#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!
#RwenzoriDiary week 3 – don’t miss July’s Rwenzori Tourism Expo!
Welcome to week three of my #RwenzoriDiary. The series started here …
I’ve just received the most exciting hiking training opportunity: a gorilla tracking permit!
Kwita Izina is an annual celebration of Rwanda’s success in conserving the growing mountain gorilla population. Local children come to watch the fun and listen to their favourite bands!
The Rwanda Development Board have invited me to be part of the week-long media trip to celebrate the Kwita Izina ‘gorilla naming ceremony’. Gorilla tracking is one element of the trip! This will be first week of September, so the timing could not be better for my plan to get fit and climb one of the Rwenzoris’ peaks. A good long hike uphill is perfect training for the Rwenzoris (better than running, apparently). Last week I had my longest run in a few months. God I felt GOOD! My Hasher friend Daniel was very interested to hear all about the Rwenzoris rebranding project, and my plan to climb the mountain range. “Aren’t you ready to climb already?” He asked me, as we ran together. That came as a great boost to my confidence (although we were running downhill and on the flat at the time, not quite the same as hiking up steep rocky paths and slippery slopes!) Only once I have (re)mastered the art of running a few hills will I feel prepared. My week started with a meeting with Bismac Amumpaire, the TV presenter and journalist behind the Walk for Peace and Reconciliation in Rwenzori Region, the Rwenzori Tourism Expo and the Miss Tourism Rwenzori Region (amongst many other projects!) These three projects are all based in Kasese, one of the towns at the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains. Tourists frequently drive through Kasese en route between Queen Elizabeth National Park, Fort Portal and Kibale Forest National Park.
Bismac Amumpaire, Rwenzori Tourism Expo Coordinator. Photo L-Joe Experience Lyadda Joseph Joe
The Rwenzori Tourism Expo 2017 will be held from the 13 to 15th July at Rwenzori Square in Kasese. The expo will climax with the second edition of the crowning of Miss Tourism Rwenzori Region 2017/2018 at Uhuru Gardens in the town. Check out the poster for more info. (Last-minute booking of stalls still possible at the time of writing).
Rwenzori Tourism Expo poster 2017
The Rwenzori region is one of Uganda’s tourism hubs. The region is home to various tribal groups each with a rich history and a unique culture. According to the organisers of the Walk for Peace and Reconciliation in the Rwenzori Region, the walk saw a diversity of people walk together for the first time: the Bakonjo, Bamba, Batwa, Batuku, Banyabindi, visitors, the Police, DPC and RDC of Kasese, hoteliers, tour operators, Uganda Wildlife Authority, World Wildlife Fund Uganda, Rwenzori Mountaineering Services, Kasese Peace Coalition, Hotel Margherita, Sandton Hotel, Link Bus Services, Miss Tourism Uganda, politicians and government. It was certainly very colourful!
Walk for Peace and Reconciliation in the Rwenzori Region, Kasese. Photo L-Joe Experience Lyadda Joseph Joe
The theme of the walk was Sustainable Peace for Tourism. Photo L-Joe Experience Lyadda Joseph Joe
The 2016 Miss Tourism Rwenzori winner and runners-up. Photo L-Joe Experience Lyadda Joseph Joe
I wish Bismac and his team the best of luck! I was a bit sceptical initially about how a walk and a beauty pageant can help build peace but I get it now. Events like these bring the community together in a very positive way. Bismac’s drive is tangible and I’m sure this event will become a landmark event for the region. #PeaceAndTourismAreInseparable #SustainablePeace4Tourism
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!
#RwenzoriDiary week 2 – Kasese pork joints & grazing at the Sheraton
Tips for hiking the Rwenzoris
I’ve received a few comments about the first entry in my #RwenzoriDiary, including “you go, I’ll meet you back at the bottom!” Irena has been giving me tips on how to avoid blisters. (Hell, had completely forgotten to factor those into the equation). There were more sobering thoughts from my friend Harriet: she said that when she climbed the Rwenzoris, they almost had to bring her down in a stretcher after two days! (I need to find out why). Jesus, another Hasher friend (pictured in last week’s #RwenzoriDiary) warns me against frostbite… but he is interested in climbing with me. Yay! (I’ll have to ask him to keep me warm then! lol). On our field trip, I read a great account of the German Ambassador’s climb to Margherita Peak. I think I’d like to meet him and find out more about his preparations.
What was going through your mind knowing you’re standing on the highest point in Uganda? “First, I was struck by how diverse Uganda is and that the majority of Ugandans have never been let alone know about the Rwenzoris. I also reflected on the serenity and the fact that you get to experience such adventure alone without many tourists crowding the place” Ambassador Schmidt
One of my main sources of information for my Rwenzori attempt is Andrew Roberts, a key member of our project team. Andy is best known for being the co-editor of Bradt Uganda, the definitive travel guidebook for tourists, and creator of Uganda’s most popular tourist maps.
