Mt Kilimanjaro & Uganda - Epic Africa

The area around the Momella lakes, which is located at an altitude of 1400 m, extends over the north-eastern part of the Arusha National Park and is surrounded by green hills. Here you will find seven lakes, surrounded by bush savanna and acacias. Several hollows were formed by the last eruption of Mount Meru, which have a porous ground allowing enough water to the surface to form the lakes. The biggest and also most interesting ones are the Big and the Small Momella Lakes, together they cover an area of 4 km². Flamingos especially prefer the Small Momella Lake because of the high amount of alkali.

On this tour you will be visiting the Momella Lakes in the Arusha National Park – seven volcanic lakes embedded in breathtaking scenery. Flamingos are spread their wings and soar gracefully into the open sky above hippos and giraffes. Bushbuck, Dikdik and warthogs may shyly glimpse from behind tall grass, carefully checking out the vast savannah.

The highest point of Arusha National Park is Mount Meru. At an altitude of 4566 m above sea level, it is the fourth highest Mountain in Africa and the second highest in Tanzania. Sometimes, during chilly months, Mount Meru is also covered by a snowcrest. The steep back of the crater edge, of which only half still exists, lies on the western park border. Nowadays Mount Meru is an exstinct volcanic mountain, with the exeption of some steam holes, which provide unique scenery for nature- and mountain climbing enthusiasts. The open cone, which opens to the eastern side, harbours a mountain rainforest with swept becks, refreshing water falls and jungle giants, which are enlaced by lianas. On the way up Mount Meru one passes through 3 different vegetation zones, starting from savannah, through forest and into dense jungle, reminiscent of landscapes in the movie “Lord of the Rings”. With the changing flora, there is also an alteration in the wildlife. Upon reaching Kitoto Viewpoint, at an altitude of 2500 m, an armed ranger escorts guests on the final hike into the crater. After about two hours walk, guests returns to the vehicle and heads downhill again. Next to a picturesque waterfall, a traditional picnic awaits you to replenish burnt energy. After lunch, another short walk leads to the Tululusia Waterfall, cascading down and spraying those who venture too close to it with a cool refreshing water.

The Ngurdoto Crater is also known as “Little Ngorongoro Crater”. This beautiful part of the park looks like a stranded Ark in the middle of a jungle. You are driven around the Ngurdoto Crater, which has a diameter of 2,5 km, over a steep mountain line. From the crater edge you have an amazing view past tree giants, lianas and strangler figs into the crater. More than half of the crater ground is covered by swamps. The Ngurdoto Crater is famous for its animals.

We will drive to the crater to meet our ranger. We descent down the slopes onto the crater floor on foot where we find a unique jungle landscape. Leaving the rain forest wide open meadows arrange themselves in front of our eyes. We come across islands of huge papyrus in lakes hiding buffaloes and warthogs.

We provide a walking safari through Arusha National Park to the sparkling waters of the Tululusia waterfalls. We start our walking safari at the momella gate. Together with an armed ranger we go deeper and deeper into this mountain rain forest. We pass a clearing with buffaloes. Further on you may see colobus monkeys in the branches of the trees or little bushbucks whizzing through the thicket. Reaching Tululusia waterfalls it's time for a rest.

Enjoy the refreshing water playing around your feet! After this relaxing break we return home. Exotic twittering birds accompany our walk with their joyful singing. We arrive at momella gate again where we will be picked up by a Hatari representative and return to the lodge.

Starting from Shu‘mata Camp in the open caron a relaxing 2,5 hours drive right to Mount Kilimanjaro up to a height of 3.400 metres. We cross different climate- and vegetations zones: region of the steppes, lush greens on the entrance to Kilimanjaro Nationalpark and finally alpine scenery. Our goal is the Shira Plateau at the level of 4.000 metres. When the clouds open, we enjoy a magnificient view of the immidiate summit of Kilimanjaro. We hike for about one hour on the designated Shira Day Trial through grass, heather and moorland landscapes with up to 10 metres high groundsel herbs.

