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Stirring up magic at the Devil’s Cauldron

Top of the Falls, Murchison Falls National Park

There is an inevitability about the constant flow of the River Nile that I find quite overwhelming.

I find myself imagining the distance this water has travelled. Day and night, night and day, for tens of thousands of years, billions of gallons of water have raced through Murchison Falls en route to the Mediterranean. Kingdoms have risen and fallen, we live, we die, but still the water keeps coming. Imagine if the Nile had a memory: what stories would it tell us!

Aerial view Murchison Falls, Uhuru Falls, Wild Frontiers Uganda
Aerial view of Murchison Falls (to the right) and Uhuru Falls. PHOTO Wild Frontiers Uganda
Murchison Falls. Devil's Cauldron, Wild Frontiers. PHOTO Allan Ssenyonga
The Devil’s Cauldron is mesmerising! Photo taken looking upriver. Murchison Falls, Uganda. PHOTO Allan Ssenyonga
Diary of a Muzungu. Wild Frontiers. Top of Murchison Falls
The Devil’s Cauldron. Looking downriver. Murchison Falls, Uganda

There are several vantage points at the top of Murchison Falls, arguably the biggest draw to the National Park. To the right of the drop-off point, there is a glimpse upstream of where the River Nile is half a kilometre wide. See the staggering speed of the water, racing towards a gap in the rocks that is just seven metres wide. The water flows ferociously fast. It is breath-taking.

I stand at the edge of this incredible feat of nature, trying – but failing – to comprehend its total and utter awesomeness. Oh, how microscopic and unimportant I feel with my little camera!

Diary of a Muzungu. River Nile. Top of Murchison Falls
Once there was a footbridge crossing the narrowest point of the River Nile. The water speeds through this point ferociously fast
Devil's Cauldron. Top of Murchison Falls
This is my dad 🥰 inspecting the Devil’s Cauldron at the Top of Murchison Falls, Uganda

Thousands of people have taken photographs of the Top of the Falls so I can’t pretend I can improve on others’ incredible shots. The truth is, you cannot possibly capture the essence of Murchison Falls with a camera. You need to visit.

You need to see it with your own eyes.

You need to smell the river, feel its thundering power beneath your feet, listen to its roar, let the spray touch your body…

The water mesmerises me. Its power is so compelling. I feel its draw as I stand by the railings above the Devil’s Cauldron, the point where the River Nile plummets, crashes and explodes down a 43 metre drop.

It’s both exciting and scary.

How small I am. Stand in the wrong place and certain death is instant. I would be swept away in a second; indeed, more than one person has chosen to end their life at Murchison Falls. The river’s huge Nile crocodiles (some measuring an astonishing four or five metres long) are unlikely to mean a body is recovered either. There is a strong link between waterfalls and death in Uganda: certain waterfalls in the south west are historically associated with some macabre practices, like the forced ‘damping’ (dumping or drowning) of young women who were perceived to have broken the strict moral codes of the day.

I record a short video clip. As much as I am recording, I’m watching too, trying to make sense of what I am seeing, struggling to understand it. Although every scene is like every other: ‘water cascades over rock’ / ‘water shoots up into the air’ ad infinitum, it has a life of its own. Amongst the voluminous cascades and torrents are microscopic droplets that dance ghost-like in the air for a second before being consumed into a cloud of mist.

Murchison Falls Devil's Cauldron rainbow
At times, miniature rainbows are visible as sunlight filters through the spray in the Devil’s Cauldron

The water wears many costumes. At once dramatic and imposing, in a split second it is intriguing and dainty. I see magic everywhere.

I suddenly feel a gust of wind. I am safely behind the railing but I feel the wind catch me. Is it blowing me away from the water or pulling me towards it? Is my imagination playing tricks on me? I take a few steps backwards. I’m so lost in watching the movement of the water from the safety of my camera screen that I’m wary of the water tricking me. (See what personality I have given it)? It may only be water but I feel it has a life of its own. It makes me nervous.

The moment is a reminder to put the camera down. You can’t beat the full-frontal vision of Murchison Falls and I cherish the sensation of the river’s spray dancing over my face and bare legs.

The Devil’s Cauldron! Diary of a Muzungu goes to the Top of Murchison Falls with Wild Frontiers from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.

“The water level has dropped,” Evelyn tells me. “Before, you would get completely soaked standing here” she says, as we pose for photographs next to the safety rails on the small outcrop of rock above the Devil’s Cauldron. (I wrote this story in 2017 – what devastation the high waters have wrought since!)

Murchison Falls. Top of the Falls with Wild Frontiers. PHOTO Allan Ssenyonga
Top of Murchison Falls with Evelyn and Joan from Wild Frontiers Entebbe office. PHOTO Allan Ssenyonga

Sadly, we don’t have time today to walk down to the Bottom of Murchison Falls. It’s a steep walk, on a decent path with handrails and, if you plan it well, you can catch a boat from the bottom. It is only by taking this path that you have the imposing sight of both Murchison Falls (once known as Kabalega Falls) and the lesser-known Uhuru Falls.

View of Murchison Falls and Uhuru Falls, Uganda
View of Murchison Falls and Uhuru Falls, Uganda. You have to take the walk to / from the Bottom of the Falls to appreciate this incredible sight

Tip: take the time to do this excellent walk, for if you do, you will have one photo of Murchison Falls that your friends don’t!

A bit of history

Originally the falls were known as Kabalega Falls. Indeed, some Ugandans continue to refer to the indigenous name. However, explorer Sir Samuel Baker renamed Murchison Falls after Sir Roderick Murchison, president of the Royal Geographical Society. (He also renamed Lake Mwitanzige to Lake Albert, in honour of Queen Victoria’s ‘consort’ Albert). The Sir Samuel and Lady Florence Baker Historical Trail runs 805 km (500 km) through the African bush, and recalls the 1864 route they took from South Sudan into Murchison Falls National Park. The Trail features on National Geographic’s World’s Best Hikes: 20 Dream Trails.

The muzungu’s Murchison Falls travel tips

I travelled to Murchison Falls with Wild Frontiers Uganda and stayed at the superb Baker’s Lodge, on the southern bank of the river, in a luxury thatched safari suite looking straight onto the Nile. We ate every scrumptious meal outside and I even had a dip in the swimming pool. (No extra charge for the soothing sound of hippos munching outside your cottage as you fall asleep!) DISCLAIMER: sadly the Nile has completely consumed this gorgeous lodge!

Diary of a Muzungu. Baker's Lodge. Murchison Falls
Breakfast on the deck, underneath the Sausage Tree! Diary of a Muzungu chills out at Baker’s Lodge. Murchison Falls National Park

Watch out for the crocodiles & hippos! (Very amateur film) of the boat ride to the Bottom of Murchison Falls from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.

The scum on the surface of the river water is created by the turbulent Falls and is composed of organic matter (rotting fish and hippo, to be exact!)

The walk from the Top to the Bottom of the Falls (and back up) costs and takes one to 1 to 1 ½ hours. It costs $10 / $10 / 10,000 UGX (tourists / foreign residents / EAC citizens) according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority’ tariff for 2022.

Murchison Falls seen from Wild Frontiers boat
Murchison Falls seen from one of the Wild Frontiers Uganda boats

Wild Frontiers and Uganda Wildlife Authority both run boat trips up and down the River Nile. I took the Wild Frontiers boat cruise to the Bottom of the Falls “possibly the world’s most powerful waterfall in terms of the force of water ejected from the Falls itself.”

Top of Murchison Falls. View downriver towards the ferry crossing and the Delta. PHOTO Allan Ssenyonga
Top of Murchison Falls. View downriver towards the ferry crossing and the Delta. PHOTO Allan Ssenyonga

Another superb experience in Murchison Falls is the Delta cruise with Wild Frontiers’ excellent guides Milton and Dan. On our trip, they located not one but three rare Shoebills!

Shoebill, River Nile Delta, Murchison Falls. Wild Frontiers. Photo Allan Ssenyonga
Shoebill, River Nile Delta, Murchison Falls. Wild Frontiers. Photo Allan Ssenyonga

[Click here to learn about the horrendous plan to dam Murchison Falls!]

Wild Frontiers are the only company to offer a private Bush Breakfast on the northern bank of the Nile. The best way to experience this is by first taking the early morning Delta cruise. After breakfast, you can circle back to your lodge via a game drive through the park. The Muzungu has enjoyed 😊

Have you been on safari in Murchison Falls National Park?

