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Diary of a Muzungu’s travel highlights – across Uganda and Kenya

The Muzungu’s travel highlights of 2012 – Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls, community tourism in Mabira Forest, Lonely Planet, Nairobi – and two Royal Weddings!

Life in Uganda has tested me in many ways and 2012 was ‘challenging’ as we say around here – but I’m still here ‘living the dream’ (on a good day!)

The year ended on a real high, literally – waking up on Christmas Day in a treehouse overlooking Kibale Forest to the sound of chimpanzees and forest birds.

We had a feast! – with “all the trimmings” of a British Christmas dinner, including bread sauce, crackers, naff jokes, silly hats and Christmas stockings, all imported specially for the occasion.

metal trunk oven Uganda

A Kibale Forest special! The metal trunk oven worked a treat. We even had roast potatoes. Bahati cooks Christmas dinner for 12

Kibale Forest to Queen Elizabeth National Park

After Christmas we put the Baby Car (a.k.a. Mimi) through her paces. Our party of twelve people went on a 4 wheel driving adventure along the muddy marram tracks across heavenly crater lake country, en route to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a couple of days Safari, a luxury overnight in Volcanoes’ Kyambura Lodge and the most brilliant water safari and birdwatching day out on a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel. Simpson saw his first hippos and crocodiles! – I adore the waterways’ incredible birdlife (TWITCH!)

family pose, Queen Elizabeth Equator, Uganda

family pose, Queen Elizabeth Equator, Uganda

It’s almost a year since my last trip for our epic bird-ringing week-end at Julia’s amazing home in Kibale Forest – maybe that’s where I’ll write my book?  Chimp alert! or muzungu bolthole?

From there Julia and I travelled to the wide open savannah of Ishasha where we’d jumped in an elephant trench and had a go at maintaining the matooke (banana) plantation – all in a day’s work for the Bazungu!

Why I love elephant dung! tells the story.

Back in Kampala, my photographer friend Javi and I rocked up to State House, the President’s office. Javi asked me to collaborate with him on a book about Uganda and we have the makings of a great project – we just need someone to pay for it! And so we spent Valentine’s Day sweltering on the veranda as our 10 a.m. meeting got put back and back and back. By 4 p.m. we finally had our slot with one of the President’s Permanent Secretaries, a charming lady called Grace: but alas the answer was NO.

We didn’t get to meet The Man With The Hat (The Big Man) either. Boo, hoo Valentine’s Day, no red rose, no book deal, not nuffink.

Uganda souvenir map photo montage. Uganda travel blog

I love seeing everyone’s favourite Uganda memories – this one went back to Scotland with fellow VSO volunteers Stuart and Elisabeth

September saw the launch of the Uganda photo souvenir map Facebook page. The Uganda map is designed by Andrew Roberts, a UCF Director and co-editor of the Bradt travel guide. Special thanks to ‘Chimp Girl’ Julia Lloyd and Harriet ‘Ebola’ Fowler for commissioning photo maps and for all your support! Each montage is individually created with your photos and 10% of sales go to the Uganda Conservation Foundation to help fight poaching in the National Parks – now at its worst level in decades.

Poaching is fuelled mostly by the growth of the Chinese middle classes and facilitated by China’s growing networks and investments in East Africa. Check out my friend Anne-Marie’s brilliant article about poaching in Uganda, entitled There is a lot of it about.

In October, I was delighted to welcome fellow Lonely Planet* blogger, Isabel Romano, on her first trip to Africa. After a visit to Ggaba market on Lake Victoria and a relaxing lunch at Cassia Lodge taking in the view, Ronald and I introduced her to a very different view of Kampala: a visit to Namuwongo slum.

Hanging with the kids in Namuwongo slum. Uganda travel blog

Ugandan kids have the best smiles! Thanks to Isabel Romano of www.diariodeabordo.com for this fabulous photo

To find out more about some of the excellent development work in Namuwongo slums, check out Events for Namuwongo on Facebook.

My friend Ronald is a professional dog trainer based in Kampala. I love my walks with him and De Boys – Baldrick and Percy!

My favourite Uganda dog moments

The best friend a girl could have: the Dog with the Waggiest Tail. Coming to Uganda gave me the chance to have my first dog, Baldrick, my parter in crime in many of my blog stories. Here are some of my favourite moments.

Namuwongo is dear to my heart – the first place I lived in Uganda.

Murchison Falls National Park

I celebrated my birthday with Red Chilli’s at their camp in Murchison Falls National Park, where we partied all week-end to celebrate the camp’s tenth birthday. A percentage of all the camp’s profits go to support the Steve Willis Memorial Fund.

Anne-Marie and I should have known better: as we entered the Park, we opened the car doors in exactly the wrong spot letting vicious biting Tsetse flies loose in the car. We spent the weekend itching, scratching and regretting it!

Rothschild's Giraffe Murchison Falls National Park. Uganda travel blog

You can’t help but fall in love with the Rothschild’s Giraffes in  Murchison Falls National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park

Tembo Canteen on Mweya Peninsula in Queen Elizabeth is possibly the best location in the world to endure three days of PowerPoint presentations, with Mike Cant’s talk about mongooses being the highlight. Kabina squashed on a hard wooden benche, I loved reconnecting with my conservation friends for UWA’s research symposium: Dianah, Phionah and Richard from NatureUganda, Aggie and Dr Margaret from UWA, Gladys of Conservation Through Public Health, Alex, Erik and Emmanuel from UCF, Alastair and Andy from Wildlife Conservation Society. Poaching, invasive species, climate change and human wildlife conflict are just some of the big issues UWA is challenged with.

The weekend finished with a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel. The eager eyes of a warden even spotted a leopard, a distant dot high up on the hillside! We certainly didn’t expect to see a leopard in broad daylight from the boat, but that’s the wonderful thing about going on Safari – every outing is different.

Birds and bird watching in Uganda

By the way, if you like birds you might enjoy some of the muzungu’s Uganda birding stories, now grouped on one handy page inspired by attending the UK Bird Fair and hanging out with expert birders Roger, Malcolm, David Lindo ‘the Urban Birder’ and Aussie Chris Watson.

African Fish Eagles Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth National Park

African Fish Eagles on the Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth National Park

The best community tourism projects in Uganda are promoted by UCOTA

The UCOTA community tourism fam trip was another highlight. We had a lot of fun, as you will read in – Can you play the Xylophone? – and got to meet the real people living on the edges of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Theirs is not an easy life.