Eland antelopes, the biggest antelopes of Africa will cross our way on the mountains cliffs.
A colobus monkey swings through the branches and we see buffaloes. With a little luck even elephants. On the way we stop for a picknick-lunch on the vast plains of the plateau and enjoy the wonderful views of the summit of the highest mountain in Africa.

The gorillas are completely wild but have become used to seeing a few humans after years of habituation. Many of the expert guides have been involved in this process since the beginning and are able to explain the complicated etiquette involved in meeting a giant silverback. This is an opportunity afforded only to a select few, as just eight visitors are allowed to view each group every day. Tracking through dense forest with steep slopes means that participants do need to be physically fit to enjoy the track. Once the gorillas are located, spend a maximum of one hour with them before returning back to camp. Please note only children aged 15 and above can track gorilla.

A tracking permit must be bought in advance in person in Bwindi.

Learn about and interact with the local Batwa People. This full day activity involves a three hour walk followed by about an hour spent with the Batwa. The walk back to camp is two hours. The visit includes a music performance, visitation by the goddess, hunting and gathering demonstration and an opportunity to see how they live. The Twa tribe who are also known as the Batwa are the oldest inhabitants of the Great Lakes region of Central Africa. They speak the same language as the Hutu and Tutsi groups of Rwanda. Like most of the tribes in Africa, they have moved from place to place and are now found in Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and eastern portions of the DRC. Statistics show that by the year 2000 their numbers were approximately 80,000 people, making them a significant minority group in these countries. The first records of the Batwa were made by the Egyptians over 4,000 years ago. They described them as short statured people living near the "Mountains of the Moon" extolling their abilities as dancers and story tellers.

Bwindi is surrounded on the Buhoma side by the Bakiga community and the Batwa people community. The walk takes about two hours and begins with a stroll through a small tea farming project. Here you can stop to meet the tea pickers and perhaps even learn how to pluck tea leaves along the way. Then visit a local beer brewery and see how they mash bananas to make a fermented brew which is mixed and distilled to make banana beer - a popular local drink in the area. From here walk a short distance to the local hospital which Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp supports through various projects. Learn about how it started and the work they do for the community. Continue your walk to a nearby village and visit a traditional medicine man. The knowledge of using herbs for healing has been passed on from generation to generation and he will show you some of the herbs that grow in the forest and talk about how they are used. Later, relax and enjoy a performance by the Batwa community before returning to the camp.

Bwindi boasts over 350 bird species, including 24 that are endemic to these highlands straddling Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo - the so-called the "Albertine Rift Endemics". For keen birders, we can arrange for a local expert to guide you on a fascinating 2-3 hour walk through the park.

Bwindi is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a spectacular place to visit. In addition to the gorillas, Bwindi is also home to rare forest elephants, giant forest hogs and eleven kinds of primates, such as red tailed and blue monkeys, black and white colobus, baboons and chimpanzees. You can also find forest duiker antelopes, bush buck antelopes and over 200 species of butterflies. We can offer a guided forest walk on the Munyaga waterfall trail. This trail starts from the Park office and ends at the magnificent Munyaga waterfall. The walk to and from the waterfall takes about three hours and is a good way to practice or cool down a day before or after the gorilla tracking.

While staying at Gorilla Forest Camp guests are able to venture out on game drives to Ishasha, located in the south of the well known Queen Elizabeth National Park popular for its tree climbing lions, savanna elephants, buffaloes, topi, hippos, various bird species, warthogs and the occational leopard.

The Ishasha Sector is famous for its population of tree-climbing lions. The Lions are normally seen lazily lying within the branches of the huge fig trees staring down at the numerous Uganda Kobs grazing in the open Ishasha plains. This is usually a full day outing where guests are able to stop for lunch at the hippo pool. Departure is 6:30 in the morning.

Gorilla tracking is the highlight of a trip to Clouds, and for many it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

A truly unique wildlife encounter combining wilderness, wonder and awe.

The tracking can take anywhere between 2-8 hours and requires a degree of fitness and physical ability.

Weather is unpredictable, the terrain can be challenging and the memories will be long lasting!!