On getting to the airport in Dar Es Salaam we were not only relived to see that Air Uganda actually exists but also very pleased to learn that they were expecting us. Check-in was smooth, hassle free and in actual fact the flight was virtually empty. On the way over we got great views of Kilimanjaro peeping above the clouds and it finally gave us a better understanding of just how high we have stood on this planet. It would have been a little unnerving to have seen it, while flying at the same height as the top, before embarking on the trek!
Soon enough we had landed in Entebbe airport to find the place relaxed, no problem to get the visas sorted out and taxi negotiations were quick and straightforward. No haggling and no touts made our introduction to Uganda most pleasant. The hour’s drive to Kampala to find Jason and Jeanie’s house saw us going through much greener, cleaner countryside than we’d seen in Tanzania. It was great to catch up with Jason and Jeanie again and the kids (Kirsten, Jack and Ben) who were there on holiday too. I’d not seen them for years so it was great banter all round and a long, boozy afternoon and evening.
Kampala hasn’t got a huge amount of tourist attractions but we enjoyed simply being able to wander around town without getting pounced on by touts every 5 minutes. It’s a great town for restaurants and bars and by the end of our trip we’d tried as many as we could. The Indian food is good but of course we can easily get that here in KL too. The biggest treat for us was having a choice of affordable Italian restaurants and they rustled up fantastic pizzas. The staff from Paje by Night should pop over for a few lessons! Since we live in one of the most expensive cities in the world in terms of beer prices we loved being able to buy beer in an expat pub for around a pound a pint. The only slight drawback was that it was usually cheaper to buy a beer than a brew or a fresh juice so this was not the healthiest leg of the journey!!
Entebbe is situated on the banks of the massive Lake Victoria and is worth looking at. We went en masse (Jason, Jeanie and kids) to visit the Wildlife Centre that is a refuge for rescued and orphaned animals. Obviously it is always better to see animals in the wild but this place is doing a great job looking after indigenous animals and educating people in the importance of helping these species. Since they only have local animals it is very easy for them to provide enclosures similar to their natural habitat and they are spacious and well designed. At the end of the day the only serval cats, otters and shoebills we saw were in the Wildlife Centre. The shoebills stand at over a metre tall and have huge, powerful beaks that crunch into large fish like you and I tucking into a packet of crisps. With the centre being in a natural setting it attracts other animals so the place is unwittingly home to crested cranes, hornbills, agama and monitor lizards and vervet monkeys that we spotted but I’m sure other things are hiding out in there too.
Uganda is renowned for being a bird watchers paradise with hundreds and hundreds of species within its borders. Just down on the edge of the lake in Entebbe we saw fish eagles, egrets, cormorants, ibis, storks and kingfishers. So I was hopeful that this section of the trip would extend my bird knowledge a little. With the side trips we had arranged / pencilled in it seemed very likely that I would spot at least one new species of bird. We knew the safaris would not throw up vast quantities of animals at every turn like in Tanzania but we were ready to see a different part of the world and try to track down the odd new animal.
Mburo Lake
Trying to get 7 people packed and organised into one vehicle took some time but we were eventually ready to set off. Luckily we knew it wasn’t going to be a long drive and in fact once we’d left the traffic of Kampala behind we made good time. The roads are quiet in terms of vehicles but all along the way there are people going about their business and brightening up the journey. With the brightest aspect being their clothes where the range of colours and patterns the people use and mix and match is truly mind-boggling. It was interesting gaining an insight into the daily life in Uganda as that was one thing we didn’t get to experience in Tanzania.
The markets are as colourful as you’d imagine and reminded us very much of those we’ve wandered around over the years in Asia. The main difference is the range of fruits, vegetables and other goods is noticeably limited. The main crop is matoke (green plantain banana) and they seem to be growing, on the move or for sale everywhere. Virtually every vehicle we saw would have at least one huge stand attached to it somewhere. The farmers tie up to 6 of these huge heavy stands to their bicycles and then wheel them into the nearest town or village. How on earth they manoeuvre these heavy loads we’ll never know and heaven forbid if the bike were to topple over. Anyway once in town the bananas are either sold at a stall or are sold for wholesale to then be moved by truck to bigger towns and cities. In true Ugandan fashion these vehicles are filled way beyond their limit and every single banana wagon we saw was having some sort of running repairs done to it. Why not simply leave off the top layer and save yourself a fortune in repairs and spare parts and get to town faster to boot?!