Sundowners, star-gazing & tales from the bush

A weekend at Nile Safari Lodge and lunch at Masindi Hotel

There’s a cool breeze coming off the Nile tonight.

My banda at Nile Safari Lodge is open-netted on three sides. Set on stilts above the riverbank, it is airy and spacious. My banda has a wide veranda overlooking the river.

The two-tone noise beyond the nets can only be a frog. It is so loud that in my mind’s eye I imagine the frog to be a foot long! We hear the occasional HONK of a hippo.

Pod of hippo, River Nile Murchison Falls
Pod of hippo on the River Nile in Murchison Falls National Park

The background noise is a symphony of crickets. According to Zahid, “all you have to do is clap your hands and the noise of the crickets will stop, for 15 seconds at least, and then they will resume. Don’t worry, they automatically shut down by around 10.30pm !” The muzungu isn’t concerned. I look forward to the crickets lulling me to sleep before too long.

A lunch stop at Masindi Hotel

At Masindi Hotel, we received a friendly, understated welcome before eating a simple salad. (The heat in the middle of the day was too hot to consider eating anything else). The service was polite and swift.

Masindi Hotel is one of the original government-owned Uganda Hotels, and was managed well until Amin’s day. It and many others were sold off in the 1990s. Standards slipped. According to the hotel information, Masindi is the oldest Uganda Hotel, built in 1923. It is Indian owned now and has touches of classic Indian decor to complement the original building design and classic gardens. The hardwood interiors of the main living areas are beautifully done. The main building has welcoming bright yellow paintwork.

Hemingway plane crash Murchison Daily News 1954
The dramatic headline of January 1954 was in fact untrue. Hemingway survived not one but TWO plane crashes in Murchison Falls!

Famous guests have included Ernest Hemingway, Kathryn Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. The Kabalega Restaurant is named “in honour of the legacy of his Majesty Chwa II.” What history! What associations! What a shame this place is not better utilised. [Masindi Hotel has undergone a substantial facelift since I wrote this story].

Driving from Masindi to Murchison Falls National Park

The approach to Murchison Falls National Park is dusty. As we drive the dirt roads approaching the main gate, we close the windows and put the AC on. This is tsetse fly territory. I’d forgotten about those nuisance insects. (Guess who’s wearing a bright blue dress to enter the park? Tsetse flies are strongly attracted to the exact shade of blue that I’m wearing).

Zahid has been visiting Murchison Falls all his life. He points to the bridge that his engineer father constructed. “There used to be so many elephants and buffalo on this side of the river that we had to stop. We could not pass.” These days, most big mammals are confined to the north bank of the Nile.

Abyssinian Ground Hornbill Murchison Falls, safari
Abyssinian Ground Hornbills are frequently seen on the drive to Murchison Falls National Park. This photo was taken on a previous safari when the bush was green – not dry and dusty like it it’s been this March

There are no other vehicles on the road. Our only road companions are baboons, Buffalo, a Marabou Stork, a pair of Helmeted Guineafowl and one of my favourite birds, the Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, its curled eyelashes long enough to make any girl jealous. Flashes of bright blue are the tell-tale sign of Woodland Kingfishers. Swirling flashes of green are Cinnamon-chested Beeeaters.

We enter the park on World Wildlife Day.

Arrival at Nile Safari Lodge

We arrive at Nile Safari Lodge late afternoon.

It’s March and it’s hot. Rain has hit Kampala but barely reached this part of Uganda yet. There have been bush fires. A few drops of rain have brought green leaves to the tips of burnt bush.

Nile Safari Lodge, chain and anchor, Murchison Falls, Uganda
A gigantic chain and anchor line the walkway to Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls, Uganda

After a friendly welcome at the lodge, I watch ten monkeys picking fresh shoots from the tree next to reception. The monkeys are obviously happy here; there are many young among their group. They’re not scared by us, nor do they beg. Humans and monkeys coexist happily at Nile Safari Lodge.

Welcome to Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls. Altitude sign
Welcome to Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls. Altitude 2134 feet / 646 metres

As we enjoy our sundowners on the deck below the dining area, we spot the flapping ears of an elephant on the distant bank of the River Nile. He gently tugs at the long grass as he saunters upstream. Three Grey Herons fly by. An African open-billed stork and a cormorant fish below us. To our right is a small island that is popular with a pod of hippo and a dozen elephants who swim from the shore. We spot waterbuck too.

elephant Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison, Uganda
Ah… I feel relaxed all over again when I see this elephant! At times, there was a small herd of elephant visible on this island

Nile Safari Lodge was the first lodge to be built on the south bank of the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park and still has the best view of the river. I remember when I first visited in 2010: we arrived mid-afternoon to see 20 elephants at the river’s edge on the opposite bank of the river.

Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls, Uganda Nile view
Enjoy views of the Nile from Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls

What a lovely spot in which to wile away a few quiet days. It’s low season and there are only two other guests, a Ugandan lady and her Hungarian husband. We share a dinner table as we enjoy thick creamy home-made soup and the tastiest Nile Perch. The beers are cold and there’s plenty of ice. With freshly squeezed juice for breakfast (no added sugar), fruits and a cooked breakfast of eggs, sausage, tomato and toast, I really should have done a bit more exercise! Lunch and dinner are both three course affairs.

Early morning on the River Nile

Something on the roof awakens me the next morning. It takes a few moments to realise that there are monkeys overhead! They are so sure-footed, I swear they are human.

I go back to sleep and wake to sounds coming from the river: a flock of Pied Kingfishers and the occasional early morning launch boat, heading out for the start of today’s fishing competition. My morning tea arrives promptly. Hot water is brought for my morning ablutions. I love this banda. If I leave all the doors open, I can watch the River Nile from my open-air shower.

Nile Crocodile, Bottom of the Falls, Murchison
Nile Crocodile, Bottom of the Falls, Murchison

Our breakfast conversations are about crocodiles and hippos – near escapes in fact! Zahid’s friend “Crocodile Dog” had a lucky escape. He lived to tell the tale of his attack by a croc – albeit “minus one leg.”

“Those things come out of nowhere!” Zahid says, as he tells us another tale of lucky escape. Luckily for us, Nile Safari Lodge is high enough above the river to ensure visits by crocodiles and hippos are impossible.

Zahid Alam, Wolfgang Thome, Diary of a Muzungu. Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls
What a relaxing few days, with our host lodge owner Zahid Alam and East Africa tourism expert Professor Dr Wolfgang Thome, at Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls

Pakuba Lodge frequently comes up in conversation. There are rumours that this historical lodge will be refurbished one day. For now, nature has reclaimed Amin’s old lodge. “I saw two porcupines cornering a hyena there once,” Wolfgang tells us. I’ve also heard rumours of a resident leopard. Look what the BBC cauught on camera at Amin’s Pakuba Lodge!

ruins of original Pakuba Lodge Murchison Falls Uganda
Ruins of the original Pakuba Lodge, northern Murchison Falls National Park Uganda

(The Pakuba Lodge where I stayed to view Uganda’s extraordinary solar eclipse is in fact the revamped former staff housing of the original Pakuba).

Murchison Falls National Park has seen many changes. Murchison was Amin’s favourite National Park. It later became Joseph Kony‘s favourite park, making it a no-go area for many years. This was back in the 1990s and the park’s wildlife is thriving again, although oil drilling is the next challenge.

Diary of a Muzungu. capped oil head Murchison Falls
The subject of oil comes up frequently during my weekend visit to Murchison Falls. We checked out some of the capped oil heads, which are quiet (for now)

In search of Bugungu Fort

One morning, our driver Adong takes us to the site of Bugungu Fort, one of Samuel Baker’s forts. (It’s rumoured that an oil pipe may soon be laid right next to it).

Here, the River Nile is inside the National Park so fishing is prohibited. Of course, some people still try, especially since it’s impossible to police every inch of the river. Traditional crops include cotton, sweet potatoes and cassava but it’s been dry for months now. There is evidence of fires all around us.

cotton store near Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls, Uganda
A store for freshly-picked cotton store near Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls

After a morning talking about crocodiles and fires, my guide walks us down to the river past a small fire on which men are roasting cassava.

“Are there any crocodiles here?” I ask. “Oh yes!” Comes the opposite answer to the one I wanted. We walk through the fragment of Bugungu Forest. A few minutes into the forest and someone mentions tsetse flies. (Guess who’s wearing blue again?)

