Guided Nature Walks | Walking Safaris
Guided Walking safaris provide visitors a chance to explore tropical forests and savannah plains on foot in national parks of Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania. In contrast to game drive safaris by vehicle, walking deep into the African bush will allow you to truly experience the park’s beautiful scenery, flora and fauna including encounters with large mammals such as elephants, buffaloes and giraffes.
Walking safaris take on a number of different experiences in Kenya for instance; we offer camel safaris which explore laikipia rugged landscapes. All our walking safaris through east Africa are guided personalized and can be individual, for couple, families or small groups.
The walking groups are usually small from 2 to 8 people and last for about 3-5 hours depending on the distance of the route and the guide’s recommendations. In places where there are predators and large mammals, visitors are accompanied by armed rangers to ensure safety. While the local guides offer details of the African wildlife along the way including plants, birds, reptiles, and insects. The walking safari experience is all about getting close to nature and appreciating the small things the African wild has to offer.
Walking safaris can be included as activities in a given tour package and itinerary for your safari in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania. If you are interested in walking safari in any of the destinations, please get in touch we would recommend the best national parks to set foot on the African bush.
Where to go for guided walking safaris in Uganda?
There are several national parks to visit for those who wish to experience the beauty of Uganda on foot.
Lake Mburo national park walking safaris
Lake Mburo national park is one of the best places to undertake a Ugandan walking safari. It’s surprising how close you can get to animals for example in Lake Mburo you can spot zebras, giraffes, buffalo, topi, eland, impala and even a leopard on foot with experienced armed ranger. Lake Mburo is Uganda’s smallest savannah national park and the only one to do a walking safari. It’s located in western Uganda about 253 km (3 hour drive) from Kampala, the capital of Uganda.
The park has few predators which makes it ideal and safe for a walking safari. Walks usually take 3-5 hours in the morning depending on the walking capacity of the visitors. You will be accompanied by an armed ranger to look after your safety. The guide will have knowledge of identifying animal tracks, droppings, explaining savannah plants can be used for medicine and so on. Essential items to carry with you include camera, binocular, drinking water and snacks.
Murchison Falls National Park Hike to the Top of Falls
The hiking to the top of the falls in Murchison falls national park is one of the most epic and adventurous activities you can join in during your visit to Uganda. The walking safari session in Murchison Falls from the bottom, where the boat puts you, to the top of the falls will take you approximately 45 minutes of a guided nature walk and a prehistoric journey of the early explorers in Murchison falls national park. At the top of the falls, you can enjoy a time to take very interesting photographs of the area below the falls and the surrounding.
When you reach the top of the falls, you are able to view the sister falls to the Murchison falls, called Uhuru falls. The Uhuru falls are a result of stray water from the main river stream leading to the formation of another fall. The falls are believed to have been formed in 1962, the same year when Uganda got its independence, thus naming them the “Uhuru falls”
Nkuringo walking safaris
The ultimate tropical forest walking safari, Nkuringo walking safaris offers an opportunity for visitors to walk through Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, a UNESCO world heritage site home to half of the world’s mountain gorillas. The walk simply connects two gorilla centers of Bwindi which are Buhoma the park headquarters in the north and Nkuringo sector in the south. Buhoma lies at the lowest altitude of Bwindi about 1100 meters while Nkuringo is at 2000 meters and above sea level.
This means that when you walk from Buhoma to Nkuringo you will be sloping down and climbing the other way round. It follows what used to be a road that closed down due to people exploiting the forest by cutting trees, littering the forest with waste which would eventually kill gorillas. The walk is now dedicated for tourists who are accompanied by a guide. It’s a chance to experience the rainforest and spot flora and fauna such as primates, birds, butterflies, insects, plants and flowers.
Walking safaris in Tanzania
Tanzania offers spectacular wilderness and classic wildlife viewing with wonderful opportunity to witness wildebeest migration and spot the big five mammals. Most safaris are undertaken in open game drive vehicles. However there’s something special about viewing wildlife on foot and in Tanzania the walking safari experiences offers the best safari activities, from walks in big game areas like Ngorongoro crater to walks with the Hadzabe people– the Bushmen of East Africa. The best places to explore Tanzania on foot include selous game reserve, Serengeti national park, Arusha national park and Ngorongoro crater and Lake Eyasi for Bushmen cultural experience are particularly worth visiting for a Tanzania walking safari in addition to game drives and hot air balloon safaris.
Walking with the Hadzabe Bushmen
Taking this walk is unique in Tanzania safari and visitors can participate in the cultural experience with Bushmen found in Lake Eyasi near Ngorongoro crater. Hadzabe people are the original inhabitants of Tanzania wilderness. While on this walk, the Bushmen share their knowledge with visitors showing how make fire using sticks, how to hunt and surivive in the bush.
Walking safaris in Kenya
Walking safaris in Kenya can only be done in the private concessions Lewa wildlife conservancy and Laikipia plateau. They take a number of forms ranging from a camel ride, jeep safari or a walking on foot in accompany of masai guides. Lewa conservancy and laikipia are home to big five including critically endangered black rhinos and grevy’s zebra. The experience includes walking in pristine wilderness from savannah through acacia forests to rugged landscapes, experiencing big five and cultural interpretation walks with the Masai people.
Most lodges such as Lewa safari camps, kicheche laikipia camp provide habituated camels where visitors get opportunity to explore the wild and get close to animals. These lodges use camels to carry camping gears which allow visitors to explore the wilderness of laikipia on foot with wildlife sightings of grevy’s zebra and gazelle. Walks in laikipia can be done in the morning and in the evening with sundown relaxing experience.
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