50 reasons why I love Uganda
As one of the shiny new fighter jets flies over my house, no doubt practising for this Tuesday’s independence day fly-past, I’m mulling over the week-end papers, full of stories about Uganda@50 and what the last 50 years of independence have meant to Uganda. Is the country better or worse off as an independent nation? What does the future hold? Will the celebrations be hijacked by anti-government protesters? Will there be tears before bedtime?
I’m no expert on Ugandan politics (although the muzungu is very proud of her politics degree from SOAS) – so let’s leave the analysis to the pundits and have some fun.
So, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of independence, I thought I’d share with you my top 50 reasons why I Love Uganda.
1. Airtime. Everywhere you go, every shop, bar or street corner can sell you mobile phone credit, for as little as 200 Uganda shillings (a few cents or pennies).
2. Boda boda. There are 100,000 of these motorbike taxis in Kampala. Huge fun but use with extreme caution. Don’t expect them to hang around if you have an accident. Read How to ride a boda boda.
3. Birds, birds birds. I LOVE BIRDS! And Uganda has over 1000 species: pretty, beautiful, stunning, huge, noisy, elegant, comical, graceful, they’re all here.
4. Bus Journeys. Hmmm am I crazy? Frankly, any bus journey could be your last but one of my favourite memories is taking a bus from Kasese down to Butogota. 10,000 shillings for a free Safari as we drove down through Maramagambo Forest sighting elephants. Ahh.
5. Cappuccino. I love Ugandan coffee, just don’t serve me Star coffee powder!
6. Chimps at Ngamba Island. I fell in love with the hilarious chimps.
7. Dancing. Africans invented dance! Try keeping me off the dancefloor.
8. Dogs – ‘the boys’ Baldrick and Percy. These recycled street dogs light up my day. Always happy to see me, following me around until I give them what they want – food and a chance to escape the compound and chase a goat.
9. Driving in Kampala. Yes the traffic is a nightmare, yes the potholes wreck your car, but there’s something quite liberating about driving through this city at times. Careering over the wrong side of the road to dodge potholes can be fun, let’s be honest!
10. Dung Beetles rock!
11. Elephants brought me to Uganda. (Yeah I know, most people would just get on a plane!)
12. Food menus. Guaranteed entertainment. A menu is simply a guide to what may possibly be available at one given point in time. It does not reflect what is actually in the kitchen.
13. Fruit and vegetables. Huge, fresh, tasty and cheap.
14. Gorillas. I enjoyed the trek through the rainforest as much as meeting Bwindi’s Gentle Giants.
15. Grasshoppers taste greasy and smoky (best dry fried in chilli I’m told).
16. Greetings! I love the time and care Ugandans take to greet each other properly.
17. The Grey Crowned Crane – previously known as the Crested Crane – is Uganda’s iconic national symbol. The Crested Crane may well be extinct in Uganda within just 20 years, if degradation of the wetlands is not stopped. NatureUganda is leading the campaign to Save the Crane.
18. Jane Bussman is a British comedy writer campaigning to have Joseph Kony, leader of the LRA, caught. She’s on the ball and she’s hilarious.
19. Jinja, Source of the Nile, interesting colonial architecture, a market that is less congested than Kampala’s – and location for some memorable weekends at Nile River Camp.
20. Kampala Hash House Harriers have taken me to every bar, club – and slum! – across Kampala. The ‘drinking club with a running problem’ meets every Monday night.
21. Kibale Forest is where my friend Julia calls home, ideally at the top of a tree!
22. Lake Victoria. The world’s second largest freshwater lake – and the largest on the African continent – is where we taught our dogs to swim. Even as my feet crunched onto the tiny snails on the lake bed, I seem to have so far avoided Bilharzia! Can dogs catch it too?
23. Lions. Breathtaking – and a lot bigger in real life!
24. Mongooses experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
25. Mount Elgon. An unexpected wilderness experience, we climbed through seven habitats in four days and passed only two other groups of people. Would I do it again? Yes. Would I climb Margherita in the Rwenzori’s? One day maybe, but not without getting a LOT fitter first …
26. Muchomo roasted meat. No ‘gizzards’ (entrails) for me. I’m an occasional “chicken on a stick” woman.
27. Mighty Murchison Falls. Isn’t it annoying when you’ve heard the hype about a place then feel disappointed when you get there? GUARANTEE: I promise you won’t be disappointed when you reach the top of the Falls! Read Stirring up magic at the Devil’s Cauldron, Murchison Falls.