Where once was a wooden construction, all that remains of Bugungu Fort is a big hole in the ground like a small bomb crater. There are several large Mwai trees, complex trees whose convoluted branches have many smaller branches growing in every direction. They’re an important part of local culture.

Murchison Falls, Bugungu Fort
Exploring the remains of Bugungu Fort below the Mwai trees overlooking the Nile

We walk for another 10 minutes down to Delta Point, at the river’s edge. To the left is the Delta. To the right, upriver, are the famous Murchison Falls themselves. Here the riverbed is sandy. Further on, I spy a long straight pole poking from the surface of the river. It’s the unmistakable shape of a fishing pole. We look down to see a man’s pair of sandals next to it. The river comes under the jurisdiction of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. It is illegal to fish here.

We pause next to a Kigelia ‘sausage tree.’ I’ve always been fascinated by these weird-looking plants. Inedible in their raw form to humans, elephants love these huge fruits. You may know these fruits as the Amarula Tree. I quiz the local man about their uses for humans. Apparently peel one, boil the inside and you have a cure for Syphilis!

Murchison Falls, kigelia sausage tree
The unmistakeable Kigelia ‘sausage tree’ near Murchison Falls

For some reason, I’d assumed the fruit was hollow and light, like a gourd. It takes the muzungu two hands to lift one!

Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls, kigelia sausage tree fruit
One of the Kigelia fruit weighs as much as 15 kg.!

Adong picks up a wire. “This must be a snare,” he says. Although there is little wildlife on this bank of the river, according to Rogers from Nile Safari Lodge, “some small antelope do swim across the river” into a snare if they are unlucky. Here, downstream from Nile River Lodge, we are just outside the Protected Area of Murchison Falls National Park.

Murchison Falls, wire snare, Uganda
A simple wire snare can trap any animal

A few metres on, a young man stands next to the lakeshore. An older, barefooted man stands next to him. They look at us, we look back at them. He must have heard us approaching before distancing himself from his fishing rod.

It’s interesting to be back in the bush, seeing first-hand the ongoing battle against poachers. I spent my first three years in Uganda as a volunteer with the Uganda Conservation Foundation fundraising to support the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s anti-poaching work in Queen Elizabeth. UCF are very active in Murchison Falls these days too.

Swimming at Nile Safari Lodge

After an intensely hot morning, it’s a relief to take a refreshing dip in the lodge’s pool. It is set away from the lodge and has a clear view of the River Nile. Massages can be organised at the tiny wooden structure below the swimming pool and above the riverbank. The masseuse has a great touch. I feel thoroughly spoiled.

tree blossom Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls
After the first rains, plants and trees blossom instantly

One night we enjoy a vibrant performance by twenty Acholi dancers from the local village. The men wear elaborate feather headdresses which bounce up and down to the rhythm of the calabashes. The traditional drumming, the energetic hip-swaying of the dancers and the open fireplace make for a great atmosphere.

Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls, Uganda lamps

If you are into stargazing, you must bring your telescope.

Zahid showed us great views of Venus ‘evening star’ and a close-up of the moon’s cratered surface. Wow! I’ll never see the moon in the same way again. To the naked eye, Venus and the Moon appear a similar size but Zahid tells us Venus is a staggering 60 million miles away while the Moon is a mere 250,000 miles away.

Shoebill Camp – for the best view of the River Nile

Shoebill Camp is a spacious setting overlooking the Nile, adjacent to Nile Safari Lodge. I camped here with my sister on my first visit. This can be a great arrangement for people who are on a budget, or who like camping but not cooking! For just $10 a night, you have a whole field to yourself, a cold shower and flushing toilets. The security guard can light a fire for you too. It’s just five minutes’ walk through the bush to the lodge where you can enjoy all your meals and cold drinks, and the swimming pool (for an additional fee).

Nile Safari Lodge, Murchison Falls, Shoebill Camp

I’ll always remember how after dinner at the lodge, my sister and I were escorted through the bush by an elderly man with a bow and arrow. Our path through the vegetation was lit by glow-worms. It was magic.

Early morning mist River Nile, Shoebill Camp, Murchison
My sister! Early morning mist on the River Nile, Shoebill Camp, Murchison

Nile Safari Lodge is about to embark on a comprehensive refurbishment programme. With just a few touches here and there, I’m sure that Nile River Lodge will once again be the go-to place that it was for many years.

A big thank you to Zahid, John, Rogers and Dennis (who remembered me after a seven year absence!) It’s been particularly lovely to be back in a lodge where I have such happy memories of a family safari too.

10 little-known things to do in Arua, West Nile

Here’s the muzungu’s guide on how to travel to Arua, 10 things to do in Arua and West Nile, all about Arua town, what to buy in Arua market – and the best times of year to travel.

The Muzungu writes: I first visited Arua in 2016. That trip to the far north west of Uganda would not have been possible without the guidance of Gerard Iga. He is the ‘go to’ guide for Arua and West Nile. In 2022, I revisited. The town has seen a number of changes, in particular: new roads and a huge new shopping centre in the middle of the town. I haven’t updated all the restaurant and hotel recommendations in this blog post yet but, as ever, if you have a question just send me a message.

diary-of-a-muzungu-meets-gerard-iga-inside-west-nile
Diary of a Muzungu meets Gerard Iga of Inside West Nile for local lunch in Arua

Special thanks to my friend Harriet Fowler who gave me a return Eagle Air ticket to Arua!

Flight to Arua from Entebbe with Eagle Air

eagle-air-flight-entebbe-to-arua Travel West Nile
The clouds below our small plane parted to reveal the shimmering water of Lake Albert and the River Nile
eagle-air-flight-over-murchison-falls-delta
I immediately recognised the shape of the Nile Delta, a popular location for Uganda safaris and a good place to see the Shoebill (although perhaps not from this height!)

The Victoria Nile flows down from Lake Victoria through Lake Kyoga via Karuma Falls and thundering down over the famous Murchison Falls. Heading north, the water becomes known as the Albert Nile, and flows from Lake Albert on through South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt.

eagle-air-flight-entebbe-to-arua
Flying north over the River Nile, I could make out the shadows of the highlands of Panyimur, location of hot springs. Mount Erusi is the highlands’ highest peak

If you like aerial photos, check out the Air Photo Archive of Settlement and Agriculture, Rural Uganda 1963, created by Walter Deshler, University of Maryland.

Jonam, Pakwach. Air Photo Archive of Settlement and Agriculture, Rural Uganda 1963
Jonam, Pakwach. Air Photo Archive of Settlement and Agriculture, Rural Uganda 1963

The land below remains surprisingly green as we headed north. Superficially at least, not much seems to have changed west of Pakwach in 50 years!

eagle-air-flight-entebbe-to-arua-travel West Nile
On the north bank of the River Nile, homesteads ‘clusters’ of thatched huts came into view

I could see no brick constructions and no tarmac roads, just dirt roads as far as the eye could see and the very occasional tin roof. Not a vehicle in sight. I could make out the occasional person on a bicycle on the red dust roads.

Borassus Palms are one of the distinguishing trees of the north bank of the Nile, their seeds carried from Sudan in the stomachs of wandering elephants, and later expelled to transform the environment.

Eagle Air flight to Arua. Landing from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.

We had a very easy landing at Arua Airstrip. Watch the short clip to the end – how delightful to see the schoolchildren watching the plane land! Pretty as a picture.

arua-airport-foundation-stone-mobutu
I’d love to know the story behind this Foundation Stone? The President of Zaire (now DR Congo) General Mobutu, opened the airstrip at Arua in Uganda

About Arua – a great town!

Arua: think ‘Fort Portal without the hills’. We’re talking calm, clean and organised, with a touch of retro, thanks to the colonial architecture.

I travelled with friends from Kampala and Nairobi. We were all impressed by Arua. Many friends had not visited for a decade or more and noticed huge changes in the town.

outside-arua-hospital
The pavement outside Arua Hospital is always busy with street vendors and boda boda bicycles. Arua town

Arua is a cosmopolitan town, heavily influenced by its proximity to DRC and South Sudan. Apparently the Congolese of eastern DRC do more trade with Kampala than they do with Kinshasa, their own capital.

There are many forex shops in town. Arua also benefits from the many NGO offices, including Red Cross, Welt Hunger and others, here for humanitarian work in South Sudan.

gerard-iga-boda-boda-arua-road
The most striking thing are Arua’s good – and clean – roads. Bicycles and boda boda motorbikes fill the roads

Cars are few in Arua. You have to feel sorry for the abused vehicles: overloaded trucks carry 30 men at a time.

