To catch me a Colobus. (Thanks Gerry). Three countries, six parks and twenty eight days reaching places the other Guides don’t reach.

[Galana]

I finished my last report about the land beyond the Serengeti with these words:-

 

“I need to go back to explore Birugi-chato and other new parks in that area more closely.”

And

“We barely got into this NP as our plans were disrupted by the cancelled flight. However author Phillip Briggs was there last year and wrote well of it. It is certainly a very beautiful area scenically with plans for a tented camp and chalets well advanced. There are two other new NPs further north towards Ugandan border that I have my eye on also.”

 

And so! Why not? There was a gap in my Calendar for October and Lady G hinted again that I might as well go while the going was good. My new best friend at Rwandair, who came to our rescue when we missed our connection, in February was happy to get my ticket back to KGL in the leg room seat I lost last time, Emmy was free to drive so we were good to go.

 

My rough itinerary has already been posted under plans for 2024.

 

 

Land KGL, meet Emmy, drive to Rusomo and enter Tanzania. About ten days in that area before crossing into Uganda, where I had not been since Covid, to indulge in a nostalgic return to some of my favourite places. Lake Mburo, Mweya in QENP (my favourite Classic Tent please! That’s right, the one with the lions on the lawn!) before ending up at Emmy’s own Broadbill Forest Camp in Bwindi.

 I had been in this area twice previously. In February 2024 which gave rise to the present visit and several years earlier when I scored my best ever views of the enigmatic Papyrus Gonolek and visited Minziro Forest Reserve and initially thought this was a ruined Norman Castle only tourch discover it was a ruin of a church bombed by Idi Amin’s forces during his spat with Nyerere. As a result of this attack Tanzanian Forces struck back hard and sacked the town of Mbarara.

It is quieter now.

I still travel with my Minox binoculars and a Nikon P1000 bridge camera. My simple Lenovo Netbook was having capacity problems due to Windows 10 taking up most of the Memory, so it has been replaced with a smaller, in size, but bigger in memory, Fusion5 Tablet for backing up documents and photographs. My trail cameras will possibly be useful this trip so they are coming along despite them give X-Ray problems in Security at the airport. I travel light so, apart from valuables in a small carry on case, all my needs go in a normal duffle weighing 11.5Kg. Well below the limits of the most stingy airline. And believe me Loganair ARE stingy.

The journey out was long but uneventful and after a long layover in London’s Heathrow I boarded Rwandair’s Airbus 330 for the non stop flight to Kigali and landed on time and was met by a happy Emmy. We promptly set off for the Tanzanian Border which we passed without problems and entered TZ with no firm bookings for accommodations for our first ten nights.

I am going to end here but can’t resist a teaser photo to inspire @pedro maia

 

 

More to follow.

[pedro maia]

This is just a clickbait, I bet this isn’t go to be about bed linnen…

[Dave Williams]

A bed on the floor ..... we had a snake in our chalet in Kruger NP.It was hiding under a suitcase but I'm sure a mattress would have had more appeal!!

[michael-ibk]

Good to hear your flights went more smoothly this time. Enjoy Fred, looking forward to read about this trip.

[Atravelynn]

Looks like we'll be white-knuckling another adventure with you!

 

[Galana]

Thanks all for your kindness.

@Dave WilliamsBeds are for bugs. Don't fret. When you travel with me the Snakes can find you in the bush.

Part 2 continues if this Wiffy holds out.

[Galana]

Part two.

What in another life might have been called “The Mission Statement!”

In two halves,

1. I wanted to revisit this area and explore the new National Parks for longer.

2. I really would like to see more of those Colobus glimpsed briefly on our drive through Burigi-Chato in February. I am not a great fan of Primates as a rule but, like them I share the curiosity gene

 

The 3 main ‘new’ Parks are the legacy of the Late President Magafuli who organised the conversion of semi derelict and overpoached Ex ‘Shooting Preserves’ in a laudable attempt to increase Tanzania’s protected areas to bring hoped for prosperity to the Kagera region from which he originated.

