Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park – now home to Rothschild’s Giraffes too!
Lake Mburo National Park is the closest National Park to Kampala and thus a popular weekend break. Lake Mburo is also en route to Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks so is a common stopover for people wishing to break up the rather long road journey to see the gorillas.
Lake Mburo is one of the few national parks in Uganda where you can track on foot, with an armed guide. It’s also possible to have a walking safari outside the Park, for a fraction of the price, if you are staying at Rwakobo Rock Lodge, for example. I just loved walking through the zebra!
Lake Mburo is unique in being the only National Park in Uganda where you can enjoy a horseback safari. The Uganda Wildlife Authority allows night games drives in Lake Mburo. UWA runs a boat cruise on the lake for those in search of water birds and hippo!
Dung beetles win the prize for best teamwork! Lake Mburo National Park
Look out for the dung beetles too! These groovy insects crack me up. For the best view, get down on your hands and knees and watch them roll the ball of dung towards you!
Did you know… local legend states that if you see an aardvark, you will live to be 100 years old!
Semliki National Park
Semliki National Park – “half as many species of bird as the entire Congo”
Semliki (or Semuliki) is most popular for its Central African character, its outstanding birdlife and the famous Sempaya Hot Springs.
Semuliki National Park is arguably more Central African than East African, evidenced by the presence of palm trees, bird and animal species that are found nowhere else in Uganda, and Batwa ‘Pygmies’ who once originated from Ituri Forest, one of Africa’s most ancient forests.
The Semliki Valley lies in the Albertine Rift Valley, north-west of the Rwenzori Mountains. The Semliki River carries rainwater from the Rwenzoris to Lake Albert and the River Nile and forms a natural border with the Congo. This park is sometimes referred to as Bwamba Forest.
Sempaya Hot Springs is where local people used to cook their food. The ‘male’ spring measures 12 metres across. The ‘female’ spring boils at over 100°C and spurts bubbling water two metres into the air. It’s reported that the cloud of steam can be seen from as far as 2 km away! Read my steamy adventure at Sempaya Springs.
According to “Important Bird Areas in Africa and associated islands – Uganda” by Achilles Byaruhanga, Pantaleon Kasoma and Derek Pomeroy:
“Semuliki National Park is contiguous with the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Virunga National Park. Much of the park is covered by forest. Although about 30% of the original forest cover was cleared during the 1970s and early 1980s, the encroachers were evicted and the forest is now slowly regenerating. Semliki’s conservation issues remain numerous: conflict over land-use, agricultural encroachment, poaching and illegal removal of forest products are compounded by high population density.”
The forest has “strong affinities with the Congo-Basin forests.” Semliki Forest contains half as many species of bird as the entire Congo. Seventy species are only known within Uganda from Semliki Forest, including 31 of “the Guinea–Congo Forests biome.” Semliki Forest is outstandingly rich in wildlife and includes 51 species of forest Swallowtail and Charaxes butterflies.
Birds that keen twitchers and ornithologists may see in Semliki and nowhere else in Uganda, include:
Bate’s Nightjar, Black Dwarf Hornbill, Black-casqued Hornbill, Black-collared Lovebird, Black-throated Coucal, Black-winged Oriole, Capuchin Babbler, Congo Serpent Eagle, Crested and Blue-billed Malimbes, Fiery-breasted Bush-shrike, Grey-throated Rail, Icterine Greenbul, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Long-tailed Hawk, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Nkulengu Rail, Northern Bearded Scrub Robin, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Pale-fronted Negrofinch, Piping Hornbill, Red-billed Helmet Shrike, Red-billed Hornbill, Red-chested Owlet, Red-rumped Tinkerbird, Rufous-sided Broadbill, Spot-breasted Ibis, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Wattled Hornbill, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, White-bellied Kingfisher, White-crested Hornbill, White-thighed Hornbill, White-throated Blue Swallow, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Yellow-throated Nicator, Zenker’s Honeyguide.
For safari game drives, venture to Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve in search of buffalo, forest and savannah elephants, crocodile, warthog, waterbuck and Uganda kob. Pygmy hippo, elusive leopard and shy bushbabies can be seen occasionally.
Batwa dancers perform traditional cultural dance performances for visitors. Batwa cultural interactions can be arranged with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and are highly recommended.
Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park – “One of the top 10 parks in Africa”
Set in the remotest northeast corner of Uganda lies Kidepo Valley National Park, said by the few people who have visited to be their “favourite park in Uganda.”
The remote Kidepo Valley is arid savannah and boasts a long list of 77 mammals, according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Generally, the best time to see game is when the animals migrate south to access the water in the valley during the long dry season from December to late March. (Climate change means it is harder to predict the rains so it is worth checking the weather projections first).
Kidepo Valley National Park boasts over 475 species of birds and has been named one of the top 10 parks in Africa for its spectacular landscapes and large herds of Buffalo. CNN calls Kidepo “possibly the most picturesque in Africa.” CNN wrote “Why this hidden gem in Uganda is a top destination for 2016.”
Local communities around Kidepo include the Karamojong people, famous for keeping cattle and surviving on their milk and blood. The Karamojong are similar to the Maasai tribe. The Ik are hunter-gatherers.
The easiest way to travel to Kidepo is to fly. For many years, flying was virtually the only safe way to get to Kidepo. Nowadays, road travel from the capital of Kampala is easier and safer and averages 10 hours. If time is on your side, split the journey over two days; you may well need to allow longer during the rainy seasons too. Most of the road journey is fine in a 4×4 vehicle, but the roads on the last couple of hours drive can be tricky during the rains.
Tourism in Kidepo (and Karamoja) is developing slowly with new lodges, campsites and mobile camps coming online in 2022.
Did you know … Kidepo is the only park in Uganda where you will see certain animal species…? These include cheetah, ostrich and the Secretary Bird.
The rolex: celebrating Uganda’s uniqueness!
How the humble ‘rolex’ celebrates Uganda’s uniqueness!
How do you sum up Uganda, the Pearl of Africa to would-be visitors? And what makes Uganda unique?
I received an interesting email recently: “I have been following your adventures and love what you do. Uganda is a country with incredible soul and you manage to capture it in the most beautiful and charming ways. We are currently working on a campaign that aims to inspire unity amongst Africans and promote Africa as the ultimate travel destination.”
I was therefore asked to “shoot a short video of yourself explaining what makes Uganda such a wonderful country.”