“Here’s one I made earlier” Andy and his map of the Rwenzoris region on display at the White House Hotel in Kasese.
Andy is an expert on the Rwenzori region (and everywhere else in Uganda!) He is a mine of information, with a fact, observation, map and guidebook ready for every question we asked of him. If you’re reading this blog, you absolutely have to get a copy of the Bradt Guide. I continue to learn so much from this book (updated and republished every three years).
Click on the Golden Monkey to buy the Bradt Uganda Guide on Amazon
Our team spent the first night of our trip at the White House Hotel in Kasese. Incredibly good value. For just 40,000 Ugandan shillings (just over $10 USD), I had a spotlessly clean ensuite double room. This included breakfast: the regular omelette, sliced white bread and Blue Band option. I begged for some fruit and they rummaged around in the fridge to produce some watermelon! I like the White House Hotel. It brings back happy memories of Safari field trips with the Uganda Conservation Foundation.
A very serious muzungu on a safari field trip with UCF. Here we were working with UWA rangers to identify the new location of a ranger post in Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area, north of Lake George
“Kasese is ever hot.” Kasese is always hot. This occasion was no exception. There were few people staying at the hotel this time (although it’s frequently full of expat and NGO workers) so Andy and I stumbled through the darkness to a local pork joint. The service was laughably bad. There were two items on the menu and the waitress couldn’t remember either of them. (Interested to see what write-up that gets in the next edition of the Bradt Guide!) However, one place I would definitely recommend in Kasese is the Olimaco cafe. Luckily for our team-mate Albert, the brains behind the excellent Coffee at Last cafe in Makindye, they serve a great cappuccino and service was quick. Albert is our project graphic designer and branding expert.
It’s easy to just drive through dusty Kasese without appreciating the fantastic mountains in the distance, but just drive 15 minutes off the main road and you will be amazed at the beautiful mountain scenery
Lake Bujuku boardwalk. Rwenzori Mountains National Park. I want to do this! Photo UWA
As for the training element of this #RwenzoriDiary, I confess, I didn’t make it to my 6 o’clock exercise class. I didn’t want to stand out in the middle of the road, in the darkness, at 5.30 in the morning hailing a random boda boda. Next time I need to pre-schedule an Uber cab. A good start today though. Actually ventured inside the gym (for the first time in a very long time) and onto the running machine. I just clicked on the start button and started walking. However, before I knew it, the machine conned me into running! It felt good, until it sped up to a running speed that I am nowhere near ready for. Still, I burnt 250 calories over approximately 40 minutes and enjoyed listening to some old running tracks. I’m feeling good. I’m feeling pumped! I attended an event at the Sheraton Kampala last night. I had knocked back my second glass of wine and munched through numerous tasty samosas and other nibbles before I remembered that endless grazing ain’t part of the programme now! I can be quite greedy, but when I’m on a training mission suddenly everything changes. Today I ate fruit salad for breakfast. What feels like denial one day makes me feel stronger another day.
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!
#RwenzoriDiary week 1 – commitment!
I’m committed now. You have it in writing. There’s no going back – only up!
I don’t know when and I don’t know by which route; I don’t know who is coming with me, nor do I know which obstacles I’ll find on my path to getting fit again, but I’ve committed to climbing the Rwenzori Mountains. I’ve been looking for a new challenge, and this is it.
A very proud Diary of a Muzungu outside the WWF office in the Rwenzori Mountains
A few weeks ago, I received a phone call asking if I would be interested in helping to put together a rebranding and marketing strategy for the Rwenzori Mountains region. Would I be interested? Our client is the Uganda Tourism Board and the donor is World Wildlife Fund. Interesting fact (for me, at least!) WWF is the first conservation organisation I ever encountered. In fact, ‘back in the day’ (at primary school) I was a member of the WWF’s Panda Club! I can’t tell you what an honour it is to be working with WWF-Uganda and Associate Professor Wilber Ahebwa to develop tourism in the Rwenzoris. By developing and promoting successful community tourism projects, we can help keep encroachers and poachers out of the National Parks. (Doesn’t that tell you how significant it is for young people to learn about the environment?)
And so a fortnight ago, our team (who I will introduce next week) departed for the Rwenzori region to visit a few of the key stakeholders and communities who will be part of this project. A lot of research has already been done on the ground but WWF wanted us to see for ourselves some of the tourism activities that can be developed and promoted.
Muzungu poses on the boardwalk at Ruboni Camp in the foothills of the Rwenzoris
I’m as guilty as the next person for having bypassed the region many times and rarely stopping. Several years ago I stayed at the excellent Ruboni Community Camp (where all profits go back to the local community). I’m delighted to hear it is still firmly on the tourist map, but like so many tourist activities in the area, it could do with a boost.
