Uganda,
1 week
About Uganda
The 'pearl of Africa' is a dream destination for nature lovers. Beautiful volcanoes, vast savannas, great national parks, stunning waterfalls and tropical rainforests. And the most friendly people!
Practical information
Shop at Owino Market, the largest market in East Africa
This market attracts 160.000 vendors en customers daily, from countries as far as Sudan and the Congo! You can buy second hand clothes, computers, home ware, traditional medicine, you name it. Oqino is divided into sections, but still it’s very chaotic. I found it overwhelming, the market is packed to the roof with people, they are poor and you had to take care of your safety. I ended up at a very local ‘medical center’ after bumping into a pan of boiling soup giving way to a few passing locals ;)
Tip!
Go the the second floor of one the ‘office buildings’ at Kafumbe Mukasa Road to get a great overview.
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See the mountain gorillas up close and personal
This will stay with you forever. My group, a silverback, two female and two babies, was soooo close. One lay on my feet and even grabbed my hand! It was magical. Their behavior and facial expressions are so similar to ours, you’ll never believe it until you see it for yourself! It is expensive to go and see them, but it’s a once in a lifetime. Really worth it.
Tip!
Make sure you’re in good shape as you will be tracking the gorillas in the dense forest for a few hours, and when you find them (99% chance) they can move around a lot so you’re following them all the time!
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Find your way at crazy Old Taxi Park
This bus station is crazy! There are over 3000 busses squeezed into this square and they don’t have any no signage. Luckily the locals do not mind helping you find your bus.
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Get face to face with a leopard at Lake Mburo
Little visited Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest of Uganda’s national parks, but none the less it is home to a wide range of animals: zebras, hippos, impalas, oribi, giraffes, warthogs, elands, buffaloes, jackals and leopards. With over 13 lakes in the area, this lake also forms part of the 50km long wetland system that is linked by the swamp. Lovely Katya of Leopard Rest Camp showed me all the park has to offer, and more. We found a python digesting a bushbuck, check out the picture! And at night, I had the chance to spot a leopard!! What a great day at the park 😍
Relax at Lake Bunyonyi
29 islands dot Africa’s second deepest and most beautiful lake. I would describe Lake Bunyony, place of many little birds as a peaceful and relaxing place, it makes for good destination to end your trip to Uganda. You go swimming, birding, hiking, biking of just relax and chill out at one of the many resort style accomodations. The best way to get around is with a makoro, a dugout canoe or a motorboat. I opted for the latter 😉. The boat trip took me to a few islands, that are primarily used for schools and accommodation for tourists. The lake failed to impress me during the tour, but it did when I climbed one of the hills. Wow, what a view! (rainy season was coming, so the skies are a bit misty)
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If I could re-do it ...
I’d buy a traditional hand made basket
I thought they are sold all over East Africa, but that’s not the case and as it turns out: Uganda has the most beautiful ones.
Make sure you don't miss ...
1. Indulge on an Ugandan rolex, an omelet rolled into a chapati. Fills you up for the whole day!
2. African sunsets.
3. Take a boda-boda, a motor taxi. Excitement garanteed.