Honey never tasted so good!

Honey never tasted so good!

A wave of patriotism flooded Uganda in 2012 as the country celebrated 50 years of independence. Needless to say it also brought up a lot of discontent, mostly aimed at the current regime’s 26 years in power. My contribution to the party? 50 reasons why I love Uganda – my most popular blog ever.

A moment of feeling homesick…

I felt a twinge of homesickness as I thought of all my friends and family celebrating the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and the London Olympics. British expat friends dressed in the red, white and blue of the Union Jack and gathered round a TV set in Kololo to watch the celebrations along the Thames.

Cha, Amy and Jennie. Diamond Jubilee Kampala

Cha, Amy and Jennie. Diamond Jubilee Kampala

Diamond Jubilee. London Bridge on TV 2012

I was glad to be able to get a glimpse of London Bridge on TV. I felt quite homesick for a moment! Diamond Jubilee 2012

Uganda was delighted to welcome home the Marathon gold Olympic medallist Kipsoro. It seemed to be a typical Ugandan achievement – mpole, mpole ‘slowly by slowly’ – wait until the very last event to win a medal…! Ugandans are rightly proud of this homegrown talent, who actually trained in next door Kenya.

boda boda. Uganda travel blog

A wave of patriotism swept across Uganda in 2012. Boda boda photo courtesy of journalist photographer Amy Fallon http://www.amyfallon.com/

Running across East Africa, with the Hash House Harriers – and a Royal Wedding

I know a lot of talented runners. Kampala’s Seven Hills race (or does Kampala have 22 hills now?) certainly keeps us fit! At 1000 metres above sea level, rumour has it that if we train here in Kampala, we return to the lower lands of Europe with more stamina. (I certainly huffed and puffed my way up Tank Hill in Muyenga, Kampala for a few months before I acclimatised to the increase in altitude).

Buganda Kingdom wedding envelope

An invitation from the Buganda Kingdom

Regular Diary of a Muzungu blog readers will know of my Monday evening antics with the Kampala Hash House Harriers, that have taken me to all corners of Kampala, Jinja, Nairobi and even Ethiopia. I felt a million Muganda ladies sigh (and maybe a couple of Muzungu ones too) as the Buganda Kingdom announced the engagement of our friend Prince David Wassaja. We wish you all de best Federo! The Muzungu was honoured to be invited to the Buganda Royal Wedding.

De Prince tries to keep a low profile on the Kampala Jinja relay. Uganda travel blog

De Prince tries to keep a low profile as he passes villagers on the annual Kampala Jinja relay

Diary of a Muzungu. Wasajja royal wedding

I was honoured to attend the wedding of Prince Wasajja at the Lubiri in Mengo

Northern Uganda comes to Kampala

In April we welcomed back the sometimes controversial comedienne Jane Bussman to Kampala for another run of her award-winning show, entitled “The worst date ever – or how it took a comedy writer to expose Africa’s secret war.” It was a sell-out night in Kampala. All proceeds from Jane’s show went to complete construction of a house for ex-LRA child soldiers in Northern Uganda.

Meeting new tribes in Nairobi, Kenya

Nairobi Sarit Centre. Diary of a Muzungu

The Muzungu and new friends from Turkana and Pokot tribes, Kenya. The tourism show at Nairobi’s Sarit Centre whet my appetite for more East African travel

Check out the Muzungu with my new friends – the guy looks very cute! Kenya is only a bus ride away and I need to explore the country further!

The two are not connected 😉

Shopping sugarcane plantation, Mabira, Jinja

We stopped for a spot of shopping – in the middle of the sugarcane plantation, Mabira, Jinja

Griffin Falls Ecocamp, Mabira Forest, Jinja

Set in the heart of Mabira Forest, Griffin Falls campsite is a charming little hideaway.

Enkima red-tailed monkey mural, Griffin Falls Camp, Mabira

Enkima red-tailed monkey mural, one of many on display at Griffin Falls Camp, Mabira

The banda accommodation and food are basic and cheap; if you’re happy with cold bucket showers and a kerosene lamp, you’ll love this place. Isla and I hired bikes for a guided tour of the Forest and the Falls and I even saw my first Grey Cheeked Mangabey! Hussein and Peter (tel +256(0)751949368 / +256(0)751955671) are very friendly and knowledgeable about the forest’s birds and trees, under threat from so-called developers. The campsite is a real gem.

PHEW! Well I’ve worn myself out just reliving all of that lot…! Time for a lie-down now…

So what does the New Year hold for the Muzungu?

2013 is my year – and hopefully Uganda’s too, after National Geographic voted Uganda one of the top 20 places to visit in 2013.

*Sadly, after four years, Lonely Planet has dropped its links with Diary of a Muzungu and the 100s of other travel bloggers featured on its web site, after Lonely Planet was sold to the BBC. Farewell #lp we’ve had a good run. We in Uganda loved being Lonely Planet’s no. 1 destination to visit in 2012 and working with Lonely Planet bloggers to create a free downloadable book of photography was a personal highlight.

Moving house Ugandan style. PHOTO Mark Thriscutt

Moving house Ugandan style. PHOTO Mark Thriscutt

Diary of a Muzungu now accepts guest posts so if you have a story you want to share with the world, please get in touch! Thanks to my first guest blogger Mark Penhallow for a hilarious blog about Driving in Kampala

If you haven’t visited Uganda yet, feel free to explore my blog or drop the Muzungu an email for more Uganda and East Africa travel ideas. Wishing you an adventure-filled New Year!

Be part of something BIG!

The Uganda Kob and the Grey Crested Crane adorn the country's crest

The Uganda Kob and the Grey Crested Crane adorn the country’s crest  – (which bird will replace it in 20 years time when the bird is extinct?)

“Birding@50” focuses on the plight of Uganda’s national symbol, the Grey Crowned Crane.

While the country has been (for the most part) celebrating 50 years of independence, Uganda’s national symbol is in crisis. The Grey Crowned Crane is under serious threat as her wetlands habitats are polluted, eroded, degraded and built upon. Human development is swallowing up the wetlands.

Left unchallenged, the Crane will not survive, and it is estimated that the Grey Crowned (or ‘Crested’) Crane will be extinct in Uganda within just 20 years.

The Grey Crowned Crane, also known as the Crested Crane

Ironically, the fact that Cranes are monogamous birds that pair for life is one of the factors pushing them towards extinction. Some people hold the traditional belief that eating or using a Crane product will therefore strengthen their own relationship.