Sunlight on the boardwalk at Ruboni Camp. Outline of the Rwenzori Mountains on the horizon
This month’s visit was the first time I actually entered Rwenzori Mountains National Park. Like most people, I thought I was too unfit to scale any of the peaks so I dismissed the whole idea of walking in the Rwenzoris, “for the timebeing.” Well, that was several years ago now.
A chance encounter with a superb Three-horned Chameleon at Ruboni Camp in the Rwenzoris
My week in the region has been illuminating. Full-scale peak climbing is just one of the options, and only a few people will have the fitness and time to do this. There are actually dozens of shorter walks suitable for just about everyone: one day, two day, three day or more, and now I want to do all of them of course! There are an incredible 50 lakes in the Rwenzoris, waterfalls, rivers, spectacular chameleons, birdlife that you will see nowhere else, and so much more. Over the next few weeks and months I’ll be telling you a lot more about the Rwenzori region.
First, let me tell you what I’ve been doing this week.
Last Friday we had an opportunity to sit with John Hunwick, owner of Rwenzori Trekking Services. I’ve thrown a few enquiries his way thanks to a guest blog my friend Jane Goldring wrote about her Rwenzori climb with RTS (one of my most popular blogs incidentally). John was quick to invite me to climb the mountain with RTA, for free. Well Diary of a Muzungu would be nothing without complementaries (!) and this is just the opportunity I’ve been waiting for.
I’ve neglected my fitness over the last two years I’m ashamed to admit. I hurt my foot (through too MUCH exercise, ironically) and gave up while I waited for it to heal. In the meantime I’ve been getting depressed. I’ve missed hanging out with my Boot Camp and Hash House Harrier buddies… but enough already, time to get back on track.
This was my best run ever! 15k non-stop run, circling Wonchi Crater Lake, and still energy left to party all night! Day two of the Ethiopian Mountain Challenge. Pictured with my Hasher friend Jesus (aka Chris)
Climbing the Rwenzoris is not going to be simple. Even at my fittest, I know I’m susceptible to altitude sickness. I felt pretty rotten on my last day of climbing Mount Elgon, and that particular summit is ‘only’ 4,321 metres. I’d love to reach one of the Rwenzoris’ peaks. The highest, Margherita Peak, is 5,109 metres.
I’ve been studying mountain climbing a lot these past weeks and if I don’t summit, it’s not going to be the end of the world. It’s not make or break (although of course I want to!) I relish these next few weeks and months of training almost as much as getting as far as the Rwenzori Mountains. I’ve done similar challenges in the past. They are a real BUZZ!
I need to get fit and I need to lose weight. Losing a few kilos will get me up the mountain a bit easier! Losing a few kilos lessons the chance of injury as well.
Positive stuff I’ve done this week! (Keeping a record keeps me motivated):
Visited Boot Camp to discuss a training schedule with our coach Diamond (didn’t actually exercise, I confess!) Walked from Naguru to Kisementi (45 minutes); ate Super Vitamin salad and healthy chia seed juice for lunch; walked the Hash (1 hour, lots of steep hills, and no beers afterwards); walked one hour today, upto the top of Naguru Hill. (I haven’t given up alcohol completely nor am I exercising every day yet, but I will get there). I have committed to a workout at 6 o’clock tomorrow morning! Gulp.
I have approached two travel writer / bloggers to climb the Rwenzoris with me. One said yes and one said no. I don’t know which worries me more. The first one said yes immediately (because he has absolutely no idea what’s involved!) The second one said no immediately (because “I climbed Mount Kenya once and my experience was so lousy when I hear mountain climbing I shudder with fright.”) I’m glad for the second reaction, it will keep me focused. I have to train for an absolute minimum of two months. If I don’t climb by mid-September, I will have missed the good weather window for this year. (Let me get on and train anyway).
Do you want to climb the Rwenzoris? Have you climbed before? Do you have any tips to help me prepare for this hiking experience? (Do you think I’m mad?)
Wish me luck!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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!)
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.
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!
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.
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.”
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!
[Click here to learn about the horrendous plan to dam Murchison Falls!]
Wild Frontiers are the only company to offer a private Bush Breakfast on the northern bank of the Nile. The best way to experience this is by first taking the early morning Delta cruise. After breakfast, you can circle back to your lodge via a game drive through the park. The Muzungu has enjoyed 😊
Have you been on safari in Murchison Falls National Park?
Sundowners, star-gazing & tales from the bush
A weekend at Nile Safari Lodge and lunch at Masindi Hotel
There’s a cool breeze coming off the Nile tonight.
My banda at Nile Safari Lodge is open-netted on three sides. Set on stilts above the riverbank, it is airy and spacious. My banda has a wide veranda overlooking the river.