If you’ve read my “50 reasons why I love Uganda” you’ll know that creating a one-minute video to encapsulate all of that would be impossible! I wrote 50 reasons to honour 50 years of Uganda’s independence – that list gets longer day by day.
I was touring Uganda at the time, researching the country’s best lodges for Fodor’s “Complete Guide to the African Safari” guidebook. As the video deadline approached, I was in Buhoma, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
I happened to be travelling with former Urban TV producer Arthur Katabalwa – and what followed was an impromptu piece to camera during a rolex-making demo!
(Fast forward the video to 1 minute 30 seconds to meet bloggers from Uganda!)
The rolex “rolled eggs” (omelette) wrapped in a chapati is becoming infamous now. This simple street food sums up some quintessential Ugandaness:
- Rolex is Uglish (a unique take on the English language which frequently has us all rolling around the floor in stitches!)
- Entrepreneurship: setting up a roadside rolex stall is a popular small business in Uganda.
- The rolex stall is where we stand around chatting as we wait to be served. It’s where we may start our day.
- It’s where many people end a late night – grabbing a cheap bite to eat after a night on the town. If you’re lucky, your boda boda guy will drive right up to the rolex guy’s stall and you won’t even need to get off your boda!
I was honoured to appear alongside well-known Ugandan bloggers Rosebell Kagumire, Ernest Bazanye and Sophie from a Kitchen in Uganda in this video. Incidentally, it was Sophie who helped the rolex go global when it featured on CNN in the article “Delicious African foods you should try.”
Trevor Noah gets his rolex fix (allegedly!) in Wandegeya, Kampala
Do you love reading about African food? Read “Virtually edible – a food tour of Uganda.
Bumming around in Nyabugogo bus park
Waiting for the bus to depart: Nyabugogo bus park, Kigali
I can’t believe my luck. My allocated seat – number 11 – happens to be the window seat near the front of the bus. I couldn’t have chosen a better position. (Luckily it’s not so near the front that I can see danger looming! Jaguar Executive Coaches block off the driver’s cabin from the rest of the passengers, which suits me just fine). I always travel between Rwanda and Uganda’s capital cities with Jaguar, as regular blog readers may recall.
Just don’t sit on the back seat – you will feel every hump and bump! On the bus from Kampala to Kigali
From my window seat, I kill time watching a man cleaning and repairing shoes. The shoeshine man has set up his makeshift shop in one of the bright yellow bus shelters. On a blue painted wooden bench sit eight pairs of clean shoes, their wet tongues hanging out to dry.
A man wearing dark green overalls stops at the shoeshine man’s bus shelter to remove one of his baseball boots. (What is the fashion with cutting the huge hole in the backside of your overalls? Is it general wear and tear? Is it for quick access at the local latrine? I don’t mean to stare at the guy’s bum, but… my eyes are drawn to it by the gaping hole!)
The shoeshine man retrieves a pair of blue flip-flops for the customer. The new arrival removes his threadbare “peephole” socks (to match his “peephole” overalls) and wipes the dirt from between his toes. He folds his socks away into a small ball. He puts the ball of socks in his pocket and leaves his boots with the shoeshine man before he walks off in the temporary footwear.
In the meantime, a smart-looking gentleman removes one of his black office shoes. The shoeshine man picks out a pair of black sandals from his canvas sack and hands them to the new customer. The man who arrived wearing black office shoes rolls up the bottom of his trousers, puts on the black flip-flops and disappears into the Nyabugogo bus park crowd.
His customers temporarily gone – replaced by their shoes – the shoeshine man gets to work, scrubbing another pair of black leather shoes. He scrubs them with a green plastic brush, as he bends over a red plastic basin of water. He looks around for something, and pulls an old T-shirt from his white canvas sack. He dries the shoe thoroughly with the T-shirt.
A tall man in a white baseball cap sits on the yellow plastic bench of the bus shelter, grabs a brush and starts to brush his black boots. No money exchanges hands.
Customer number four is given bright pink plastic sandals to wear. They look rather like a lady’s house slippers to me. The man sits gazing into the distance, chewing on a toothpick. Another guy in long green overalls comes to stand under the bus shelter. He looks over at the Muzungu in the bus and flashes me a big grin. I’m trying not to stare – but he has this huge gaping hole in the back of his overalls too – and he’s rather handsome… from the front and from the back too!
A boy selling newspapers stops in front of the bus shelter. He grabs a brush, gives his shoes a quick scuff and moves on through the crowd.
As people come and go, one thing is constant: the shoeshine man works and works, hardly passing the time of day to chat or to look up from his work. The ‘man in pink sandals’ walks off contentedly – transformed into ‘the man in brown polished brogues’.
A young man walks by, with an empty milk churn hanging off one arm. A paper tissue drops out of his pocket onto the ground. A minute later, a woman in a headscarf and red batik wrap approaches, equipped with a traditional broom and a red plastic shopping bag containing a battered old cardboard box and miscellaneous rubbish. She leans down to pick up an empty crisp packet and the tissue. The shoeshine man hands her some of his rubbish. They do not acknowledge each other. I sense the rhythm of a regular routine. It’s a relaxing way to wile away a few minutes before the bus pulls out of Nyabugogo bus park for Kampala.
Carrying a heavy load – these guys are strong! Selling biscuits, sodas and water to the bus driver in Musanze bus park
Read How to eat like a Rwandan (10 snacks I bet you’ve never tried) inspired by traveling through Musanze bus park.
Hard-boiled eggs, roasted ground nuts (and akabanga chilli oil of course!) on sale in Musanze bus park
Those are some nice-looking rolex! A food vendor jumped on the bus to sell us breakfast
If you enjoy the muzungu’s occasional cross-border bus journeys, read:
‘No hurry in Africa’ – bus from Kampala to Kigali
This guy should have been on the stage: the traveling salesman who literally travels as he travels, walking up and down the aisle of the bus from Kampala to Kigali, working the crowd, proffering samples and chucking out sweets to an enrapt audience of hecklers. How I wished I understood Luganda at that moment!
MASH-tastic! The muzungu’s bus tips from Kampala to Nairobi
Julia complained that she hardly slept for the whole journey. She only fell asleep for the most interesting part: passing through a private wildlife reserve, where I spotted zebra and antelope from my window seat. “You snooze, you lose!” As she likes to tell me…
The real ‘boda boda’ – Nagawa travels sidesaddle into Kenya’
We drove from the coach park straight into heavy evening traffic – and the side of a car. After ten minutes of arguing and arm waving, the consensus was that the car was the one-size-fits-all Ugandan term: “stubborn.”