 

NatureUganda is leading the campaign to save the Crane.

We urge individuals and the authorities to protect the wetlands. We need people to ask themselves “when did you last see a young or adult Crane? Do you see them as often now as you did when you were a child?”

It is no coincidence that as humans encroach upon the wetlands, the number of Cranes has plummeted across the country.

NatureUganda’s Achilles Byaruhanga tells us more about this sensational bird in The Crested Crane: Uganda’s symbol of beauty and serenity

 

So why am I talking about this?

It’s because this Saturday 20th October will be BIG BIRDING DAY 2012!

BBD is a country-wide “big birding race” between birding groups, led by experienced bird guides, who will aim to record as many bird species as possible in a single 24 hour period.

NatureUganda has 47 teams registered so far, across the country. More teams are registering, making this the biggest BBD ever!

There’s free entry for all participants birding in National Parks, Wildlife Reserves and Forest Reserves – but you need to register with NatureUganda first.

The results of the BBD race will be announced during the Big Birding festival on Saturday 27th October 2012 at Entebbe Botanic Gardens. See poster for more details!

The importance of Birds

Despite the large number of birds in Uganda – almost half the continent’s species – very few Ugandans are aware of the country’s rich diversity. The “Uganda Big Birding Day” helps promote avi-conservation and avi-tourism – bird conservation and tourism or ‘birding.’ Although avi-tourism is developing in Uganda, very few locals take part – yet! More trained bird guides are needed!

If you like birds, you might enjoy some of my other stories about birding in Uganda.

Big Birding Day Uganda 2012

Check out all these lovely FREE events! Big Birding Day Uganda 2012

A disgusting day out

Looking for things to do around Kampala?

NatureUganda is a member organisation that organises affordable birdwatching trips around the country and researches numerous species, mainly birds.

Visiting the abattoir might not be top of every vegetarian’s wish list, but that didn’t stop two vegetarians from looking forward to a day out at the slaughterhouse, as part of Nature Uganda‘s annual vulture count. Interested in taking part?

Our gory tour took us to the very smelly outdoor Busega fish factory; the tidy, rustic Kyengera Abattoir and the formidable Kalerwe Abattoir, on the look-out for Hooded Vultures, Pied Crows, Brown Kites and Marabou Storks.

Nature Uganda vulture count, abattoir, Marabou storks

The annual Nature Uganda vulture count takes you to glamorous locations such as abattoirs! Here Marabou Storks congregate off Port Bell Road, Kampala

“I tried not to look at the blood and guts around me and looked down – and narrowly avoided stepping on a cow’s brain!” Said Alex the vegetarian. Not the most glamorous of day’s out for us ladies, tiptoeing around pools of dark red blood seeping into Kalerwe’s thick oozing mud…

Vulture Count Kalerwe Abattoir, Kampala

My Nature Uganda friend Roger had painted a grim picture of last year’s annual vulture count – but I couldn’t wait to experience the horror for myself!

Living in Uganda has desensitised me to the horrors of the meat trade. A vegetarian since the age of 13, it was learning about the UK’s concrete and metal ‘factory farms’ that turned me off meat, overnight. In the UK we’re as far removed from the slaughter process as could possibly be (it’s hard to reconcile the surgical cleanliness of the plastic-wrapped portions of meat in the supermarket with the reality of what happens to the animal in the slaughterhouse). Here in Uganda, it’s back to basics: blood, guts and all.

Heaps body parts Kalerwe Abattoir, Kampala

Heaps of (cow) body parts wherever we looked in Kalerwe Abattoir, Kampala – why can’t the Chinese make ornaments and medicines out of this lot and leave Africa’s rhino and elephants alone?

So why were we putting ourselves through this?

Vultures aren’t the world’s prettiest birds – that characteristic bald head helps keep the head clean when feeding on a carcass – but they (and the Marabou Storks) are arguably the most useful, and need to be protected.

Populations of the eleven species of African vulture have declined considerably. Threats vary, but include poisoning, loss of habitat, trapping for food and witchcraft.

Vultures are nature’s most successful scavengers. Known by some as ‘Superman of the bird world,’ vultures can eat Anthrax (without dying) and quickly dispose of diseased carcasses (without catching the disease) – and no other animal will eat their carcass.

In the past decade, hundreds of vultures have been accidentally killed across East Africa after consuming poisoned animals set to kill lions and hyenas which had attacked livestock. Vultures are also intentionally poisoned by poachers because the presence of circling vultures alerts wildlife authorities to the location of poachers’ illegal activities.

Hooded Vulture soaring above Kampala. PHOTO Achilles Byaruhanga

Hooded Vulture soaring above Kampala. PHOTO Achilles Byaruhanga

Three Hooded Vultures, Kampala. Photo Veena Naik

Three Hooded Vultures, Kampala. PHOTO Veena Naik

In a recent incident, 48 vultures were poisoned near the Ishasha River on the Congo border, their bodies found scattered along a path heading back to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

In Kenya, vulture numbers in the Maasai Mara National Reserve have declined by an average of 62% since the 1970s. Vultures have some of the lowest reproductive rates among birds, making them particularly vulnerable. A decade ago none of Kenya’s eight vulture species was on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species; now 6 out of 8 species are on the Red List, with populations declining at an alarming rate.

Information on Kenyan vultures edited from Summit to save Africa’s vulture populations from extinction on ‘African Raptors‘.

Nature Uganda Vulture Count Kampala

Hammerkop getting in on the act! Huge numbers of Marabou Storks overseeing the fish processing near Nateete, Kampala

So how is the demise of this ugly old bird linked to human health?

Following a decimation of the vulture numbers in India, there’s been an increase in disease transmission among dogs and rats. The subsequent increase in dogs and rabies is blamed for an estimated human health costs of $1.5 billion a year. If vulture numbers continue to decline in Kampala, what might be the impact on the residents of the city?

cow hoofs Kampala

Too hot to trot! Nothing goes to waste here …molokony (cow hoof) is a popular hangover cure

Back at the abattoir, the authorities were suspicious of the muzungu wandering around with a camera – all except this guy: “You take my picture” he said.

worker Kalerwe abattoir

My idea of hell – but just another day at work for this guy

Once beyond the understandably suspicious questions “are you from the Ministry of Health?” people seemed quite interested in what we were doing. Someone offered to feed the birds for us (for a fee). Another guy asked if we could solve the problem of the Marabous shitting on (and therefore destroying) his zinc roof!

