Uganda – The Pearl of Africa - Part 1

The drive onwards to Malaba, the Kenya/Uganda border, was smooth and we were whisked through the Kenyan side. Uganda ( Which Winston Churchill referred to as 'the Pearl of Africa ') is not as welcoming as it used to be. The immigration officer used his acting/ arrogant skills to explain the validity of a Ugandan visa and the custom officer decided to go on a 1½ hour lunch break. (Ethiopian style?) After he had signed and stamped the Carnet, he demanded payment of carbon tax which was payable at the adjoining office of Standard Bank. Where they did not hesitate to charge 8% on the transaction without giving a receipt. Daylight robbery!

The roads are generally good with the occasional huge potholes.

Now you know why Konstantin always has rubber chickens on the roof ladder!

We make it to Jinja and the Eden Rock Campsite, overlooking the rapids of the Victoria Nile (good for white water rafting)

Here we meet the four cars of the Intrepid African Travelers group from SA again. We had met them before at Nyeri and Nakuru, Kenya. They had abandoned their Ethiopian destination and were doing Uganda and Rwanda instead.

The explorer Speke marked ”The source of the Nile” at the outflow at Lake Victoria. This spot is commemorated by a plaque. We did not visit the place as he was proven wrong several times. In 2006, with new GPS technology, the ‘new’ source is reputedly in Rwanda but even here there is controversy about the details. Others argue that the Victorian Nile flows into Lake Albert from which the true Nile emerges but this Lake is also fed by the Semliki River out of the Rwenzori Mountains. Only time will tell who is right.

The next day we visited the friendly team of Wild Frontiers in Entebbe to confirm all bookings made six months ago.

Going back we had to go through Kampala with the ‘guidance’ of the GPS. What a nightmare - we made it after going through busy, muddy, crowded markets, bypassing thousands of people and animals and on barely existing roads. Only with heroic driving skills we managed to get out and leave this disaster behind.

The tar road north was good and we proceeded to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary on the way to Murchison Falls Park. This is the only rhino breeding station in Uganda, a 7,000ha Ranch, with extensive electrical fencing and 60 armed rangers, looking after 8 white rhinos. (The second baby was born on the day we arrived - 7.10.2009) They offer campsites and accommodation, an ideal stopover on the way to Murchison. Rhinos have been extinct since 1980 in Uganda.

The delicious Termite mound mushrooms are offered on the side of the road. We cannot believe our luck and buy a few to have a delicious dinner.

Our map shows Chobe entrance gate near the Karuma falls. The road is not on the GPS but the traffic cops show us the turn off and we enjoy the two track bush drive and immediately see a herd of up to 50 Rothschild's giraffes and 70 buffalo. Rain clouds start to close in on us as we pass through an empty ranger post. We follow the track to the Chobe lodge which is still in the process of being rebuilt. It has the most stunning setting on the Victoria Nile. On enquiring about the road ahead we were strongly advised to turn around and use another more frequented route – ‘but the road is still there’. Then we met Peter, the ranger who also recommended taking an alternate route. But Konstantin had made up his mind and we proceeded as torrential rain hits us. It was an overgrown track, unused for years. Luckily all bridges are still intact. Sometimes the high grass engulfs us totally with blinding sheets of rain bringing our progress to a slow 20Km /h.

We did take a good four hours for the 75 km and enjoyed an estimated 120mm of monsoon like rain. We marvel at Konstantin’s ability to take all the water and dongas in his stride, confirming our belief earlier that we are not too mad! ! ?

After this experience we decided to use the relative luxury of the Paara Safari Lodge on the Victoria Nile. We enjoy the views and sumptuous dinner buffet plus the opulent breakfast selection.

Abyssinian Ground Hornbill

Our game drive the next morning, through Borassus Palm - and Acacia forests as well as savanna grasslands, in the northern game rich section of the NP, showed us an abundance of buffalo, Ugandan Kob and Oribi.

Ugandan Kob

Oribi

Intriguingly, here the oxpeckers are replaced by the Piacpiac, a peculiar, longlegged crow.

We crossed by ferry to the southern side which has no wildlife and found a camping spot near the Nile Safari Lodge.

That night it rained again nonstop for six hours. Despite this, we rose early to take a boat trip to the swampy reed beds of delta point where the Victoria Nile meets Lake Albert. We did see all kind of water birds, abundance of hippo, waterbuck and elephant but the shoebill stork was not to be seen on this overcast day.

Our next stop at the top of the Murchison falls was bright and sunny and we could dry out again and enjoy the spectacular thunder of the Murchison falls where the Victoria Nile is forced into a fault of the rift valley.

Churning water below the falls

On the way out we stayed overnight at Kaniyo Pabidi in the Budongo forest for some birding, as we were advised that the groups of chimps were too far away for some trekking. Birding in the rainforest is a different ‘kettle of fish’. You can hear them but it is very difficult to see them. To crane your neck the full time makes you giddy.

Then on to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary again to break the long road south.

Ankole cattle