Gerard and Charlotte take a boda boda motorbike ride through Arua town, West Nile, Uganda from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.

While the road tarmac is in good condition, you can see the poverty as you drive north, up to the South Sudan border. The road is lined with thatched huts. Mabati tin roofs are few and far between (showing how little money there is in the area).

road-view-of-mountains-from-arua-to-koboko
There is a good road from Kampala via Arua up to the South Sudan border

Arua town has colonial buildings such as the Post Office style that is common to Kampala, Fort Portal and elsewhere. There is a Public Library too.

arua-library
Arua library on the town’s main street is a colonial style building

The small town has a population of 62,000, with 785,000 in the District. Apparently the late emeritus Bishop of West Nile developed many projects for the local community during his 30 years in office.

“And we should remember they produced a president!” My friend Daniel added, when we were trying to work out why Arua is such a thriving town.

West Nile has historically been isolated, both physically and politically, from the rest of Uganda. There is only one road bridge that crosses Nile (at Pakwach) to connect the region with the rest of the country although there are lesser used ferry crossings.

Former President Idi Amin was born in West Nile (his mother was from Arua and his father was from Koboko). During Amin’s reign, local people are said to have benefited but post-Amin, they were punished politically and economically.

To read more about the history of West Nile, read Dark past to glimmering future; the West Nile you never knew! One day, with an investment in facilities and itineraries, I can imagine tourists visiting the region just to learn more about this period of Uganda’s history.

10 little-known things to do in Arua

1.    Take a walk to the top of Arua Hill for a panoramic view of the town

sunset-over-arua-panoramic-view-of-the-town
Sunset over Arua. Panoramic view of town

2.    Eat local food

Market Lane in Arua has a good number of restaurants serving goat’s meat, beef, chicken, smoked dried fish with g’nut [groundnut/peanut] sauce.

traditional-lunch-arua-beans
Traditional lunch of beans, sweet potato and greens, Arua town
traditional-lunch-arua-kaloo
Traditional lunch of kalo (millet bread), meat and osubi (finely chopped greens, prepared with groundnut sauce and rock salt), Arua town
traditional-lunch-west-nile-goats-gizzards-cassava-matooke
Lunch at the Oraba (border with South Sudan) was matooke, cassava, roasted goat’s meat and “innards” (what looks like mushrooms to me, on the left of plate)

“What food will you take with it?” In Uganda, ‘food’ is specifically the starchy stuff like rice, kalo, matooke, sweet potato and chapatis. Side dishes [no jokes please] include tasty osubi, finely chopped greens, prepared with gnut sauce and rock salt.

The Still Baghdad Restaurant in Arua does a good beef pilau rice – with enough chunks of beef to satisfy a Kenyan!

3.    Enjoy the live Congolese music at Club Matonge

The Congo is just a short drive from Arua, meaning the town is a great place to hear Congolose musicians perform. Club Matonge is a  ‘free to enter’ outdoor bar. (The bar doesn’t serve spirits, just beer and wine from a box). We spent a couple of hours here. When the band realised we had Kenyans in our crowd, the singers launched into some classic Swahili songs. Our friends from Nairobi reminisced!

live-congolese-music-club-matonge-arua-westnile
Club Matonge closes around midnight. The same excellent band also play at Annexe on Thursday nights in Arua

4.    Go clubbing at Vino Lounge

Vino is the place to hang out, particularly on Friday nights. It gets packed! Club entrance is free.

Everyone had told us we had to check this place out. It’s a late night / all night club, with several bars. Head for Galaxy, the VIP section, on the 2nd floor to get away from (some of) the crowds. These guys can DRINK! OMG. We’re talking neat spirits.

5.    Eat at Café Cosmo, Arua’s best café and restaurant

Open 11 to 11 every day, Café Cosmo is very affordable, has good service and a great menu of international, Indian and local African food. This popular restaurant is frequented by Indians, UGs, expats, everyone. [2022, the pandemic plus construction of the new mall have changed things].

worlds-tastiest-beef-samosa-cafe-cosmo-arua
Is this the world’s tastiest beef samosa?

Sham the chef’s ‘Cosmo Bites’ include the freshest beef samosas ever. Indian dishes include tandoori and a scrumptious chicken tikka. ‘Afro favourites’ include goat stew and chicken pilao. Fridays and Saturdays, Cosmo make pizzas including a tikka paneer one! I’ll try that on my next trip 🙂

cafe-cosmo-arua
Thanks to Martin Aduku for looking after me so well

The very friendly Martin recommends C.F.C. the ‘Cosmo Fried Chicken’ [geddit?] Café Cosmo is opposite the URA building on Pakwach Road.

6.    Oasis 247 bar and restaurant is open every day

Karaoke nights, quiz nights and pool competitions make this a popular hang-out. Oasis is a good bar for beer promotions and music videos.

7.    Walk round the back streets of Arua to see the Hindu Temple

arua-town-outside-hindu-temple

The striking red wall enclosing Arua’s Hindu temple. The ladies here are selling sweet potato seedlings

8.   Visit Arua’s markets. The muzungu’s shopping suggestions

lady-vendor-arua-market
This humble lady vendor had a beautiful shy smile. She packed some dried “o’bokoa” for me. Apparently they taste a bit bitter, like eggplant
giant-mushrooms-arua-market
Giant mushrooms fill a plastic basin! These seasonal beauties grow in termite mounds (in August/September). And to think we suffer such tiny, tasteless mushrooms in Kampala!
arua-town-ladies-in-market-peeling-jackfruit
Preparing ffene (jackfruit). I love the bright traditional clothes of local women; so much more interesting than the predictable Western attire in Kampala
vendor-arua-market-enswa-white-ants
Dried enswa white ants – in the black basin in the photo – on sale in Arua market. This vendor gave me a recipe for enswa sauce!
making-chapatis-arua-market
These cheeky boys had some tasty-looking chapatis. In the plastic bag is mairungi (quat) ‘chewable herbs’ shall we say … a mairungi rolex anyone?
  • Kitenge material from the Congo
  • Termite mushrooms – click here for A Kitchen in Uganda’s Curry Termite Mushroom Soup recipe!
  • Groundnuts in their shells
  • Shea butter (locally farmed)
  • Sim sim sesame seeds
  • Sugarcane
  • Jackfruit (peeled into bitesize pieces)
  • Pineapple (chopped into long chunks)
  • Dried enswa white ants – don’t forget  to ask for the recipe!
  • Salt-dried Angara fish
  • Wooden mortar and pestle
  • … and bucket after bucket of dried beans of different colours

9.   Visit Miriadua Falls along the Arua – Koboko road

miriadua-falls-maracha-west-nile
“I know, great pic but some dude is blocking the view!” Gerard posing at Miriadua Falls, near Arua, so named by Gerard’s uncle

Gerard Iga writes: “I have a personal attachment to this one since it was my very own uncle that named the falls after himself. He was the county chief of Maracha in colonial times. When he went to visit this place, he asked the locals what the falls were called and they said “Iyi Kuru” which literally means “rough flowing waters”. Since all over Lugbara land, such falls are called iyi kuru, he decided to name them after himself and that is the name by which the place is known everywhere else except the locality. There, people still call it iyi kuru.”

Miriadua Falls are a 20 minute journey outside Arua Town.

10.   Enter inside Uganda’s smallest church! Near Goli, Nebbi

Imagine … a church that “can only accommodate three people, including the preacher.” What a great place to get married (and keep down the cost of your wedding!)

Goli church Nebbi Uganda
Surely Uganda’s smallest church, at Goli, near Nebbi, West Nile

I’d heard rumours that this is “the smallest church in the world” but I can’t seem to verify it – it certainly is petite though, according to my travel writer friend Solomon Oleny. The muzungu failed to reach… the church on Biku Hill is near Nebbi, a good hour’s travel from Arua.

How to get to Arua, West Nile

Fly to Arua

Currently, Eagle Air is the only operator to fly scheduled flights to Arua. They fly 3 times a week between Entebbe and Arua.

eagle-air-plane-arua-airstrip
Eagle Air flies 3 times a week between Entebbe and Arua.