NEXT UP: Bayimba! “An unparalleled feast of music, dance, theatre, film & visual arts”
Bayimba International Festival of the Arts 10th Anniversary: exploring Uganda’s Art Wealth
Diary of a Muzungu is delighted to be one of the media sponsors of the 2017 Bayimba International Festival of the Arts! Scroll down this page to read the week-end’s PACKED programme of events and keep checking Bayimba’s Facebook page and Twitter for more news and updates. Follow the hashtags #Bayimba2017 and #BAYIMBAat10
The 22-24 September 2017 will be a ten-year celebration of Uganda’s multidisciplinary Bayimba International Festival of the Arts. Every third week of September, Kampala comes alive as a vibrant and eventful city when an unparalleled feast of music, dance, theatre, film and visual arts from renowned and upcoming artists are brought to the Uganda National Cultural Centre / Uganda National Theatre.
Celebrating ten years of Bayimba International Festival of the Arts
Looking at today’s arts entertainment scope, Kampala alone boasts of a variety of festivals, it’s a different scenario looking back 9 years later. The birth of Bayimba Festival changed event organizing in Uganda, during an era with few platforms to showcase artistic works. The festival’s 1st edition echoed possibilities and creative empowerment that opened every artist’s way of thinking about creating and not job seeking. At the same time as the country’s live music scene was kicking in, the platform offered live performance workshops to artists, mentored them to apply for other festivals across the globe. Bayimba’s international status caters for diverse audiences and its unique programming consists of exhibitions, contemporary fashion, dance and multiple arts. Slowly, artists adopted a system of organizing their own events to try similar ideas, to grow their own networks and develop business relations in order to sustain themselves.
In the present day, Bayimba continues to serve as an important benchmark for the consumption of the country’s finest arts through its signature initiative “The Bayimba International Festival of the Arts,” an annual three day arts fete that happens every September.
Fast forward to 2017 and this year marks the festival’s 10th anniversary. A glance of what’s on offer has an array of diverse arts, ranging from performance arts set to thrill crowds on the two stages, where the list of performers include: Uganda’s self-styled Ghetto President “Bobi Wine” who makes a second appearance since 2015. Mariam Ndagire will open day one’s recitals for female dancehall outfit Cindy to close. Other performers are: self-claimed King of Mwooyo Maurice Kirya, Percussion Discussion Africa, 90’s gospel group Limit X, Lily Kadima and Coopy bly. Dr. Jose Chameleone is set to headline day two.
Some of the regional and international acts set to join this edition’s main stage are: Kenya’s Nyaititi maestro Makadem, Tanzania’s Jaggwa Music, South Africa’s Dr Bone (returning for a second do after an interrupted piece last year), in addition to South African afro soul Diva Berita, Ugandan-born Danish belle Feridah Rose, a recent winner of The Uganda Music Awards, Best Dispora Act and finally Ethiopia’s former Coke Studio representative Betty G.
The Upper Garden arena of the National Theatre will host Stage 2. The line-up of acts here consist of genres whose collection varies from Hip hop, Reggae, Ragga, Mataali, musical conversations and DJ collaborations. Some of the acts include Zimbabwe’s Hope Masike, here to fuse her soulful ballads with Ugandan percussionist Haka Mukiga. The legendary hip hop duo and brothers Sylvester and Abramz, will incorporate female DJ outfits under the flagship of Femme Electronic, Rwanda’s Components RW, Netherland’s Bilvar Mvulu, Umoja Boys and Kenya’s Mwanase Ahmed together with Bayimba-run initiative Youth and Hip hop workshop beneficiaries Jo’Ge Flame, Kristien Carol & Shirley May and a whole lot more.
Besides the stage presentations, Ekyalo Bayimba will now return as Ekyalo Kasaayi, an artist’s dialogue space whose curation will be led by Liz Kaggwa and Drum Circle (popularly known for their Ngoma Jam sessions).
The auditorium activity slots encompass genres like Kadongo Kamu in the lead of heavy weights Abdu Mulasi, Chance Nalubega, Fred Sebatta and dramatical recitals by Omugave Ndugwa’s Balck Pearl and a lone man comedy show Mukalazi Edwin titled “HipHop Comedy,” and poetry to be presented by Kitara Nation poets, whose anthology recitals will cast college students.
Fashion is a signature activity of the festival and three of Uganda’s celebrated personalities will produce this aspect: Ras Kasozi of SEED FASHION a Skilled Expressive Entrepreneurial Designers show project designed by US Mission Kampala in collaboration with Kas Wear under the mentorship of Ras Kasozi; Gloria Wavamunho, curator of the Kampala Fashion Week and Buyi pheel of Kkoolo designs an entrepreneurial initiative of traditional art.
Over the past editions of Bayimba, Silent disco has proved to be one of the highlight activities, and will again appear on this edition’s menu, in the usual space – the Dance floor. In 2017, there will be film screenings, presented in partnership with the Swedish Embassy. Bikes and Cars is a documentary by Frederik Gertten. The Embassy will also feature a photography exhibition set against the climate change backdrop titled “Facing the Climate” and another exhibition by Switzerland’s reknown photographer Geoff Walker titled “Nodding Disease,” an awareness call about the epidemic and how it’s affecting northern Uganda.
To further celebrate the festival’s multidisciplinary status, a couple of visual artists have been commissioned to present and curate festival spaces. Stacey Gillian, whose sculptural work focuses on misconceptions of gender equality in Uganda, will unveil a 3D art installation. Xenson Znja a multidisciplinary artist and fashion designer will present the main stage backdrop for the second time since 2009, while Fitsjerald Art Studio will present the stage two backdrops.
The festival’s ever-growing participation and appreciation by the general public ranks it among Africa’s top festivals. Bayimba is not only a celebration of music but also a celebration of Ugandan contemporary life, placing Kampala as one of the top East African tourism hubs.
The festival still struggles to rely on local sponsors, but luckily the emergence of many emerging festivals celebrates Bayimba’s vision. Bayimba, has proved to stand the test of time by attracting more and more sponsors over the last five years, contrary to what it was back in 2008 during its inception.
The Bayimba International Festival of the Arts is undoubtedly Uganda’s number one multidisciplinary festival!
