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May your Christmas be WILD with elephants and warthogs!

15 years ago this month, I was packing up my life in the UK as I prepared to fly to Uganda for the very first time… Uganda was a blank page to me then. Queen Elizabeth National Park soon became my backyard. In the meantime, Diary of a Muzungu has been welcomed across East Africa. What a buzz it’s been. Thanks to everyone I’ve met along the way!

Being a developing country, things change quickly here in Uganda: I’ve never lived anywhere that evolves so fast. Uganda has mushrooming numbers of lodges and guides, new subjects such as adventure tourism and every other person I meet wants to join the industry, or so it feels. We’re living in exciting times – but not without their challenges – which is why in 2024, I’ll be focusing more on responsible tourism and sustainable tourism, my true passions. As I read last week: “The tourist sector has both a wondrous opportunity to lead in global climate awareness and action, and a heavy responsibility to ensure the sustainable development of the tourist sector itself.”

But enough of all that serious stuff… IT’S THE HOLIDAYS! 

Venturing into unexplored corners of Queen Elizabeth National Park – Kyambura Game Reserve

This cheeky photo was taken on a walking safari on the northern bank of the Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth National Park, accompanied by a Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger. Safari courtesy of Honey Bear Camp (the River Station Bush Camp), Wildplaces Africa’s new luxury concession (in Kyambura Game Reserve, a boat ride away).

"Communing with my inner warthog" photo and caption by Philip Briggs

“Communing with my inner warthog” photo and caption by Philip Briggs Bradt Guides author and SafariBookings writer.

Revisiting Queen Elizabeth National Park – the Kazinga Channel

HO HO HO. My view from the MV Kazinga boat cruise in Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Kazinga Channel ‘water safari’ in the heart of QE is one of the country’s best wildlife experiences. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve done it. Kazinga Channel is a mecca for birdlovers. Photo taken November 2023.

Did you hear that travelers and Africa travel experts voted Uganda “Africa’s best safari country?”

In 2023, 1000s of travelers and SafariBookings experts voted Uganda “Africa’s best safari country” and “Africa’s best birding safari country.” (No surprise at all, really!)

Uganda on SafariBookings.com 2023 graphic created by Theo Vos
Click to read why travelers vote Uganda “best safari country.”

GOT A QUESTION?
If you’re looking for travel recommendations, email me or text via WhatsApp.  I’m also active on LinkedInInstagram and Facebook so let’s hang out there too!

NEW TO DIARY OF A MUZUNGU? … Start your journey here.

Thanks for being a part of my 2023. Happy Christmas everyone! 

With love from Charlotte Beauvoisin AKA Nagawa Diary of a Muzungu

Wild dog excitement in Kidepo!

Back from extinction? Or just back for the day? African wild dogs recorded in Uganda for the first time in over 40 years

Recently, the grainy photo [below] from a wildlife ranger’s phone went viral on Uganda’s conservation and tourism WhatsApp groups. There’s no mistaking the dog’s lollop and it’s smudged tricolour coat: African wild dogs have been recorded in Uganda for the first time since the 1980s! Reports say that two individual dogs were seen.

African wild dog pictured in Kidepo, Uganda, 27th June 2023. PHOTO by Gilbert Manyimanyi, Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger

The wild dog sightings were in Narus Valley in Uganda’s most north-easterly protected area, bordering South Sudan. What brought the wild dogs to the Narus Valley? And will Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers see them again? This amazing animal was widely believed to be extinct in Uganda – until now.

It’s exciting to add a new species to my blog and I immediately turned to ‘the wildlife bible’, Richard D. Estes’ The Safari companion: guide to watching African mammals.

What do we know about wild dogs?

  • African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) are also known as painted dogs or painted wolves.
  • “Their conspicuous colour testifies to their hunting prowess: here is a predator that doesn’t need to sneak up on its prey.” WOW.
  • They are “a lean-long legged canid built for speed and endurance.” They are Africa’s largest dogs.
  • African wild dogs are “the most carnivorous and one of the most specialised hunters.”
  • Known in East Africa as a plains animal, their range is through all types of bush and montane habitats.
  • African wild dogs are highly susceptible to canine diseases. Disease is the main suspect in their demise (they can infected by domestic dogs).
An African wild dog pictured with painter himself Carrel Kumbirai
An African wild dog (from South Africa) pictured with the painter Carrel Kumbirai. This incredibly life-like painting is of a photo by Jocelin Kagan, author of Africa’s wild dogs – A survival story. Proceeds of art sales go to support the African Wildlife Conservation Fund in Zimbabwe.

How will the rangers find wild dogs in Uganda?

According to Chris and Tilde Stuart, authors of Field Guide Mammals of South AfricaWild dogs do not establish territories but have very large home ranges.” (This suggests that the dogs were likely to just be visiting Kidepo).

  • Animals live in packs of 10, 20 or even 30. Packs of 20 dogs are common although bigger numbers have been recorded in southern Africa.
  • Large packs tend to split. (Are these two individuals splitting to form a new pack?)
  • “A strong smell is characteristic of the species.” Imagine!
  • Wild dogs make a range of sounds, from a deep rough bark, to a “birdlike twittering” when they are excited, and ultrasonic calls (which are inaudible to humans).
  • “The only sure way to see wild dogs is when they are denning” [in their den].

I’ve had so much fun researching this topic! And I hope that the African wild dogs are here to stay in Uganda. You never know what you will see – or smell – when you go on safari. I can’t wait to visit Kidepo Valley National Park later this year (can you guess what I’ll be sniffing around for?)

Uganda slashes permit & park fees for all visitors

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) announces long list of exciting discounts across the country!

If you’ve ever wanted to track the mountain gorillas, go on safari in Uganda’s National Parks and Wildlife Reserves, track chimpanzees or go birdwatching in Uganda’s Protected Areas, now is the time! Make the most of reduced fees until 30th June 2021. (In March 2021, UWA extended the discounts to the new June date).

It’s with great excitement that we can share a long list of discounts and incentives for visiting Uganda’s key wildlife attractions. Whether you are a Ugandan, an expat or planning to fly into Entebbe International Airport, travel between now and the end of June 2021. These substantial discounts make this gorgeous country even more attractive! (Pair these with discounts announced in July 2020 and you will be spoiled for choice!)

Uganda Wildlife Authority. Parks are now open 2020. Protect our primates. Follow the COVID-19 safety measures.

Reduction on mountain gorilla and chimpanzee tracking permit fees in Uganda for all visitors

Essentially, everyone is entitled to discounts, whether Ugandans, international tourists, expatriates living in Uganda or East African residents. Check out the tables I’ve created below.

NOTE: Uganda Wildlife Authority announced some discounts in July 2020 as well. I have tried to list them all in this blog as well (but the combinations and options do get a little confusing!)

Discounted prices for gorilla tracking and chimp tracking in Uganda from 1st December 2020 to end of June 2021

GORILLA tracking permits – Uganda*Now*Was…Saving
East African Community citizen (Ugandan, Rwandan, Kenyan, Tanzanian, South Sudanese)UGX 150,000UGX 250,000UGX 100,000
Foreign resident (expat)USD 300USD 600USD 300
Foreign non-resident (international tourist)USD 400USD 700USD 300

Has this got you excited about tracking the mountain gorillas? Read Diary of a Muzungu’s Ultimate Guide to Tracking Mountain Gorillas.

CHIMPANZEE tracking permits Uganda*Now*Was…Saving you
East African Community citizenUGX 100,000UGX 150,000UGX 50,000
Foreign resident (expat)USD 100USD 150USD 50
Foreign non-resident (international tourist)USD 150USD 200USD 50

Chimpanzee tracking is a rather different experience – livelier, more energetic – and frequently very noisy! Read a wonderful account of chimp tracking here. I love on the edge of Kibale Forest so I have tons of stories and tips to share as well 😉

50% discount off park entrance fees 1st December 2020 to end of June 2021

UWA’s discounts apply to most National Parks and some Wildlife Reserves. The ones in the 50% promotion are: Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth, Kidepo Valley, Murchison Falls and Semliki National Parks; Toro-Semuliki, Katonga, Pian Upe and Kabwoya Wildlife Reserves.