Although Mburo Lake is one of the more popular destinations for visitors to Uganda it soon became clear that they don’t get anything like the crowds of people we’d witnessed in Tanzania. So although we’d already done a few safaris we were looking forward to a different experience. The first pleasurable part was paying the entry fees – they were somewhat cheaper than Tanzania to say the least. We’d booked some traditional bandas (huts) to stay in but on being shown our quarters we were all mighty disappointed. They more closely resembled a toilet block than anything traditionally African so we asked about other available accommodation. Luckily they had 3, tented huts and these were much more in keeping with jungle living. In fact they turned out to be closer to jungle living than we’d anticipated, as we never did manage to get running water. Back to bush-bogs and the lads were highly delighted to have the best excuse in the world for not having to shower! The restaurant had limited offerings but at least it was open (we hadn’t brought any supplies and there were no shops!) and it was set on the edge of a hippo-infested lake.
We didn’t see any ‘new’ animals but we all enjoyed the impromptu night drive on the way back to the campsite. It was lovely enjoying it through Jack and Ben’s eyes, as they’d not seen many of the animals before. Once back at the campsite it was very exciting to find a small herd of zebra outside our tent and we had fun with the torches looking for other beasties. The highlight for us all was when a young hippo crossed the road just feet in front of the jeep.
We were all up early the next morning watching the sunrise and listening to the bird’s dawn chorus while Jason got a fire going so we could get the kettle on. A great start to the day with the morning’s activity being quad biking. The boys were too young to have their own bikes and this made me fear my legs would be too short. As luck would have it I could ride the bike and change gears without difficulty so I could hire my own quad – although by this point I was back to being Steve’s daughter. Marginally better than being called father and son like on Kilimanjaro!! Once we’d signed umpteen pieces of paper and got ourselves kitted out in stunning brown overalls set off with Biggles style helmet and goggles we were ready for the our first ever quad bike safari.
I quickly got the hang of controlling the quad and started having a fabulous time. I never thought I’d do a quad bike safari and to be honest it’s not really the best way to see the animals. Not only are they a little nervous of the noise and dash off before you’ve got the camera out you have to concentrate on where you’re going and changing gear. However it was a great way to take in the park and at times we travelled at quite a speed. We all thoroughly enjoyed it despite being covered in a thick layer of dust by the end. Nothing a vigorous pat down and a bucket wash couldn’t sort out.
By this time we were all ravenous and headed back to the world’s most inefficient restaurant on the lake. Did it really need to take 40 minutes to rustle up a chapatti each?! Luckily Jeanie knows someone who owns a luxury resort inside the park so she phoned to see if we’d be able to take part in the buffet lunch and use the pool. They didn’t have too many guests so they were happy for us to all pile in although it was going to cost a small fortune for the privilege. The place is set in such a fabulous spot that we didn’t blame them for being a bit cheeky with the prices. Although in the end they did give us a generous discount since the kids in particular didn’t eat a huge amount. The spread was fabulous but too rich and heavy for lunchtime so none of us did it justice. Not even Steve & me – the champion eaters at high altitude on Kilimanjaro!!
While the others relaxed in the pool I caught up with my travel journal before we all retired to a veranda to enjoy the view. The resort is set on top of a rocky outcrop and the views are down over the savannah with a watering hole close to the hotel. By the end of our afternoon we’d seen warthogs, zebra, bushbucks, baboons and impala. It was time to drag ourselves away from our luxury afternoon as the boat trip beckoned. It was very pleasant pottering around the lake as you never knew where a hippo head would pop up next. We only saw one fleeting glimpse of a small crocodile so big Nile croc remained on our wish list. The bird life was as prolific as ever and there was an abundance of pied kingfishers and fish eagles. The most exciting new birds we saw were the very small but very beautiful malachite kingfisher and the incredibly rare (according to the boatman) black crested heron.
That evening the restaurant surpassed itself in the ‘how not to run a business’ stakes! Since it had taken so long, earlier in the day, to order something as simple as chapattis, we pre-booked dinner before embarking on the boat ride. An inspired move we all felt until it came to time to eat. Not only did we have to have warm beer while we waited in the surprisingly busy restaurant but once the allotted time for our meal came round we were informed that there wasn’t anything left to eat. Initially we chuckled as we assumed this was some sort of bad joke but they were serious. On further questioning it transpired the food had been sold to other tables as they had ordered extra! Now clearly the other customers should have been told that there wasn’t any more food left, but no, we were the ones that had to make do with cold chips and shabby chapattis. They are fools as this is the only place serving food and it should be a fantastic little business. Once back at the tent with a bottle of wine open we were soon all chuckling about the food debacle.