South to North, they are Burigi-Chato, combining the two old reserves of Kimisi astride the T38 and the larger Biharamulu-Burigi centred around Biharamulo and Chato. Which together with the smaller Rumanyika-Karagwe and Ibanda-Kyerwa were all ‘gazetted’ in 2019 with the management falling as usual to the Tanzanian National Parks Authority (TANAPA). Sadly the combination of the outbreak of Covid19 and the untimely death of President Magafulli severely disrupted these plans which now appear ‘on hold’ for the time being. Let us hope not for too long as the whole area is quite unique to Tanzania and really well worth a serious visit. I will deal with my visit in a later chapter if desired.

 

The 2^nd part of the mission statement, those Colobus will form part of my visit to Burigi as it is currently physically separated from the other sector around Lake Burigi which we are to visit first having now safely arrived in Tanzania as told above and after some re-routing got ourselves a safe bed in the Amahoro Hotel, having ducked the charms of one place mentioned on Google that had looked attractive on paper at least.

 

We later found that Amahoro was high on prospects but light on performance. They had no food for dinner!! So we ate at Jumbo Palace which had excellent rooms too, we discovered too late. Lovely staff not least because they afforded this old man the respectful greeting of “Shikamoo” to which I thankfully knew to respond with ‘Maharaba’.

 

To end this episode with a few photos of our progress so far and we can get on to the more interesting bits without further delay.

 

I was going to end this here but recent events during my wiffy blackout suggest that I add this little bit more. Those that book through TOs and agents may not be familiar with what takes place when accessing National Parks and paying fees etc., as independent travellers. Basically there are Fee tarifs for different people. As you will expect Foreigners pay much more as the main income stream of hard currency for the industry whereas residents pay concessions of course.

So we are priced in US$ and up to now have paid in that currency, usually for security reasons by good old ‘plastic’ and all went well. (I once even had to ride pillion on a Rangers motorcyle to get a signal on his Card reader on top of a Hill.) But lately there has been a shift in procedure whereby ‘we’ were charged in US$, the sum was converted to TZ,Sh and the Invoice permit quoted in such.

OK so far? This even worked for me as recently as February for Serengeti etc., So well that of course it had to change. And it did. Now we can’t pay by plastic but have to embark on electronic only transmission of funds and ‘E.Permits’? Eh? We found this out in February when ‘invited’ to drive 80km just to enter by a gate to Burigi-chato that had yet to get ‘connected’. No way but our kind friend Achmed bought and paid for the entry fees via his terminal in far away Arusha. He then wired Emmy’s phone with the ‘licence permit’ and whatnot and we were good to enter by flashing Emmy’s screen to the Ranger on the gate. Gottit?

So this year the system got fiddled with once again and now involved Emmy using all three of his phones simultaneously at the same time. First he loaded the brick of 500,000TZ I handed to him onto his MSN phone. Then whilst talking to TANAPA accounts on another phone he was given a ‘sequence number’. Then the money was transferred and we got a ‘permit’ on the 3^rd phone and a PIN to open it once the funds reached TANAPA’s account. Once this happened we proceeded to the Park Gate, opened the permit on screen and showed it to the Gate Keeper’s reading device and the gate pole was lifted and we entered the Park.

Emmy gives the Ranger a quick flash of his credentials and we are good to go.

Just for @xelasto show we are all thinking of him.

I will now load this before I get you dizzy.

[xelas]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

Just for @xelasto show we are all thinking of him.

 

Thank You, Fred! I do miss them, and will miss them for a bit longer. So bring them on, pal!

[TonyQ]

A great start, good for us you have wiffy.

The entry process sounds very complicated 

[michael-ibk]

An understatement Tony. 😄

 

Yikes about that great snake shot. Mamba (I know they can form a hood but have never seen such a pronounced one) or Cobra?

[Galana]

Thanks.

@michael-ibkMamba or Cobra. I am not certain. My first reaction was 'Mamba' but when the hood came out I had my doubts.

Interweb is patchy but am working on it. Size was about three, 3, metres and when I first saw it, it was swaying the fore part so I thought it was a branch,sapling in the breeze. It was only when it recommenced hunting I realised it was a snake. Don't often see then that big. I did not have a dead chick or mouse handy to tempt it. It came close enough of its own accord.