They are efficient in person e.g. at Kampala office in Portal Avenue. Tel +256 (0)414 344292 / +256 (0)772 777338/7  and +256 (0)752 793860.

eagle-air-plane-ticket-to-arua
Remember to have your 5,000 UGX to pay airport tax. You pay it twice if you have a return ticket
Arua Airstrip building
The current Arua Airstrip building. The compound (of other buildings) includes clean toilets and a cafe cum bar that serves tea, beer and sodas
new arua-airport-new apron
Arua Airstrip is being developed to take bigger planes. The new airport building (to the right) has yet to open to the public

The new airstrip should be a real boon for trade with the DRC. Will commercial flights open up West Nile to tourism too? I heard rumours of Kenya Airways and RwandAir… let’s see!

Take the bus to Arua

A number of bus companies supply Arua with daily services. Generally, the standard daytime bus costs 30k UGX and the executive (overnight) bus costs 50k. They all depart from Arua Park, downtown Kampala. Contacts in Arua recommend the executive Gaaga bus which runs overnight and has reclining seats. KKT are ‘more reliable than Gaaga’ according to another source. California bus company started up last year. Nile Coach is an old school provider that ‘overpacks vehicles.’ [2022 there are new bus providers].

If your bus (or car) stops at Kafu, en route to Arua, think twice before you eat the roasted ‘muchomo’ meat!

How to get around Arua town

Bodas in Arua are cheap and everywhere. If you don’t have the right money, you won’t have to argue to get your change. Refreshing. (I am constantly overcharged in Kampala!)

boda-boda-arua

Arua is a very pleasant town to walk around. Main roads have good wide pavements (and the boda drivers do not seem to drive on them either!)

In 2016, the 4km taxi journey from the airport cost me 10,000 ugx. By boda, it cost me just 2,000 UGX.

When to visit Arua

Arua is at an altitude of 1,200 metres meaning nights can be cooler than in most places in Uganda.

Generally expect:

April to June – lighter rains; August – cold, day and night; August to October – heavier rains;

December to Feb / March – cold mornings, very hot in the day, warm at night.

A few words of Lugbara, one of the local languages

Mi efu ngoni – good morning [mifun-GO-ney]

Mi ngoni – how are you? [min-GO-ney]

Awadifo – thanks [awad-if-O]

I love exploring new parts of Uganda and learning a few words of local language.  But in West Nile, as soon as I got the hang of greeting somebody in Lugbara, I was told that we were in a different district where a whole range of other languages and dialects are spoken!

Awadifo!

I was drawn to the northern region of West Nile and Arua town by the lure of a tourism ‘familiarisation’ trip. I really had a great time.

Thanks to Kampala House Harriers (KH3) for finally getting me to Arua – an invitation I most definitely could not ignore! My Arua trip included three days of fun supplied by KH3. Read that story here “Nagawa – you cowardised!” A detour via the Congo.

A big thank you to Dolorence Were of USDC Uganda Society for Disabled Children for letting me transfer the Eagle Air ticket (that my friend won in the USDC fundraiser raffle) into my name.

Have you visited Arua? When was the last time you visited ? What are your favourite things to do in Arua?

Save the Nile #saveadventuretourisminUganda – can you help?

Save the Nile. Help us Save Adventure Tourism in Uganda

Access denied. rapids. white water rafting. Isimba Dam. Jinja

Access denied. If the Isimba Dam is constructed at its current proposed height, the rapids will be flooded and Uganda’s world class  Grade 5 white water rafting will be consigned to history forever. Please help us get this decision changed! Photo Nile River Explorers.

The situation regarding the Isimba Hydro Power Project on the River Nile below Jinja has reached a critical stage!

In the next few weeks The World Bank, and Uganda’s National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) will decide on the final size and scale of the Hydro Power Project. Will they authorize a smaller version of the dam? Or will they break an international agreement between the World Bank and the Government of Uganda to conserve this beautiful stretch of white water, and protect the booming adventure tourism industry and thousands of local jobs?

This decision is going on largely behind closed doors but we need to let the World Bank know that protecting the river and the Ugandan tourism industry is IMPORTANT TO YOU!

Background to the project

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development is planning to construct a hydro dam on the Nile at Isimba Falls, 50 km downstream from Jinja. The new dam will create a large reservoir of around 28 km² submerging the white water rapids on this section of the River Nile.

When the Bujagali Dam (hydroelectric power plant) was constructed, the World Bank and the Government of Uganda signed the Kalangala Offset Agreement. This binding agreement is supposed to protect specific, downstream sections of the River Nile free of construction of new dams and also protect the integrity of Mabira Forest.

 

Bujagali Falls, Jinja, 2010, savethenile

Back in the day… posing for photos at Bujagali Falls, Jinja, 2010 #SavetheNile

According to Professor Wolfgang Thome, “any change of heart by the World Bank would amount to a fundamental breach of confidence and trust between the Bank and Uganda’s tourism fraternity.”

After the rapids at Bujagali were flooded, the rafting and kayaking companies moved activities downstream – below the dam – at significant expense. What will happen this time?

What impact will a new dam have?

This exceptional stretch of white water is famous worldwide. It is safe and warm; its consistent flows allow access to the river activities throughout the year, bringing tens of thousands of people to Uganda annually. A booming industry has been built around the white water and Jinja is regarded as the ‘adventure capital of East Africa.’ A large number of thriving businesses have grown around the central river adventure tourism activities: hotels, restaurants, taxi companies, boda boda drivers and shops.

An estimated 50,000 people take part in adventure activities every year around Jinja; many of whom would not travel to Uganda were it not for the amazing rapids.

If the Isimba Falls Project goes ahead in its current form, it will be a MASSIVE economic blow to Jinja. An independent study on the impact of the Isimba Hydro Project lists over 200 tourism related companies that will be affected. The vast majority are owned and run by Ugandans; collectively they employ thousands of Ugandans in long term, well-paid jobs.

Although “Isimba dam to create 3,000 jobs” – apparently – these are only temporary: constructing the dam.

Although different options for the size and scale of the Isimba dam were proposed, the decision has already been made to go with the largest scale option, the one that will destroy tourism.

The smaller dam option offers a balance of: much needed extra power for Uganda, while allowing adventure tourism to continue to flourish and expand, driving development forwards in the Jinja region.

satu-wb-post

You can also help by sharing this post and information – thank you! #conservation #Uganda #Nile #savetheNile#saveadventuretourisminUganda

 

Save the Nile. You can help!

Please email and/or write to your local World Bank representative, wherever you are in the world, and let them know that you are concerned about this issue!

You can find your local World Bank representative contact details here. [The Uganda World Bank contact is: Sheila Gashishiri, Communications Associate
+256-414-302-248 / 4
14-230-094 sgashishiri@worldbank.org ]

 

Please send them a letter and write them an email expressing your concerns. A template for the email/letter is below, which we suggest you modify to make it more personal:

Dear (ENTER REPRESENTATIVE’S NAME),

Representative for the World Bank in (ENTER YOUR HOME COUNTRY / REGION).

I am writing as a concerned citizen of (ENTER YOUR COUNTRY) about a serious issue in Uganda, which directly concerns The World Bank.

As a mitigation measure for the (World Bank backed) Bujagali Hydro Power Project, a conservation agreement called the Kalagala Offset Agreement was formed. The agreement between the World Bank and the Government of Uganda was put in place to protect the remaining stretch of rapids and river banks in the same region, for the sake of minimizing impact on the environment, the local people and eco tourism which flourishes in the area. Now, the Isimba Hydro Power Project will flood a significant portion of this conservation area – thus breaking this agreement.

Isimba HPP is funded by the Chinese government, and due to be constructed by a Chinese construction firm, both of whom seem unconcerned that a conservation area is due to be flooded. I am urging The World Bank to act on behalf of the thousands of Ugandans due to be negatively effected, as well as the environment, and the tourism that generates large amounts of income in an otherwise under developed region. Fifteen thousand people, including 12,000 Ugandans from the immediate area, have signed a petition demanding the agreement be upheld and a smaller version of the Isimba HPP to be constructed (which would leave the conservation area unaffected).

Please stand up to China and the Ugandan government and uphold the agreement that is laid out by The World Bank to protect the stretch of river due to be flooded.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

(ENTER NAME)

 

How else can I help #SavetheNile?

Like and share the ‘Save Adventure Tourism in Uganda’ Facebook page

Forward this message to anyone that can help raise awareness.

Please write to your World Bank representative TODAY about the Isimba Falls hydro power (dam) project – this is the most constructive way you can help.

 

You can also help by sharing this post and information – thank you!

Information courtesy of The Save Adventure Tourism in Uganda Team.

“Isimba Dam resurrects old environment-development debate,” wrote Solomon Oleny in the New Vision.