The two-tone noise beyond the nets can only be a frog. It is so loud that in my mind’s eye I imagine the frog to be a foot long! We hear the occasional HONK of a hippo.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
(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.
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.
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.
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!
For some reason, I’d assumed the fruit was hollow and light, like a gourd. It takes the muzungu two hands to lift one!
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
Kyaninga Lodge – the dancing, running (and relaxing!) lodge
Kyaninga Lodge‘s breathtaking views
Since the recent launch of the Disney film ‘Queen of Katwe,’ Ugandans have been discussing how we can attract the film industry to film in Uganda. I first visited Kyaninga Lodge in 2011. Since then I’ve been unable to picture the lodge without imagining James Bond parachuting down into the crater lake below the lodge and jet-skiing across it! Kyaninga Lodge is unique. Read my review and you’ll quickly see why!
Kyaninga Lodge, near Fort Portal – early morning view of the crater lake from my cottage from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.
What is so special about Kyaninga Lodge?
Stunning view? CHECK!
Helipad? CHECK!
Well-stocked bar serving the muzungu’s favourite tipple? CHECK!
Swimming pool with ridiculously gorgeous view? CHECK!
Superb food? CHECK!
Fab company? CHECK!
Driving to Kyaninga Lodge from Kampala
Despite a warning that we might find the dirt road from outside Fort Portal to the Lodge to be tricky driving in the rainy season, we had no problem. We didn’t even need to engage the four-wheel drive. The 20 minute drive on dirt roads show scenes of rural Ugandan life at its most picturesque.
Richard gave us a lovely welcome upon arrival. The keys to each cottage come in a tiny cloth bag, complete with your own personal mobile phone for the duration of your stay. The main lodge living area, lodge manager and all the rooms have their own phone number which are already keyed into the phone. What a great idea.
About Kyaninga Lodge – geography
The view from the lodge shifts and changes constantly thanks to the combination of the Rwenzori Mountains (seen in the distance) and the deep water of the lake. At times the mountains are clearly visible, sometimes they are obscured by cloud; in the early morning, mist lies in the valleys. It’s breathtakingly beautiful.
Over time, two volcanic craters have come together to form one of the deepest crater lakes in Uganda. The lake plunges a formidable 224 metres into the earth. Although water of this depth should be very cold, thanks to the semi-active properties of these craters the water is a comfortable temperature for swimming.
According to the lodge’s owner and designer Steve, “the lake is warming up. They have been measuring the temperature for the last 25 years and it is due to erupt again in 10,000 years!”
The lake water has a very high mineral content which stops the formation of any algae. This, and the fact that the lake has no shallows because of its deep sides, keeps the lake Bilharzia-free. Kyaninga is therefore one of the very few Ugandan lakes that is safe to swim in. A path leads from the lodge to steps that take you down to a floating jetty at the water’s edge.
Kyaninga Lodge – cottages
Each self-contained cottage is a little walk from all the others, meaning you have total privacy. Each cottage overlooks the crater lake and has a spectacular view of the Rwenzori’s. Every cottage has a wide self-contained veranda; no-one else can see you. Using your nifty little mobile phone, it’s possible to call for drinks to be served on your deck.
Thanks to its wooden construction, in and out, the lodge has a strong Alpine feel to it, although Steve told us he had never been inside a log cabin before he designed and built Kyaninga!
It’s wonderful to see how the lodge’s trees and beautifully landscaped gardens have matured. There is constant birdsong all day, always a healthy sign for the environment. In the valley to one side of the lodge is rumoured to be Uganda’s only lawn tennis court, which also doubles as a badminton court. Lodge guests can also play croquet and boules.
The Wi-Fi works well in the main lodge building and the rooms have three power points, so you’re well equipped for power. Helpfully, each room has an umbrella that you can use when moving between your room and the main building
Kyaninga Lodge is a labour of love and took six years to build. The timber (Eucalyptus and Elgon Olive) are found locally, as is the Semliki variety of grass, used for thatching.
Interesting fact: “Kyaninga Lodge is equipped with six fire hoses each capable of sending a jet of water over the top of the cabin or the main lodge building. The fire hoses are connected to a pump that is in turn connected to the swimming pool, meaning we have approximately 120,000 litres of water available – which should be plenty!”
The swimming pool itself is carved out of the rock face.
The main lodge building sits at the summit of one of the area’s famous rolling hills. The individual cottages hug the brow of the hill and slope down to either side of the main building in an equilateral pattern. The high ceilings and bare wood give a feeling of space. I imagine it might get chilly here but every evening, around sunset, the open fireplace is lit as guests congregate for pre-dinner drinks.
In addition to the main dining area, guests can choose to dine privately in one of the upstairs galleries.
What can you do at Kyaninga Lodge?
There’s a long list of complimentary activities:
- – Swimming in the lodge pool.