At Kyengera, the unmistakable smell of burning flesh led us by the nose down to a shack where a whole cow’s head sat roasting on an open fire. For 500 shillings (the cost of two chapatis) I was invited to take a photo – or (just for laughs!) pose with the man stoking the fire and roasting the head – somehow that just seemed one step too far.

Aren’t you glad I didn’t take that last photo?

The species: in order of population size, Uganda has the following Vultures: White-backed, Hooded, Ruppell’s, Palm Nut, Lappet-faced, White-headed and Egyptian.

To learn more about the Kampala vulture counts, and other activities, visit the Nature Uganda web site.

If you like birds, check out the muzungu‘s Birds page for lots more Ugandan birding stories!

How to feed a baby elephant

Last week I told you the tragic story about the increase in elephant poaching and how Baby Charles came to UWEC. But despite his sad start in life, he’s a very happy little elephant, bringing heaps of fun to anyone who gets a chance to see him – as we did on our elephant encounter.

As you can imagine, feeding baby elephant Charlie is not cheap. He drinks his way through 15 litres of milk a day, a mixture of human baby formula milk (SMA) and fresh diary UHT milk (less the cream), a diet he will have for the next two years.

Just saying hello!

Just saying hello! Like any baby, he wants to experience the new world open-mouthed!

A few fun facts about Charles:

• He loves bathing! Every day!

• He loves drinking water: he can drink up to 10 litres when thirsty! A fully grown elephant can drink a staggering 225 litres in one day.

• He likes running around and playing with his keeper Bruce, between feeds and naps

• He sleeps in a house – just like you and me!

Charles is unlikely to live back in the wild now, although relocation to a protected reserve is possible. He’s happy with his human companions and carers and loves running around and playing (he cries loudly if he is left on his own!) He has become ‘habituated’ (used) to human contact which, back in the park, could make him an easy target for poachers. Last year Mweya’s famous elephant Maria was poisoned, showing that animosity towards elephants is commonplace. Maria was a habituated elephant too, see R.I.P. Mary – elephant entertainer extraordinaire

Would you like to meet baby Charles?

 

You don't have to be a kid to enjoy meeting Charlie the baby elephant!

You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy meeting Charlie the baby elephant! Photo taken a few months ago.

Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (formerly known as Entebbe Zoo) look set to turn tragedy to success, for this little elephant Charlie is sure to become a great ambassador for his species. Hundreds of primary school children visit UWEC every day. They now have the chance to see an elephant, the closest most Ugandans will ever get to see this magnificent animal.

A personal meeting with Charles is the latest addition to the brilliant ‘Behind the scenes’ tour at UWEC. For $50 per person you will be taken around the whole zoo, accompanied by a very knowledgeable guide, for approximately 2 – 3 hours. Morning visitors have a chance to actually feed the hoofed animals such as giraffe, rhino and waterbuck. Afternoon visitors may see and participate in feeding the Big Cats: Lion, Leopard and Serval cat – up close. If there are specific feedings you wish to see, please check timings when you book.

All it took was a phone call the day before we wanted to visit to see the zoo’s latest – and most famous – resident, Hamukungu Charles. It’s the chance of a lifetime, to come up close and actually touch this magnificent animal. Even in miniature, there’s something very special about elephants. Charles loves company will be very excited to meet you!

Tours are available 7 days a week and there is a 10% discount for group bookings. To visit Charles or donate milk to feed him, contact UWEC on 0414 320 520 or 0414 320 169. UWEC is open every day from 8 am till 6 pm.

Imagine: elephants swimming to an island!

Last week I had an elephant encounter  at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe.

Baby elephant Charles at five months old

Baby elephant Charles loves to play football! Here he is at five months old

When you first encounter this baby elephant Charlie, thoughts of murder are far from your mind.

Originally from Queen Elizabeth National Park, Charles was brought to UWEC (a.k.a. the zoo) at the tender age of three weeks old, a victim of poachers that tragically saw him orphaned and then abandoned.

Fishermen of Hamukungu fishing village found baby Charles  abandoned on the shores of an island on Lake George, trying to swim. Since there were no other elephants nearby, and the baby was about to drown, the rescuers loaded Charles into their wooden dugout canoe and paddled him back to Hamukungu.

Can you imagine – seeing a baby elephant being paddled across the lake!

The fishermen were compensated for their quick-thinking by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and fisherman Charles was delighted for the elephant to be named after him!

Two days after the dramatic marine rescue, the carcass of an adult male elephant with six bullet wounds to the head and thoracic regions (indicative of poachers) was found submerged, next to the same island. It’s suspected that ivory poachers may have scared the elephant family away, leaving behind the newborn baby.

On arrival at UWEC a week later, baby Charles was weak, exhausted, and extremely thirsty. He was believed to be about a week old, as the umbilical cord was still attached. He did not know how to suckle; neither did he know the taste of milk.

Bull elephant along the Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth National Park

Bull elephant feeding along the Kazinga Channel. Can you spot the hippo?

Organisations like the Uganda Conservation Foundation are working hard with UWA to stop poaching, remind local people of  the penalties for poaching and the benefits of community conservation. UCF is building the capacity of UWA to work on the waterways of Queen Elizabeth by providing boats, professional marine ranger training and ranger accommodation posts. Uganda’s National Parks were once teeming with wildlife but the politically unstable years of the 1970s and 80s killed off all the rhino and Queen Elizabeth’s elephant population dropped by approximately 80%. The population has been slowly recovering but tragically, the international trade in ivory is undergoing an unprecedented increase. At least 13 Ugandan elephants were killed for ivory in 2011 and they desperately need more protection.

To visit Charles or donate milk to feed him, contact UWEC on 0414 320 520 or 0414 320 169. UWEC is open every day from 8 am till 6 pm. You can also find UWEC on Facebook.

So how do you feed a baby elephant? 

Can you play the Xylophone?

Check out the guys playing the giant xylophone at Kikorongo!

“Community tourism” bundles up a diverse range of activities – and can be great fun! – as a lucky group of us found out on a three-day UCOTA / Pearls of Uganda trip in and around Queen Elizabeth National Park recently.

Community tourism offers you the chance to find out first-hand what it’s like to farm your land (with the constant threat from hungry elephants) or to farm salt as people have done for 10,000 years on a crater lake (not a job for the squeamish).