The next morning saw us up with the sun again and ready for our walking safari with the main aim to find hyenas. First we had to drive a little way to a swamp area that in actual fact was very dry so the going underfoot was easy and it was great to be looking for animals on foot. The guide we’d been allocated was very knowledgeable about the birds and animals in the park and he had great enthusiasm for his job. It wasn’t long before we could see a hyena way off in the distance and the guide indicated for us to follow him and get nearer. In the end we got pretty close to 4 spotted hyenas but luckily for us they knew we weren’t tasty morsels. Amazingly hyenas are something like the fourth biggest predator in Africa so we were very lucky to be able to observe them at close quarters without the protection of a vehicle. Another fantastic experience to add to the ever-growing list.
We also spotted our first eland but they were way off in the distance. While walking back towards the jeep it was fantastic listening to all the bird noises and our guide could actually name them all too. I would love to have about 5% of his knowledge of our feathered friends. We also stopped at a favourite leopard tree and even though said cat wasn’t around it had been reasonably recently as the skeletal remains of an impala were wedged up in the branches. We thought the walking safari was the end of the morning’s activities but the guide indicated that we should go on a game drive too. It was a perfect time of day to see animals and during that one drive we saw a wide range of animals in good numbers. Bearing in mind that in Uganda’s very recent turbulent history many of the animals were killed it was heartening to see them making such a good come back.
Mburo Lake may not have given us the pure animal experiences and tales to tell that we got in Tanzania but the park itself had so much more to offer. The boat trip, walking safari and not forgetting the quad bike safari made the national park so enjoyable in a totally different way.
Although we were all decidedly peckish by this point there was no way we could face going back to the restaurant so once we were packed up we headed off back towards Kampala. Eventually found somewhere that looked like it would cater for our needs and in fact the place had only been open a couple of days so we were treated like royalty. On enquiring if the chicken sandwiches were hot or cold we were a little bemused at the answer – dead!
Continuing on our way we simply had to stop at the equator for a couple of tacky tourist photos. The peace and tranquillity of the park was quickly superseded by manmade noises, smells and commotion once we hit the outskirts of Kampala. Many a near miss was witnessed as bicycles and motorbikes wove their way through the melee to get to that all-important destination minutes faster than the next vehicle. As for pedestrians – the best bet is to only cross the road if there really is no alternative and only then if it is strictly necessary!
Jinja
Our side trip to Jinja only included Steve and me so we got our first experience of Ugandan public transport. Having travelled around Asia so much it didn’t seem as chaotic and life threatening as the guidebooks made out! Although the chaos known as the bus station had even these hardened travellers bemused – we simply couldn’t work out how our full and therefore ready to go bus was going to squeeze his way through. Much shuffling, bumping and beeping later and we were out of the bus stand and on our way. With it being Sunday morning and most people in church the roads were quiet and we were very quickly out of Kampala.
We didn’t have very comfortable seats but had taken the last two so the bus set off straight away and we did both have a pretty good view out of the front window. We expected to see plenty of maniacal driving along the 80km route but in fact we had a very calm driver. The only incident of note was when a cow had broken its tether and dashed out into the road in front of a huge truck. Luckily the driver noticed in time to miss the cow but the truck ran over the cow’s rope and nearly strangled the poor beast. Our driver had stopped to give the cow some space and it soon did the sensible thing and dash off away from the road.
Once in Jinja the bus dropped us near the busy market area and so we didn’t get to witness the nice town we’d expected to see. We soon got our bearings, found Main Street had a cracking lunch in Indulge Café and were ready to explore further. We still hadn’t decided which area of town we fancied staying in so decided to walk in a big loop around the edge of the town to see what leapt out at us as worth having a look at. We’d read about Ginger in Jinja and with having a ginga brother married to a ginga, I just had to go and check it out! We enquired about their riverside rooms that were advertised in the local magazine, at the café in town to be told – no! More of those odd one word answers but we persevered to find out that the rooms weren’t finished. You know sometimes people do make the simplest of things most complicated!
Anyway during our wander round we decided to go and have a peek at their restaurant and see for ourselves if they had any rooms. Never mind not finished – we couldn’t see any evidence of them having being started. The slight detour was not in vain as this Ginger set up is right on the edge of the Nile and it seemed rude not to take in the peace and quiet while supping a beer. As tempting as it was to while away the afternoon we really did need to find somewhere to stay so we continued on our walk. We eventually settled for 2 Friends Guesthouse and although it was a little more than we are used to paying it was a steal compared to some of the rooms we’d had to fork out for in Tanzania.