There are three pricing categories: A, B and C. A is the most expensive (with the best facilities and most visited).

Here is the full – and pre-discounted – Uganda Wildlife Authority tariff of July 2020 to June 2022.

Pay for two days park entry and get one day free! Until June 2021

Note that UWA has another offer running currently too: pay for two days park entry and get one day free. This applies to all National Parks and Wildlife Reserves. The ‘3 for 2’ offer lasts until the end of June 2021.

It’s interesting to note that Uganda Wildlife Authority is promoting Wildlife Reserves. Plans are underway to upgrade Toro-Semliki, Katonga and Pian Upe Wildlife Reserves to National Park status in the very near future.

Visiting a National Park? Check out Diary of a Muzungu’ guide to Uganda’s National Parks.

50% discount off birding fees 1st December 2020 to end of June 2021

Yes! Did you know Uganda has over 1,000 bird species? (Contrast that with the U.K.’s 600 or so species and you get an idea of how special Uganda is. The countries are a similar size). Birding (or birdwatching) is one of the muzungu’s favourite activities.

Great Blue Turaco, Sunbird Hill, Kibale Forest. Charlotte Beauvoisin
Great Blue Turaco, Sunbird Hill, Kibale Forest. Photo by Charlotte Beauvoisin

50% discount off nature walk fees 1st December 2020 to end of March 2021

This applies to nature walks in Murchison Falls, Kidepo Valley, Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo National Parks and Kapkwai Exploration Centre in Mount Elgon National Park.

East Africans now pay 10,000 ugx.

Expats (foreign residents) and international tourists (foreign non-residents) now pay $15 (normally $30).

Do you want to climb Mount Elgon?

This is a really fantastic hike! Between now and the end of June 2022, groups of twenty people can get a 20% discount on the usual fees.

Hiking through the Giant Lobelia, climbing Mount Elgon, Uganda
Hiking through the Giant Lobelia, climbing Mount Elgon, Uganda. PHOTO Nicola Swann

Read all about my four-day trip to Wagagai Peak in a “A girl called Kevin – climbing Mount Elgon, Uganda.”

How to track the gorillas and chimps – safely – during COVID

My plea: travel safely, wear a mask, wash your hands and sanitise frequently. If you’re planning to see the primates, follow the instructions to the letter. Mountain gorillas and chimpanzees are at high risk of catching COVID-19 from us and extra precautions have been put in place to ensure the safety of our closest relatives. Remember we are approximately 98% the same DNA and a chimp or gorilla can catch a human cold. Do not do anything that might compromise their health.

Charlotte and Dillon wear masks
Charlotte and Dillon wear masks – our first attempt…

Uganda Wildlife Authority’s list of incentives will come as a big blow to neighbouring Rwanda who had dropped their gorilla tracking permits from a high $1500 down to $500, undercutting the stated prices in Uganda. However, everyone in Uganda is delighted that we can start marketing again! This is a great boost for the Ugandan tourism industry.

Visit the Uganda Wildlife Authority website for confirmation of the tourism incentive promotions.

Do you have any questions? If you’re ready to plan a trip, visit my Travel Directory. I work with a number of tour operators who can book gorilla and chimp permits, arrange your accommodation and guide you on safari. 

Want a tried and tested recommendation? Feel free to drop a comment below or contact me directly.

Now let’s go enjoy Uganda’s wild areas!

Please share with a friend 😁 🇺🇬 🙏🏻 🐒 🦍 🐘 🦒 🦁

#VisitUganda #Tulambule #TravelTomorrow

Uniquely Semliki

Semliki Safari Lodge, Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve, western Uganda

Where in Uganda can you enjoy a night game drive, engage with experts who are actively conserving a Protected Area and share stories over Masterchefcalibre dinners at the Captain’s Table?

The luxurious Semliki Safari Lodge sits in the middle of Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve, a Protected Area that will soon be upgraded to a National Park. “Uganda’s oldest upmarket tented camp” is equidistant from Lake Albert and the excellent new road from Fort Portal to Bundibugyo that winds its way through jaw-dropping Rift Valley panoramas.

This was my third – and arguably my most interesting – visit to this luxury lodge. My mission? To count birds on behalf of NatureUganda… (while being spoiled rotten!)

Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve’s birdlife is fantastic and easily seen. The wildlife reserve may not have the animal numbers of well-established National Parks but forest elephants and a multitude of primates made for three memorable game drives. One morning I even heard the unmistakable sound of a chimpanzee in the forest below my tent.

If you want to reconnect with nature – in luxury and style – I highly recommend a few days at Semliki Safari Lodge.

“I heard a leopard last night” Lodge Manager Tony announced when we checked in – but would we see one?

Scroll down to read the Muzungu’s account of our night game drive and learn about all the diverse activities you can do in and around the lodge.

Scat, cats and bats! A night game drive in Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve

We were thrilled when the team suggested we jump in the lodge’s safari vehicle for a night game drive. As we dimmed our torches, fireflies blinked in the darkness and we bumped along the marram track towards the airstrip.

Our first sighting was a pretty little Genet Cat, similar in size to a domestic cat with a bushy tail. Once I was familiar with their eye colour and size, it was easy to pick out more Genets in the woodland either side of the track.

A few minutes from the lodge, we pulled up next to a big puddle. We were amazed when Tony jumped out and plucked a terrapin from the muddy water! He explained how Side-headed Terrapins are common in Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve but only appear when the rain fills up the ruts and gullies. “Our guides drive around the puddles to protect the terrapins, rather than through them.” He added.

On the airstrip, a small flat area of cut grass, we cruised slowly up and down looking for nightjars, shy nocturnal birds that are sometimes seen ‘dust bathing’ on the ground. They are masters of camouflage. It’s only when you (almost) run over them that you notice them fly off in alarm.

According to Stevenson and Fanshawe’s Birds of East Africa “Nightjars are a notoriously difficult group to identify: not only do the species look alike, several have different colour morphs.” Don’t ask this casual birder to tell the two species apart, but our guides did. There were two new ticks for the muzungu that night: a Square-tailed Nightjar and a Slender-tailed Nightjar. Temporarily dazzled by our torches, the nightjars sat silent and immobile giving us the chance to admire their delicate plumage.

A Water Thick-knee pretended not to see us. This mainly nocturnal bird “freezes or squats if disturbed,” the book tells us. How true! “They are easily identified by their well-camouflaged brown plumage, large yellow eyes and long thickly jointed yellowish legs.”

Our nocturnal adventure continued with more interesting creatures: a leopard had visited the airstrip not long before us.

As we swept our torches along the ground, we picked out the small dark shapes of animal droppings. On closer inspection, the leopard scat (poo) was crawling with 40 dung beetles. Tony’s eyes lit up with excitement “I’ve never seen so many!” He said. “It’s the remains of a leopard’s kill.”

As we leaned in for a closer look, we recognised fluffy grey baboon fur among the dung beetles, moths and leopard scat. The beetles had clearly been industrious in the preceding 24-hours: little remained of the baboon prey.

Back in the vehicle, we spotted the ears of a young Kob poking through the long grass at the verge of the airstrip.

“Don’t disturb it.” Tony explained how we must not draw attention to this lone calf. It would make easy pickings for a leopard.

As we drove back to the lodge – and around the puddles – a Yellow-winged Bat swept through the night air. The beam of the headlights picked out a Defassa Waterbuck in the sanctuary of the lodge grounds. We may not have seen the leopard, but it was clearly around.

Wining, dining and sleeping – Semliki Safari Lodge’s creature comforts

Even with the reduced number of staff (due to the pandemic) the lodge did a tremendous job of looking after us. Every mouthful of food was delicious. Each ingredient is carefully considered, from the home-made chili to the exquisite pumpkin soup and pretty creations of delicate salad leaves. Breakfast is a gourmet affair of poached eggs with bacon and rocket, cereals and tropical fruit served with home-made bread, chunky marmalade and excellent coffee.