And I haven’t even started on the negative environmental and cultural impacts of this huge infrastructure project …

Messing about on the River Nile. A week-end at The Haven, Jinja

A week-end at The Haven, Jinja – accommodation on the Nile

A cursory look at The Haven’s visitor’s book tells it all: full of compliments from first time, second time – even ninth time! – visitors. Just outside Jinja, The Haven’s accommodation and camping facilities are particularly popular with campers who just happen to be driving from Cape Town back to Europe via Jinja and Uganda

.

Panorama of the Nile below The Haven Jinja

Panorama of the Nile below The Haven at Jinja

I can’t believe it’s been four years since I last visited The Haven. My family had such a fantastic time last time that I was bit worried: Would this visit live up to the memories of the first time? Would the spectacular rapids beneath the Lodge still be visible or had they been submerged following the creation of the new dam?

river view The Haven Jinja

Early morning fishing on the River Nile. View of the rapids from my room at The Haven

The Haven Lodge Jinja River Nile

Like melted chocolate, the River Nile flows over the rocks below The Haven at Jinja. A short walk down to the rapids before breakfast is a MUST. It’s the best time of day.

I chatter, chatter as I flow to join the brimming river, for men may come and men may go, but I go on forever.- From The Brook, 1887 Lord Tennyson.

“You can really see how the village has developed!” Exclaimed Ma as Rashid drove us through the bush for the last couple of kilometres drive to The Haven. No doubt it is a combination of tourism and the Bujagali Falls dam that have increased local incomes, resulting in more brick houses and more tin roofs. Nonetheless, the route was as picturesque as ever.

I had forgotten about the legendary Haven breakfasts. When the staff say you are going to be served Continental Breakfast, they don’t just mean coffee and a bread roll. The staff ply you with an extensive menu that consists of: warm, freshly baked slabs of bread; home made fruit juice; a mixed platter of fruit; wafer thin pancakes with honey, chocolate spread and sumptuous mango compote; a mixed platter of cheese and thinly sliced cured meats (clue: the owner is German); and on top of all that lot is the cooked breakfast. These are not options, I hasten to add – this is the regular standard breakfast for everyone!

Breakfast at The Haven Lodge Jinja Uganda

Just one element of the huge breakfast at The Haven Lodge Jinja Uganda

Blimey.

How I didn’t sink to the bottom of the swimming pool after that lot, I don’t know!

Did I say we ate well at The Haven? Sunday lunch starter was a yummy light salad of warm cashew nuts, black olives, tomato, onion and a vinaigrette dressing. We loved the lunch and evening menu options, always a choice of three main courses. I found the fish and the vegetable kebabs delicious; the caramelised banana pudding with ice cream was to die for. Red meat was on the menu too (but not for this Muzungu).

With these gargantuan tasty meals, you might have thought we would have (should have?) tried all those adventure activities we’d discussed … but the pool beckoned, as did the sun loungers and the hammocks, strategically slung so we could doze above the rapids while watching the Grade 5 white water rafters do all the work.

God my life sucks…

River Nile dining room view The Haven Lodge Jinja

River Nile dining room view at The Haven Lodge Jinja

outdoor dining The Haven Jinja

The outdoor seating at The Haven is designed to maximise the incredible view of the River Nile

Lime trees, bananas and colourful Bougainvillea decorate the grounds of the Haven. Fragrant wafts of Jasmine reached our dining table, adding to the magic of the setting.

The Haven is a wonderful place to take in riverside life: tiny fish are visible in the shallows of the Nile, multicoloured dragonflies and butterflies flourish by the river.

“SothisisaRiver”

“THE River,” corrected the Rat.

“And you really live by the river? What a jolly life!”

“By it and with it and on it and in it,” said the Rat. “It’s brother and sister to me, and aunts, and company, and food and drink, and (naturally) washing. It’s my world, and I don’t want any other. What it hasn’t got is not worth having, and what it doesn’t know is not worth knowing. Lord! The times we’ve had together…”

– From The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame

Sunset boat cruise. The Haven Lodge Jinja

Ma has taken multitasking to a whole new level: birdwatching, filming and drinking Waragi and tonic! All done simultaneously while perched on our little boat.

boat cruise Jinja The Haven

Late afternoon is perfect time of day to take The Haven’s boat cruise. The lodge now has two electric boats, perfect for birders like us who love to get as close as we can to the birdlife

Our sunset cruise on the Nile below The Haven was a very laid-back, private affair in the hands of the very capable ‘Captain’ Charles, one of The Haven’s staff. A tray laden with Uganda Waragi, tonic water and a bucket of ice are the natural accompaniment to any boat cruise…. (surely everyone knows that?)

As we set off, a Ross’s Turaco flew across the river, black and red wings flapping above our heads.

Along the river shore, we spotted: a vibrant Jacana hopping delicately across the vegetation, our first Dwarf Bittern, the outline of a statuesque Purple Heron at the top of a tree, a Common Sandpiper, bright white Little Egrets and majestic African Fish Eagles.

Jacana bird on River Nile Jinja

Jacana bird on River Nile Jinja

African fish eagle Jinja

The African Fish Eagle is such a HANDSOME bird!

“If the Eagles can’t find fish, they might come into the village and carry off a 3 kg duck!” Charles told us. That would be quite a sight.

Little Egret. Birdwatching from a boat on the River Nile

Little Egret. Birdwatching from a boat on the River Nile

Charles moved the boat closer to one of the islands, so we could watch the Black Headed Weavers crafting their intricate nests. The Weavers trailed pieces of grass – the effect was as if they had long, thin, tails. Amidst the Weavers’ busy chatter, two Grey Herons made a 360° loop of the island before landing in one of the trees.

According to the book, “the Striped Kingfisher is a small and rather drab kingfisher” – but I spotted him and no-one else did – so to me he was GORGEOUS!

Charles explained how the River Nile separated the two historical kingdoms of Buganda and Basoga. It was interesting to hear the local names for some of the popular river birds. The Malachite Kingfisher is known as the rainbow bird (so much easier to remember in any language!) The African Darter is known as the snake bird, because of its looooooong neck.

Upstream we passed a huge Hammerkop nest at the top of a large tree. More of a house than a nest, did you know this Ugandan bird’s nest is the biggest of any in the world? (Don’t stand beneath one though: you never know what rodent or snake might fall out of it!)

flock of Sacred Ibis River Nile

A flock of Sacred Ibis flying to the roost on the River Nile

The birding highlight for me was looking up to see a flock of 14 Sacred Ibis fly in formation overhead. The actual highlight was being with my family, who’d flown all the way from the UK to see me.

As our little boat pootled upstream towards the dam, we noticed the Cormorants and Sacred Ibis flying downstream and away from us to their roost in the trees and bushes on the rapids below The Haven. Charles explained that there they feel safe from predators.

Dawn mist River Nile rapids, The Haven Lodge Jinja

Dawn mist rises over the River Nile rapids, The Haven Lodge Jinja. You can just make out the roosting birds on the rocks and bushes separating the rapids

A tall and solitary mvule tree made me wonder what this landscape would have looked like 20, 50 or even 100 years ago. Was it once part of Mabira Forest?

Long-tailed cormorants Jinja

Long-tailed cormorants Jinja

A few hundred metres from The Haven is the roar of white water over smooth granite boulders. Long Tailed and Great Cormorants dry their outstretched wings on the ammonia-stained branches of the low bushy trees on the rocks between the rapids.

Red-tailed monkey. The Haven Jinja

Red-tailed monkey – my totem – eyeballing us at The Haven in Jinja

Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day. – A. A. Milne, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book

Vervet monkey along the River Nile

Vervet monkey along the River Nile

By contrast…

white water rafting Bujagali Falls Jinja

White water rafting Bujagali Falls – back in the days before Bujagali Dam flooded the upper section. (You now raft below the dam)

kayaker. Jinja. The Haven

The Haven is a great base for river adventures – especially if you just want to watch them whil enjoying a beer!

kayakers. rafters. Jinja. The Haven

Watch the white water rafters and kayakers on the river below The Haven

kayakers. rafters. Jinja. The HavenUnless you knew the river before, you probably wouldn’t detect the impact of the dam. Only the occasional eddies and swirls of water gave a clue to the rocks that lay beneath us. Charles revved up the engine slightly as we reverse boated what were once scary grade 5 rapids.

If only Ma realised – she certainly wouldn’t have crossed this stretch of white water five years ago!