That evening we decided to take in the ‘must do’ in Jinja and go down to the pub at the source of the Nile for sundowners – now we all know it’s more accurately known as sunset beer! Got to the barrier expecting to pay a nominal amount to be able to get to the pub to find out the prices had gone up somewhat. Tshillings 10 000 a head they wanted so we decided there and then to go back to Ginger and take in one of their boat rides to the source before we left. So we wandered into town and the first place we stumbled upon was a local’s bar showing the English Premier League – well it would have been rude to walk past. We found the people of Uganda very relaxed and friendly everywhere we went and this place was no exception. Without asking the locals had soon found a couple of stools and shuffled along a bit and made room for us to watch the footy too. In fact when we went to the expat pub in Kampala we chatted with more locals during a couple of games of football than we did in 3 weeks in Tanzania.
Obviously football was the main topic of conversation but it was great seeing so many interested in the game and in fact they were very knowledgeable about the league and players too. It gets to the point where there are more people wanting to watch the games than can fit in the pubs or can afford to buy a drink. Even though the beer is cheap for us it was still beyond many locals so there will always be a big crowd outside trying to watch as much as they can. Either that or the fans will nurse one bottle of pop for the entire 90mins and you can sort of understand the owners feeling a little aggrieved. In Jinja this was taken to the next level. We moved on to another place that we’d read about and were intrigued to check out for ourselves – a pub converted from a petrol station. The place was packed but we soon realised that virtually no one was providing the place with any business. Now watching from outside the pub and not ordering is one thing but pulling up a chair and making yourself at home is going too far!!
Back at the guesthouse we were just picking up our room key when we were told to order breakfast for the next morning. Now this was a bit tricky since we hadn’t seen a menu and in fact soon realised that there wasn’t going to be one forthcoming either. So we went through the painful and tedious information extraction rigmarole once again to discover that we would basically get what we were given and it would be served on the balcony at 8 o’clock. We managed to shimmy wide the food we didn’t want but there was to be no discussion on time.
Just as well we were up and at’em the next morning as there was a knock on the door summoning us to breakfast and there it was all laid out on the table. Granted it would have been nice to have more control over what we would have liked to eat and order it when we were ready but the guesthouse was set in a lovely garden and we had the place to ourselves. Finally got to try some Ugandan pineapple and it was as delicious as it looked – in fact it’s as good as Sarawak’s pineapples. Another local speciality is the passion fruit juice that is simply excellent so we didn’t mind the breakfast roll-call too much.
Following breakfast we chilled on our balcony for a while enjoying the peace and quiet and watching the metre plus tall marabou storks trying to balance on the apex of the roof. Then it was time to start the day’s activities that were centred round a trip out to Bujagali Falls. They are only about 9kms out of town and the original plan was to walk but a big black cloud was looming so we jumped on a boda-boda (motor bike taxi) instead. Luckily we got there in the dry but as we were admiring the incredible force of the water we could hear the thunder approaching. The falls are very powerful but some local loons / dare devils (take your pick!) leap into the falls and ‘ride’ them while only clinging onto a plastic jerry can. We were certainly not inclined to pay anyone to show us such a feat of madness so we didn’t actually witness it for ourselves.
By this point the storm was really brewing and it was starting to rain but as luck would have it Speke Campsite’s restaurant affords excellent views of the river. We retired with a drink just in time to watch the rain splash down. Fortunately it didn’t last long so we had chance to explore a little more. The area attracts a lot of people wanting to do white water rafting and bungee jumps among other things but we weren’t inclined to partake. There is quite a range of restaurants by the falls but we found most of them to be pretty expensive and we were still hoping to try some of the basic local food. As luck would have it we spotted a little local restaurant or to be more accurate a mud hut so we decided to try the matoke (that tastes nothing like banana even though that is the sole ingredient), rice and beans in sauce. Very simple, plain food that we wouldn’t bother rushing back for but it was good to finally try it.
Luckily by the time we were ready to head back the skies had cleared and everywhere was drying up nicely so we decided to walk back into town. It was good to see some village life but it’s a shame all the children come running out ready to beg. Touch the white person seemed to be the game of the day – whatever! The houses are either very simple wooden frames filled in with the local orange mud and thatched roofs or simple basic brick structures. The most elaborate buildings we saw were the local pubs and every village has at least one. Managed to get back before the rain so kept things simple and used the guesthouses’ restaurant and then retired early. It was decidedly chilly through the night and we are seriously hoping that it doesn’t rain up at Murchison Falls.