Every night, guests are invited to dine by candlelight with the lodge managers at the Captain’s Table, a rare treat at a Ugandan lodge. Tony and Noline are seasoned Safari experts. (I would revisit Semliki Safari Lodge any time for these shared dining experiences alone!)

The huge dining table – fashioned from one gigantic slab of wood – is perfect for social distancing. Semliki’s main living area of chunky sofas, tribal art and wall murals by the artist Taga is rather grand.

All rooms are fitted to a high standard. The hardwood floor of the luxury tents felt wonderful underfoot and there is generous amounts of hot water for the showers and luxurious outdoor bathtubs. Persian carpets and antique furniture recall a classic African safari. Kikois and slippers are provided, as well as mosquito repellent and a lockable cupboard. Every suite has a daybed on its private deck. (As I write this, I feel the urge to return!)

On a tour of the lodge grounds, lodge manager Tony explained how the units have been re-modelled to maximise the forest views. The new layout almost doubles the floor size of each luxury setup. Where possible, every item has been recycled, including “Amin’s steel,” reclaimed from the ruins of the original Uganda Hotel that once sat on this site. New materials include Elgon olive wood and thatch provided by the nearby Ntoroko Grass Growers’ Association.

Here in the bush, the Uganda Safari Company has invested heavily in solar power, a water borehole, a vegetable garden and more. They supply the water to the Uganda Wildlife Authority and UPDF (army) camps, a key contribution to managing the security of the Wildlife Reserve and its wildlife. Working together, the three organisations have cut the tracks and created a pond for animals to drink from during the dry season, amongst other initiatives. I admire The Uganda Safari Company’s vision – and determination – to protect this little pocket of nature.

What was Diary of a Muzungu doing at Semliki Safari Lodge?

Twice a year the team from Sunbird Hill carry out bird population monitoring on behalf of NatureUganda. Our patch is the Kibale Conservation Area which comprises Kibale National Park, Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve, Semliki National Park, Lake Saka / Lake Bikere, Toro Botanical Gardens, Fort Portal and Katonga Wildlife Reserve.

Sunbird Hill team visit Semliki Safari Lodge Uganda 2020
Sunbird Hill team visit Semliki Safari Lodge Uganda September 2020. It was wonderful for our team to be in the company of like-minded conservationists and nature-lovers – especially after lockdown!

Why should you go on safari at Semliki Safari Lodge?

Whether you drive – or fly in – to Semliki, I highly recommend game drives with the lodge’s knowledgeable site guides Julius and David. They know the Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve inside out and are full of interesting anecdotes. They are expert drivers too.

What are the rates to stay at Semliki Safari Lodge?

Semliki Safari Lodge have some superb rates for residents. Take advantage of them while you can. The lodge has two packages to choose from: Full Board includes all meals and the Game Package includes meals, certain non-premium drinks and two game drives a day. If you make an enquiry, please say Diary of a Muzungu sent you 😉

  • A night game drive to the airstrip.
  • Safari game drive on one of the numerous tracks in Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve.
  • A dip in the lodge swimming pool.
  • Sundowners around the lodge campfire at the lodge or at the Semliki Bush Bar on an evening game drive.
  • Luxurious bush breakfasts, picnics and private dinners in stunning locations.
  • Primate walk in Mugiri Forest below the lodge. Chimp sightings are not guaranteed but you have a good chance of seeing Olive Baboons, Vervet, Red-tailed and Black and White Colobus Monkeys. Bookings can be made at the Uganda Wildlife Authority office next to the lodge entrance.
  • Lake Albert and tours to see the Shoebill are 30 minutes’ drive away and can be arranged by the lodge.
  • Semliki is “a Mecca for birders” with over 425 species recorded. My birding highlights included: Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Crested Francolin, Crowned Hornbill, Palm Nut Vulture, Flappet Lark, White-browed Coucal, Grey Kestrel, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Striped Kingfisher, Helmeted Guineafowl, African Paradise Flycatcher, Black-billed Barbet, Northern Black Flycatcher, Oxpecker, Ruppell’s Long-tailed Starling, Long-crested Eagle, Black Coucal, Grey-backed Fiscal, Rattling Cisticcola, Blue-naped Mousebird, Ring-necked Dove, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Ross’s Turaco, Pygmy Kingfisher, Piapiac, Bateleur, African White-backed Vulture, Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu, Blue-spotted Wood-dove, Little Bee eater, White-banded Snake Eagle, Fork-tailed Drongo, Black-billed Wood-dove, Lanner Falcon, Spotted Morning Thrush – and two species of Nightjar.
  • Look for butterflies. The Sunbird Hill team identified over 50 species including: Blue Sailor, Sulphur Orange Tip, Pea Blue, Red Tip, African Queen, Pearl Charaxes, Citrus Swallowtail, Blue Demon Charaxes, Scarlet Tip and Guineafowl Butterfly.
  • Birding in Semliki National Park (SNP) or Ntandi along the main road just outside SNP, just over an hour’s drive from the lodge.
  • The hot springs at Sempaya, Semliki National Park.
  • Do a day – or longer – hike in the Rwenzori foothills. There are a number of tour operators and community organisations that organise hikes. Send me a message if you would like a recommendation.
  • Andrew Roberts, co-author of the Bradt Uganda Guide, recommends the (very steep) walk from Ntandi to Karagutu.
  • Bundibugyo is the Rwenzori region’s closest town to the DRC (just 10km). There is not a lot to do in Bundibugyo but I find it rather charming. It’s a scenic drive, particularly during the rainy seasons. Look out for cocoa plantations along the route.
  • Enjoy the Rift Valley scenery. As you drive from Fort Portal, skirting the Rwenzori foothills to the left, there are a number of roadside stops where you can take photographs. To your right is the Kijura Escarpment, the “eastern wall of the Rift Valley” according to Andrew Roberts’ excellent maps of Uganda.

If you love birds, a tranquil pace, seriously great food and stimulating company, you will love Semliki Safari Lodge. It’s perfect for seasoned safari-goers who want to reconnect with nature.

Would you like to visit Semliki? Which activities would you try?

Read more about Semliki Safari Lodge in my Travel Directory and, if you make an enquiry, please mention the Muzungu sent you 😉

Kenya

The Muzungu’s top 10 reasons for visiting #MagicalKenya 

Karen Blixen Camp seen from the river mara north conservancy

The divine Karen Blixen Camp seen from the river. In the Mara North Conservancy, the Maasai work with lodge owners to conserve wildlife

I LOVE Kenya – for a hundred – THOUSAND – reasons – but let’s just start with ten …

  1. Kenya is the home of the classic African safari and the Big Five
  2. Kenya is a vast country of contrasting landscapes
  3. Kenya has 48 national parks, reserves, marine parks and private sanctuaries
  4. Kenyans are world-class leaders in wildlife conservation. Read Why Kenya’s ivory burning makes sense #worthmorealive
  5. Kenya has 400 mammal species and 1057 bird species, the most of any country in Africa
  6. The Great Migration passes through Kenya’s Maasai Mara
  7. Kenyans are proud of their 42 tribal cultures, who play a big and colourful part in welcoming tourists
  8. Kenya offers an unmatched range of beach holidays, think: sunbathing, snorkelling, scuba diving, SUP Stand Up Paddling, kitesurfing, sailing
  9. English is widely spoken throughout Kenya. Swahili is the official language
  10. The East Africa Tourist Visa makes travel to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda even better value

Famous as the birthplace of the African Safari, you can never tire of Kenya’s limitless attractions for visitors and incredible diversity of landscapes and natural diversity.

