We all have those friends who like to turn up at your home uninvited, pretending that they ‘just want to hang out’, when they really ‘just want free food’.

When you camp in Africa, you are often joined by some similar uninvited guests. The only difference is that African uninvited guests are not your friends and they certainly don’t pretend to ‘want to hang out’.

My first close up experience with some uninvited guests was a particularly large family of Ugandan Baboons, who had made the most of our time out exploring tea plantations in the Kalinzu Forest to let themselves into our camping area. My immediate reaction?

“AWWWWW, shh guys let’s not scare them away, how CUTE!”

My second reaction?

“Is that one eating our toilet paper? How gorgeous, I am going to creep forward and get some better photos of the baby”

My third reaction?

“ARGHH THE BIG ONE IS CHASING ME, RUUUN, IT’S OVER, TELL MY MUM I LOVE HER!!!”

Apparently my new friends were camera shy confident that they could beat me in a fight.

I made it to the safety of the tents and suddenly gained an appreciation for the lazy zoo baboons who had never tried to steal my dinner or place in the food chain.

I have to admit, the toilet paper eater was still cute.

We stayed in a very small basic campsite next to the forest, (as in no showers and drop toilet basic).

Kalinzu Forest

Tourist Activities in Kalinzu Forest
Tourist activities in the Reserve include
· Chimps tracking allowing 4 visitors per day at US Dollars 50 per person
· Forest Walks,
· Conservation Education,
· Birding,
· Butterfly Identification,
· and small Mammal viewing.
How to Get to Kalinzu  
Kalinzu Forest Reserve is located in Bushenyi District in western Uganda. It is approximately 375 km. (six hours drive) from the Capital City of Kampala. Because of the Albertine Terrain with old logging and winding roads, a four – wheel drive vehicle is recommended.

Accommodation in the Reserve is still informal with only a do-it- yourself Camping Site at the Forest Station at Nkombe. Visitors are advised to carry their own Tents. Visitors can also seek modest accommodation in Bushenyi/Ishaka Townships.
For Reservations, please contact the Range Manager on Tel: 256-41-0772 458389