Breakfast was yet again all set up ready by 8 bells but this time we were with the programme and on the balcony by the allotted time! Then we wandered down to Ginger on the Nile to take in their half hour boat ride. We were the first to take the boat that morning so we got a private trip to the source of the Nile. Along the way we saw heaps of birds mostly; cormorants, darters, kingfishers and storks and we were lucky enough to see some vervet monkeys too. Just before the actual source we passed the pub we’d declined to enter previously and we were pleased to see we’d made the right decision. You don’t get that close to the actual source from there and to be honest the place didn’t look that appealing. We enjoyed the little jaunt and it was nice looking up the river towards Lake Victoria.
We dragged ourselves away from peaceful little Jinja and tracked down a bus to Kampala without any dramas. The journey back was fine apart from passing an accident site where there had obviously been a high speed head on collision. As with all these countries it always amazes us that you don’t see more horrific accidents. Luckily a group of monkeys showed their faces further down the road and that lifted our spirits. Once back in Kampala we successfully spotted our stop and persuaded the driver to let us get off. On wandering back up the road to Jason and Jeanie’s we thought we’d walked into the wrong house. They were all busy getting the jeep packed for the following morning’s trip, including picnic for on the way, and preparing that night’s meal. Who said they were always disorganised?!
Murchison Falls
All that packing and getting organised the evening before paid off and we were on the road by 6 bells. Mind you even at that dark, early hour Kampala was already quite busy but it was mainly people walking to work as opposed to traffic. It was great to get out of the city early and the lovely sunrise we had that morning made for a super start to the day. Plus the kids we still snoozing so it was all very peaceful and we could sit back and enjoy the views.
Now we know Ugandans tend to be early risers but as we were passing through villages they had a distinct closed down feel to them. I suspect it was just that everyone had already set off for work in the fields and in fact it wasn’t long before we started seeing other businesses up and running. I’ve already mentioned the movement of bananas around the country but of course every vehicle is packed way beyond its intended limit. The ingenious structures people add to bikes to turn them into mobile shops will never cease to amaze me. For those that were too poor to buy a bike they balance their goods on their back or heads and the more industrious among them carry their ‘shop’ on a frame. These mobile shops cater for pretty much all needs including household supplies, shoes and clothes.
One product you still need to go to the market to buy is meat and of course you’re not going to find it in a nice chilled cabinet covered in cling film clearly labelled. Oh no! If you want to track down the local meat market simply look for the highest concentration of marabou storks. They sit on top of the stall roofs and generally hang around the vicinity waiting for scraps of meat – very much like cats in Asian fish markets. How on earth these enormous birds find enough to keep so many of them going is a bit of a mystery. As for the meat itself it was a mystery as to what it could be! Considering only chickens, goats and cows were the beasts of choice we guessed it was probably one or both of the latter two hanging up. Believe me we weren’t going to be trying the local version of satay! The Ankole cattle that are herded by the Bahima tribes were the stars of African domesticated animals as they have the biggest and most impressive horns we’ve ever seen on any creature, tame or wild.
Our first scheduled stop of the day was Hoima and since the road was in excellent condition and virtually free of motorised traffic we made excellent time. The plan had been to have lunch there but we were a bit early so decided just to have quick brew break. An hour later we’d got our cuppas – now how can it possibly take so long to boil a kettle. Brought home the phrase we’d seen on a tourist t-shirt in Jinja ‘No Hurry in Africa’! The next section of the road to Masindi was shocking and in fact we’d been on better roads in Tanzania whilst on safari. It was hard work for Jason but I have to admit I was still enjoying watching the scenery going by and gradually changing the further north we travelled. I even spotted a couple of black and white colobus monkeys and I have to say they look beautiful with their long, bushy tails.
Once at the park gate we enjoyed the cheaper entrance fees again. To put this into perspective, it cost us less for 3 days in Murchison Falls National Park than it did just to drive through Ngorongoro. Got the message? It’s cheaper here! We actually needed to be in two parks but luckily they are both part of the same system so we only had to pay for one set of permits. Although the final destination was Murchison Falls, Steve, Kirsten and I were stopping off at Budongo Reserve for a chimp trek. Unfortunately the boys were deemed too young to take part which was a shame as they loved the hyena trip. Luckily the reserve was on the way so it didn’t mean loads of extra driving for Jason who’d already had a long day on shabby roads. The down side was that it was still an hour’s drive from the chimps to Red Chilli’s campsite. So the rest of them went to set up camp and then came back to collect us. We were in a banda for the first couple of nights so at least we didn’t have to feel guilty that the others were setting up camp for us too.