Giraffes on the horizon Mara Kenya Riz Jiwa Rizjiwa

Giraffes on the horizon. Photo Riz Jiwa rizjiwa@gmail.com

Kenya’s world-famous wildlife is exceptional by any standards, and is protected in 48 national parks, reserves, marine parks and private sanctuaries, although many say that it is outside Africa’s national parks that the majority of wildlife still resides (meaning those animals need greater protection too).

Sleeping Warrior. flamingos. Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp. Soysambu Conservancy

The ‘Sleeping Warrior’ AKA Lord Delamere’s Nose is a stunning backdrop to views of flamingos from Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp

Have you visited a conservancy? I loved my three days at Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp in the Soysambu Conservancy in Kenya’s Rift Valley.

Read 10 fascinating flamingo facts (I bet you didn’t know). Lake Elmenteita is a birder’s paradise! (And a superb place for horse riding; game drives to see eland, Rothschild’s giraffes and leopard; the lakeshore breakfast among flamingos and pelicans was unforgettable too!)

Hot air ballooning safari: the sun rises over the Maasai Mara, Kenya – the GoPro view! from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.

Kenya offers visitors an infinite array of authentic wildlife experiences, on land, on the ocean, and even from the air!

great-migration-mara-kenya-riz-jiwa-rizjiwagmail

Great Migration, Maasai Mara, Hot Air Balloon Safaris. Photo Riz Jiwa rizjiwa@gmail.com

Kenya is most famous for the million and a half Wildebeest (and other four-legged friends) that, twice yearly, traverse the Maasai Mara in the epic migration.

Cheetah with three cubs, Maasai Mara safari, Kenya from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.

Lesser-known ecotourism attractions include the Marine Big Five: sea turtles, dolphins, whales, whale sharks and billfish.

Hawksbill Turtles. Photo Turtle Bay Dive Centre Watamu, Kenya

Hawksbill Turtles. Photo Turtle Bay Dive Centre Watamu

Did you know you can now experience the Twin Migration – uniquely – in Kenya? Watch the migration in the Mara and watch whales migrate along the coast too! Read all about whale watching trips from Watamu.

The highest point is the snowcapped peak of Mount Kenya, the intersection of the Equator and the Great Rift Valley.

Kenya is a geographer and naturalist’s dream: a country the size of France and Spain combined, featuring mountains, extinct volcanoes, soda lakes, Equatorial rainforest, alpine glaciers and arid deserts.

On the Indian Ocean coast, the white sandy beaches of Watamu, Malindi, Lamu and Mombasa, and the Swahili coast’s blend of African and Arab cultures, add an extra dimension to this must-visit country. Read 17 must-try experiences in Mombasa. Snorkeling-Watamu-beach-Kenya-Diary-of-a-Muzungu

The snorkeling in Watamu is out of this world. Diary of a Muzungu on the beach at Watamu, Kenya

swimming-pool-medina-palms-watamu-kenya-coast

TripAdvisor Winner 2015: Medina Palms’ clients voted this resort the BEST of all hotels, lodges and establishments across the whole country. A series of infinity pools lead down to the white powder sand beach

With eight swimming pools cascading down to the Indian Ocean, Swahili Beach Resort in Diani is high on my list of places for ‘a proper holiday.’🌴🍹🌊🥥👙⛱️

Read Swahili Beach – confessions of a travel blogger.

Swahili Beach Resort Diani Kenya

The 5 star Swahili Beach Resort in Diani – SWOON! Click on the image above to read my blog and view a gallery of this resort’s amazing architecture and interiors

Shree Cutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple, Haile Selassie Avenue, Mombasa Island

A technicolor start to our morning’s sightseeing in Mombasa. Shree Cutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple, Haile Selassie Avenue

When it comes to food, I can’t think of any better combination than the Kenyan coast combination of fresh seafood and spices: crab samosas, fresh fish and lobster, with a Swahili twist (washed down with an ice-cold Tusker beer, of course!)

bomas-shuka-maasai-tusker-nairobi

Enjoying a cold Tusker at the Bomas, Nairobi

Kenya is famous for her colourful human culture, notably the Maasai, the Samburu and the Turkana, just three of the country’s 42 tribes.

Kenya’s rich heritage can be traced back a staggering 4.5 million years. Didn’t we all come from Africa once?

nairobi-uhuru-gardens-walking-to-school

Walking to school through Uhuru Gardens, Central Business District, Nairobi. In November, the Jacaranda trees are in full and glorious blossom

I love Nairobi more every visit. The streets are becoming more familiar to me now: I LOVE this incredible video!

Nairobi- A Timelapse Portrait from xixo collective on Vimeo.

The capital Nairobi is the only African city with a national park in its centre. Even if you don’t get a chance to leave the city perimeter, it’s still possible to go on a game drive if you are visiting Nairobi. Read my blog all about Nairobi National Park: the muzungu’s first city safari!

Nairobi National Park

If you’ve seen the incongruous-looking photographs of wildlife in front of a modern urban background, then you may know I’m talking about Nairobi National Park (which is actually IN Kenya’s capital, making it very accessible for weekend or business visitors).

I recently stayed at the 5 star Nairobi Serena Hotel, conveniently situated on a quiet and leafy corner of the Central Business District. The hotel has been totally refurbished and offers a complimentary Architectural, Cultural and Conservation to guests. The creativity is quite mind-blowing! If you’re a fan of African history and culture, the Murumbi Gallery and Heritage House, you must read How to tour Africa from the comfort of your Nairobi hotel. 

wood carvings Bambara Lounge, Nairobi Serena Hotel Architectural, Cultural and Conservation Tour

Admire the fabulous wood carvings in the Bambara Lounge, Nairobi Serena Hotel on the Architectural, Cultural and Conservation Tour

brass trinket. Nairobi Serena Hotel Architectural, Cultural and Conservation Tour

This delicate brass box derives from West Africa. Isn’t it gorgeous? Click on the images to see more artefacts you can see on the Nairobi Serena’s Architectural, Cultural and Conservation Tour

Did you know…? The East Africa Tourist Visa makes it easier and cheaper to combine a trip to Kenya with a visit to Uganda and Rwanda. Read the Muzungu’s definitive guide to the East Africa Tourist Visa here.

I’ve only just skimmed the surface of what Kenya has to offer as a tourism destination but the country has blown my tiny little mind, I can tell you!

Lunatic-Express-Nairobi-Mombasa-view

View from the Lunatic Express train from Nairobi to Mombasa

If you are travelling between Kampala to Nairobi, you might enjoy reading my cross-border bus journeys.

Travelling between Nairobi and the Mombasa coast? The photo above was taken on the Lunatic Express train – a real highlight of my travels across East Africa. It’s been replaced by the rather less romantic – but infinitely more reliable – Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train. Read my detailed comparison between the bus and the train journey between Nairobi and Mombasa here in Brief encounter – of romance and railways.

Keep reading Diary of a Muzungu for more travel tips and adventures from across Kenya and East Africa.

Murchison Falls National Park

Visit the spectacular Murchison Falls! Take the boat ride to the Bottom of the Falls. Experience the thundering water under your feet at the Top of the Falls!

Devil's Cauldron. Top of Murchison Falls

That’s my dad! The Devil’s Cauldron. Top of Murchison Falls

Murchison Falls National Park is named after the spectacular waterfalls, the undoubted geographical highlight of the area. It was during his 1860-70’s expeditions that the explorer Sir Samuel Baker named the Falls after Sir Roderick Murchison, the President of The Royal Geographical Society. During Idi Amin’s time, the Falls were known by their local name: Kabalega Falls, after the notorious warlord king of Bunyoro Kingdom.

Sir Winston Churchill described the plains around Murchison Falls as “Kew Gardens and the [London] zoo on an unlimited scale.”

Before I go any further, I must alert you to the heinous idea of building a dam at Murchison Falls. Read my blog “There is no Murchison Falls National Park without Murchison Falls.” The debate rages on.

On an early morning game drive in Murchison, you’re likely to see elephants, Cape buffalo, Rothschild’s giraffes, lion, Uganda kob, warthog and more. My friend saw a porcupine on safari in Murchison! An armed Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger escorts visitors on game drives.