- – Lawn tennis, badminton, croquet and boules (lodge guests can borrow tennis balls and rackets from the Lodge).
- – Crater rim walk
- – Two private terraces below the swimming pool are perfect for a sundowner. One of the terraces even has a small fireplace.
- – Birdwatching
- – Swimming in the crater lake
- – Village and cultural walk
- – Forest walk inside the crater for a good chance of seeing monkeys and forest birds and the chance to peer inside a bat cave!
Kyaninga Lodge, crater rim walk
On our first morning, we set off on a circumnavigation of the crater lake ‘the crater rim walk’ below the lodge. We took our time, stopping every few minutes for photographs, admiring Kyaninga from different angles as we passed through fields of crops. The farmers told us of the crops they were planting: Irish potatoes, beans, cassava and yam. We saw fabulous birds including Cinnamon-chested Beeeaters, a male black and white Pin-tailed Wydah bird (complete with its long breeding plumage), an African Open-billed stork and a striking black and red Ross’s Turaco. The walk took us around two hours.
A spot of birdwatching – before breakfast
On our second morning, we’d arranged for one of the lodge staff to take us on a short birdwatching walk in the grounds of the lodge. I’m so glad we got up early and had a chance to catch the magical sight of the mist over the lake. The birdwatching was a bonus!
Birds we spotted included: Baglafect Weaver, Copper sunbird, Black-crowned Tchagra, Fan-tailed Widowbird, White-browed Robinchat, African Fish Eagle, Red-billed Firefinch, Tawny flanked Prinia.
African Firefinch “like posho” said our guide. “You often see them congregating outside houses where people are washing their plates.”
We listened to two different types of monkey: the Vervet and the black-and-white Colobus, who were chattering and communicating with each other from different sides of the lake. The guide told us that baby Colobus are born with white fur.
He also explained the medicinal uses of the Omunyara tree and the ‘Five-fingered leaf plant.’
More activities at Kyaninga Lodge
There are a range of massages and beauty treatments available.
To explore the area further, the lodge can organise:
- – Walks in the Great Rift Valley – at the edge of the escarpment you can see the vast expanse which is the convergence of the Congo basin and the Great Rift Valley.
- – Mountain biking to Semliki Safari Lodge.
- – Kyaninga Lodge is a convenient base for exploring Kibale Forest, Semliki National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and the Rwenzori Mountains.
- – Visit Toro Botanical Gardens in Fort Portal and the Toro Golf Club, a nine-hole golf course which is open to non-members.
Can you dance? Would you like lessons from a pro?
The second ‘So Kyaninga can dance’ was held in 2017. The event was held on Kyaninga Lodge‘s purpose-built dancefloor.
Can you run? Swim? Cycle?
Another popular event held at Kyaninga Lodge is the Kyaninga Triathlon. Read about all the sporting events on this blog post, which I update every year.
Before I sign off…
To enquire about lodge availability, email info@kyaningalodge.com or call +256 772 999750. Remember to say the muzungu sent you 😎
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park – no. 1 for mountain gorilla trekking, no. 1 in Africa for birding too!
We pay a lot of lip service to ‘protecting the rainforest’ and here it is: a magical, mystical misty place. The first time I visited Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, I felt a strong emotional pull. My first sight of Bwindi’s rainforest made me want to cry.
View of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest as we ascended from Ivy River up to Nkuringo. Click on the image to read my blog about crossing the forest from Buhoma to Nkuringo – it was an amazing experience!
The forest’s wildlife also includes chimpanzees, forest elephants, duikers, Red-tailed monkeys and hundreds of mammals. Forest butterflies are particularly beautiful.
Enkima – my totem the Red tailed monkey – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Click on the image to read my blog “Eye to eye with my totem”
The African Bird Club has ranked Bwindi Impenetrable Forest the number one site for birding in Africa.
According to Keith Betton, Chairman of the African Bird Club:“No fewer than 23 of Uganda’s 24 Albertine Rift endemic species are found here including globally threatened species such as African Green Broadbill Pseudocalyptomena graueri and Shelley’s Crimsonwing Cryptospiza shelleyi, plus others such as Kivu Ground-Thrush Zoothera (piaggiae) tanganjicae, Oberlaender’s Ground-Thrush Zoothera oberlaenderi, Dwarf Honeyguide Indicator pumilio, Lagden’s Bush-Shrike Malacanotus lagdeni and Chapin’s Flycatcher Muscicapa lendu.”
Welcome to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. Bwindi hiking. Photo David Tumusiime
While you’re in Bwindi, take time to go on a village walk. “The Batwa Experience” gives you an insight into the traditional way of life of the Batwa (‘pygmy’) people who lived in the forest for 60,000 years. The Batwa’s ancient forest lifestyle is unique and the community fragile.
Did you know… the mountain gorilla population once numbered just 254 individuals? Thanks to gorilla tourism, their numbers have stabilised. However, they remain endangered (the official term used by IUCN).