[Galana]

Here is a long view of Hissing Sid showing his full length.  3 metres I think.

Any suggestions welcome.

[Zubbie15]

19 hours ago, Galana said:

Here is a long view of Hissing Sid showing his full length.  3 metres I think.

Any suggestions welcome.

Google image search on the closer shot gives black mamba as the most likely hit. I have no idea how reliable it is for snakes, though! 

[inyathi]

@Galana

@Zubbie15

 

Yes it is definitely a Black Mamba, I honestly wasn't aware that they have hoods, so I've learned something new, if you just type "Black Mamba" into Google and click images, lots of photos come up that look like typical Black Mambas without a visible hood, but using Google Lens on your first image, produced similar images of mambas with a visible hood, not shown as well as in your shot, but well enough, then typing "Black Mamba hood" into Google and clicking images, produced more shots of mambas displaying a hood, then I found this 

 

 

Quote

“When threatened with no perceived available escape, these snakes will raise their upper body off the ground to stand erect,” Viernum said. Their front third of their bodies can rise 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m) off the ground. Then, they will “spread their cobra-like neck flaps [and] gape their mouths to expose the black lining.” This is a defensive posture aiming to scare away the threat. If black mambas need to attack to defend themselves, they will “strike repeatedly, potentially deliver large doses of venom with each strike, and hiss loudly.” Then, they’ll slither away as fast as possible. 

 

Live Science Black Mamba Facts

 

Had it opened its mouth to show the black interior that would have given it away, I'm glad you didn't have an even closer encounter, that looks quite close enough, and obviously it was concerned enough to spread its neck flaps. 

[Galana]

Well I am happy to go with Mamba. I have left that area now otherwise I would be happy to go back and get it to open its mouth for you.My only reservation is the head shape.

One of my favourite anecdotes is the one of what to do if bitten by either Cobra or Mamba. With the Cobra you should seek immediate medical help. With a Mamba you should go and lie down in the shade. That way you won't smell so bad when they find you!

Spoiler alert. We had another close encounter this morning, 21st, but this time with a different species ID was no problem. Slowly catching up with posts now that wiffy is actually in my tent on demand.

[Atravelynn]

What a convoluted procedure to get into the park.  It sounds very similar to the steps I had to go through to get an IRA CD (type of savings account) for my mother but it did not result in a black mamba.

[Galana]

THREE. Into the unknown.

So the day dawns in the New Amahoro Hotel and after a search we found breakfast. After eating it and packing we went into town to buy provisions. Our next stay is most likely ‘self catering’ for which with me, read ‘Emmy and help’. Bless him. He is therefore fully qualified to shop for the items needed. I staying in the background and just enjoying the fun of an African Market. Before too long Emmy has what he requires and with a full tank of fuel we head the 20km or so to the Park Entrance Gate.at Nyungwe. Now is the time to test if Emmy’s multi device tasking has a worked in order to gain admission for our three day, two night stay booked and paid for. We have been offered use of the unfinished Bandas at Nkonje overlooking Lake Burigi some 80km into the Park.

Well we roll up to the pole and a friendly ranger, the same one as last night, checks Emmy’s phone with his own and wonders never cease. All is OK and let the Adventure begin. We are in.

Some more details. The new National Park, Burigi-Chato, was formed from three old ‘hunting preserves’ named Biharamulo, Burigi and Kimisi. Together they cover an area of 4,707 sq.km and having been ‘gazetted’ in October 2019 this new National Park is the fourth largest in Tanzania. North to South it is about 120km and west-east stretches from the Rwandan border (Agakera river) to the shore of Lake Victoria. As part of the development about 8 lion were introduced but are rarely seen and the relict elephant population of around 150 are rarely encountered as they mainly inhabit what was the old Kimisi area at the top of the escarpment. The main area lies west of the main road T4 north through the ‘town’ of Bihara-mulo and it is this area that we intend to explore in this ‘chapter’ and leaving the sector east of the T4 for another time.