Meanwhile back at the chimp reserve, the ranger was ready to give us our pep talk about stinging insects and biting trees and honestly you’d think he was the only person to have ever been in a rainforest. Mind you I think the Dutch couple who were also in our group were venturing into this type of habitat for the first time and they were suitably fully clothed and soaked in insect repellent before we set off. We foolishly listened to the advice and went in wearing long sleeves only to be far too hot within 10 mins. Mind you it was good that it was finally a decent temperature!
Per usual in dense foliage we couldn’t see any of the numerous birds that were twittering away and the ranger obviously had no intention of stopping for them so on we blundered through the trees. We all got excited at one point only to discover that it was colobus monkeys high in the canopy. Personally we would have liked more time to watch these beautiful monkeys but the ranger was off with a dash. We then got a fleeting glance of a red tailed monkey and they really do have very long, very red tails but again we didn’t get the chance to admire it. We were just beginning to think that we wouldn’t be lucky enough to see any chimps when we rounded a corner to find a big male calmly eating away. We had a great view of him from the well used path but the ranger insisted that we would be able to get better photos further into the trees. By the time we’d all crashed our way through the undergrowth the chimp had swung off and to be honest we wouldn’t have been able to see him any more clearly. The cynic in me feels that this ‘off roading’ is all included to add to the experience but frankly I believe that there was no need to make all that noise and get muddy feet!
We carried on and since we weren’t lucky enough to find any more chimps the ranger decided to tell us more about their habits and behaviour. Now this should have been interesting but unfortunately he started by showing us how a chimp will ‘hide’ behind a sapling on spotting a person. We spent the rest of his short talk trying to keep a straight face and studiously not looking at each other. How we enjoyed sharing that part with Jack and Ben later on! Mind you we were expert chimp poo aficionados by the end of the trek.
There were clearly no more chimps in our area and we still had plenty of time left in our allotted 3 hours so he radioed the head office to see if the other group had been more successful. It turns out they were en route to look at a chimp at that very moment and head office gave him clear directions and co-ordinates. Shame he didn’t know how to use this information but hey we eventually caught up with the others. Now there were two groups crashing through the undergrowth trying their very best to scare off the amazing primate we’d come to observe. I really didn’t like this part and can only imagine it’s how the colobus monkey feels when the chimps are ganging up on it for their dinner. We did get a glimpse of this female chimp but I felt we shouldn’t have been there since she was on the ground. All in all we probably enjoyed the mileage from the ranger’s antics more than anything but you can’t knock seeing wild chimps in their natural environment.
The gang were waiting to whisk us off to Red Chilli campsite and they all seemed very pleased with the location and facilities. Understandably so - the restaurant affords superb views of the park with the Albert Nile in the distance. This time the bandas were great and the gang were able to pitch their tents right outside our door. Although the restaurant doesn’t have a huge evening menu there was something for us all to choose and the service was good. The shower and toilet block had water too! Mind you that had changed by 6 o’clock the next morning.
That morning’s activity was a boat ride up the river to get a closer look at Murchison Falls. We were at the boat point good and early so were at the head of the queue to get the best viewing spot at the front of the upstairs section. We could already see hippos and buffalo on far bank and the trip is billed as one where you will see hundreds of hippos and enormous crocodiles. Again the bird life is prolific but unfortunately the guide was too busy chatting with his mates to fill us in on what we could see. We’d all been talking to the kids about how they had to be mindful of other passengers and remember to be quiet on seeing animals. In the end they set a perfect example that many of the others could have done with following. Not only were the guide’s friends preventing us from getting any interesting information but they were listening to their i-pods and dancing away. Now I love a good tune and a boogie as much as the next person but on a boat trip through a national park to see wildlife and admire some superb scenery is not the place. Plus there was a big group of Italians on board and we know they are genetically programmed to shout at each other but did they have to bang on for the entire trip. To be fair most of the group were silent on seeing animals. I really do think guides in these situations should remind people of, not only respecting fellow passengers, but also that we are encroaching upon and potentially disturbing animals unless we behave appropriately.