10 little-known things to do in Arua, West Nile
Here’s the muzungu’s guide on how to travel to Arua, 10 things to do in Arua and West Nile, all about Arua town, what to buy in Arua market – and the best times of year to travel.
The Muzungu writes: I first visited Arua in 2016. That trip to the far north west of Uganda would not have been possible without the guidance of Gerard Iga. He is the ‘go to’ guide for Arua and West Nile. In 2022, I revisited. The town has seen a number of changes, in particular: new roads and a huge new shopping centre in the middle of the town. I haven’t updated all the restaurant and hotel recommendations in this blog post yet but, as ever, if you have a question just send me a message.
Special thanks to my friend Harriet Fowler who gave me a return Eagle Air ticket to Arua!
Flight to Arua from Entebbe with Eagle Air
The Victoria Nile flows down from Lake Victoria through Lake Kyoga via Karuma Falls and thundering down over the famous Murchison Falls. Heading north, the water becomes known as the Albert Nile, and flows from Lake Albert on through South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt.
If you like aerial photos, check out the Air Photo Archive of Settlement and Agriculture, Rural Uganda 1963, created by Walter Deshler, University of Maryland.
The land below remains surprisingly green as we headed north. Superficially at least, not much seems to have changed west of Pakwach in 50 years!
I could see no brick constructions and no tarmac roads, just dirt roads as far as the eye could see and the very occasional tin roof. Not a vehicle in sight. I could make out the occasional person on a bicycle on the red dust roads.
Borassus Palms are one of the distinguishing trees of the north bank of the Nile, their seeds carried from Sudan in the stomachs of wandering elephants, and later expelled to transform the environment.
Eagle Air flight to Arua. Landing from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.
We had a very easy landing at Arua Airstrip. Watch the short clip to the end – how delightful to see the schoolchildren watching the plane land! Pretty as a picture.
About Arua – a great town!
Arua: think ‘Fort Portal without the hills’. We’re talking calm, clean and organised, with a touch of retro, thanks to the colonial architecture.
I travelled with friends from Kampala and Nairobi. We were all impressed by Arua. Many friends had not visited for a decade or more and noticed huge changes in the town.
Arua is a cosmopolitan town, heavily influenced by its proximity to DRC and South Sudan. Apparently the Congolese of eastern DRC do more trade with Kampala than they do with Kinshasa, their own capital.
There are many forex shops in town. Arua also benefits from the many NGO offices, including Red Cross, Welt Hunger and others, here for humanitarian work in South Sudan.
Cars are few in Arua. You have to feel sorry for the abused vehicles: overloaded trucks carry 30 men at a time.
Gerard and Charlotte take a boda boda motorbike ride through Arua town, West Nile, Uganda from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.
While the road tarmac is in good condition, you can see the poverty as you drive north, up to the South Sudan border. The road is lined with thatched huts. Mabati tin roofs are few and far between (showing how little money there is in the area).
Arua town has colonial buildings such as the Post Office style that is common to Kampala, Fort Portal and elsewhere. There is a Public Library too.
The small town has a population of 62,000, with 785,000 in the District. Apparently the late emeritus Bishop of West Nile developed many projects for the local community during his 30 years in office.
“And we should remember they produced a president!” My friend Daniel added, when we were trying to work out why Arua is such a thriving town.
West Nile has historically been isolated, both physically and politically, from the rest of Uganda. There is only one road bridge that crosses Nile (at Pakwach) to connect the region with the rest of the country although there are lesser used ferry crossings.
Former President Idi Amin was born in West Nile (his mother was from Arua and his father was from Koboko). During Amin’s reign, local people are said to have benefited but post-Amin, they were punished politically and economically.
To read more about the history of West Nile, read Dark past to glimmering future; the West Nile you never knew! One day, with an investment in facilities and itineraries, I can imagine tourists visiting the region just to learn more about this period of Uganda’s history.
10 little-known things to do in Arua
1. Take a walk to the top of Arua Hill for a panoramic view of the town
2. Eat local food
Market Lane in Arua has a good number of restaurants serving goat’s meat, beef, chicken, smoked dried fish with g’nut [groundnut/peanut] sauce.
“What food will you take with it?” In Uganda, ‘food’ is specifically the starchy stuff like rice, kalo, matooke, sweet potato and chapatis. Side dishes [no jokes please] include tasty osubi, finely chopped greens, prepared with gnut sauce and rock salt.
The Still Baghdad Restaurant in Arua does a good beef pilau rice – with enough chunks of beef to satisfy a Kenyan!
3. Enjoy the live Congolese music at Club Matonge
The Congo is just a short drive from Arua, meaning the town is a great place to hear Congolose musicians perform. Club Matonge is a ‘free to enter’ outdoor bar. (The bar doesn’t serve spirits, just beer and wine from a box). We spent a couple of hours here. When the band realised we had Kenyans in our crowd, the singers launched into some classic Swahili songs. Our friends from Nairobi reminisced!
