20 January - 27 January 2007 | Jacob Gelt Dekker & E.on
On January 20th - 27th 2007, Jacob, E.on (www.eon-benelux.com), Journalists and travel companions will travel to the Kibale Forest in Uganda, in the hope to find chimps. Follow Jacob through this part of the world, and enjoy the outstanding nature of the Kibale Forest. Jacob will also be traveling through Uganda as chairman of ChildRight, here by he will find out about the situations of Uganda's Children.

Please take also some time to learn about an other side of Uganda:
Child labour, Child slavery & Child soldiers. Read these disaster stories on this website

Kibale Forest
Some 35km south of Fort Portal lies a vast piece of equatorial rainforest, the Kibale Forest National Park. This recently established reserve is home to the highest concentration of primates in the world. Eleven different species have been counted there, including Black-and-White and Red Colobus, L'Hoest's Monkeys and Gallegos. The main attraction, however, are the 500 Chimpanzees, which have been habituated to human visitors since 1992. You can search for some of our closest relatives on a guided 4-hour forest walk. More than likely, the Chimps will be found on one of the huge fig trees where they spend the day, feeding on the sweet ripe fruits. Every once in a while, a young male tries to threaten the visitors, but those mock-attacks are more funny than scary.

Compared to montane forests, the trees here grow much higher and reach incredible circumpherences. Broad roots support the giants, small streams find their way through the dense undergrowth, and once in a while, the forest opens into swampy clearings, where buffalos and antelopes graze. The forest is also home to Uganda's third largest population of Elephants. With its varied flora providing a plentiful habitat to many species of butterflies and birds, including Hornbills and Turacos, it is a paradise for botanists and ornithologists alike.

                                                                                                                                                 30 January 2007
Dear Jacob,

Many thanks for the report you sent. I forwarded it to Edward Sigar so that he could see the first impressions. I'm working on my report, to be published on our website shortly.

Furthermore, many thanks for your great company throughout the week and the hospitality you offered us at Mweya QENP. This was an experience of a lifetime! I think it is the most beautiful scenery I have enjoyed for a long time, if not ever. Moreover, thanks for the marketing lectures and other great insights I gained during the week. It was inspiring and invigorating for both the brain and all senses.

Take care and enjoy the change of climate in Greenland! I'll check out your website.

Kind regards,
Odila Sibrijns

Photo Report, Kibale National Park