Harvesting salt in Lake Katwe - and I complain about my job sometimes?

Harvesting salt in Lake Katwe – and I complain about my job sometimes? A full post about this incredibly tough lifestyle to follow …

Watch a clip of the Women’s Dance Group at Kikorongo, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

After the dance display at Kikorongo, I got a chance to try my hand at playing the enormous wooden xylophone. Admittedly, I was pretty rubbish.

Honey never tasted so good!

Honey never tasted so good!

Like bees around the proverbial pot of honey, we couldn’t wait to dive into the fresh honeycomb at the BBC (Bunyangabu Beekeeping Cooperative). We wolfed down big dessertspoons of it, spitting out the waxy residue “like chewing gum.” The BBC is a training centre for would-be beekeepers. They also process and sell the finished products (honey, candles and Propolis).

Community tourism is a learning experience too. Did you know you can wash your clothes with the flesh of a pawpaw? Or that locally grown flowers can produce red, green, yellow, orange, blue, maroon and brown colour dyes?

Rubona Basket Weavers' Association

Cissy poses amongst the multicoloured raffia – used to weave baskets at Rubona Basket Weavers’ Assoc

At the Foundation for Youth Development Agro-Tour in Kichwamba, the very knowledgable Benjamin pointed out the Trees of the Gods and the medicinal uses of the various plants and trees, as he took us all on a walk through the banana plantation.

Did you know that the Neem tree can treat an astounding 135 diseases? (I wish I had one in my compound – they even deter mosquitoes and insects!) Tawny Prinia, Northern Bishop and African Blue Flycatchers were a few of the birds we saw (apparently there are 250 species along Kyambura escarpment).

At the cave of the God of the Hunters, Kichwamba

A serious moment! At the cave of the God of the Hunters, Kichwamba. Note the pile of elephant dung!

Midway on our walk, we paused to pay our respects to the God of the Hunters at the cave, as Benjamin talked about hunting rituals and the importance of totems to conservation.

Time was too short to cut herbs and bathe in the river running through the cave below the wonderful Nyanz’ibiri ‘Between Two Lakes’ Community Eco-campsite  – next time! – and perhaps then Felex, I really will sleep in the beautiful Banyaruguru hut!

A very frumpy-looking Muzungu checking out the traditional accommodation option

A very frumpy-looking Muzungu checking out the traditional accommodation option (hey we’d been on the road 3 days, ok?!)

To find out more about these and many other fascinating days out, visit the UCOTA / Pearls of Uganda web sites or contact the Muzungu for Uganda travel ideas.

Have you visited any of the Pearls of Uganda community tourism projects? Which ones would you recommend?

 

An elephant encounter!

We were all excited at the thought of seeing – and touching – a baby elephant. As we arrived, this jolly little creature, with his long, thick eyelashes came trotting along behind his keeper and soul mate Bruce, his carer at Uganda Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe.

Charlie the elephant and Bruce his keeper

These two are inseparable! Charlie the elephant and Bruce his keeper

These two have become inseparable. They even sleep together (in a house of course!)

I’d made the mistake of wearing open toed sandals for the day, so I was a bit wary of getting too close to him. In his enthusiasm to sniff everyone with his curly trunk, he trod on the toes of one of the teenage girls in our group – luckily she had trainers on. He may be a baby but he already weighs 153kg!

The Muzungu meets the elephant

A right couple of Charlies - Charlie the Muzungu meets Charlie the elephant

You can almost cuddle Charles, he’s so small. He’s a cute little thing – for now! A mere 100 to 120 kg when born, an elephant will weigh an incredible 2,000 to 3,000 kg when fully grown.

I worked in conservation in Uganda for 2 ½ years, written elephant reports, elephant stories and an elephant obituary but this was my first time to come up close with the famous Loxodonta Africana.

To visit Charles or donate milk to feed him, contact UWEC on 0414 320 520 or 0414 320 169. UWEC is open every day from 8 am till 6 pm.

Charles was not born in captivity. Next, read the tragic story behind this elephant-sized bundle of fun… Imagine: elephants swimming to an island!

A ticking off – ringing birds in Kibale Forest

According to Roussouw, Kibale Forest harbours the greatest variety and concentration of primates found anywhere in East Africa.”

Well, thumbs up to that. Kibale is where the muzungu saw her first wild Chimpanzee, and the apparently ‘elusive’ Red Colobus monkey (although I’m not sure whether the staff at Kibale Forest Camp would agree, hearing them crash through the forest while they’re serving the guests sundowners).

Incredibly rich in animal life, Kibale is a place of many firsts for me. Even after three years in Uganda working in conservation, Mother Nature’s still been holding back on me: my first wild chimp, my first Red Colobus Monkey, my first Green Mamba! But these were all unexpected bonuses – we’d actually travelled to Kibale to ring birds.

Malcolm Wilson setting up the mist nets at the edge of Kibale Forest
Malcolm Wilson sets up the mist nets at the edge of Kibale Forest

The previous day Julia had instructed the boys to hack a pathway through the high grass at the edge of the forest. Four-metre high bamboo poles were hung with a fine nylon ‘mist net’ barely visible at dusk or dawn, gently ensnaring unsuspecting birds. Off with the anoraks and on with the Ipod – there’s as much technology in 21st-century birding as in any walk of life . (Bird calls are stored on the iPod, which is hung strategically close to the forest to attract the birds). Every few minutes, one of the team would disappear into the Bush to check the net, returning excitedly a few minutes later with their feathered booty in a little cloth bag.

bird ringing Malcolm Wilson Kibale
Bird ringing is an exact science! Monitoring the bird population of Kibale Forest edge

On our feet since dawn, ringing birds is harder than it looks: concentrating on the welfare of the birds, not leaving them in the net for more than 20 minutes, keeping them cool.

No-one had slept much the night before. We’d been woken at two in the morning by a gargantuan face-off between the chimps in the forest and three dogs tearing around the compound – all set off by a hungry elephant! It was the chimps that had woken Mandela. He’d then quickly woken Bahati and off they ran to chase the elephants away from the precious pineapple field.

That morning, expert birder and tour guide Malcolm was very excited at rumours of a White Collared Oliveback – “Ooooh, put it back in the bag,” he said, savouring the moment.