4. Go clubbing at Vino Lounge
Vino is the place to hang out, particularly on Friday nights. It gets packed! Club entrance is free.
Everyone had told us we had to check this place out. It’s a late night / all night club, with several bars. Head for Galaxy, the VIP section, on the 2nd floor to get away from (some of) the crowds. These guys can DRINK! OMG. We’re talking neat spirits.
5. Eat at Café Cosmo, Arua’s best café and restaurant
Open 11 to 11 every day, Café Cosmo is very affordable, has good service and a great menu of international, Indian and local African food. This popular restaurant is frequented by Indians, UGs, expats, everyone. [2022, the pandemic plus construction of the new mall have changed things].
Sham the chef’s ‘Cosmo Bites’ include the freshest beef samosas ever. Indian dishes include tandoori and a scrumptious chicken tikka. ‘Afro favourites’ include goat stew and chicken pilao. Fridays and Saturdays, Cosmo make pizzas including a tikka paneer one! I’ll try that on my next trip 🙂
The very friendly Martin recommends C.F.C. the ‘Cosmo Fried Chicken’ [geddit?] Café Cosmo is opposite the URA building on Pakwach Road.
6. Oasis 247 bar and restaurant is open every day
Karaoke nights, quiz nights and pool competitions make this a popular hang-out. Oasis is a good bar for beer promotions and music videos.
7. Walk round the back streets of Arua to see the Hindu Temple
The striking red wall enclosing Arua’s Hindu temple. The ladies here are selling sweet potato seedlings
8. Visit Arua’s markets. The muzungu’s shopping suggestions
- Kitenge material from the Congo
- Termite mushrooms – click here for A Kitchen in Uganda’s Curry Termite Mushroom Soup recipe!
- Groundnuts in their shells
- Shea butter (locally farmed)
- Sim sim sesame seeds
- Sugarcane
- Jackfruit (peeled into bitesize pieces)
- Pineapple (chopped into long chunks)
- Dried enswa white ants – don’t forget to ask for the recipe!
- Salt-dried Angara fish
- Wooden mortar and pestle
- … and bucket after bucket of dried beans of different colours
9. Visit Miriadua Falls along the Arua – Koboko road
Gerard Iga writes: “I have a personal attachment to this one since it was my very own uncle that named the falls after himself. He was the county chief of Maracha in colonial times. When he went to visit this place, he asked the locals what the falls were called and they said “Iyi Kuru” which literally means “rough flowing waters”. Since all over Lugbara land, such falls are called iyi kuru, he decided to name them after himself and that is the name by which the place is known everywhere else except the locality. There, people still call it iyi kuru.”
Miriadua Falls are a 20 minute journey outside Arua Town.
10. Enter inside Uganda’s smallest church! Near Goli, Nebbi
Imagine … a church that “can only accommodate three people, including the preacher.” What a great place to get married (and keep down the cost of your wedding!)
I’d heard rumours that this is “the smallest church in the world” but I can’t seem to verify it – it certainly is petite though, according to my travel writer friend Solomon Oleny. The muzungu failed to reach… the church on Biku Hill is near Nebbi, a good hour’s travel from Arua.
How to get to Arua, West Nile
Fly to Arua
Currently, Eagle Air is the only operator to fly scheduled flights to Arua. They fly 3 times a week between Entebbe and Arua.
They are efficient in person e.g. at Kampala office in Portal Avenue. Tel +256 (0)414 344292 / +256 (0)772 777338/7 and +256 (0)752 793860.
The new airstrip should be a real boon for trade with the DRC. Will commercial flights open up West Nile to tourism too? I heard rumours of Kenya Airways and RwandAir… let’s see!
Take the bus to Arua
A number of bus companies supply Arua with daily services. Generally, the standard daytime bus costs 30k UGX and the executive (overnight) bus costs 50k. They all depart from Arua Park, downtown Kampala. Contacts in Arua recommend the executive Gaaga bus which runs overnight and has reclining seats. KKT are ‘more reliable than Gaaga’ according to another source. California bus company started up last year. Nile Coach is an old school provider that ‘overpacks vehicles.’ [2022 there are new bus providers].
If your bus (or car) stops at Kafu, en route to Arua, think twice before you eat the roasted ‘muchomo’ meat!
How to get around Arua town
Bodas in Arua are cheap and everywhere. If you don’t have the right money, you won’t have to argue to get your change. Refreshing. (I am constantly overcharged in Kampala!)
Arua is a very pleasant town to walk around. Main roads have good wide pavements (and the boda drivers do not seem to drive on them either!)
In 2016, the 4km taxi journey from the airport cost me 10,000 ugx. By boda, it cost me just 2,000 UGX.