Abyssinian Ground Hornbills Murchison Falls, safari

Murchison Falls National Park has over 400 bird species. I love the big Abyssinian Ground Hornbill! I spotted these as we drove along the south bank of the Nile

The boat trip to the Bottom of the Falls is second to none. It’s an absolute must-do! You will see huge Nile crocodiles, hippos and 100s of birds, including brightly-coloured Beeeaters, Spoonbills and – if you’re lucky – you can even see the prehistoric-looking Shoebill, which is a cross between the dodo and a dinosaur! The boat takes you to the base of the Falls where you can stop for some great photo opportunities.

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

On my last trip we saw an amazing THREE Shoebills on the River Nile delta cruise with Wild Frontiers. Photo Allan Ssenyonga

View of Murchison Falls and Uhuru Falls, Uganda

View of Murchison Falls and Uhuru Falls, Uganda

The hour’s hike from the edge of the River Nile up to the top of Murchison Falls is highly recommended. En route you will see a second set of waterfalls – Uhuru Falls. The striking view of both waterfalls is not visible from the top of Murchison Falls, nor from the boat. This hike can be done in either direction. There is a steep climb for a few minutes, but the Uganda Wildlife Authority has invested in  steps and handrails, so I highly recommend the hike. UWA charge a small fee to do the walk to the bottom of the Falls.

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…. click on the image to read my blog all about Murchison Falls

The experience at the Top of the Falls is staggering. Here the Nile, the longest river in the world, is forced through a narrow gap in the rock (only 7 metres wide), before ferociously plunging down 43 metres. You can feel the force of the water beneath the rocks underfoot. You’ll need to SHOUT to make your voice heard above the tons of water thundering beneath you!

Sport fishing for giant Nile Perch is a popular activity in Murchison Falls National Park. Guided walking safaris are also available too.

Budongo Forest Reserve, to the south of the main Park, is an excellent ecotourism site for trekking chimpanzees. Budongo Forest is home to some 600-700 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii). The Budongo Forest Conservation Field Station studies and works to conserve the local chimpanzee populations.

The majority of Murchison Falls National Park’s game viewing is on the northern bank of the Nile, where there are a number of hotels and lodges. There’s also a range of accommodation just outside the Park, on the southern bank of the Nile. The advantage of staying outside the Park is that you do not pay Uganda Wildlife Authority’s entry fees until you enter the Park. (The downside is that you have to then wait for the ferry before you start your game drive). The ferry takes just a few minutes to cross the Nile. (A bridge is under construction in 2020).


Queen Elizabeth National Park

Queen Elizabeth National Park – more bird species than any other African national park!

Queen Elizabeth National Park straddles the Equator and is dominated by lakes and waterways. Set on the floor of the Rift Valley, the park is surrounded on distant sides by mountains and volcanic peaks. Queen Elizabeth boasts stunning scenery and incredible biodiversity. No wonder it is Uganda’s most popular National Park. Safari game drives, tree-climbing lions, herds of elephants, packs of hyena, chimpanzees, curious warthogs, giant forest hog, lions, leopard, buffalo and big pods of hippos are just some of the animal attractions. Banded Mongoose, Olive Baboons, Black and White Colobus monkeys, waterbuck, bushbuck and Uganda Kob are a few of the commonly seen mammals.
And remember – every safari is different! You never know what you will see.

Uganda Conservation Foundation's map of Uganda

Uganda Conservation Foundation’s map of Uganda, created to celebrate their tenth anniversary. 10% of sales of these maps is donated to UCF

Queen Elizabeth is the park that the Muzungu knows best, thanks to my volunteering with the Uganda Conservation Foundation.

Queen Elizabeth is a popular park in its own right. It often features on longer itineraries too, that include gorilla trekking in Bwindi or Mgahinga (to the south), a Safari in Murchison Falls (to the north) or chimp tracking in Kibale Forest.

African Fish Eagles Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth National Park

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

Queen Elizabeth National Park has the highest recorded number of birds of any of Uganda’s national parks: a whopping 666 species. That is the highest for any national park in Africa!

taking notes UCF UWA Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area

A very serious muzungu taking notes on my first field trip with UCF and UWA Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area

Queen Elizabeth is an excellent place to see hippos, elephants and lions. You’ll have to look very carefully to spot the leopard!

leopard in cactus Queen Elizabeth

Leopard camouflaged in Euphorbia ‘candelabra’ cactus, Queen Elizabeth National Park

One of my favourite activities is the boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel. Read Bird watching on the Kazinga Channel – a 21st century Safari! Look out for the big Nile crocodiles basking in the sun at the water’s edge!

You can also trek chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge on the edge of the escarpment, at Kichwamba, just outside the National Park.

The southern sector of Queen Elizabeth is known as Ishasha, most famous for its tree-climbing lions. Ishasha’s wide plains give you a wilderness experience. Many people experience Ishasha while driving en route from game drives in Mweya and central Queen Elizabeth down to see the gorillas in Bwindi.

Queen Elizabeth has a fantastic panoramic viewing point – and café – on the Equator, managed by Conservation Through Public Health. The Queen’s Pavillion and Information Centre is also the site of a Uganda Wildlife Authority office. Do drop by if you’re passing!

In and outside the park are a number of crater lakes. Katwe’s crater lakes are famous for seasonal migrations of flamingos.

Harvesting salt in Lake Katwe

Harvesting salt from beneath the water of Lake Katwe – not a pleasant job to be knee-deep in salty water all day!

On the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park are some fantastic community tourism projects. The best established ones have been developed with the support of Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust, UCOTA and Ishasha Community Uplift Group.

Cultural activities include village walks, traditional dancing and traditional musical instruments, basket weaving, beekeeping and candle-making, hands-on demonstrations of how to produce local food, farm visits and medicinal uses of herbs.

There’s a lot more to Uganda than wildlife, and visiting a community tourism project is a quick and easy way to contribute to local communities. Get out of your comfort zone and meet the rural Ugandans!

Did you know… you can see the Rwenzori Mountains and the Blue Mountains of the Congo from Queen Elizabeth National Park?


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?

Nairobi National Park. The muzungu’s first city safari!

A city safari in Nairobi National Park. An early morning game drive to match any safari in the bush!

It seemed weird to leave our four-star city hotel and drive through commuter traffic for an early morning safari. Usually, it’s a question of stumbling out of a tent into the Bush… [Note to self: next time, don’t miss the safari vehicle when it leaves the hotel!] If you’ve seen the incongruous-looking photographs of wildlife in front of a modern urban background, then you may know I’m talking about Nairobi National Park (which is actually in Kenya’s capital, making it very accessible for weekend or business visitors).

Safarilink aerial view Nairobi National Park

A flight with Safarilink shows the proximity of Nairobi National Park to Kenya’s capital

Despite many wonderful safari experiences in Uganda, notably while working for the Uganda Conservation Foundation, this was my first safari in Nairobi National Park and my first time to see White Rhino, Thomson’s Gazelle, Wildebeest, Eland, Ostrich and Reticulated Giraffe in the wild. (Uganda has Eland but they are very shy, and Ostrich are in the remote northeastern park of Kidepo).

Nairobi National Park is a pocket-handkerchief-sized 117 km² and the animal diversity is pretty amazing! The park is home to to 100s of species – elephant being one of the few that are missing. You’ll have to go to Maasai Mara, Amboseli or Tsavo – among many other conservancies and National Parks – to see elephants.

Safarilink aerial view Nairobi National Park

Aerial view of Nairobi National Park in the rain

Immediately we entered the park, there were the familiar smells of damp vegetation and animal manure. It smells like a National Park, it sounds like a National Park, and the variety of wildlife we encountered was soon to demonstrate that we really were in a National Park, despite it being surrounded on three sides by human development. Small aircraft flying overhead gave the Park another dimension. (You might say Nairobi National Park is boxed in from the air too).

pemba warthog Nairobi National Park

‘Pemba’ the Swahili for warthog, Nairobi National Park. Photo Kenya Tourist Board / Magical Kenya

We passed the site where the Kenya Wildlife Service made history and burned the stockpile of confiscated elephant ivory. Kenya has taken bold steps to tackle poaching. It is well documented that the sale of legally gotten ivory (through the natural death of an elephant, for example) has stimulated unprecedented demand for ivory in China and fuelled the catastrophic levels of ivory poaching across Africa.