Sunrise River Nile The Haven Lodge Jinja

Muzungu taking in the Sunrise over the River Nile. Ahhhhh…. The Haven Lodge, Jinja accommodation

Early morning, overlooking the rapids:

Between me and the white water is a single African Open Billed Stork perching atop a big bush, its beak glistening. These storks often look bedraggled and unkempt to me but this morning it shines. I wish I had my camera! I’m glad I didn’t have my camera…  what an image: the gleam of shiny black feathers, early morning mist and the white water backdrop.

African Open billed Stork. COPYRIGHT 2011-2014 MARIE-FRANCE GRENOUILLET

African Open billed Stork. COPYRIGHT 2011-2014 MARIE-FRANCE GRENOUILLET

About the accommodation at The Haven, Jinja

We’d loved the banda on our first visit, but on this occasion we stayed in the self-contained thatched family bungalow at the back of the compound. Although the front of the building doesn’t look onto the river itself, climb to the upper floor and the veranda looks out at right angles onto the Nile. The bedroom veranda was a great spot for evening sundowners.

Cottage overlooking the Nile at The Haven

Cottage overlooking the Nile at The Haven. PHOTO Keren Riley

honeymoon cottage The haven Jinja

Inside the honeymoon cottage – spacious, airy and with the constant sound of the River Nile to soothe you to sleep!

river view, honeymoon cottage, Haven Jinja

Oh what a lovely way to wake up – drinking tea while watching the river flow by…

African Fish Eagle. Mural. honeymoon Jinja

Spot the African Fish Eagle! Mural in the honeymoon cottage

Being at the (less disturbed) back of the compound meant we had the best birdlife. We could twitch right from our beds! We never did work out quite what the bird was that sounded like a creaking wheelbarrow… The tiny bright blue and orange Malachite Kingfishers were easy enough to spot, however.

Malachite kingfisher, Jinja, Uganda birds

Isn’t this Malachite kingfisher gorgeous? This pretty bird measures just 12 cm long

The bungalows are spacious and can sleep four adults and two children. The double master bedroom has an ensuite bathroom. Also on the top floor, leading off the master bedroom, is the children’s bunkbed room. The decor here is functional; the honeymoon bungalows are far more decorative.

The facilities at The Haven are better than ever: a big private area for camping with hot showers and outdoor barbecue, mountain bikes for hire, a sandpit, trampoline, swing (and more) for the children, badminton, table tennis, satellite TV and free Wi-Fi in both the main dining area and cottages.

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

George Bernard Shaw

Sundays can be busy. The swimming pool is for residents only, which some lunchtime visitors may find disappointing. The pool isn’t that big though, so this decision probably makes sense; The Haven can be busy at weekends.

Swimming pool The Haven Lodge Jinja River Nile

Swimming pool The Haven Lodge Jinja River Nile

The Haven is now the base for Kayak the Nile. Many of Jinja’s adrenaline activities can be booked and organised through reception at the Haven. Special thanks to Abraham, who dashed off to the pharmacist for me when I suspected I had malaria!

If you’re looking for lodge accommodation near Jinja, you can tell I (and my family!) heartily recommend The Haven. The staff make you feel right at home, you will eat like a king and even the camping is an upmarket experience. Check out The Haven’s website or email thehavenuganda@yahoo.com or call +256 (0)702905959 / +256 (0)78 2905959.

Please tell them the Muzungu sent you 🙂

DISCLOSURE: This blog is based on my personal experience. I was delighted to be given a discounted room rate in return for this blog post. For more information, read the Muzungu’s Terms and Conditions.

How to avoid Bilharzia

You won’t always get Bilharzia if you swim in Lake Victoria and, if you do, it may take weeks, months or even twenty years for you to show symptoms.

Bilharzia (also known as Schistosomiasis or snail fever) can be horrible. You will feel under the weather and nauseous for weeks.

signpost at Munyonyo, Lake Victoria

How to avoid Bilharzia. “Swimming is at your own risk” reads the signpost in Munyonyo on Lake Victoria, Uganda

 

The best advice? Many people would just never swim in Lake Victoria or the River Nile but my tips to avoid Bilharzia are:

  • Swim from a boat or pontoon, or at least in an area away from the reed beds where the Bilharzia snail’s larvae hatch. It’s these larvae that get into your bloodstream and make you ill.
  • If you crunch on a bed of tiny snail shells as you walk into the Lake, that’s a sure sign Bilharzia’s around.
  • After your swim, give yourself a good all-over scrub in the shower. Best to do this within 20 minutes of getting out of the lake.
  • My friend Julia says ‘enjoy your swim! And afterwards, give the soles of your feet a good hard scrub!’ Apparently that’s enough to prevent you from getting Bilharzia.
  • Don’t just assume you’re ok. Bilharzia can remain dormant for years and, left untreated, can lead to liver damage.
  • Buy the Bilharzia tablets from any pharmacy in Kampala. They are very cheap. If you’re just visiting Uganda, I’d recommend buying some and taking them when you get home. You need to take them any time after three months of exposure. Take them one evening before you go to bed. You’ll feel a bit nauseous but wake up right as rain the next morning. Last time I asked, the Praziquantel (Biltricide) tablets cost just 600 Uganda shillings each. You should take one tablet for every 10 kg of body weight.

Alternatively….

Don’t let any of this put you off swimming in Uganda. There are hundreds of lakes scattered across the country. The good news is you can swim in most of them.

Dog sits on the beach at Lake Nabugabo while children swim

How to avoid Bilharzia. It’s safe to swim in Lake Nabugabo. There’s no Bilharzia, no crocodiles and no hippos!

Muzungu-swimmming-in-River-Nile

Swimming in Uganda. Sandy Beach at Lake Nabugabo, just outside Masaka, is popular for a weekend away from Kampala.

Washing clothes in Lake Bunyonyi

How to avoid Bilharzia in Uganda. Swim in Lake Bunyonyi. Photo of washing clothes in Lake Bunyonyi

The crater lakes such as Lake Bunyonyi, in the far south west of Uganda,  and Lake Kyaninga near Fort Portal are Bilharzia-free as well.

To swim or not to swim? At the end of the day, do what you feel comfortable with.

Have you swum in Lake Victoria? What are your tips for avoiding Bilharzia?

Do you have any other Uganda travel tips or expat travel advice you’d like to share?

Please leave a comment here or check out the Diary of a Muzungu Guest Post page for more information, I’d love to hear from you!

50 reasons why I love Uganda

As one of the shiny new fighter jets flies over my house, no doubt practising for this Tuesday’s independence day fly-past, I’m mulling over the week-end papers, full of stories about Uganda@50 and what the last 50 years of independence have meant to Uganda. Is the country better or worse off as an independent nation? What does the future hold? Will the celebrations be hijacked by anti-government protesters? Will there be tears before bedtime?

I’m no expert on Ugandan politics (although the muzungu is very proud of her politics degree from SOAS) – so let’s leave the analysis to the pundits and have some fun.

So, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of independence, I thought I’d share with you my top 50 reasons why I Love Uganda.

I Love Uganda logo

I Love Uganda! ’tis true

1. Airtime. Everywhere you go, every shop, bar or street corner can sell you mobile phone credit, for as little as 200 Uganda shillings (a few cents or pennies).

2. Boda boda. There are 100,000 of these motorbike taxis in Kampala. Huge fun but use with extreme caution. Don’t expect them to hang around if you have an accident. Read How to ride a boda boda. 

Boda bodas Uganda

Boda bodas Uganda

3. Birds, birds birds. I LOVE BIRDS! And Uganda has over 1000 species: pretty, beautiful, stunning, huge, noisy, elegant, comical, graceful, they’re all here.

Great Blue Turaco, Sunbird Hill. Kibale Forest edge

Great Blue Turaco, Sunbird Hill. Kibale Forest edge

4. Bus Journeys. Hmmm am I crazy? Frankly, any bus journey could be your last but one of my favourite memories is taking a bus from Kasese down to Butogota. 10,000 shillings for a free Safari as we drove down through Maramagambo Forest sighting elephants. Ahh.

5. Cappuccino. I love Ugandan coffee, just don’t serve me Star coffee powder!

6. Chimps at Ngamba Island. I fell in love with the hilarious chimps.

Ngamba Island Uganda chimp fingerface www.chrisaustria.com

Ngamba Island Uganda chimp fingerface www.chrisaustria.com

7. Dancing. Africans invented dance! Try keeping me off the dancefloor.

8. Dogs – ‘the boys’ Baldrick and Percy. These recycled street dogs light up my day. Always happy to see me, following me around until I give them what they want – food and a chance to escape the compound and chase a goat.