28. Music booming out from the church on Sunday morning can drive you to distraction. I love Ugandan music – but I have no idea what I’m singing along to! 😂
29. Namuwongo. Once maligned as a no-go area of Kampala (I found out after living there for a year), I love Namuwongo. Squashed between the industrial area and smarter Muyenga, it’s where I first fell in love with Uganda.
30. Owino market has everything you could ever want to buy, but it’s hard work.
31. Power cuts can drive you crazy. But the romance of candlelight has its moments!
32. River Nile. “Bring it on!” I screamed on my first Grade 5 white water rafting expedition. Second time around, I invited a friend to take my place; third time rafting, and I bailed out as the biggest rapids approached! Feeling nervous, learning to trust your guide, screaming with laughter as you successfully (or not!) negotiate the rapids, you’ll certainly never forget a day on the Nile.
33. Rolex or ‘rolled eggs’ – an omelette rolled up in a chapati – is my favourite street food. Bigger than a snack, although no self respecting Ugandan could possibly call a rolex a meal (since that should be served on a plate at a table). Rolex taste best at midnight in Kabalagala on the way home from a bar 😄
Trveor Noah gets his rolex fix (allegedly) in Wandegeya, Kampala
Read The rolex: celebrating Uganda’s uniqueness.
34. Safari. Every Safari is different. To say that you have “done X Park” when you visited for a day or two just doesn’t make sense. I can’t get enough game drives!
35. Sense of humour. Ugandans can charm the pants off you. Difficult situations tend to be dealt with humour (so refreshing after living in London where people quickly resort to shouting and swearing).
36. Simpson. My ‘Ugandan brother‘ has been with me through thick and thin (in fact he became very thin when he was a student, going without food so he could afford the fare to university). He’s my hero! I have a front seat at his graduation. I’m so proud of him.
37. Smoking. Oh yes. Cigarettes are cheap and we spend most of our time outside. No stuffy rules to worry us!
38. Snakes. Would I like to find one in my shower? No, but they do fascinate me.
39. Sunrise and Sunset. A reason to get up early – and later, a reason to have a drink in your hand 🍹
40. Tilapia. Best eaten whole, with your hands, on the lake edge at Ggaba.
41. Totems. Having the Ugandan name ‘Nagawa’ – thanks to my friend Rashid – has been a huge icebreaker. It’s given me hours of fun. This name makes me a member of the Nkima red tailed monkey clan. What an honour.
42. Uganda Conservation Foundation. Anti-poaching and human wildlife conflict – a.k.a. anything to do with elephants – is the mission of UCF, whom I volunteered with for nearly three years.
43. Uganda Museum. Dusty and under resourced, the Museum is still a gem. I’ve fallen for its charms.
44. Uganda souvenir photo map. This fun project keeps my creative heart thumping.
45. Uganda Waragi is a triple distilled ‘war gin.’ Handbag size bottles available ladies 😉
46. Uglish. Otherwise known as Ugandan English, this language gives us – expats and Ugandans alike – endless laughs. I tried to keep a straight face when Janero told me he had “pregnanted his girlfriend.” To read more funny examples, check out the superb Uglish Facebook page
47. UWEC Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (once Entebbe Zoo) has a cafe overlooking the beach. It’s quite a view! You can see virtually all of Uganda’s big mammals and reptiles at UWEC.
48. Vultures may be ugly but our health depends on them. Fascinating!
49. Weather. Even when it rains, the sun comes out a few minutes later.
50. Writing Diary of a Muzungu has kept me distracted (when Ugandan TV couldn’t) and kept me sane (kind of!) when life hasn’t gone to plan. Thank you so much to everyone who reads this. You make the late nights and the missed week-ends all worthwhile.
50 reasons why I love Uganda – and I could have found more! So tell me what would be in your top 50 things you love about Uganda?
– I know my Ugandan friends will scream MATOKE! (steamed green banana – compulsory eating for many!)
Do you want to go gorilla trekking in Rwanda?
“Welcome to your home for the next few days” said Eunice, as we sat down for afternoon tea and gorilla trekking travel advice at the outdoor reception of Le Bambou Gorilla Resort, Kinigi in Rwanda.
After 12 hours on the bus, 10 hours from Kampala to Kigali and another 2 hours onto Kinigi, we were delighted to be able to stretch our legs. (I think next time I’ll fly!)