Here is the programme for the 2017 Bayimba International Festival of the Arts September 22nd – 24th! FEEL FREE TO SHARE IT 🙂
Friday 22nd // Stage One
19:00 Mariam Ndagire & Band (UG)
20:00 Berita (SA)
21:00 Dr. Bone (SA)
22:00 Jagwa Music (TZ)
23:00 Cindy Sanyu (UG)
Saturday 23rd // Stage One
19:00 Percussion Discussion (UG)
20:00 Lily Kadima (UG)
21:00 Feridah Rose (UG/DE)
22:00 Maurice Kirya (UG)
23:00 Jose Chameleon (UG)
Sunday 24th // Stage One
19:00 Coopy Bly (UG)
20:00 Limit X (UG)
21:00 Betty G (ETH)
22:00 Makadem (KE)
23:00 Bobi Wine (UG)
Friday 22nd // Stage Two
18:30 Mutundwe Matali Group (UG)
20:00 Jacinta (UG)
21:00 Haka Mukiga and Hope Masike (UG/ZIM)
22:00 Umoja Boys (NL) & Mwanase Ahmed (KE)
Saturday 23rd // Stage Two
15:00 Tujaali Performers (UG)
17:00 – 19:00 The Project INYE (GER/COLUMBIA/SA)
19:00 Apio Moro (UG)
20:00 – 21:00 Sylvester & Abramz (UG)
21:00 Components RW (RW)
Sunday 24th // Stage Two
14:00 – 16:00 Femme Electronic
18:00 Famous Friends (UG)
19:00 – 20:00 Jo’Ge Flame, Kristien Carol & Shirley May (Youth & Hip Hop) (UG)
21:00 – 22:00 Boliver Mvulu & Band (NLD/DRC)
Friday 22nd // Auditorium
12:00 – 14:30 BIKES VS CARS (Documentary by Frederik Gertten)
15:00 – 16:30 Kitara Nation School’s Project – Poetry (UG)
19:00 – 20:00 The Veiled Truth (UG/RW)
20:30 – 21:30 Abdu Mulasi (UG)
Saturday 23rd // Auditorium
12:00 – 13:00 “Facing the Climate” – Effects of climate change in Uganda
14:00 – 15:00 Kitara Nation – Poetry (UG)
15:00 – 16:00 Musical Stand Up Comedy – Edwin Mukalazi (UG)
18:00 – 19:00 Dance Performance (UG)
20:00 – 21:00 David Walters (FR)
21:30 – 22:30 Chance Nalubega (UG)
Sunday 24th // Auditorium
12:00 – 14:00 Punishment Island – Film
16:00 – 17:00 Black Pearl (UG)
19:00 – 20:00 Street Dance Force & ABC Fleva (UG)
20:30 – 22:00 Fred Ssebatta (UG)
Friday 22nd // Dance Floor
17:00 – 18:00 KKOOLO Fashion (UG)
Saturday 23rd // Dance Floor
17:00 – 18:00 Gloria Wavamunno (UG)
20:00 – 23:00 – Silent Disco/Headphone Disco
Sunday 24th // Dance Floor
17:00 – 18:00 Ras Kasozi & SEED Uganda (UG)
20:00 – 23:00 – Silent Disco/Headphone Disco
Saturday 23rd // Green Room
14:00 – 16:00 Dance Workshop (UG)
Open Space
Art Installation – Matthieu Tercieux (FR) & Eduardo Souillot (FR)
Photography Exhibition
Facing the Climate – Foyer
Nodding Disease –Theatre Noticeboard
Upper Garden
Ekyaalo Kasaayi & Drum circle Uganda
3D Bayimba Art Installation – Stacey Gillian (UG)
Stage One Backdrop – Xenson (UG)
Stage Two Backdrop – Fitsjerald Art Studio (UG)
All day Art and Craft sales/exhibitions.
Remember to keep checking Bayimba’s Facebook page and Twitter for more news and updates. Follow the hashtags #Bayimba2017 and #BAYIMBAat10
“Vintage is elegance” – classic cars & fashion at the Kampala Sheraton
In case you missed it! Highlights from the 2017 CBA Uganda Classic and Vintage Auto Show
Do you love the cars of a bygone era? East Africa has a surprisingly diverse auto collection to show you!
The gardens of the Kampala Sheraton were the perfect location for the recent CBA Uganda Classic and Vintage Auto Show, now in its sixth year. This fixture is growing year on year, with 76 entries in 2017, thanks to the support of the Sheraton, CBA Bank Africa and a team who travel from Nairobi every year to help with the judging. To qualify to enter, competing cars must be dated 1992, or before. I’m no car expert, but I loved this event!
This year I had a chance to meet Bob Dewar, the Director of the CBA Africa Concours d’Elegance, which is held in Nairobi and is now in its 47th year. (I confess I felt a twinge of homesickness when I heard his English accent fill the Sheraton Gardens and couldn’t wait to go over and say hello to him!) Bob has been key to the success of this event, also known as a Concours d’Elegance (concours means competition). He is in Kampala every year to support the Ugandan team and build the crowd’s interest in the cars on display.
Later in the afternoon, there was a “Vintage is Elegance” themed retro fashion show in the Sheraton Gardens, followed by a live performance by legendary reggae artist Maddox Ssematimba.
Who were the winners of this year’s CBA Uganda Vintage and Classic Auto Show?
Ronald Walusimbi’s 1967 Toyota Corona beat Patrick Mweheire’s 1965 Mercedes Benz by just two points. Walusimbi won the 2500 cc touring car class in 2016 with a 1974 Mercedes Benz. He was also the highest placed competitor from Uganda.
This year’s Uganda winner is one of eight Ugandans who will be contesting the Africa Concours d’Elegance at the Nairobi Racecourse in September for the classiest event on the Kenya motor sport calendar.
An event with Kenyan connections and Buganda heritage
A team of nine Kenyan Concours enthusiasts participated in the Uganda event. Stephen Warui, who is a regular competitor in the CBA Africa Concours d’Elegance, was placed sixth overall in his 1959 Volkswagen Beetle. He also won his class.
There’s a strong connection between the Buganda Kingdom and classic cars. The first car in Uganda was a 1906 Albion 16HP engine car, given to Ssekabaka Daudi Chwa (1897-1939) by Sir Hesketh Bell. Kabaka Daudi Chwa owned a fleet of Buicks. Later, Sir Edward Walugembe Mutesa II (1939-1966) owned a number of Rolls Royce cars. One of these is on display at the Uganda Museum.