We will drive about 80km up the main track to the Ranger Post at Nkonje overlooking Lake Burigi where we hope to encounter some wildlife and find a comfortable place to rest our heads for a couple of nights. We have been ‘offered’ the use of the almost finished Bandas that are running a little late having been due to open in July 2023??? I do like to be optimistic and support the notion that ‘tis oft better to travel than to arrive!’ So we set off mostly in hope for our booked location and at first the scenery is a little ordinary as mixed Brachystygia woodland. The first thing we noticed was the number of Bohor Reedbuck.

They seem to replace both the Gazelles of the Serengeti and Impala of the open woodland. Usually seen singly these appear to form and remain in family groups. Very photogenic animals. Some shy and some content to watch us go by. First excitement was when what appeared to be a thin branch on the ground morphed into quite a large grey snake.

Already reported so no need for a repeat now. Then the road/track slowly climbed away from what looks like the floodplain of a small river, presumably to stay clear of soft ground. The scenery improved and our views opened up to lovely views of the floodplain which was dotted with many animals. We noted Reedbuck, Topi, Eland, DeFassa Waterbuck and Buffalo so perhaps it is time to show some here?

Long crested Eagle.

 

We also waited out a downpour, Emmy took his lunch break, whilst I watched the coming and goings of both mammals and birds. Banana in one hand, Camera in another and binoculars in the third. We came to a crossroads as we climbed away from this river valley along gently rising hills not unlike the Cheviots or our Manx hills at home.

 

Soon enough and about on target we sighted the eponymous lake Burigi ahead with the ranger post and (hopefully) a warm welcome to our new home for two nights. We received a warm welcome from our host, Stanislaus, whose job is to act as co-ordinator and counsel/advisor to any tourists who make the effort to get here. (He was also dragooned/bribed or otherwise induced to assist in the catering.)

Our chalets looked fine and an inside inspection showed they were nice and clean. Indeed the only unfinished bit was the total lack of a bed. The mattress lay on the floor but fully made up with linen, pillows and Duvet. Done this as a kid when we got company so why not when I am of a more mature, and stiff, age? As a total aside I discovered the first morning on awakening a HUGE advantage in this arrangement. With nowhere to fall, the bedding stayed in place all night. I might persuade Lady G to try this when I return home. Sell the expensive bedroom suite and spend the money more wisely on sensible things like traveling.

I settled in and took a walk around whilst Emmy and Ladislaus shelled the peas and prepared dinner in the dining tent.

It looks like chicken but is anybodies guess with all those Guinea Fowl and Francolin around. It must be hard for the Rangers account for them all. Excellent effort and well deserved credit. Slept well,

breakfasted on Avocado and Pawpaw before heading out for a drive that was supposed to be circular but we hit swamps at the junction so had to turn back.

See Map marked Swamp and Swamp 2.

We retraced our track and headed south past the ‘airport’ and found the unfinished ‘new’ tented camp in a really lovely location. We were shown around by the two resident caretakers and why it is not open defies logic.

Second dinner showed Emmy’s real ability. He had poached some Tilapia, I hope the word referred to the cooking style and not the manner of acquisition employed, which was delicious. Slept well on the floor again. I could get used to this.

After another delicious breakfast we packed up and said our grateful thanks to our hosts and departed by the same way we had arrived. On the way south we checked out the 4 way junction referred to already as this should have been part of our aborted circular trip.

After a few km it petered out in suspect ground although Emmy walked it and confirmed it OK.

A glance at the map shows a possible link to a track coming down from the north. Next time we must try it.

 

Brown-chested Lapwing.

 

Common (Grimm's ) Duiker.

Peter's Twinspot.

European BeeEater.

 

We exited the Park well satisfied with our efforts and hope others will follow.

We headed for Biharamulo to seek lodgings and after a couple of false starts settled on the ‘New Ebenezer’ for two nights to give us the opportunity to seek out those Colobus as part two of our mission.

More on that next time.

 

Edited 21 hours ago by Galana

[xelas]

Sleeping on the floor should not be a problem. Getting up in the morning is a different story. Like getting out of a Ferrari 😆.

[TonyQ]

Fascinating and adventurous. I am really enjoying this!

[Dave Williams]

Interesting accommodation Fred! 

You have had some excellent sightings though.