Dawn looked nervous when advised she was about to pull ‘a new bird’ out of the bag. It’s a bit like lucky dip really! Or not so lucky in Dawn’s case: she dipped her hand in – and winced in agony as an enormous beak bit her hand! The Blue Breasted Kingfisher was one of the weekend’s top finds, with the most experienced ringer ‘getting the tick first.’ If there was envy, no-one let on!

Blue Breasted Kingfisher Sunbird Hill Kibale
Malcolm displays the Blue Breasted Kingfisher – one of the weekend’s top catches – before letting it fly back into the forest

Malcolm gave Dawn more warning about the Grosbeak (Thickbilled) Weaver: “Beware Dawn, this one has an 80 pound per square inch peck!” i.e. don’t be fooled by the small beak, it can exert a painfully powerful peck!

Bird guide Nathan weighs bird
A young helper watches Nathan record the bird’s biodata at Sunbird Hill

“The secret is to get the kids involved” said Richard, encouraging Hope and Amos to hold the birds and help identify them. He was less positive about the Marsh Tchagra: “they bite a lot, like all Shrikes – nasty birds.”

Klaas' Cuckoo Kibale Forest edge Sunbird Hill
Dillon eyes up a spectacular Diederick’s’ Cuckoo

Eager to see the birds in the nets (before anyone else!) – I got lost – twice!

Malcolm waved his finger at me sternly as Nathan and I rejoined the group back in the shade by the house.

“Don’t spend so much time by the nets,” he said. I felt embarrassed. (I didn’t mean to get lost!)

Highlights of the two days’ ringing included a pair of exquisite Grey-headed Negrofinches (now known as Negritas), Green-backed Twinspots, a Little Greenbul (I was relieved to hear the experts struggle to identify birds too!) and a Brown-chested Alethe (a species of forest thrush that can only be caught with an iPod and a mist net); a Green Hylia (a type of warbler), an Olive-bellied Sunbird and a tiny White-ringed Prinia.

You can read a full trip report from the visiting birders on the Teifi Ringing Group’s blog.

Identifying Sunbird Kibale Forest edge
Identifying a Sunbird – not always easy, even with the bird guide!

It was a real treat for an amateur birder like me to see such wonderful birdlife come out of the forest. Everyone pointed out birds flying overhead and in trees around us: an emerald green Diederick’s Cuckoo, Lesser Striped Swallows, African Grey parrots, a Superb Sunbird; a Black Crowned Tchagra (a shrike) in the long grass.

The Roussouw guide says “watch for flocks of rare and localised White Naped Pigeons in-flight overhead or sunning themselves in treetops in the early morning” and lo and behold, the White Naped Pigeons were in front of us.

Fascinating and fun too, the two days’ information collected is baseline data for a study of the biodiversity of the forest edge. The data’s being shared with NatureUganda, one of the partners in a new East African bird ringing scheme.

TICK! bird list Kibale Forest
TICK! Here’s the full list of the birds I saw on the edge of Kibale Forest (R = ringed)
  • African Blue Flycatcher
  • African Grey Parrots
  • African Yellow Whiteye (R)
  • Black Crowned Tchagra
  • Blue Breasted Kingfisher (R)
  • Bronze Mannikin
  • Bronze Sunbird
  • Brown-chested Alethe (R)
  • Brown-throated Wattle-eye
  • Diederick’s Cuckoo
  • Dusky Blue Flycatcher
  • Green Crombec (R)
  • Green Hylia (R)
  • Green Twinspot (R)
  • Green-backed Twinspots (R)
  • Grey-backed Camaroptera (R)
  • Grey-headed Negrofinch (R)
  • Grosbeak (Thick-billed) Weaver (R)
  • Klaas’s Cuckoo (R)
  • Lesser Striped Swallow
  • Little Greenbul (R)
  • Marsh Tchagra (R)
  • Northern Double-collared Sunbird
  • Olive-bellied Sunbird (R)
  • Pygmy Kingfisher (R)
  • Ross’s Turaco
  • Slender-billed Weaver (R)
  • Snowy-headed Robinchat (R)
  • Superb Sunbird
  • Vieillot’s Black Weaver
  • White-naped Pigeon
  • White-collared Oliveback (R)
  • White Chinned Prinia (R)
  • White-headed Sawwing
  • Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird (R)
  • Yellow-whiskered Greenbul (R)

NOTE 2021: Since writing this blog, the 40 acres of regenerating farmland have developed into Sunbird Hill, a site for birders, ornithologists, lepidopterists, entomologists, primatologists and tourists who want to be immersed in nature. Sunbird Hill supports the work of In the Shadow of Chimpanzees, a small NGO that is training young people in conservation and developing village tourism along the edge of the National Park.

Chimp alert! Muzungu bolthole? Kibale Forest

Three dogs bark excited greetings as we drive up the steep hill on the approach to Julia’s house on the edge of Kibale Forest.

The four hours from Kampala to Fort Portal on tarmac are easy. The last hour of the journey is the hardest: balancing a plastic bag full of raw eggs on my lap, as Julia races down the rutted dustbowl that passes for a road. Cool crater lakes beckon right and left.

Julia Lloyd chimpanzee primatologist Kibale Forest
Annotated drawings of Kibale Forest’s chimpanzees decorate Julia’s treehouse home. Julia was part of the team that first habituated the chimps for tourism

I’m having a break from the midday sun. Julia suggests I haul my Jerry can of cold water up into the sunshine so it’s warm for my afternoon shower. Butterflies circle around the water dripping into the washing bowl beneath the Jerry can. Julia’s world is full of her dad’s home-made inventions, contraptions in which Jerry cans feature prominently.

Determined to finish her Ph.D., Julia is spending most of her time in Kampala this year. We arrive in Kibale to find the inverter is broken, so there’s no power; the solar panel isn’t working either. There’s no gas left in Fort Portal, so we borrow a gas cylinder from a local lodge. At least we won’t have to rely on the charcoal stove to cook dinner and heat water for eight people for the next three days! This weekend may be classed as a trial run for future tourism endeavours! (Fast forward a few years and Julia’s place has developed in leaps and bounds: home is now known as Sunbird Hill).

Hope has prepared dinner: it’s ‘Irish’ (potatoes) from the garden, and g’nut (groundnut) sauce. The home-grown groundnuts are stored in a gigantic Ali Baba basket. Swimming in my g’nut sauce is a Lungfish, whole. I can’t face eating it and guiltily leave the fish in the pot. The kids found it in the river when they were collecting water this morning – I guess someone will have the stomach for it.