A troupe of dancers from the local village welcomed us with singing and dancing and we watched as passers-by gathered in a neighbouring field to enjoy the singing. What a beautiful way to start our stay. The music stayed with me as we were shown to our private cabin, set among pretty flower gardens. Made of solid volcanic rock, the cabins give you a feeling of total seclusion from the outside world. It felt like home right away, even more so when at dusk a man appeared at our door, his arms laden with firewood, to light a fire for us. It was cold up in the mountains. (Staying on the edge of Volcanoes National Park should have been a clue to the weather, I guess!)
What’s on the breakfast menu?
We ate well at Le Bambou Gorilla! Breakfast comprised freshly fried samosas, delicious omelettes and the tastiest yellow yolked eggs, the best passionfruit juice we’d ever tasted, local honey (crystallised in the cool mountain air), tea or coffee (Rwandese of course!) and more fabulous fresh fruit. There was, of course, the ubiquitous Blueband margarine! – the favourite spread on many an East African breakfast table.
How much is gorilla trekking in Rwanda?
Many people only know Kinigi or Musanze for gorilla trekking, but there’s a variety of ways to spend your time. Enjoying the peace and the wonderful views should not be underestimated!
Here are the current prices to track gorillas in Rwanda. We didn’t trek the gorillas that week-end – although I have since. Trekking the gorillas in Rwanda is quite a different experience to Diary of a Muzungu’s gorilla trekking in Uganda – but both were superb!
If you need advice on buying Rwanda gorilla permits, please contact the Muzungu.
What tourist activities are there in Kinigi area of Rwanda?
The local area, formerly known as Ruhengeri, is best known for being the Rwandan access point to see the Mountain Gorillas and so, on our first morning, we hitched a lift down to the entrance to Volcanoes National Park, just for a nose. Here you can visit the site of Kwita Izina the annual Gorilla Naming Ceremony, see beautiful bamboo huts, read more about the life of the Mountain Gorilla and visit a good quality craft shop, whose profits all benefit the local community. I came back to Kampala laden with baskets and woven pots!
- To really get a feel for a place, a visit to the local market is an absolute must. As our hosts toured Musanze market doing their weekly shop, we caused quite a stir by trying the Yellow Passionfruit and the Tree Tomatoes (a cross between Passion fruit and Pomegranate) and sharing our fresh popcorn with the local kids.
- Cultural village and village walk.
- Musanze Caves, on the outskirts of Musanze town (not far from Kinigi) are a relatively new attraction, now open to tourists. Guided tours are available.
Any Rwanda travel tips to share?
- The Rwandese speak Kinyarwanda, a Bantu language similar to those of Western Uganda and Burundi. Although English is now the official ‘lingua franca’ language, many people still only speak French – or speak neither English nor French! Travel with a phrase book or a local guide if you can.
- Beware the Akabanga chilli oil! The small plastic bottle – on every dining table – of what looks like eyedrops is in fact a noxious equivalent of West Indian scotch bonnet sauce. Seek directions before use!
- Tourist visas: British passport holders (like me) have to purchase an entry visa. Boo. Luckily, Rwandese entry visas can be purchased on arrival. You can also buy them online before traveling.
Travel tips: how do you travel from Uganda to Kinigi, Rwanda?
- Public transport is available virtually all the way to the lodge. (We traveled from Kampala, through Kigali). It’s easy, safe and cheap.
- Although many people would prefer to drive or fly, if you’re on a budget – or simply want to have a more African experience – a selection of bus services run several times a day between Kampala to Kigali. Smaller buses then go north to Musanze, from where you can take a car or ‘moto’ motorbike taxi onto Le Bambou.
- We chose to travel from Kampala with Jaguar Executive Coaches, recommended to us by Ugandans who have made the trip many times. The buses were clean, on time, comfortable (enough) and we and our luggage all arrived intact, both legs of the trip.
Le Bambou Gorilla Village, Kinigi, Rwanda is a small independent lodge owned by Jacky Gatera and Emmanuel Mujawayzu.
DISCLOSURE: This blog is based on my personal experience. I was lucky enough to be given a free night’s stay in return for this blog post. For more information, read the Muzungu’s Terms and Conditions. This is an edited version of a lodge review I wrote for The Eye Magazine Rwanda.
Have you been gorilla trekking in Rwanda? What are your Rwanda travel tips?
Hanging with a baby gorilla!
Have you ever wanted to go gorilla trekking in Uganda?
Despite working in conservation in Uganda for nearly three years, tracking the gorillas was never top of my wildlife wish list, until now. I still can’t get enough of safari game drives in Queen Elizabeth and birdwatching all corners of Uganda – but I have to say: today’s trek to see the gorillas was very special.