Next (pit)stop Nairobi!
Leslie Carvell, the overall winner of last year’s Kampala event, is a member of the Uganda contingent who will be taking their cars to the Nairobi Racecourse. She will spend two days driving her 1970 Volkswagen Beetle from Jinja to Nairobi.
The Uganda team will have an impressive collection of crowd-pulling cars. This includes the 1983 Nissan 240RS of Bob Roberts and Katende Mukiibi’s 1971 Ford Escort. Another ‘star car’ is the 1957 Mercedes Benz 190SL roadster of Laban Mawanda which will be a strong contender for a prize in the sports car class.
Twelve members of the Uganda Bikers Association (UBA) will be riding their motorcycles from Kampala to Nairobi to have their machines judged by Concours officials.
Where did the Concours d’Elegance idea start?
For the past 47 years, Kenya’s annual Concours has been organised by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club. The event’s aim is to recognise and reward the owners of well-kept cars and motorcycles, ranging from SUV’s and pick-ups to motorcycles.
To ensure high standards of judging, car entries are limited to seventy and motorcycles limited to forty. Just a few places remain on this year’s entry list. Regulations and entry forms are available from the Bob Dewar Publicity office in Kijabe Street, Nairobi. Alternatively, email / call info@bobpr.com +254 (0)20 3316160 / (0)2229793 / (0)733 732032.
A vintage and classic tour of East Africa – and beyond!
The influx of entries from outside Kenya confirms the status of the Concours as a pan-African event.
Three members of the Vintage Motorcycle Club of South Africa – with bikes of course! – are flying to Nairobi from Johannesburg to compete. There is now a classic car club in Dar es Salaam and several members are keenly interested in driving in a convoy to Nairobi to take part in the Concours.
I’m rather spoiled. I have grown up around classic cars, thanks to my dad. Indeed, my first car was a Morris Minor. (I think the idea was that if I had an old motor, I wouldn’t be able to drive too fast!) I had such fun in that car, it oozed character.
If you’re a ‘petrol head’ – or just appreciate a bit of motoring history – put these two East African motoring events in your calendar!
Why orphanage tours are wrong
Children aren’t tourist attractions. Why orphanage tours are wrong
The good the bad and the ugly of volunteer travel. Photo Gates Foundation
Welcome to Diary of a Muzungu! This week’s guest post is by Mark Riley, Co-Founder of Alternative Care Initiatives, an organisation working with the Ugandan government and others on child welfare reforms in Uganda and East Africa. In this article, Mark argues that there are many ways we can help vulnerable children but orphanage tours are not one of them. He asks that we all carefully consider whether a day tour to an orphanage or volunteering with orphans is really the best way to support these children.
Why orphanage tours should not be on a tourist itinerary
On the face of it, you would think that volunteering in an orphanage is a ‘win-win’ situation for everyone involved. On one hand, volunteers can do something they feel is making a positive impact and experience something completely different to their own world, while the children are nursed, cuddled and cared for by a volunteer. The tour operator, by linking the two together, delivers a package that everyone is happy with. So, what could be wrong with that?
Think before you visit or volunteer at an orphanage… is there a better way you can support these children?
It does not take much research to understand the way in which volunteering in orphanages can often have devastating and long-term effects on the children.
Research on the subject is overwhelming and various studies support this conclusion. A report by Better Care Network demonstrates that children living in institutions do not always receive high quality interaction when they most need it and, as a result, are at much higher risk of long-term developmental vulnerabilities. Also, there is evidence that children growing up in institutions do not manifest these development handicaps until adulthood when they try to integrate within society. As these children pass into adulthood and become independent (often with difficulty) they look at their peers who have been brought up in communities and realise their sense of loss and disconnection.
Orphanages, orphanage tourism and volunteering: the case of East Africa
In East Africa, there are situations where orphanages exist solely to provide a volunteering and mission experience. Additionally, although reunification, foster care and domestic adoption are on the rise across East Africa, orphanages that offer voluntourism packages have little or no incentive to reunify children under their care with their families or find family-based alternatives while volunteering and mission trips exist, since volunteers and mission trips would be redundant if the orphanages were empty!
“… Not only does [volunteering] encourage the expansion of residential care centres, but it also makes children [more] vulnerable to abuse.”
Where are the children’s voices?
Often the voices that are unheard in this debate are of the children who experience volunteers and mission trips while they are in orphanages. In comparison to the reportage or blogs of volunteers, there is minimal record of the experience of the children they visit.
In 2016, Stephen Ucembe, founder of Kenyan Care Leavers, wrote very eloquently about growing up in a Kenyan orphanage and the negative impact that volunteers and mission trips had on his childhood.
“Dressed in a uniform of blue shorts and yellow and blue t-shirts branded with the name of the orphanage, we were gathered under a tree for shade, standing at the centre of the institution to wait for the visitors. We never called them volunteers then, but visitors..[…]
The institution staff had taught us a routine. They paraded us, and as soon as the visitors arrived in tour vans we had to exude joy. Indeed, we jumped up and down, and raptured in unison with song and dance that welcomed them.
We knew that the only way to ensure they came back again to help the institution was by how much they smiled at our entertainment, and by the tears, sadness or sympathy that came when they were told that we were “orphans”. I remember the senior staff on duty standing at the centre of a circle of volunteers pronouncing how some of us had been abandoned by their parents, how others had been picked from the streets and others rejected by families.
Silently I felt sad and miserable to have people gawk at me and have cameras flashing at our faces. Most of the volunteers were taken round the institution to see where we slept, where our food was cooked, and told of upcoming projects. Some committed to help, and others gave a one off donation. Some of these encounters were brief, they pulled down their sunglasses, walked back to the vans and from the vehicles they waved us goodbye. At this point some of us had gotten used to their coming and going, but others not – especially the younger ones: tears knocked at their eyelids. They tried not to cry in an environment where crying was almost taboo. This practice with visitors had become a routine that made many of us feel even more alienated, isolated, stigmatized, helpless, hopeless, and weak.”
Although Stephen’s account should have been a wake-up call for the tourism industry, this was not so. In fact, one global tour operator that offers ‘orphanage volunteering’ asked for Stephen’s personal testimony to be removed from the website. This demonstrates that some orphanages, especially those that offer voluntourism, are money-making ventures with the tourists deemed more important than the voice of individuals like Stephen and those he speaks for.
