12th – Chimping

We started with breakfast at 0600 before we got picked up by 3 guides who took us out for the day’s chimp walk. As the camp was located where it was we just stepped out of the camp into the surrounding forest and started looking for animals.

We didn’t have to walk far before we spotted some red-tailed monkeys, and while we couldn’t see them we could easily hear the chimpanzees. It didn’t take long and much walking, though, before the first was located, high up in the trees, eating. And not long after that we saw two more, grooming each other, not far from there.

Red-tailed monkey.

Chimpanzee.

The alpha male being groomed.

Having been enjoying the view we continued and around 1030 we exited the forest and entered a tea plantation. We didn’t get to see the actual buildings and processing plants but the guides explained the process and brought us through the fields while returning to camp. We were lucky enough to also see a few baboons roaming the area.

Having had lunch at camp, packed and taken down the tents we departed at 1230. We had a 5-ish hour drive to our next camp at lake Bunyonyi. The drive was without issues and the landscape we went though was beautifully green, hilly and with plenty of small villages spread throughout.

Tomorrow is an early start at 0530 when going to the reserve to (hopefully) see gorillas. Looking forward to it!

Our camp site at lake Bunyonyi.