Nairobi National Park ivory

“If no elephant ever complained about the weight of their tusks, why take them off?” ‪#‎WorthMoreAlive‬ Kenya Wildlife Service

 

Kenya ivory burning #worthmorealive

Click on this image to read why “Why it makes sense to burn #elephant and #rhino #ivory stockpiles…” #worthmorealive

The destruction of ivory, sometimes by burning, but these days by crushing, is the only answer. The temptation to steal confiscated ivory (valued at several thousand US dollars per kilo) is too much for many, and the penalties for being caught not harsh enough.

Early morning, our driver Anthony communicated in Kiswahili by radio with the other drivers in our safari convoy and announced that another driver had just spotted a pride of eleven lions ahead of us. (You can imagine our excitement!) We paused above a wooded ravine but it seemed the big cats had gone to cover. They were (understandably) not in a rush to come out and be gawped at by us lot!

Mohawk lion Nairobi National Park. Photo Will Knocker

RIP Mohawk the lion, seen here in his natural habitat: the sad reality is that lions which leave the safety of Nairobi National Park will be lost in the surrounding city and killed. Photo Will Knocker

Instead of seeing lions, we were rewarded with seeing three White Rhino.

Nairobi National Park has a population of 27 White Rhino. It was wonderful to see them in the wild! (To date, I’ve only seen White Rhino at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Uganda. Uganda’s own population of Black and White Rhino are extinct).

Nairobi National Park white rhino

Look carefully and you will spot three of Nairobi National Park’s white rhinos !

[Note to self: wear something warm if you’re going on an early morning game drive when the safari vehicle pop-up roof is open!]

ostrich, wildebeest. Nairobi National Park safari

An ostrich and a wildebeest. Ostrich are much bigger than I had imagined them to be. Uglier too! We saw five of these big birds in Nairobi National Park

 

Nairobi National Park dazzle of zebra

Did you know… a group of zebras are called a DAZZLE? Common zebra grazed one side of the dirt track

 

Nairobi National Park giraffe zebras wildlife safari

My most memorable moment of our Nairobi safari was watching the single, elegant giraffe walking slowly down the track towards us

It peered at us through the open roof as it brushed the side of the van. With gasps of excitement as the giraffe walked within inches of us, not one of us professional travel writers, bloggers and photographers managed to take a decent photograph!

Nairobi National Park giraffe zebras wildlife safari

[Note to self: do read the manual before you use your new camera for the first time!]

Next stop was the hippo pools. I’ve seen and written about a gazillion hippo in Uganda, so I was far more interested in learning the ecology of Nairobi National Park. The park signage, developed by Friends of Nairobi National Park, has excellent information about the network of man-made reserves that water the park and its inhabitants.

Wildlife is under immense pressure by human encroachment. Nowhere demonstrates this better than Nairobi National Park: human development on three sides of the park; planes flying overhead; the need to install water systems for the wildlife because the human populations are preventing water reaching the park. Controversially, infrastructure projects such as the Standard Gauge Railway have also been designed to go through the park. I’m a big fan of train travel – as you may remember from my trip on the Lunatic Express from Nairobi to Mombasa but I believe that one day Kenyans will regret the decision to let the train route go through the park (many are bitterly against it). Why can’t the SGR and the bypass be rerouted around the outside of the park? Why can’t underpasses be built? The deal has been done. We just pray disturbance of animals is kept to a minimum.

Have you been on safari in Nairobi National Park?

I really enjoyed our early morning game drive and saw many species I had never seen before. A safari in Nairobi National Park is a fantastic day out if you have limited time in the capital.  It’s a delightful way for people who live in Nairobi to (re)connect with their incredible natural heritage too.

Vervet Monkey Nairobi National Park

Vervet Monkey waiting for me to put something in the bin…. so he can quickly remove it again! Near the hippo pools, Nairobi National Park

Where to find more info on safaris in Nairobi National Park

I think that if I lived in Nairobi, I would volunteer with Friends of Nairobi National Park. Check out their web site, plus the management’s own Nairobi National Park website and the Kenya Wildlife Service’s Nairobi National Park and Nairobi Safari Walk pages.

Wildlife fans will have to visit the Nairobi Animal Orphanage too! (It’s located in Nairobi National Park so you can visit after your game drive).

Feeding cheetahs, Nairobi Animal Orphanage, Kenya

Feeding the cheetahs at Nairobi Animal Orphanage. PHOTO Nairobi Animal Orphanage

Bottle-feeding lion cub, Nairobi Animal Orphanage, Kenya

MIAW! Bottle-feeding a lion cub at Nairobi Animal Orphanage. PHOTO Nairobi Animal Orphanage

If you enjoyed my blog about Nairobi National Park, feel free to share it!

Have you read The Muzungu’s top 10 reasons for visiting #MagicalKenya?

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.

Bird watching on the Kazinga Channel – a 21st century Safari!

Bird watching: a 21st-century Safari! Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth National Park

Have you noticed that the more Safaris you go on, the smaller the animal that catches your eye? It could be the butterflies or the reptiles; for some it’s even the insects! But, increasingly, with a pair of binoculars and a professional guide, it’s our feathered friends that are causing the excitement.

African Fish Eagles. Uganda birds. Sherry McElvie Wildlife Photography

African Fish Eagles. PHOTO Sherry McElvie Wildlife Photography

What is it about birds?

Few areas of the world can boast over 600 bird species; Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park – one of the world’s most biodiverse Protected Areas – is one.

Queen Elizabeth, an area covering 1978 km², owes its rich biodiversity to its variety of habitats: Savannah, freshwater lakes, grasslands, swamps, Acacia and Euphorbia bush, salty crater lakes, moist tropical forest and more. It contains a Ramsar site (protected wetlands of international importance) and an IBA (Important Bird Area). Thus a trip to Queen Elizabeth is a trip to many different habitats with many different types of birds, some of them endemic – that’s to say unique to that particular place. The time of year will also affect which birdlife you will see, as many non-native species migrate over the country en route between Europe and summer nesting sites in South Africa.

Euphorbia cactus, Mweya, Queen Elizabeth Uganda

Euphorbia cactus, Mweya Peninsula, Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda. In the far distance is the DR Congo

Birdlife in Queen Elizabeth shows biodiversity at its best. Nature has adapted birds to fit every variety of habitat: it’s all about survival, and each bird’s characteristics have evolved to suit its particular ecological niche. Did you know… Queen Elizabeth National Park has more bird species than any other of Uganda’s National Parks?

Where is the best place to see birds in Queen Elizabeth?

A boat ride along the Kazinga Channel and the Mweya Peninsula joining Lakes George and Edward is an ideal starting point.

From the enormous Goliath Heron, a statuesque 1 metre high, to the tiny jewel-like Malachite Kingfisher, Queen Elizabeth’s bird life offers something for everyone to admire.

Blue breasted Beeeater Kaj Ostergaard

Blue breasted Bee eater. PHOTO Kaj Ostergaard

As our boat slowly meandered along the Kazinga Channel towards Lake Edward, our excellent Uganda Wildlife Authority guide Bernard listed the different bird species we passed.

Highlights included: Common Squacco Heron, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Common Godwit, and a Water Thick-knee (a Wader with big eyes) feeding on the shore; and a lone African Spoonbill (its bill really does look like a spoon!) behind them.

We admired the gorgeous monochrome Sacred Ibis with its elegant curved beak; handsome Egyptian Geese and a Eurasian Marsh Harrier and an African Fish Eagle looking down at us from a tall tree.