Alternative Care Initiatives, a Ugandan NGO, has a Care Leavers programme, which has engaged with over 100 young people who have lived in various care facilities in Uganda. They have made some startling findings with regards to volunteering and mission trips. Morris, a member of the Care Leavers’ team, grew up in what many consider a ‘good’ orphanage in Jinja. Although the orphanage was well funded and Morris was well fed, attended a good school and did not personally experience the levels of abuse and neglect that many others report, Morris still believes that not enough was done to support him and his siblings to remain in their community. This lack of support, Morris believes, contributed to the fractured relationship he has with members of his extended family. In retrospect, he feels that the constant flow of Western mission trips and volunteers, while exciting at first, distorted his view of foreigners and of the world. The constant thread of the experiences of children who grew up in the orphanage is that the foreigners came with gifts and kindness, and then left as quickly as they came, which left then bereft and with a twisted view of the world.
Children in Ongako sub-county, Gulu, Uganda. PHOTO Jan Sharp
Morris avers that some of the people he knew in care, especially those growing up in children’s villages, were neither Ugandans nor Westerners and therefore always felt like ‘hybrids’. They witnessed and experienced much of Western culture but cannot attain or reach it. Likewise, they don’t really feel Ugandan. The idea of going to the village and helping communities ‘dig’, which is what most Ugandans from rural communities do, is appalling to them. It’s just not what they signed up for. Thus the orphanage system is creating long-term problems and disenfranchising people from their communities and roots.
These anecdotes demonstrate how volunteers and mission trips can have devastating and long-term impact on children and require a change of mind-set as well as the rigorous enforcement of child protection policies. The UN Guidelines on Alternative Care prioritise family strengthening and family-based care over institutional care, and are now widely accepted and incorporated into national policies and frameworks. Visiting orphanages is not only negative for the children but also against global, regional and country-specific polices and laws. It is encouraging that Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, are fully embracing family-based care and recognising that orphanages are not a part of the long-term, child protection system. However, authorities in all the countries need to do more.
Anna McKeon:”I volunteered at an orphanage and now I campaign against it.” Click here to read the personal account of an inexperienced international volunteer in orphanages in Thailand and Kenya. She shares the top five lessons she learned about volunteering and why it is harmful to volunteer in childcare institutions #StopOrphanTrips
Although this sort of volunteering in orphanages is declining globally, voluntourism and mission trips still play a central role in sustaining orphanages in East Africa and this will continue to negatively affect the wider child protection system. Consequently, there is need for tourism stakeholders to promote alternative voluntourism packages. Government agencies should enforce child protection policies and ensure orphanages adhere to national laws as well as global best practices, which will minimise the exposure of children, especially vulnerable ones, to social, cognitive, physical and psychological harm.
How can the tourism industry help?
East Africa has some of the world’s most amazing people, wildlife and landscapes and a visitor to this region never leaves disappointed. However, children should not be offered as a part of the tour itinerary. There is an abundance of satisfying activities which do not include visiting and sustaining orphanages and the damage that comes with such visits. Interested visitors who want an authentic holiday experience can take advantage of homestays or consider skills-based voluntourism in various sectors. This is not to suggest that tourists and other initiatives should not help children and the community – rather help in the right way.
DON’T
- – Even if an orphanage says it is government-approved, don’t visit.
- – Don’t put orphanage tours on your itineraries.
- – Do not attend orphan dance shows. They do not give vulnerable children the care they need.
- – Volunteers should not work directly with children.
Volunteering with children may feel good but could be harmful. There are some better ways to help them.
A group of curious Ugandan children peer in the classroom of a village school
DO
- – If tourists want to meet local children and young people, this should be arranged through schools, churches and communities.
- – Visitors can ask how they can share their professional skills with the local staff who care for these children.
- – The placement of volunteer (professionally qualified) medical or childcare experts in orphanages may be acceptable with a medium or long-term commitment.
- – Tourism industry professionals and tourists who are interested in supporting children may wish to donate to support the work of the organisations listed below.
- – Please share and discuss the messages discussed in this article.
References and further reading
Mark Riley, Alternative Care Initiatives “Volunteers are fuelling the growth of orphanages in Uganda. They need to stop.”
Better Care Network. (2014). Better volunteering, better care
Fox, N., Almas, A., Degnan, K., Nelson, C., & Zeanah, C. (2011). The effects of severe psychosocial deprivation and foster care intervention on cognitive development at 8 years of age: findings from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry: 52(9), 919928.
United Nations. (2010). Resolution 64/ 142: Guidelines for the alternative care of children. UN: New York.
You can follow #StopOrphanTrips to read more research, advice and personal testimonies.
To contact Mark Riley directly tel +256 (0) 7842 50921 or email mark.riley@alternative-care-initiatives.org
This is a summary of an article that was first published in the East Africa Sustainable Tourism Report Issue 6, 2017. Sustainable Travel & Tourism Agenda – STTA
The Muzungu: thanks Mark for sharing your insights. I remember watching an orphan dance once and wondering why the kids looked so uninterested in us. I thought they would be happy to see us. Now I understand how many times visitors have come and gone in their young lives, and how that must affect them.
If the issue of orphans and young children interests you, read a related guest post Ugandans Adopt – “Why I do what I do.”
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Please read my Guests Posts page for guidelines on the kinds of stories I feature on Diary of a Muzungu.
#RwenzoriDiary week 6 – Kilembe revisited
Welcome to week 6 of my #RwenzoriDiary. The series started here …
A few weeks ago, we embarked on a fascinating tour of the Rwenzori region to research the tourism potential of Kasese, Kabarole, Ntoroko and Bundibugyo, the districts surrounding the Rwenzori mountain range. It was an eye-opening trip that has really whet my appetite for exploring the region further.
One morning we drove to the start of the Kilembe Route, one of the main routes to Margherita Peak. This trail is managed by Rwenzori Trekking Services. The last few kilometres of road are difficult and need tarmacing. The views are fabulous!
Our visit to Kilembe, in the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains near Kasese, showed some of the devastation the area suffered during the flash flood of 2014, in which people, bridges and houses were suddenly – and without warning – washed away.
Four people died but hundreds were injured and many lost their homes. It was not only water that gushed down the steep valley but huge boulders and rocks that wreaked serious damage. Houses were simply swept away in the path of the burst of water. Many community buildings were also damaged or destroyed, meaning that everyone in the area suffered.
