Things to see and do Le Karamoja

Located between Kotido and Moroto, these two reserves are relatively unknown. The Uganda Wildlife Authority has an office near the track between Kotido and Moroto and its rangers can accompany you for a nature walk (US$ 30), a bird watching (US$ 30) or a game drive (US$ 20). The entrance to the savannah with acacia trees and temporary swamps that make up these reserves costs US$ 10. Grant's gazelles, ewes, Ugandan guinea pigs, ostriches, baboons, leopards (very rare and exclusively in the Matheniko reserve)... these two reserves have some wildlife assets, but don't expect to see lions, cheetahs (these two felids haven't been spotted for a long time...), elephants and others. Finally, it is perhaps the avifauna observedcéans (about 100 species recorded) that is worth the detour: apart from vultures, hornbills, kingfishers and weavers, you might come across the endemic apalis of Karamoja and white-bellied touracos. At the moment, there is no infrastructure allowing visitors to spend the night in or near the reserves, but a camp could be set up in Turutoko in the coming years. In the rainy season, the trail leading to the entrance to the reserves can be tricky. In any case, you will need a powerful 4x4 in case of game drive (if you enlist a UWA guide, departures are at 7 and 17h). For more information, please refer to the UWA team in Mbale.

The region is full of possibilities for mountain walks: Mount Moroto (3,084 m), Mount Kadam (3,068 m), Mount Morungole (2,750 m) or Mount Napak (2,537 m), an eroded volcano prized by paleontologists for its fossils dating back twenty million years and marked by its vertiginous peaks... From Moroto, you can climb the eponymous peak while sleeping on the summit or take a shorter hike to a natural pool of water ideal for cooling off after the sweat of the climb. The views from the flanks of the massif are quite breathtaking and you may well spot baboons and dik-diks (dwarf antelopes) along the way. It is best to be accompanied by a guide, as the trails are not marked. Good walking shoes, sufficient water, snacks and possibly your poles are recommended as the slopes are sometimes dry and exposed to sunlight. If you feel like it and if you are naive, don't hesitate to contact Kara-Tunga who organizes treks and hikes (from a few hours to several days) in the volcanic massifs of the area. The most courageous will thus be able to attack the new itinerary traced on the eminences and through the vegetation of Mount Moroto (30 km, 3 days, 2,250 meters of positive elevation gain) or tackle the four summits mentioned above during a ten-day expedition concocted by Kara-Tunga itou. So, to your boots, ready, go!