting or extended periods o time—sometimes up to ten hours. With the exception o our hotel in Kampala, accommodations throughout the journey will be in saari lodges.Te rooms are spacious, include hot water and en suite acilities, and add the classic senseo a saari rom a bygone era. Average daily temperatures will range rom the lower to

the upper 70s°F throughout our itinerary. We will mail a complete list o recommendedclothing and suggested reading list to you approximately ve months prior to departure.For the experienced traveler with a sense o humor and spirit o adventure, the occasionaldelay or bumpy road is a small price to pay or one o the most proound natural history experiences on the planet.

QUEEN ELIzABETh NATIONAL PARK


mEEt oUr LEaDEr



C o v e r p h o t o s : M o u n t a i n g o r i l l a ,

B l a c k - h e a d e d G o n o l e k ,

H i p p o p o t a m u s © A d

a m R i l e y ; C o l o b u s m o n k e y © J o n a t h a n R o s s o u w ;

192 Nickerson Street #200 Seattle, WA 98109 USA Tel: 206-285-4000 Toll-free: 1-800-628-8747 Fax: 206-285-5037 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.zeco.com

Mountain gorillas are one o the rarest animals on earth; ewer than 700 remain and thereare none in captivity. o visit them on the orested slopes o Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

ranks as one o lie’s all-time greatest moments, an experience to be cherished long aterthe event.

Tere are about 340 mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, almost hal the world’s population o these huge, yet gentle and endearing primates. ypically, they areound in amily groups o between ve and teen individuals with one dominant male,known as a silverback, who is the largest and strongest o the group. Mountain gorillasare the largest o all apes and a mature male can stand over six eet in height and weigh inexcess o 400 pounds. Dominance among the group’s males appears to be determined by size and strength. It is the dominant male who decides when the group will move, stop,rest, and where the group will spend the night. Mountain gorilla groups are stable, cohesiveunits that spend most o their time on the ground, “knuckle-walking” through the orest within their respective home ranges. Despite their immense size and strength, gorillas aretypically gentle beings, intelligent and dignied. Tey are endlessly patient with each otherand disputes are settled quickly. Tey are primarily vegetarian, with the leaves, shoots, andstems o a wide range o rain orest plants making up a majority o their diet.

Participants on this program will be required to walk through difcult terrain that includessteep and oten muddy gullies, dense undergrowth, and over allen obstacles such as trees.

reks, typically less than our miles, take between two and our hours. On some days thegorillas are ound within minutes o leaving camp; on other days it can take up to eighthours to locate them.

It should be appreciated that the mountain gorillas o Bwindi are ree-ranging, wild crea-tures. Over a period o time, the gorilla groups at Bwindi have been habituated to acceptthe presence o quiet, non-threatening human observers. Visits to watch these magnicentcreatures are strictly regulated and only 16 permits per day are issued. Our group willdivide into parties o eight observers each. We will set out in the morning, accompanied

by local guides and trackers, trekking through the orest in search o our respective gorillagroup. In addition to dense vegetation, oten above shoulder height, participants will alsocontend with large clumps o stinging nettles, twisted vines, and the occasional bitingant. Once the tracker locates a resh gorilla print or gorilla dung, however, these becomeminor nuisances and are quickly orgotten. Te anticipation o meeting a gorilla is almostoverwhelming—the rush o adrenaline is like nothing you have experienced beore as thevegetation parts and you are ace-to-ace with a veritable giant.

goriLLa trEKKing

MOUNTAIN GORILLA




I/We would like to join the following Eco-Expeditions program:

o March 27 – april 9, 2010

o april 10 - 23, 2010

NaME #1 (as it appears on passport)

(preerred name)

NaME #2 (as it appears on passport)

(preerred name)

aDDrESS

ciTY STaTE Zip cOUNTrY

phONE (home) (ofce)

FaX E-Mail

accOMMODaTiONS: o Twin o Share (roommate to be assigned) o Single*

*A limited number of single accommodations are available.

i aM/WE arE: o Nonsmokers o Smokers

DEpOSiT iNFOrMaTiON:

o Enclosed is a deposit check for $ (25% per person of the program fare)

o Charge the 25% per person deposit to: o VISA oMasterCard o American Express

Card Number Expires

Authorized Cardholder Signature Date

(Note: Credit cards accepted or deposits only)

I/We have read and understand the enclosed Terms & Conditions for this program, and

agree to abide by them.

SiGNaTUrE DaTE

SiGNaTUrE DaTE

Please complete and return this Reservation Form with your deposit to:

UGaNDa

EUGA1001-02

Murchison Falls

priMaTE paraDiSE

192 Nickerson Street #200 Seattle, WA 98109 USA Tel: 206-285-4000 Toll-free: 1-800-628-8747 Fax: 206-285-5037 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.zeco.com



March 27 – april 9, 2010 lEaDEr: JONaThaN rOSSOUW

april 10 - 23, 2010

$12,980 per person double occupancy $1,280 single supplement*

Limited to 14 expedition members.

iNclUDED: All accommodations and group meals; group transers; guided excursions

as stated in the itinerary; entrance ees or parks, reserves, etc.; all gratuities; domestic air

transportation within Uganda.

NOT iNclUDED: Air transportation except as listed above; excess baggage charges;airport arrival and departure taxes; transers or independent arrivals and departures;

passport and/or visa ees; travel insurance; items o a personal nature such as laundry, bar

charges, alcoholic beverages, e-mail/ax/telephone charges.

air FarE: A tentative ight schedule is available upon request. Eco-Expeditions will

contact you approximately 180 days prior to the departure o this program to fnalize

your ight plans. As o January 2009, the approximate economy air are as listed in the

itinerary is $1,575 or New York / London / Entebbe / London / New York. Additional

ares rom other cities will be quoted as needed.

All rates are per person, quoted in U.S. dollars, and must be paid in U.S. dollars. Rates

and itineraries are subject to change.

*A limited number o single accommodations are available.

DaTES

raTES

UGaNDa: priMaTE paraDiSE

DaTES & raTES

chiMpanzee


rEFEr a FriEND

NaME

aDDrESS

ciTY STaTE Zip

cOUNTrY

Send my fend te foowng boues:

You qualiy or our “Reer and Reward” program by providing this inormation.

Contact our ofce or more details.

Documents

Uganda: Primate Paradise