Four years after the catastrophic flood, the evidence of destruction is still visible. In this short video clip, we walked over one of the new bridges across the River Nyamambwa.
Thumbnail photo credit Albert Ntambiko.
Kilembe is most famous for being the location of Kilembe Mine, currently closed. However, former mine workers continue to live in this small mining town. It’s a strange place, a mixture of dilapidated colonial-type prefabricated constructions and local houses. The area is littered with boulders, which you quickly come to realise must have thundered down the mountain at deadly speed.
Kilembe, four years after the flood
We were accompanied on our trip by James from World Wildlife Fund Uganda. He explained that the flood had probably occurred due to a combination of factors. In the lead-up to the disaster, there had been two weeks without rain (at a time of year when it normally rains every day). The area of giant Lobelia had dried out and had been burned completely. When the rains finally came, there was no vegetation left to hold the rocks together. Both the absence of rain and the fire can be seen as indicators of global warming. As for what or who started the fire, that is unknown, but natural fires are not uncommon.
You can read the technical explanations about the Kilembe flood here on the New Vision website.
A similar disaster happened in 1966.
Such incidents are thankfully very rare, however, our visit to Kilembe reminded me how vulnerable people who live in the mountains are to climate change. We saw a lot of poverty. There are few jobs and the hilly rocky terrain must be difficult to farm. This in some part explains why people feel they have no option but to enter Rwenzori Mountains National Park and poach bushmeat or cut firewood.
The purpose of our trip was to think how we can support conservation by creating job opportunities for local people. Did you know that tourism employs one in 11 people globally? Whether a porter, working in a lodge, selling vegetables or driving a boda boda, tourism offers money-earning opportunities for a cross-section of people. When they are less reliant on the land – and the protected areas in particular – conservation benefits.
Follow the #RwenzoriDiary hashtag on Twitter, Instagram and via my Diary of a Muzungu Facebook page – and please keep those hiking tips coming!
#RwenzoriDiary week 5 – A steamy adventure. Sempaya Springs, Semliki
Welcome to week 5 of my #RwenzoriDiary. The series started here …
I’m now back in Kampala and getting stuck into the marketing strategy for the Rwenzoris region.
I’m totally smitten by this fabulous and diverse part of Uganda: GIANT ‘larger than life’ plants that are fit for a filmset, my friend the Three-horned Chameleon, rivers, snow-capped peaks, glaciers, crater lakes, hot springs, unique birdlife – that you can find nowhere else in Uganda, fifty mountain lakes … the Rwenzoris has so much to discover, and that’s just the natural environment. I haven’t even touched on the region’s unique cultures and foodstuffs you only find here. Keep reading my #RwenzoriDiary.
A highlight of our trip to the Rwenzori region – of Bundibugyo, Fort Portal, Kabarole and Kasese Districts – was a visit to the Female and Male Springs at Sempaya. Semliki is a short and dramatically scenic drive to the north of Fort Portal on an excellent tarmac road. It couldn’t be easier to find.
Here’s a summary of the video transcript. We are at the Female Spring at Sempaya.
“I can smell the sulphur!” Say I.
“This spring is between 96 and 98 degrees, but not everywhere. For example, this is not as hot and the other one where we normally boil eggs.” Muhindo Leslie was our very knowledgeable UWA guide.
“Many years ago, water (from the Female Spring) used to go up to three metres in the air.
The water has lots of dissolved salts. These build up in the channels and block them. In time, that one may close, but maybe through those cracks, another one will develop. The Female Spring used to push water up three metres, as recently as 1994.”
Watch the video closely and you may spot the intrepid Andrew Roberts, searching for a photo opportunity! Look again and you may see this ka muzungu waving at you!
You can also visit the Male Spring at Sempaya. The walk between Sempaya’s two springs takes half an hour or so and takes you through Uganda (and East Africa’s) only semi-deciduous forest. It is a fragment of the DRC’s Ituri Forest. The screech of baboons fills the air as we walked through Ironwood trees and palms. It was like no other forest I’ve visited: familiar yet tropical, clammy, with more than a few insects!
Hover over the photos below to read the captions. First is the Female Spring, then the Male Spring at Sempaya, Semliki National Park.
It’s taken me an unbelievable eight years to reach Semliki.
UWA’s Patrick Tushabe screamed with surprise when I told him that! (And invited me back for a proper visit too).
Why did it make me so long to visit Semliki? Back in 2009, my VSO friend Dr Richard Feinmann invited me to Semliki. I had travelled so much that year – work safari field trips to Queen Elizabeth with the Uganda Conservation Foundation, climbing Mount Elgon with volunteer friends, a rainy bank holiday weekend in Lake Bunyonyi – that I was worried I would quickly ‘do’ Uganda and run out of places to visit. I decided not to go on the Semliki trip, just so I could have at least one new place left to visit…! How wrong I was to think like that.
Do you know Uganda keeps getting bigger? How so? Perhaps it’s because it’s developing (new lodges, more activities, better roads); or perhaps it’s because I travel for more reasons than I did before. Where once I looked for wildlife encounters and physical challenges, now I’m passionate about community tourism and food culture too. And don’t think I have finally visited Semliki because it was the last remaining place to visit! Oh no, far from it.
Follow the #RwenzoriDiary hashtag on Twitter, Instagram and via my Diary of a Muzungu Facebook page – and please keep those hiking tips coming!
How private patrols support Bugoma Forest conservation
As regular Diary of a Muzungu readers will know, conservation brought me to Uganda. I continue to support a number of conservation organisations including the Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF), Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), NatureUganda, Conservation Through Public Health, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Trust and WWF. I’m always happy to support conservation projects in Uganda, indeed across East Africa. In Kenya, I’m a big fan of the innovative conservation and community projects developed by the Watamu Marine Association. I’ve also written about the work of The Gorilla Organization and RDB in Rwanda.
I recently bumped into conservationist Constantino Tessarin, Chairman of the Association for the Conservation of Bugoma Forest, and realised it was about time I wrote about the Bugoma Forest project. You may have read about it in the newspaper. Here’s some background information about the project and details on how you can get involved in the campaign to #SaveBugomaForest.
Where is Bugoma Forest? And why is it important?
