Chimpanzees in Kalinzu Forest and Twin Lakes

The main roads in western Uganda are in great condition, and we are making good progress! It's very green everywhere, and we are told that the soil is also very fertile and well-suited for all kinds of vegetables.

The entire country is situated on a plateau between 1000m and 1500m in height. We see many banana plantations, but also fields of grain and pastures for livestock.

Just before the end of our first leg, we notice that our exhaust is nearly falling off 🙈 In Uganda, there are speed bumps every few meters to limit speed. Although we are driving cautiously, the exhaust is already hanging completely crooked after only a few hours of driving. But the damage is quickly repaired for us.

Near a tea-growing region, we visit the Kalinzu Forest. In addition to several species of monkeys, we can also observe our close relatives, the chimpanzees. They live in communal groups, usually led by an alpha male. They can live 40 to 50 years in the wild.

About 5000 animals live in Uganda, spread across various protected areas.

In the Kalinzu Forest, there are said to be 300 animals, 50 of which are accustomed to the presence of humans. There are spotters who track down the chimpanzees.

By the way, the mountain gorillas in Uganda and also in neighboring Rwanda are particularly famous. However, the adventure costs around $1000, which is unfortunately too expensive for us… In the Kalinzu Forest, we pay $120 per person instead.

With our guide and an armed ranger, we march into the forest. Soon after, we encounter a chimpanzee family.

The animals continuously move across the forest floor, mostly in single file. They only briefly stop here and there to look around. Our guide explains that the chimpanzees are looking for food for the next morning in the afternoon. They inspect various fruit-bearing trees, preferably fig trees. Then they continue right through the forest. We struggle to keep up with the pace of the chimpanzee family.

We move through the thicket, and at times our guide has to clear the way with the machete. Only after more than an hour do the monkeys take a break 😁 Some individual animals climb into the trees.

After this impressive experience, we take a break near Queen Elizabeth National Park. Our accommodation is conveniently located and also supports a neighboring school. We feel very comfortable here.

In this area, there are numerous crater lakes. We take a hike to the Twin Lakes nearby. On the way, we visit a family that runs a vanilla pod and cocoa plantation. On their property, we see many cocoa trees. Different varieties are planted and harvested.

Vanilla pods also grow among the trees.

Afterwards, we climb a hill and walk around the Twin Lakes in a very idyllic setting! Amazingly, the water levels of the two lakes are at completely different heights, even though they lie right next to each other.

Next, we want to visit the famous Queen Elizabeth National Park. 🤩