When to visit Arua
Arua is at an altitude of 1,200 metres meaning nights can be cooler than in most places in Uganda.
Generally expect:
April to June – lighter rains; August – cold, day and night; August to October – heavier rains;
December to Feb / March – cold mornings, very hot in the day, warm at night.
A few words of Lugbara, one of the local languages
Mi efu ngoni – good morning [mifun-GO-ney]
Mi ngoni – how are you? [min-GO-ney]
Awadifo – thanks [awad-if-O]
I love exploring new parts of Uganda and learning a few words of local language. But in West Nile, as soon as I got the hang of greeting somebody in Lugbara, I was told that we were in a different district where a whole range of other languages and dialects are spoken!
Awadifo!
I was drawn to the northern region of West Nile and Arua town by the lure of a tourism ‘familiarisation’ trip. I really had a great time.
Thanks to Kampala House Harriers (KH3) for finally getting me to Arua – an invitation I most definitely could not ignore! My Arua trip included three days of fun supplied by KH3. Read that story here “Nagawa – you cowardised!” A detour via the Congo.
A big thank you to Dolorence Were of USDC Uganda Society for Disabled Children for letting me transfer the Eagle Air ticket (that my friend won in the USDC fundraiser raffle) into my name.
Have you visited Arua? When was the last time you visited ? What are your favourite things to do in Arua?
The Muzungu stays home – while #UgandaDecides
#UgandaDecides is the hashtag dedicated to Uganda’s forthcoming election on 18th February 2016.
One thing is for sure, Ugandans have a fantastic sense of humour.
I’ve just been rereading a few of my posts written before and during Uganda’s Presidential elections of 2010 in which I wrote that apparently “it is illegal to create an effigy in the image of a candidate.”
Someone needs to tell this one!
Effigy of Dr Kizza Besigye waving the traffic on at Mulungu, Kampala, last week. Opposition presidential candidate Besigye heads the FDC. Will he finally get to beat President Museveni this election?
Someone needs to tell this one too!
Effigy of President Yowei Museveni, giving his trademark thumbs-up to passers-by in Kasese. Can anyone beat President Museveni? (and can anyone explain the buses drawn on his jacket lapels?)
If “it’s illegal to cover your number plate with a candidate’s election poster” it would be pretty safe to assume that covering up a road sign and risking road traffic accidents might also be illegal!
Man cycles towards Kasese. The whole area was plastered in the NRM party’s trademark yellow for the impending visit of their leader
Some people are concerned about Uganda’s security in the lead up to the elections, during the elections or even after the elections, but so far it’s all pretty much passed me by. Foreign travel advisories are notoriously cautious. (They’re hardly talking about the Uganda I know). Conversations with journalists, a candidate and business contacts suggest Uganda will be business as usual, bar the odd scuffle.
Our trip upcountry a few weeks ago was quite interesting however, as we drove through Fort Portal the day before the President was due to arrive there. Bright yellow National Resistance Movement T-shirts and placards were much in evidence.
Thanks to blog reader Josef for telling me the significance of the NRM’s yellow bus! Uganda elections 2016 #UgandaDecides
“If truth is the first casualty of war,” then what might be the truth behind these pictures doing the rounds on social media?
#UgandaDecides counting Uganda shillings. 50,000 UGX notes – currently worth about $15 or £10
#UgandaDecides young girl counting Uganda shillings. The brown 50,000 UGX notes are currently worth about $15 or £10
Although people say that votes exchange hands for Uganda shillings, washing powder or even soap, I find these photographs just a little bit too stage managed…
Also trying to stir things up a bit… ? Our friends in Kenya shared some pictures of brand-new military hardware fresh off the cargo ships in Mombasa.
NTV Kenya broadcast photos of some rather big Uganda Police vehicles being offloaded at Mombasa Port for onward delivery to Uganda #UgandaDecides
There was considerable extra security on the streets before during and after the last elections. Their presence was highly obvious, yet relaxed.
Makindye Mayor Dr Ian Clarke – known as ‘Busuulwa’ – canvasing local-style during elections to become MP for the Bukasa area of Makindye Division, Kampala
Dr Ian Clarke ‘Busuulwa’ first came to Uganda as a missionary almost 30 years ago. He is popular with the local electorate for his good service delivery record. The boda boda drivers of Makindye love him! I enjoyed following Ian’s progress as he was voted Mayor at the last election. See blog post below from 2010
There’s a lot of talk about the elections.
Let’s hope things go smoothly.
For an interesting assessment, read the East African newspaper’s ’10 key issues where Uganda election will be won or lost going by recent trends.’
I’ll be around. I have no plans to travel anywhere.
I quite enjoyed being in Kampala at Christmas after everyone else had gone to the village!
See you on the other side of the elections, folks!