Association for the Conservation of Bugoma Forest launches private patrols in Bugoma Forest
Bugoma Central Forest Reserve is 410 sq km of Protected Area, comprising a stretch of forest measuring 40 km. In terms of biodiversity importance, Bugoma was rated number 12 out of 65 Ugandan forests surveyed. Bugoma is the largest remaining block of forest along the Albertine Rift Valley between Budongo (Murchison Falls Conservation Area) in the North and the Semliki Reserve to the South.
Map of Bugoma Forest, Hoima District Uganda
267 species of trees, 18 mammals and 278 butterflies have been recorded in Bugoma Forest. Primates are abundant, with a population of 580 chimpanzees; however, these primates are endangered as their migratory wildlife corridors between Bugoma and Budongo are disappearing. Bugoma Forest has a large number of black and white Colobus monkeys, Ugandan Mangabey, Red-tailed monkeys (Nagawa’s totem!) and Blue monkeys. The Ugandan mangabey is only believed to be present in Bugoma, as it has become extinct in other forests in the region. Bugoma is also home to a small population of forest elephants, golden cats and side-striped jackals. The forest is a birding sanctuary, with 221 birds species recorded. Bugoma forest is therefore a big potential tourist destination on the Rift Valley circuit, yet one of Uganda’s forgotten treasures.
Black and white Colobus monkey. PHOTO Andy Gooch
#SaveBugomaForest Introducing the Association for the Conservation of Bugoma Forest
The aim of the Association for the Conservation of Bugoma Forest (ACBF) is to conserve Bugoma Forest and the chimpanzees in Hoima District by changing the current trend of deforestation in both protected forest and private land. ACBF was established in 2014.
Since 2016 in particular, there has been rampant escalation in illegal logging of hardwood timber (Mahogany), illegal cattle grazing (which has lead to burning extensions of forest for pasture) and huge encroachment into the protected areas for agriculture.
“Our forest cleared” – the boundaries of Bugoma Forest photographed in 2014. Whether protected area or private land, the threat to wildlife from deforestation and implications for climate change and reduced water catchment are real
Illegal timber, Bugoma Forest, Hoima District
Bugoma Forest came into the media spotlight last year when a sugar investor (Hoima Sugar Works) started to clear part of the forest to make way for a sugarcane plantation, claiming that it had received the land title from Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom. Fortunately, the intervention of the Ugandan government blocked that plan.
What is the Chimp T-RAP Project?
Earlier this year, ACBF launched its first private patrol to help National Forest Authority in monitoring and curbing illegal activities in Bugoma Forest. Through the Chimp T-RAP Project, a team of five people are paid by the Association to provide regular patrols, and therefore intelligence, which is already bringing positive results in reducing illegal activities in the forest.
The Chimp T-RAP team make regular patrols of Bugoma Forest
The Association is also fully committed to give legal support to these and any other people working in conservation who face violent intimidation by the illegal logger community.
Another ongoing ACBF project is the public nursery bed in Kabwoya, Hoima District. ACBF provides seedlings of indigenous and tropical trees to institutions and farmers who are interested in signing up to extend their tree cover for the purpose of agroforestry and protection of water sources.
Tree seedlings are available from the public nursery bed in Kabwoya, Hoima District
Can you spare a few shillings to help protect Bugoma Forest? 50,000 UGX is one week’s salary for a member of the patrol team that protects the forest. (That’s approx $12)
We LOVE trees! We NEED trees! Let’s support the Association for Conservation of Bugoma
To learn more about the Association for the Conservation of Bugoma Forest, visit the ACBF blog. Keep uptodate with their activities via their Facebook page. The threats to Bugoma are real. Read the latest comments on this page!
#SaveBugomaForest
#RwenzoriDiary week 4 – high above Mt Kilimanjaro!
Welcome to week 4 of my #RwenzoriDiary
The series started here …
Let’s get the bad news out of the way: it’s not been a good week …. two weeks even… for training. Oh no. I was highly motivated for my Rwenzori trekking training until I was invited on a media trip to Tanzania. Bang! Self-discipline flew out of the window when I was offered mimosa (sparkling wine) for breakfast (second breakfast of the day I might add!) The seafood was too scrumptious to ignore and buffet is always my downfall. I have a whole book full of stories to tell you about our whistlestop tour of the Serena Hotels fantastic luxury properties in Tanzania, but first let me tell you about our flight from Entebbe aboard Precision Air’s inaugural flight to Dar es Salaam.
As you might remember from week one of my #RwenzoriDiary, I’m sharing two things: my training to climb one of the Rwenzori’s peaks and travel suggestions for the Rwenzoris. I’m part of the team tasked with rebranding and marketing the Rwenzoris – and wow, is there a lot I have to tell you about! Frankly, I’m pretty obsessed with mountains right now! It was therefore very exciting to fly past Mount Kilimanjaro last week. Here’s a peak out of my window…
In this short video clip, two points of mount Kilimanjaro are visible through the cloud: Uhuru Peak, 5895 metres and Mawenzi, 5149 metres. Kili comes up so often in our conversations about mountaineering and climbing tourism in East Africa. Kilimanjaro has over 50,000 climbers every year. Read the story of my friend Apollo’s Kilimanjaro trek.
Can the Rwenzoris beat that one day? Currently, of the 4,000 visitors to the Rwenzori Mountains National Park every year, just a few hundred climb to the highest point Margherita Peak. However, as my last few weeks research has revealed, climbing the Margherita is one small element of what this magnificent park has to offer.
Isn’t this scenery incredible? You don’t have to spend a week climbing the peaks of the Rwenzoris to see these giant Lobelia and other Botanical Big Game plants for yourself. Are you coming with me? 🙂
It was quite a tease for our Precision Air flight from Entebbe to Dar es Salaam to touch down on the tarmac at Kilimanjaro without me having a chance to spend a few days there getting to know the mountain and its tourists.
The recently relaunched Precision Air flight from Entebbe to Dar es Salaam stops briefly at Kilimanjaro International Airport. Pictured with me are aviation and tourism expert Professor Wolfgang, and travel journalists Solomon Oleny and Edgar Batte
One of the undoubted highlights of our trip to Tanzania was the aerial views of Mt Kilimanjaro mountain. Here’s my first view of it, taken a few years ago and forever etched in my mind.
Aerial view of Kilimanjaro. Day breaks over Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
At moments like these I have to pinch myself…I’m living the dream, aren’t I?
Click here to read the rest of the #RwenzoriDiary series or follow the hashtag on Twitter, Instagram and via my Diary of a Muzungu Facebook page – and please keep those hiking tips coming!
