Just Back: Uganda

By Laurel Deacon

Since I was a little girl I have been fascinated by primates, so a trip to get up close and personal with chimpanzees and gorillas was like a dream come true. After spending the last 12 years focused on my family and raising three children it was time for a solo adventure! Little did I know that ‘The Pearl of Africa’ has so much more to offer than the primates for which it is famous….

My adventure began with a sunrise game drive in Murchison Falls National Park (spotting lions, leopards, giraffe, Ugandan kob, and hartebeest), followed by a cruise down the Nile River complete with hippos, crocs and so many species of birds that I quickly lost count. In Kibale, I had an unbelievable chimpanzee tracking experience and I watched these incredible creatures go about their daily routines just a few feet in front of me. I continued south through Queen Elizabeth National Park, where I was fortunate to find and spend time photographing the famous tree-climbing lions of Ishasha.  

My adventure ended in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the home of the mountain gorillas! This was one of the most incredible wildlife experiences I have ever had. The silverback of the family group I followed had been an infant when humans first began studying the group, so they were quite comfortable with us. The infant gorillas were SO curious about these strangely familiar creatures watching and photographing them!

In Bwindi, I was honored to visit the Ride-4-A-Woman empowerment center which provides women with skills to support their families, along with a clean water source for the community. I also spent time with the students of St. Matthews and was able to see the new kitchen recently finished with generous donations from visitors, including past TS clients!