After dinner, a slither of moon to guide us, we check out the park boundary paths. As we inch past, torchlight reveals spiderwebs suspended between branches. We duck under the washing line. The dogs bound ahead of us into the trees.

Freshly broken branches are evidence of a recent elephant visit.

Julia Lloyd. Kibale Forest view
View of Kibale Forest from Julia Lloyd’s viewing platform

“Wake up, the chimps are here! Come quick!” Yells Julia the following morning.

Bleary-eyed, I climb the viewing platform and we watch a solitary chimp warming himself in the early morning sun some 30 metres above ground. It’s my first sight of a chimpanzee in the wild.

Julia spent many years living in a treehouse deep in the forest studying Kibale Forest’s chimpanzees.

Julia Lloyd's Kibale Forest treehouse
Julia’s previous home – her treehouse in Kibale Forest

Baby Dillon points at the sweet bananas. He’s eaten four bananas by the time we arrive at the lodge on the edge of Kibale Forest. I’m covered in banana (there’s no chance of keeping clean around dogs and babies). Ornithologist and bird ringer Malcolm Wilson arrives shortly with five visitors, here to do a bird census and to advise Julia on how to maximise the biodiversity to attract more birdlife from the forest.

Before he arrives, we walk down to the forest boundary a few hundred metres away and check the ‘slashing’ (cutting back of the Bush). Four men have been working all morning to clear an access path for the nets.

We stop for a minute to debate whether to cut down a slender branch hanging over the path.

“Don’t touch that,” says Julia, “that’s the National Park.”

We look up, straight into the eyes of a Green Mamba! It’s a message: he is protecting the forest.

Green Mamba above our head - protecting Kibale Forest
Green Mamba above our head – protecting Kibale Forest!

I’ve added four new birds to my bird list this morning; I can’t wait to add more over the next two days.

We notice freshly broken branches across our path – “The elephants must be close,” says Julia.

Next installment from Kibale Forest: a ticking off – ringing birds in Kibale Forest

Slumming it, Kampala style

Rubbish collection is managed privately in Kampala: you pay through the nose for a private contractor to collect your rubbish once a week. Local people just burn their rubbish, and maybe that’s all the private contractors do?

And so, a week after moving house, and reluctant to burn, I asked Alex how I could dispose of my rubbish. “Come – we go,” he said.

We drove to Namuwongo and I was a bit horrified when he said to turn down a steep dusty bank across the railway and into the heart of the slum. I’ve been through the slum many times, but not in a car (there are no roads) and not to dispose of my rubbish. We edged our way through women boiling water in beaten-up old aluminium pots on charcoal stoves, gawping toddlers and boda bodas. “Hello Muzungu, you go back,” one lady said as we squeezed through. Embarrassed, but with Alex focused on our destination, we drove on. Moving forward wasn’t easy; reversing would have been almost impossible.

My heart sank as the tip came into view: goats grazing and Marabou storks stabbing at the contents of hundreds of the demon cavera (carrier bags). Doesn’t the slum have enough rubbish without the muzungu’s?

There was plenty of excitement as Alex threw a knackered old water heater onto the tip. It was quickly salvaged; if anyone can fix it, these guys can.

And the fee? One thousand shillings, less than 50 US cents – although the muzungu price would have been higher had we hung about. “Drive!” commanded Alex, and I stepped on the gas.

“Muzungu, I have a tortoise!” cried a young boy, as we drove past his house. Wild tortoises live in the swamp below the slum. I admit, in my first year in Uganda, I fell for that one. I had a tortoise when I was a kid; they’re great pets, but not easy to look after. The English one died in hibernation one winter; my Ugandan one did a runner! He probably made it back to the slum (just the other side of my old compound wall) – to being sold to another naïve muzungu.

Street dog Baldrick inspects Swampy the Tortoise

Street dog Baldrick inspects Swampy the Tortoise

Last year I’d been in the same slum for quite a different reason – a party!

VSO friends of mine, Alan and Alison, had agreed to hold a kids’ party in the local church. It’s a big clapperboard type construction right next to the railway line next to the swamp. I’m not a churchgoer but I do like to party! so I offered to help blow up the balloons and do the face painting.

“So how many people do you think will attend?” I thought Alison would say about 100.

“Oh about 400 I expect.” GULP.

Face painting children

Little kids and big kids, wave after wave of them surrounded us for two hours!

It was great fun – but knackering! But what was nice was that we just made a great big fuss for one day. The VSO focus is on sustainable development so at the back of your mind you’re always asking yourself whether X will  happen when you’re gone. It’s unlikely these kids will ever see such a party again (Alan and Alison’s friends from back home had all chipped in to fund the party) –  sometimes you just need to have FUN, whoever you are, whatever your circumstances. (Although we did hear kids making a racket with whistles into the night!. Let’s just hope their families enjoyed it as much as the kids did!)
Read more about “A party to remember” on the Cowan family blog

The Muzungu’s travel highlights of 2011 – Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, South Africa, Turkey!

Travel highlights – from across Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Ethiopia and Turkey

If 2011 was busy, 2012 looks set to be busier still! Here are a few of 2011’s highlights for Diary of a Muzungu, Uganda travel blog …

Nairobi to Lake Naivasha Relay - local people watch on. Uganda travel blog

Nairobi to Lake Naivasha Relay – local Maasai watched bemused as 100 Hashers ran through Hell’s Gate National Park

Travel to Kenya

The annual Naivasha Relay (84 km from Nairobi to Lake Naivasha) is one of the highlights of Nairobi Hash House Harriers’ calendar.

40 Ugandan Hashers travelled from Kampala to Kenya for the week-end  party (I mean run!) I ran my share of tghe relay- 3 km to be exact  – ‘good enough’ as we say in UG.

The weekend started with a 12 hour bus journey: The real ‘boda boda’ experience – travelling sidesaddle into Kenya.

Travel across Rwanda

A full day’s travelling by bus across Uganda, through Kigali, and onto the fabulous  Volcanoes National Park (Parc Nationale des Virungas) to stay at Le Bambou Gorilla Village in Kinigi.

The Doctor enters Rwanda - Uganda travel blog

The muzungu travelled with her personal physician

Rwanda’s reputation precedes it in many positive ways nowadays.

The smooth tarmac in Kigali made a pleasant change from Uganda’s potholes; the legal obligation to wear a helmet on a boda boda (motorbike taxi) in Kigali came as a bit of a shock after Kampala’s very relaxed attitude to road safety!