Here are the Muzungu’s reasons why gorilla trekking in Uganda should be on everyone’s travel bucket list!
A gorilla peeks at us through the thick leaves of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Gorilla trekking Uganda
Bwindi is heavenly. The air is pure. The height and age of the majestic trees are awe-inspiring. Before I came to Uganda, the revered mahogany was just something my great aunt’s table was made of (!) and now there they were growing ahead of me in the forest: century-old mahogany trees.
After an early start, and a briefing by our Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) guide David, we trekked uphill through a small tea plantation and a field of bananas.
Briefing from Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger before our Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi, Uganda. Here we were shown photos to introduce us to the gorilla family members we were hoping to encounter
“But the other hills we can climb them seated” advised David, as we slid down a muddy hillside to the edge of the forest.
It was a typical misty Bwindi morning – it’s not called Bwindi Impenetrable (Rain)forest for nothing! Treks to find the gorillas vary; occasionally the gorillas are seen in the grounds of the lodges around Bwindi. Sometimes you may have to walk three, four or even five hours before you find them.
More mist… climbing through the banana plantation. Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi, Uganda
Our Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) guides helped us every step of the way. Here we slid down a steep slope and traversed a small stream
The hike through the countryside (one and a half hours in our case) was a big part of the thrill for me: would we turn a corner and find the gorillas right in front of us?
How would the gorillas react when they saw us?
And finally, in a dense section of the forest, clambering through the bushes, we met up with another group of UWA rangers who would show us where the group of 10 or more gorillas from the Habinyanja family were feeding and sleeping.
Every gorilla trek is different. We saw the Silverback, although all we could see of him was a mere glimpse of silver grey fur through the foliage. This photo shows how difficult it can be to get a good photo in the dark forest…
None of the gorillas seemed at all perturbed by our presence, as we shuffled quietly from tree to tree, peering through the dark green of the forest to make out gorilla mothers’ suckling gorilla babies and young adults grooming each other, all just a few metres away from us. Even the Silverback gorilla, the often awesome male leader, slept through our entire visit (grunts notwithstanding).
But it was the smallest, youngest gorilla that stole the show….
Can you spot the baby gorilla? … It hadn’t occurred to me that I’d see a Mountain Gorilla in the trees above my head!
Effortlessly. Hanging out with the baby gorilla. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Gorilla trekking Uganda
There was no chest thumping, we didn’t get charged at and there were no scenes of drama for the humans to witness on this particular morning.
Carefree.
Not to be ignored, the youngest gorilla of the group entertained us to an aerial display, dangling by one arm and pirouetting above us, eye-balling us with those beautiful big dark brown eyes.
He seemed to share our fascination as we watched, transfixed. I’d trek Bwindi all over again, just to relive those few precious moments.
This moment made the whole hike worth it. Hanging out with the baby gorilla. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Gorilla trekking Uganda
Diary of a Muzungu’s (first) gorilla trekking certificate, issued by UWA, the Uganda Wildlife Authority
Next lifetime, I’m coming back as a Mountain Gorilla!
September 2013: With over 7 million views, this Uganda gorilla trekking video has been an internet sensation: showing one tourist having the type of wildlife experience we all dream of. Such moments are few and far between. They certainly can’t be manufactured, nor can these animals be coerced – and it just shows how gentle and inquisitive gorillas truly are.
This wasn’t my first time in Bwindi meeting primates. Coming eye to eye with my totem – the Red-tailed Monkey – is a moment Nagawa (the Muzungu) will never forget!
Nagawa AKA Diary of a Muzungu. My totem is enkima, the red-tailed monkey. This painting is by Taga. I adore his art!
South western Uganda has become famous for gorilla trekking, but there are plenty more activities for tourists nowadays, including canoe trekking across Lake Bunyonyi, hiking the volcanoes of Mgahinga, golden monkey trekking, or hiking across Bwindi. The day-long walk from Buhoma through the thick of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest south to Nkuringo is one of my favourite Ugandan expeditions.
Before you start this adventure, make sure you have comfortable footwear and some high quality insoles for hiking Globo Surf.” I prefer walking boots that support my ankles but many locals love wearing gum boots. They don’t have much grip (but they certainly keep the ants out!)
Have you been gorilla trekking in Uganda? I’d love to read your experiences!
If you’re planning a trip to Uganda, feel free to contact the Muzungu or check out Diary of a Muzungu’s Ultimate Guide to Mountain Gorilla Trekking.