Flocks of loud, luminous Glossy Starlings flitted from bush to bush; vibrant Madagascar Bee-eaters and beautiful little, water-loving Blue Breasted Bee-eaters hovered in and around the burrows they’ve excavated out of the earth banks.

Pelican. Uganda birds. Sherry McElvie Wildlife Photography

Pelican. PHOTO Sherry McElvie Wildlife Photography

Pied (black and white) Kingfishers are a common sight, hovering in the air before plunging beak first into the water – an incredible 1,900 were recorded one July – and Yellow-billed Oxpeckers perch on the backs of Buffalo, removing their ticks (an arrangement that suits both parties well!)

Uganda’s famous scrawny old men of the bird world, the famous Marabou Stork, are residents of the Kazinga Channel too. These ugly birds are surprisingly elegant – just see them glide atop the thermals.

Marabou Stork, Mweya, Queen Elizabeth National Park

Marabou Stork outside UWA’s Tembo Canteen on Mweya Peninsula, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kazinga Channel in the background

As we approached the lake, flocks of thousands of birds flew off in a circle above our heads alighting again on the sandbars at the water’s edge : White-winged Terns, Great and Long-tailed Cormorants, African Skimmers (Queen Elizabeth is the easiest place to see these large birds), Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, the psychedelic Saddle billed Stork, and Great White Egrets.

What a spectacular sight!

Sacred Ibis. Uganda birds. Sherry McElvie Wildlife Photography

Sacred Ibis. PHOTO Sherry McElvie Wildlife Photography

Back on the Mweya Peninsula, look out for the enormous nest of the “King birds”, the Hammerkop, the biggest nest of its type (also home to the occasional snake!) and a favourite vantage point for Eagle Owls. With more time, a visit to Munyanyange Crater Lake north of Katwe is an absolute must – over 2,000 Lesser Flamingos were counted there one February.

As for the famous yet elusive Shoebill? Well, you’ll just have to ask your guide nicely if he’ll venture into the dense papyrus beds of Lake Kikorongo to spot one!

Bird watching Lake Nyamunuka crater lake, north of Mweya, Queen Elixabeth National Park

This is my dad! Looking for birds but actually spotting buffalo and hippo on Lake Nyamunuka crater lake, north of Mweya, Queen Elizabeth National Park

Is bird watching in Queen Elizabeth on your itinerary?

It certainly should be!

Birding is just one of the many different wildlife experiences Queen Elizabeth has to offer.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority’s mongooses experience is another fascinating day out.

There are some very cool local community tourism projects, too, promoted by UCOTA.

Visiting Deo the farmer and the elephant trench in Ishasha, excavated thanks to the Uganda Conservation Foundation, is another brilliant tourism experience.

How about a morning game drive to see the lions?

Lions in Queen Elizabeth safari Uganda

Sometimes you don’t need a telephoto lens! This gorgeous pair just strolled right past our car… early morning lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park,Uganda

Have you been bird watching in Queen Elizabeth National Park?

Where is your favourite place to watch birds in Uganda?

Let me know in the comments 🙂

A rolex-fuelled bike tour of Uganda and Africa

Uganda bike tour. An interview with Ron Rutland ‘Fat Kid on a Bike’

“I’m no David Attenborough, but trekking with the gorillas has been the greatest wildlife experience of my life,” said Ron Rutland, the ‘Fat Kid on a Bike’ who cycled through Uganda en route from Cape Town to London.

Ron is planning to travel through every African country and is a total rugby fanatic! He aims to arrive in London for the Rugby World Cup in August 2015. I organised Fat Kid’s Uganda gorilla trekking permits for him and we caught up when he was in Kampala. It was without doubt my #HumanSpirit moment of the week.

Diary of a Muzungu meets fat Kid on a Bike in Kampala
Diary of a Muzungu meets fat Kid on a Bike at Kampala’s Protea Hotel – one of Ron’s sponsors

Diary of a Muzungu: What has your journey been like so far?

Fat Kid: I’m now 160 days into it and without sounding corny, it’s getting better and better each day. I’ve spent so much time organising, planning and sorting out visas for places like Eritrea and Somaliland, that I can’t wait to get there now.

I’m loving it, I’m absolutely loving it.

Diary of a Muzungu: What do you think of Uganda?

Fat Kid: I can honestly say that in 160 days cycling, the stretch from the Rwandese border and Kisoro, around Lake Mutanda, with views of the Virunga Volcanoes and on through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, has been the most beautifully scenic part of my trip so far. It’s a truly unforgettable part of the world – but nobody knows about Uganda as a tourist destination!

View of the Virunga Volcanoes from Nkuringo Gorilla Camp. Photo Robert Brierley
“A truly unforgettable part of the world.” View of the Virunga Volcanoes from Nkuringo Gorilla Camp. Photo Robert Brierley

Uganda has been one of the highlights of my trip, from start to finish.

Diary of a Muzungu: Have you tasted Ugandan food?

Ron and I discussed the Rolex – Uganda’s most famous street food.

man making muzungu rolex Kampala
Man making the muzungu a rolex in Nakawa market, Kampala

Fat Kid: Rolex are a good nutritional balance; they’re particularly good for me because of all the carbohydrates.

Diary of a Muzungu: Can you beat my friend’s record of consuming six rolex in a 24 hour period?

(He may be called the Fat Kid, but no, that rolex record remains unbeaten!)

I had assumed – wrongly! – that Ron was at the peak of physical fitness before he embarked on his mammoth tour.

Fat Kid: Quite the opposite, I’d just recovered from an injury that needed surgery; with little training, the cycling was very tough going for the first two or three weeks. Everything became easier after that.

Diary of a Muzungu: What is the most useful thing you travel with?

Fat Kid: I have a very simply written letter saying that I am South African and explaining the purpose of my journey and the route. In the letter, I apologise for not speaking every language and say I have few needs apart from buying food, and thanking them for their hospitality. I have a copy of this letter in French, Arabic, Swahili and a few other key other languages.

Diary of a Muzungu: How did you feel about spending Christmas away from home?

Fat Kid: To be honest, there’s nothing I would rather be doing than this. I am living the dream! How exciting is that?

I’m a social person but also very happy in my own company. So far I have had about 30 days (out of 160) riding with people, but it’s very rare to be on my own. You are always surrounded by people. I haven’t yet got to the point where I felt lonely. I’m quite looking forward to those solitary moments in the desert.

One of my real frustrations, however, is people’s curiosity. You get stared at when you are eating, when you are putting up your tent, or cooking your food. You do feel like a circus freak. In Angola, 60 or 70 people watched me. The next morning I asked the local chief why everyone was staring at me. “They have never seen a white guy on a bike, and neither have I.” They might have seen the odd white person drive past in a UN vehicle, but they had never seen a white guy on a bike, put up a tent, or cook for himself.

I understand it, but the “Muzungu how are you?” does get a bit overwhelming. When you are cycling uphill and you get these constant questions, I think “I don’t want to be rude but actually I am completely shattered…”

Diary of a Muzungu: Your journey is called Lettie’s Ride. Who is Lettie?

Fat Kid: Lettie is a friend of mine who has breast cancer. She’s 36 and she has three kids. She has lived her life to the full; no-one could appreciate their health more than her. There are frequent sporting events, celebrating life for Lettie, like people running up Cape Town’s Table Mountain barefoot.

When I first planned this trip, it was just a selfish journey to watch the Springboks play rugby. I know how hard it is to do fundraising, so I didn’t want to commit to it when I knew how hard it was going to be just to cycle from Cape Town to London.

It was when Lettie’s husband sent an email saying that Lettie’s cancer had come back more aggressively that I decided to dedicate my ride to her. There have been days – like when I was pushing my bike through the sands of the Mozambique parks – when it’s flipping tough and you’re feeling crappy. Then you have to ask yourself, is it really that bad? I’ve been able to do this, I’ve chosen to do this, I’m not fighting a deadly disease.

The bike is bright pink and has the word Lettie written all over it. I think about Lettie every day.