No the wonder we saw loads of birds during the trip – the area boasts a count of over 450 species! We didn’t see the rare shoebill so it was good that we’d visited the rescue centre in Entebbe. We did see many of the birds I’ve already mentioned throughout this latest travel tale with the top feathered sighting of the day being a goliath heron. As promised we did see hippos by the score and they tended to be in even bigger groups than we’d witnessed in Tanzania. The hippo highlight of the day was seeing a very young baby with its mother grazing on the bank. As the boat approached she gave it a nudge with her leg to encourage it back into the river but luckily for us it failed to obey. We still weren’t fed up of watching hippos – how could you be? They’re wonderful animals.
As promised we did see crocs a plenty too and yes they do get as big as all the guides and information will have you believe. Some of them made the Nile water monitor we’d seen in Tanzania look like a common house gecko! They truly are splendid beasts and it was great seeing them in such huge numbers and the sheer size of some of the older, mature males is astounding. The only slight disappointment was the lack of monkeys we spotted in the park as there are some different species up there and it would have been nice to have seen them. We get to see monkeys here in KL regularly enough so I’m certainly not complaining. How could I when the rest of the animal sightings list for that day included; waterbuck, bushbuck, buffaloes and elephants.
On to the main purpose of the boat ride – to get as close to the bottom of the falls as the force of the river will allow. The actual drop of the falls isn’t all that long but what makes it so impressive is the incredible volume of water that is being squeezed through a very narrow gap. It’s amazing that the rocks on either side have managed to withstand this force of water for so long with such minimal erosion. The whole thing is set into a pristine natural background making it an unforgettable experience. None of your power stations or tacky tourist stalls like Niagara and Ella (Sri Lanka) respectively! Following lunch we went to the top of the falls to get a clearer picture as to just how powerful water can be. The wide deep river is pushed through a 7m gap and it was almost impossible to talk to each other over the roar of the water. I completely understand why Murchison Falls goes on the ‘must see’ list of all travel guides and we still had another full day to enjoy.
The next morning we had to be up early to clear the things out of the banda as we had to move into one of their permanent tents. No great hardship since we had the jeep to chuck the bags into and the tents are equipped with beds. Jason had managed to arrange a VW van for that day’s safari fun and with the whole roof lifting up it meant we could all get a great view and of course Jason got the chance to put his feet up and let someone else do the driving. The best safari area is on the other side of the river and even before we’d begun the safari ‘proper’ there were baboons to entertain us. This particular group have learnt that people often means free food so they time their daily foraging to coincide with the ferries! Luckily we hadn’t opened up our breakfast packages so they couldn’t smell the food. Just as well as apparently they’re not shy and will leap into any vehicle they feel could provide them with a free meal. The dominant males are very big plus we’ve seen the size of their teeth – so I’d rather not get up close and personal thank you!
The ranger said we would need to drive quite a way before we would start seeing animals but in actual fact we’d not been going all that long when hartebeest and Ugandan kob came out to play. The kob is basically Uganda’s version of impala and of course by the end of the day we’d seen hundreds of them as they like to stay in big herds. The first exciting sighting of the day was our first giraffes. Now you might say we’d seen more than our fair share of long-necked friends in Tanzania but these were Rothschild’s giraffes and the rarest species. Although they are rare they are abundant in this area and we did get to see them in big groups. The males can be up to a meter taller than the females and both girls and boys get darker as they get older. We saw them throughout the safari and not one of us ever tired of admiring them.
We weren’t seeing animals at every turn and in vast numbers like we had done in Tanzania but the park itself was lovely and there were hundreds of birds flying around. There were loads of different raptors but I don’t know what they were. I did extend my knowledge a little and now know what ground hornbills, red bishops and carmine bee-eaters look like. We’d all wanted to see the giraffes but of course you can’t help but be greedy so we had elephants and lion on the list too. Sure enough round the next bend the driver spotted some elephants – in fact we almost missed them as he was about to drive in the opposite direction. Now you already know that we could never tire of seeing hefalumps and this experience is up there with the best. The dominant male was simply the biggest elephant we’ve ever seen and he crossed the road right in front of the van.
On turning round and going back the way we initially intended we came across another huge male chomping on a tree. We’re used to Asian elephants and even though the big males can get to be quite a size the added effect of the big flapping ears on African elephants makes them most impressive. Our hungry elephant was close to the road and it was great listening to him ripping off the branches and making short work of his snack. Luckily for the tree he moved on before devouring the whole lot! Another beastie ticked off the list but we were still hopeful of the ever illusive lion. Following a brief stop down by the river for a ‘short call’, more of those great turns of phrase, we were off again and it was the last chance to see leo. We flagged another jeep down to see if he had any information and were rewarded with detailed instructions of where to look.