Baldrick USPCA dog show Kampala Diary of a Muzungu

Baldrick Superdog came First in the Dog with the Waggiest Tail competition at the USPCA dog show

9. Driving in Kampala. Yes the traffic is a nightmare, yes the potholes wreck your car, but there’s something quite liberating about driving through this city at times. Careering over the wrong side of the road to dodge potholes can be fun, let’s be honest!

Idi Amin's car Lubiri Palace Kampala

Idi Amin’s car Lubiri Palace Kampala

10. Dung Beetles rock!

Dung beetles

11. Elephants brought me to Uganda. (Yeah I know, most people would just get on a plane!)

Bull elephant along the Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth National Park - why I love Uganda

Bull elephant feeding along the Kazinga Channel. Can you spot the hippo hiding in front of him?

12. Food menus. Guaranteed entertainment. A menu is simply a guide to what may possibly be available at one given point in time. It does not reflect what is actually in the kitchen.

13. Fruit and vegetables. Huge, fresh, tasty and cheap.

14. Gorillas. I enjoyed the trek through the rainforest as much as meeting Bwindi’s Gentle Giants.

15. Grasshoppers taste greasy and smoky (best dry fried in chilli I’m told).

The muzungu's first taste of grasshoppers - why I love Uganda

The muzungu’s first taste of grasshoppers

16. Greetings! I love the time and care Ugandans take to greet each other properly.

17. The Grey Crowned Crane – previously known as the Crested Crane – is Uganda’s iconic national symbol. The Crested Crane may well be extinct in Uganda within just 20 years, if degradation of the wetlands is not stopped. NatureUganda is leading the campaign to Save the Crane.

Grey Crowned Crane. PHOTO Andy Gooch

The Grey Crowned Crane – commonly known as theCrested Crane – is Uganda’s national bird. PHOTO Andy Gooch

18. Jane Bussman is a British comedy writer campaigning to have Joseph Kony, leader of the LRA, caught. She’s on the ball and she’s hilarious.

19. Jinja, Source of the Nile, interesting colonial architecture, a market that is less congested than Kampala’s – and location for some memorable weekends at Nile River Camp.

20. Kampala Hash House Harriers have taken me to every bar, club – and slum! – across Kampala. The ‘drinking club with a running problem’ meets every Monday night.

21. Kibale Forest is where my friend Julia calls home, ideally at the top of a tree!

22. Lake Victoria. The world’s second largest freshwater lake – and the largest on the African continent – is where we taught our dogs to swim. Even as my feet crunched onto the tiny snails on the lake bed, I seem to have so far avoided Bilharzia! Can dogs catch it too?

A fisherman passes the beach at Munyonyo, Lake Victoria - why I love Uganda

A fisherman passes the beach at Munyonyo, Lake Victoria

23. Lions. Breathtaking – and a lot bigger in real life!

24. Mongooses experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

25. Mount Elgon. An unexpected wilderness experience, we climbed through seven habitats in four days and passed only two other groups of people. Would I do it again? Yes. Would I climb Margherita in the Rwenzori’s? One day maybe, but not without getting a LOT fitter first …

26. Muchomo roasted meat. No ‘gizzards’ (entrails) for me. I’m an occasional “chicken on a stick” woman.

27. Mighty Murchison Falls. Isn’t it annoying when you’ve heard the hype, and feel disappointed when you get there? GUARANTEE: you won’t be disappointed when you get to the top of the Falls! Read Stirring up magic at the Devil’s Cauldron, Murchison Falls.

Top of Murchison Falls. Above the Devil's Cauldron. PHOTO Allan Ssenyonga

Top of Murchison Falls – above the Devil’s Cauldron. PHOTO Allan Ssenyonga

28. Music booming out from the church on Sunday morning can drive you to distraction. I love Ugandan music – but no idea what I’m singing along to!

29. Namuwongo. Once maligned as a no-go area of Kampala (I found out after living there for a year), I love Namuwongo. Squashed between the industrial area and smarter Muyenga, it’s where I first fell in love with Uganda.

30. Owino market has everything you could ever want to buy, but it’s hard work.

31. Power cuts can drive you crazy. But the romance of candlelight has its moments 😉

32. River Nile. “Bring it on!” I screamed on my first Grade 5 white water rafting expedition. Second time around, I invited a friend to take my place; third time rafting, and I bailed out as the biggest rapids approached! Feeling nervous, learning to trust your guide, screaming with laughter as you successfully (or not!) negotiate the rapids, you’ll certainly never forget a day on the Nile.
white water rafting River Nile Jinja

33. Rolex or ‘rolled eggs’ – an omelette rolled up in a chapati – is my favourite street food. Bigger than a snack, although no self respecting Ugandan could possibly call a rolex a meal (since that should be served on a plate at a table). Rolex taste best at midnight in Kabalagala on the way home from a bar 😉

TrevorNoahVisitsUganda Wandegeya rolex

#TrevorNoahVisitsUganda or did he?
Trveor Noah gets his rolex fix (allegedly) in Wandegeya, Kampala

Read The rolex: celebrating Uganda’s uniqueness. 

34. Safari. Every Safari is different. To say that you have “done X Park” when you visited for a day or two just doesn’t make sense. I can’t get enough game drives!

Rothschild's Giraffe, Murchison Falls National Park

Rothschild’s Giraffe, Murchison Falls National Park

35. Sense of humour. Ugandans can charm the pants off you. Difficult situations tend to be dealt with humour, so refreshing after living in London where people resort to shouting and swearing.

36. Simpson. My ‘Ugandan brother‘ has been with me through thick and thin (in fact he became very thin when he was a student, going without food so he could afford the fare to university). He’s my hero! His graduation is 20th of October, and I have a front seat. I’m so proud of him. But wait – next up he’s going to be a pop star!

37. Smoking. Oh yes. Cigarettes are cheap and we spend most of our time outside. No stuffy rules to worry us!

38. Snakes. Would I like to find one in my shower? No, but they do fascinate me.

39. Sunrise and Sunset. A reason to get up early and a reason to have a drink in your hand 😉

April sunset from Butterfly Cottage, Sunbird Hill

April sunset from Butterfly Cottage, Sunbird Hill

40. Tilapia. Best eaten whole, with your hands, on the lake edge at Ggaba.

41. Totems. Having the Ugandan name ‘Nagawa’ – thanks to my friend Rashid – has been a huge icebreaker. It’s given me hours of fun. I’m therefore a member of the Nkima red tailed monkey clan.

42. Uganda Conservation Foundation. Anti-poaching and human wildlife conflict – a.k.a. anything to do with elephants – is the mission of UCF, whom I volunteered with for nearly three years.

43. Uganda Museum. Dusty and under resourced, the Museum is still a gem. I’ve fallen for its charms.

display of spears at the Uganda Museum

The Uganda Museum contains historical and cultural artefacts – and even the country’s first printing press!

44. Uganda souvenir photo map. This great fun project keeps my creative heart thumping. I’ve just created a new Uganda souvenir photo  map gallery page on Facebook.

Uganda photo map copyright Andrew Roberts Charlotte Beauvoisin

Map of Uganda courtesy of Andrew Roberts – I personalise these maps with your favourite photos to make “your own map of Uganda” – here’s just one of the many I have made

45. Uganda Waragi is a triple distilled ‘war gin.’ Handbag size bottles available ladies 😉

46. Uglish. Otherwise known as Ugandan English, this language gives us – expats and Ugandans alike – endless laughs. I tried to keep a straight face when Janero told me he had “pregnanted his girlfriend.” To read more up funny examples, check out the superb Uglish Facebook page

47. UWEC Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (once Entebbe Zoo) has a cafe overlooking the beach. Everything seems to be sold out by the time I get there – but the view’s worth it. You can see virtually all of Uganda’s big mammals at UWEC.

48. Vultures are ugly but our health depends on them. Fascinating!

49. Weather. Even when it rains, the sun comes out a few minutes later.

50. Writing Diary of a Muzungu has kept me distracted (when Ugandan TV couldn’t) and kept me sane (kind of!) when life hasn’t gone to plan. Thank you so much to everyone who reads this. You make the late nights and the missed week-ends all worthwhile.

50 reasons why I love Uganda – and I could have found more! So  tell me what would be in your top 50 things you love about Uganda?

– I know my Ugandan friends will scream MATOKE! (steamed green banana – compulsory eating for many!)