I’m dedicating this ride to Lettie and I am also living this adventure. I want her to get the positive message; that’s what I get goosebumps about.

Diary of a Muzungu: So you’re a rugby fanatic! Tell me more.

Fat Kid: The Rugby World Cup in London 2015 gives me a date to work to, otherwise you could spend five years cycling through the whole of Africa.

After uni I played rugby in Australia for six months and then in Hong Kong. Four or five years ago, I set up a rugby tournament in South Africa. It’s an annual social rugby event that now has 100 teams competing.

I got to know Francois Pienaar through mutual friends. He is probably one of the most famous rugby players in South Africa. (He was captain of the Springboks rugby team at the 1995 World Cup, the famous rugby match that united the post-apartheid nation, made famous in the Clint Eastwood-directed film Invictus). Francois is my ambassador and Founding Chairman of the Mad ‘Make a Difference’ Foundation, who are doing a fundraising campaign around my trip.

Pienaar and Mandela
Francois Pienaar and Nelson Mandela 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa

Whatever route I take, I am going to cycle through Paris. On my last four or five days, Francois Pinard is going to cycle with me from Paris to London to the World Cup. There are many rugby lovers and South Africans in the UK, who I think will want to do the journey with us.

Hopefully, in my own little way, I can help to give Lettie strength. If I get to London and the Mad Foundation has raised 1 million rand as well, then I couldn’t be happier.

Diary of a Muzungu: How did you feel about being in Uganda when Mandela died?

I noticed the flags were at half-mast at the Ugandan parliament.

In some ways I wish I’d been in South Africa. From what people back home said, it was a mixture of feelings: sadness, but also a celebration of everything that was good about Mandela. Yes the country is mourning, but mourning together.

Like he did in ’95, and other times, Mandela has transcended everything, all the political crap and segregation that still exists in our society; not just black and white, but rich and poor. People talk about corruption in Uganda, but it is endemic in South Africa.

I wish Mandela had run the country longer. He was one of the only African leaders of that generation who gave up power voluntarily; that makes him unique too.

The week Mandela died, my African #HumanSpirit moment of the week was this: “Everyone I’ve met who has expressed their sympathy at the death of “Africa’s Father” or “Our Father”…it’s quite incredible the sheer number of times this happens a day.”

Diary of a Muzungu: How long did it take you to plan this trip?

In a sense, I’ve been planning this trip my whole life.

It took me six or seven months to actually plan this trip. I have put everything into this, literally. I’ve never been one to own a lot of stuff, so what I couldn’t sell, I gave to charity. I wasn’t going to pay money to put all my stuff in storage for two years.

The biggest decision was what kind of bike to buy. Now I’m on the road, I’m planning approximately 3 months ahead. Most of my planning is ‘visa driven’ that is to say it depends on getting visas to enter each country. For that I rely on a visa services company.

New Chad friends for the Fat Kid on a Bike
New Chad friends. Chad was African country number 23 for the Fat Kid on a Bike

So, for example, while I am in Uganda, DHL will send my passport for South Sudan to Gulu. Once I’m out of Uganda I can send my second passport back to Cape Town to get the visa for the next countries: Eritrea and Sudan. I spent a few months planning the route and visas in advance. This is probably the best practical thing I did before I left, and no delays so far….

Diary of a Muzungu: How have you funded your trip?

Although cycling is a free way to travel, I spent all my savings buying the bike and setting it up for the trip. Whatever happened, I was leaving anyway. I’ve heard so many stories about people not having money and picking up sponsors along the way.

Once you are on the road, it really isn’t an expensive way of travelling. My budget is R200 or $20 a day. This covers visas and everything, including food, and accommodation, when I need it. Africa is not the cheapest place to travel by any means, but it’s a lot cheaper than just sitting on my couch in Cape Town. You know what I mean?

I have friends who have done well in business who helped me out. They said we can’t sell our businesses and put our wives on ice for two years. We can live our dream through you.

ABSA are my main sponsor. They sponsor the #HumanSpirit. [For them, what is a better example of the human spirit than someone cycling through every country in Africa to watch their rugby team – the Springboks – play in London?]

Diary of a Muzungu: What did you do before you embarked on this trip?

I’ve always been a bit of a restless soul.

I spent most of my career working in banking, in London. Next I set up a business and lived in Thailand for three years. Living in south-east Asia was a wonderful experience. Out of necessity, I then went back to banking, this time in Hong Kong for 3 years. Four or five years ago, I felt ready for a change so I went back to South Africa and set up the rugby tournament. It was fun but I wasn’t building anything for the future so I thought now is the ideal time for me to go and do what I want and to get it out of my system.

Diary of a Muzungu: Get it out of your system? Or ignite an even bigger flame? I asked.

The Fat Kid laughed.

Diary of a Muzungu: How do you keep in contact with everyone back home?

A GPS device records my location every day and this can be tracked on my website. I’m not a great writer, but I do record a few minutes about my experiences a few days of the week. Phone coverage has been surprisingly good. In fact, my family say they hear more from me than they ever thought they would.

drinking tea in Cameroon
Fat Kid off his bike and sheltering from the rain to drink tea, in Cameroon

After Diary of a Muzungu’s interview with Fat Kid on a Bike in Kampala

A few days after our interview, Ron cycled East to Jinja for some white water rafting with Nile River Explorers, and then North, passing through Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary at Nakasangola “my goodness was the rhino tracking another memorable wildlife experience!”

I told Ron he simply couldn’t miss Wild Frontiers’ breath-taking boat ride to the bottom of the falls in Murchison Falls National Park.

Ron Rutland ice cold Nile Special - on the Nile
Ron Rutland, Fat Kid on a bike, enjoying an ice cold Nile Special – on the River Nile, Murchison Falls National Park with Wild Frontiers Uganda

“The Murchison Falls boat ride will certainly go down as a highlight of not only my time in Uganda, but of my entire 5 and a half months on the road so far!”

We last spoke when Ron was in Gulu, planning to cycle into South Sudan. He sounded a little bit uncertain about what was happening next. I’m not surprised: leaving the Pearl of Africa and going into a war zone!

At the border, he commented on “the warm welcome, hospitality, and help received from the Ugandan soldiers based on the South Sudan border.”

Ron’s route was due to take him through Juba:

“I had to accept the very insistent advice of the UN, 50 km inside South Sudan, that to continue any further would be ‘completely reckless’, and I made the decision to back track to Uganda. Seeing for myself the human tragedy unfolding in South Sudan put a little cycle trip into real perspective.”

As a rule, Ron’s transcontinental route sees him exit a country using a different border to the one he enters the country; South Sudan was the first country – and let’s hope only country – where he failed to achieve this.

Ron sounded quite philosophical though:

“This is Africa, after all. I’m aware that things can change at any time.”

Of this experience, he said:

What I will try never take for granted again: the freedom of travel within and between countries. After having to make an abrupt UN enforced U-turn in South Sudan, to having to re-route through Ethiopia and Sudan to get to Eritrea from Djibouti, to the headaches I’m now having in plotting a way across Sudan through Darfur to Chad, it has made me realise the incredible privilege it is to be able to travel and cycle freely across and (even with the hassle of visas sometimes) between most countries.

If you’d like to keep up with Ron’s trip on the remaining year of his journey, visit the Fat Kid on a Bike website or Facebook page. He writes weekly updates and you can follow him on the map.

As Kingsley Holgate reminded me during a long liquid meeting before I left, this expedition ‘isn’t about the bike’, but rather ‘an epic African adventure which you happen to be doing on a bicycle’ – a huge difference!

As we said goodbye, Ron invited me to accompany him on a leg of his trip. How I would LOVE to! (I wonder if I can make it to West Africa in time to meet him?)

If not West Africa, we might have to wait until London 2015… my dad is a rugby fan(atic) too and I have a feeling he will be enjoying the #HumanSpirit watching the Springboks play at Twickenham rugby grounds in August 2015!