Off we set dashing past herds of hartebeest, oribi, kob, buffalo and giraffe in the hope we would tick the final animal off the list. We did stop to watch crowned cranes ‘dancing’ – well it is the national bird and to be fair it was good to see their show. Unfortunately the photos don’t do it justice and yet again it was probably one of those times we should have had a bash at video. Soon enough in the distance we could see a herd of kob running. Why? You guessed it leo the lion was chasing them. Now it is very rare for males to hunt alone so we were hopeful there would be more than one – sure enough he was with a female. They soon gave up the chase and wandered off to cool down under a tree. We couldn’t believe our eyes upon watching the kob follow the lions! Apparently once they know danger is around they like to be able to keep an eye on it from a safe distance. The explanation all makes perfect sense but it did look strange watching prey stalk predator.
We weren’t allowed out of the vehicle but we could see some jeeps along another less used track and the ranger said we could drive down there. We got a much better view of the 2 lions from around the other side. They were too far away for photos but it was our final fantastic experience of the journey. It was time to head back to catch the ferry and the ranger wasn’t stopping for anything. I was tempted to shout leopard to see how he would react but decided it wasn’t fair on the lads.
For the final afternoon we just chilled at the campsite watching the braver animals such as the geckos and lizards. There were once more loads of birds bustling about with the cheekiest of them coming down onto the tables to clear up the crumbs. If they couldn’t find any crumbs they helped themselves to some sugar! The warthogs were scratching themselves on the tent guy ropes and we just hope they don’t pull the thing over. Once the boys had woken up from their siesta our peaceful reading and journal writing session was over. In fact they were more excitable than usual as a warthog had taken a distinct dislike to them at one point and according to Ben had charged at them. Now he likes to exaggerate at times but Jack was visibly shaken and gave the warthogs a very wide berth for the rest of the stay. A storm rumbled over the horizon but we stayed dry and I have to say all told during the last 5 weeks we’ve been extremely lucky with the weather.
We spent a very comfortable night in our bedded tent but the others had had enough of being cramped and it was as well we weren’t staying for another night! Steve said he woke up at one point and was sure he could hear a hippo outside but didn’t investigate. As we were soaking up the views and taking one last wander around the campsite we spotted a pile of hippo poo like we’d learnt about on our hyena trek. So not only were we definitely getting better at the ‘know your poo’ game but Steve had heard hippos in the night. Wish he’d woken me as I’d have poked my head out for a look-see!
We quickly settled the very reasonable bill considering 7 of us had eaten all our meals there and it included a constant drinks and beer tab. It worked out at about 100 quid a head for 3 nights and that included the accommodation too. Fantastic value and a great set up – we’ll definitely use Red Chilli again if they have places in other parts of Uganda. The drive back was of course long but reasonably fast and very uneventful. Steve and I enjoyed sitting back recalling some of the great phrases we’d heard throughout the fortnight. Here’s the pick of the best:
- I am awaiting your response = I will give you time to decide what you would like to order
- Are we all firm? = Are we sitting comfortably? (in the jeep)
- Shall we extend? = Shall we carry on? (again in the jeep)
- I am here, you are there = not sure, we didn’t suss this one!
We were back in Kampala by mid-afternoon and this gave us time to sadly pack our bags ready for the flight back to KL in the morning. We were all packed and ready in time to get down to Just Kicking to watch the Liverpool v Middlesbrough game. While in the Kisimenti area we popped into the local craft and souvenir shop Banana Boat to see if we could finally pick up a memento of the holiday. As luck would have it they had some great wooden giraffes so that was my hand luggage allowance sorted out and it looks great in our flat surrounded by our elephants. The evening was rounded off with one final fantastic pizza and of course lots of banter. Somehow time slipped by and we didn’t crawl into bed until 2.30am – I guess we just didn’t want the holiday to end.
Recommended? - Absolutely and we sincerely hope to go back to explore more of this wonderful country. Can we use your spare room again please Jason and Jeanie?!
Travel Tips
I would highly recommend staying at Jason's when in kampala- ha ha, cheapest room in town and free flow beer, what a bragain!
The Red Chilli company run a place in kampala that is supposed to be good and we really enjoyed staying at their camp at Murchison, they also do packages trips to there from kampala.
http://www.redchillihideaway.com/