A flight to South Africa via Nairobi

TIP: next time you fly, look at the map before you select your seat – choose a window seat, check which side of the plane to sit and have your camera ready. Some of my most memorable travel moments of 2011 have been from on high (and I haven’t even joined the Mile High Club yet!)

  • Mount Kilimanjaro through the clouds;
  • Traversing the seemingly endless azure blue of Lake Malawi;
  • Skirting around the edges of Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater;
  • Seeing volcanoes emerge over the horizon as we approached Nairobi;
  • The shot of Kilimanjaro – en route to Johannesburg – is a favourite. Sigh …

Kilimanjaro at dawn

Daybreak at 30,000 feet – Mt. Kilimanjaro in the distance

Johannesburg, South Africa

U2′s ‘Beautiful Day’ will forever remind me of a great ten days in Johannesburg, with a great friend and her beautiful daughter, and something deeper – retracing my political and musical roots:

South Africa – Under a blood red sky with U2

Thank you Holly! For the trip, for the friendship and for being a part of my journey as a Voluntary Service Overseas volunteer.

Ethiopia

Hashing – the ‘drinking club with a running problem’ – led me on a very merry dance (hic!) around Ethiopia for two truly memorable weeks. I can’t stop reliving and writing about Ethiopia, here’s one of my posts:

Africa Hash, Ethiopia – Feeling IRIE in Addis Ababa

Ethiopian coffee ceremony Tissisat Falls

Traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony overlooking Tissisat Falls

A stopover in Istanbul, Turkey

On a trip back home to the UK, I stopped over in Istanbul for a dayIstanbul looks like my kind of place.

A day in … Istanbul got me thinking about how much I’d like to be travelling and writing about travel full-time.

Travel across Uganda

This year, I was excited to take part in the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s new tourism experience: Walking with Mongooses, a really fun and informative day out in Queen Elizabeth National Park. You may have watched the BBC’s ‘Banded Brothers’ TV series, all about these fascinating fellas.

Muzungu with Mongooses at Mweya, Queen Elizabeth National Park. Uganda travel blog

Muzungu with Mongooses at Mweya, Queen Elizabeth National Park

This year has been a year for:

WRITING – articles for The Eye Magazine Rwanda, Uganda’s Business Today magazine and writing and producing Uganda Matters, the annual newsletter for the Uganda Conservation Foundation.

Diary of a Muzungu has been featuring on Lonely Planet since 2009 (PHEW! no wonder I’m knackered!)

Diary of a Muzungu Lonely Planet Featured Blogger

Diary of a Muzungu was a Lonely Planet Featured Blogger from 2009 to 2012

CONNECTING  – with published authors, Lonely Planet bloggers and the global travel blogosphere. Thanks in particular to Todd Wassel at Todd’s Wanderings, for the beautiful and fantabulous Around the World with 40 Lonely Planet bloggers ebook; Mazarine Treyz of Wildwoman Fundraising for her boundless creativity and energy; Wandering Trader Marcello Arrambide who dropped by Kampala and shared some awesome tips on travel blogging. Writing and blogging can be an introspective way to spend your spare time – but you guys keep me motivated. Thank you so much!

CHANGING CAREERS – I’ve always said that in Uganda, “business is social and social is business” and I like it that way…

After two and a half years as a VSO volunteer for the Uganda Conservation Foundation, it was time to move on and employ a local man to take over my role. I’m so proud to have been part of UCF (work trips to the Bush – safari yeah!)

Team UCF, VSO, PACE conservation learning launch, Ggaba PTC

A big achievement. Launch of the Pan African Conservation Education training manual, Ggaba PTC, Kampala with the Uganda Conservation Foundation team and Voluntary Service Overseas,

Despite the global recession, UCF’s donors continue to support our work with the Uganda Conservation Foundation. The Uganda Wildlife Authority is so pleased with UCF’s work in Queen Elizabeth National Park that UCF is now working with them to tackle poaching and human wildlife conflict in Murchison Falls National Park. (Damn, that’s one trip I missed out on!) As you can see, I still talk about UCF in the present tense and I’ll continue to do as much as I can to promote this fantastic charity.

Life as a VSO volunteer in Uganda has certainly had its ups and downs. It’s been a truly incredible three years so far. I love life in Uganda – but it does sometimes get the better of me:

Shotgun wedding – a surreal and intense day

Here’s a bit more about life as a volunteer in Uganda –

Still counting myself lucky! 2 years on …

So why am I still in Uganda? Here’s one reason – one of my favourite blogs from last year:

Early morning sights and sounds

Happy New Year everyone!

Party with your closest relative!

Chimps grooming. Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Chimps grooming each other at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary – the Flagship project for the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT). Who’s imitating who? I ask myself this question again and again when I see chimps and humans together.

Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary  – the Flagship project for the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT) – is fundraising to refurbish the sanctuary enclosure / electric fencing system for the sanctuary. The electric fence  – erected about 10 years ago – today helps staff, visitors, students, local communities and tourists view the Chimpanzees with minimal or no contact.

The forested island of 100 acres is located 23 km offshore from Entebbe and provides a safe haven where orphaned chimpanzees are free to roam. It offers a unique opportunity for close viewing of chimpanzees in their natural environment. Prearranged supplementary feeding brings the chimpanzees within metres of the raised walkway, specially designed for easy viewing. It’s a fantastic vantage point for photos and to appreciate the almost  chimps now resident on this small island.

Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary  is a fantastic experience. If you live in Uganda – or are visiting – it’s a must-do experience and a great day out (you can even stay overnight on Ngamba Island!) I’ve visited twice and can’t wait to go again! CSWT’s CEO Lilly Ajarova has been a volunteer Director of UCF (the Uganda Conservation Foundation) for many years and it’s always an honour to support such a committed lady, a fellow marketer and conservationist.  She’s been a inspiration to me.

UPDATE: This event was a great success!

To find out about upcoming kids events, fundraisers and more at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, email reservations@ngambaisland.org
or call +256 414 320662 / +256 758 221880.

Camels on the shore of Lake Victoria in Entebbe, UWEC
Camels on the shore of Lake Victoria in Entebbe, seen from UWEC, Uganda Wildlife Education Centre

The photo was taken at the cafe in the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC), also known as Entebbe Zoo.  Free entrance to the zoo is included in the entry ticket to  Ngamba Island and it’s a lovely place to chill out.

Have you visited Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary? What was your favourite part of the experience?