Safari & Chimp Trekking

Thursday March 11 and Friday March 12th.

We left Gulu at 4:30 am, needed to get to the park by 7am.  The Acholi had breakfast ready for us and we packed the bus last night.  We got to the park shortly after 7am and our guide was not there - so we started w/o him and we were to meet him somewhere in the park.  So awesome the animals that we saw - up close.  we all have great pics and can't wait to show you.  I will not be able to post any pics until I get home - these computers are free to use but as old as the TSR- 80's.  (maybe at the airport - Virginia & I will work on that - we want you to see them)  We saw elephants, giraffe's, antelope (there is a couple of kinds), wort hogs, a rare bird, beautiful colored birds and butterflies.  We met up with our guide - George.  Yep - go on and say it.......  "George of the Jungle"  We decided to look for lions, so we took the tour bus off road - poor Charles - he thought we would get stuck. By now the sun was getting high - it was about 11am, a couple of times we stopped cause the antelope were still and looking in one direction.   Off road we were heading to a known den and guess what we saw...  the lion - so awesome.  This doesn't happen very often - we saw all the possible animals in the park.  We saw hippos when we crossed the Nile.  We needed to get to the ferry in time so we wouldn't be late for our chimp trekking.  We made it...  did I tell you that we have an awesome bus driver.  There is a video of him driving thru places that seemed impossible.  

We got to the Chimp place - we will be staying there.  Nice accommodations but we were spoiled by the air conditioning at the Acholi.  Half went on the trek and the other half stayed back and chilled.  Jerry & Carol had chimps sitting on their porch.  There was no cell service there - well there was but you had  to walk about 1/4 mile next to a sign and then stand on the rock - then it would work.  The other half went trekking in the morning at 7am.  All groups saw chimps - going thru the bush - it was awesome.  Shay has a great video of following a chimp on the trail.  He would stop and hang with us and then slowly moved on.  So cool.   We needed to get out of the park by 10am. - of which we did. 

We had a long bus ride to Jinga but so worth it.  6 hours on the bus.  We are staying at the Nile Porch in Jinga and it is breath  taking.  What a wonderful way to end our journey.  We had dinner overlooking the Nile, watching the monkey's and the birds.  After dinner - we walked down (1/2 mile trek) to the rapids and waterfalls - we put our feet in the Nile!  Devotions and then to bed.  They have these cabins that are tents that are right on the edge of the river.  So beautiful.