Why we loved Uganda…

Uganda’s reputation as the “Pearl Of Africa” is no exaggeration. It is home to some of the greenest vegetation and most unique African wildlife you’ve ever seen, and some of the best white water rafting opportunities in the world. The country really does feel other-worldly and full of adventure.

Day 1: Jinja

Fly into Entebbe international airport, just outside Kampala, Uganda’s capital city.

Kampala itself is not worth spending too much of your time in. Instead, catch a private transfer directly to Jinja, the adventure capital of East Africa.

Day 2: Jinja

On your first morning in Jinja, head out to find the source of the Nile. Hop aboard a narrow boat, where a guide will motor you up the Nile, weaving from bank to bank to point out the wild life along the way (including pelicans, stalks and monkeys). The boat will take you out into Lake Victoria, where you will dock at a small platform on stilts holding up a thatched shop selling source of the Nile memorabilia. The wooden walkway leads you to a sign which marks the source, a spring which bubbles up from the lake bed. It’s not the most overwhelming site, but it is incredible to think that this is where the Nile begins, a river which is relied upon by so many millions of Africans – from Uganda all the way to its mouth in Egypt.

After the boat drops you back in Jinja, take the chance to experience the area. Dive into the covered market to see how the locals do their weekly shop and pick up some bargain wavy garms. Despite Jinja being Uganda’s second largest economic hub, it certainly doesn’t feel like a city. But thanks to the tourist trade and the increasing expat community, you can expect to find a good range of restaurants selling more exotic food that the typical Ugandan staples and some pretty trendy bars for an evening drink.

Day 3: Jinja

Head to Nile River Explorers for some of the best white water rafting you have and ever will experience. Here on the Nile the rapids work their way up to grade 5 rapids, which to the inexperienced is better known as a small waterfall. The guides are generally South African expats who have been running rafting adventures since the 1990s, so they are very much in tune with Nile and the route across the rapids which you will be taking. You can be assured that it is clear that safety is of paramount importance on the trip – this is a well oiled machine which has been running for years, with absolute knowledge of the route and all necessary safety measures put in place. There is a safety talk and demonstration which teaches you how to ride the rapids and get back into the raft in the event that you fall out (which you are almost certain to do, in our experience at least!). There is also a support team made up of several kayakers, some of whom have even competed in the Olympic white water kayaking events, who are there to make sure that you or your paddle don’t float away down river.

After the rafting (and a quick rest!) the rafters generally head out for some drinks, so be sure to join them if you are up for it.

Day 4: Murchison Falls

Organise a safari trip to Murchison Falls National Park in northern Uganda. Don’t opt for any less than a three day safari, because there is so much to see. Get picked up from your accommodation in a 4×4, which will take you to Murchison, an uncomfortably bumpy ride which takes around six hours.

In the afternoon, your tour guide will drop you off for a cruise on a rickety double decker boat along the Nile to the bottom of Murchison Falls. Here the Nile is forced through a gorge no wider than 7 metres, creating an extremely powerful waterfall. Along the way you’ll see many animals come to the Nile to keep cool in the afternoon heat – there are hippos wallowing, crocodiles lining the banks and buffalo coming to drink.

Some tours offer a hike up to the top of the falls, which takes about 45 minutes. This is a great way to experience the power of the water being squeezed through the Devil’s Cauldron, as the gorge is named. Hop back on the boat for the return leg of the cruise.

When you return, your guide will drive you to your park lodge for the night. We stayed in a reasonably basic camping lodge, but the main reception/restaurant area was a lovely open thatched building with views across the river. We did hear the hippos and other creatures wandering between the tents in the night, which we enjoyed, but if this makes you feel uneasy, there are plenty of lodges with solid walls you can stay in.

Day 5: Murchison Falls

Wake up early for a morning game drive. In the cooler mornings you are more likely to see animals before they disappear off for a snooze in the afternoon. Many of the guides will ferry you around the park in Toyota Land Cruisers modified to add a veranda on the roof where you can climb up for a better view of the animals. From your vantage point on the roof, there is a reasonable chance of seeing lions, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, crowned cranes (the Ugandan national animal) and an assortment of antelope and bird life.

We unfortunately didn’t manage to see lions, but a large herd of antelope certainly sensed their presence at one point and did a runner. We ticked the box on pretty much everything else, so we were pretty pleased with how it turned out.

In the afternoon, most tour packages move onto Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will spend the night in one of the lodges there.

Day 6: Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a non-profit conservation project aiming to bring back the southern white rhino to Uganda, after it was wiped out by poachers. It is the only place in Uganda where you can see rhinos in the wild and it is an unmissable opportunity. The sanctuary only gets its income from its rhino tracking tours, so the money spent on this safari goes to a good cause.

You will be led on foot by two rangers, tracking the rhinos through the park. Because the rangers monitor the rhinos so closely to keep them protected from poachers, you are almost guaranteed to see some of them. The rangers take you to with about 20 metres of the rhinos, we even ended up getting slightly closer than this when one a curious baby rhinos trotted over to inspect us.

After the rhino tracking, there is a long drive back to Jinja ahead.

Day 7: Jinja

Spend the morning checking out one of the local NGOs, such as Jinja Eduational Trust (JET) who are working to improve the schooling and orphanages around the area.

Say good bye to Jinja and head back to Entebbe airport to fly home or onto your next destination.

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