A rolex-fuelled bike tour of Uganda and Africa
Uganda bike tour. An interview with Ron Rutland ‘Fat Kid on a Bike’
“I’m no David Attenborough, but trekking with the gorillas has been the greatest wildlife experience of my life,” said Ron Rutland, the ‘Fat Kid on a Bike’ who cycled through Uganda en route from Cape Town to London.
Ron is planning to travel through every African country and is a total rugby fanatic! He aims to arrive in London for the Rugby World Cup in August 2015. I organised Fat Kid’s Uganda gorilla trekking permits for him and we caught up when he was in Kampala. It was without doubt my #HumanSpirit moment of the week.
Diary of a Muzungu: What has your journey been like so far?
Fat Kid: I’m now 160 days into it and without sounding corny, it’s getting better and better each day. I’ve spent so much time organising, planning and sorting out visas for places like Eritrea and Somaliland, that I can’t wait to get there now.
I’m loving it, I’m absolutely loving it.
Diary of a Muzungu: What do you think of Uganda?
Fat Kid: I can honestly say that in 160 days cycling, the stretch from the Rwandese border and Kisoro, around Lake Mutanda, with views of the Virunga Volcanoes and on through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, has been the most beautifully scenic part of my trip so far. It’s a truly unforgettable part of the world – but nobody knows about Uganda as a tourist destination!
Uganda has been one of the highlights of my trip, from start to finish.
Diary of a Muzungu: Have you tasted Ugandan food?
Ron and I discussed the Rolex – Uganda’s most famous street food.
Fat Kid: Rolex are a good nutritional balance; they’re particularly good for me because of all the carbohydrates.
Diary of a Muzungu: Can you beat my friend’s record of consuming six rolex in a 24 hour period?
(He may be called the Fat Kid, but no, that rolex record remains unbeaten!)
I had assumed – wrongly! – that Ron was at the peak of physical fitness before he embarked on his mammoth tour.
Fat Kid: Quite the opposite, I’d just recovered from an injury that needed surgery; with little training, the cycling was very tough going for the first two or three weeks. Everything became easier after that.
Diary of a Muzungu: What is the most useful thing you travel with?
Fat Kid: I have a very simply written letter saying that I am South African and explaining the purpose of my journey and the route. In the letter, I apologise for not speaking every language and say I have few needs apart from buying food, and thanking them for their hospitality. I have a copy of this letter in French, Arabic, Swahili and a few other key other languages.
Diary of a Muzungu: How did you feel about spending Christmas away from home?
Fat Kid: To be honest, there’s nothing I would rather be doing than this. I am living the dream! How exciting is that?
I’m a social person but also very happy in my own company. So far I have had about 30 days (out of 160) riding with people, but it’s very rare to be on my own. You are always surrounded by people. I haven’t yet got to the point where I felt lonely. I’m quite looking forward to those solitary moments in the desert.
One of my real frustrations, however, is people’s curiosity. You get stared at when you are eating, when you are putting up your tent, or cooking your food. You do feel like a circus freak. In Angola, 60 or 70 people watched me. The next morning I asked the local chief why everyone was staring at me. “They have never seen a white guy on a bike, and neither have I.” They might have seen the odd white person drive past in a UN vehicle, but they had never seen a white guy on a bike, put up a tent, or cook for himself.
I understand it, but the “Muzungu how are you?” does get a bit overwhelming. When you are cycling uphill and you get these constant questions, I think “I don’t want to be rude but actually I am completely shattered…”
Diary of a Muzungu: Your journey is called Lettie’s Ride. Who is Lettie?
Fat Kid: Lettie is a friend of mine who has breast cancer. She’s 36 and she has three kids. She has lived her life to the full; no-one could appreciate their health more than her. There are frequent sporting events, celebrating life for Lettie, like people running up Cape Town’s Table Mountain barefoot.
When I first planned this trip, it was just a selfish journey to watch the Springboks play rugby. I know how hard it is to do fundraising, so I didn’t want to commit to it when I knew how hard it was going to be just to cycle from Cape Town to London.
It was when Lettie’s husband sent an email saying that Lettie’s cancer had come back more aggressively that I decided to dedicate my ride to her. There have been days – like when I was pushing my bike through the sands of the Mozambique parks – when it’s flipping tough and you’re feeling crappy. Then you have to ask yourself, is it really that bad? I’ve been able to do this, I’ve chosen to do this, I’m not fighting a deadly disease.
The bike is bright pink and has the word Lettie written all over it. I think about Lettie every day.
I’m dedicating this ride to Lettie and I am also living this adventure. I want her to get the positive message; that’s what I get goosebumps about.
Diary of a Muzungu: So you’re a rugby fanatic! Tell me more.
Fat Kid: The Rugby World Cup in London 2015 gives me a date to work to, otherwise you could spend five years cycling through the whole of Africa.
After uni I played rugby in Australia for six months and then in Hong Kong. Four or five years ago, I set up a rugby tournament in South Africa. It’s an annual social rugby event that now has 100 teams competing.
I got to know Francois Pienaar through mutual friends. He is probably one of the most famous rugby players in South Africa. (He was captain of the Springboks rugby team at the 1995 World Cup, the famous rugby match that united the post-apartheid nation, made famous in the Clint Eastwood-directed film Invictus). Francois is my ambassador and Founding Chairman of the Mad ‘Make a Difference’ Foundation, who are doing a fundraising campaign around my trip.
Whatever route I take, I am going to cycle through Paris. On my last four or five days, Francois Pinard is going to cycle with me from Paris to London to the World Cup. There are many rugby lovers and South Africans in the UK, who I think will want to do the journey with us.
Hopefully, in my own little way, I can help to give Lettie strength. If I get to London and the Mad Foundation has raised 1 million rand as well, then I couldn’t be happier.
Diary of a Muzungu: How did you feel about being in Uganda when Mandela died?
I noticed the flags were at half-mast at the Ugandan parliament.
In some ways I wish I’d been in South Africa. From what people back home said, it was a mixture of feelings: sadness, but also a celebration of everything that was good about Mandela. Yes the country is mourning, but mourning together.
Like he did in ’95, and other times, Mandela has transcended everything, all the political crap and segregation that still exists in our society; not just black and white, but rich and poor. People talk about corruption in Uganda, but it is endemic in South Africa.
I wish Mandela had run the country longer. He was one of the only African leaders of that generation who gave up power voluntarily; that makes him unique too.
The week Mandela died, my African #HumanSpirit moment of the week was this: “Everyone I’ve met who has expressed their sympathy at the death of “Africa’s Father” or “Our Father”…it’s quite incredible the sheer number of times this happens a day.”
Diary of a Muzungu: How long did it take you to plan this trip?
In a sense, I’ve been planning this trip my whole life.
It took me six or seven months to actually plan this trip. I have put everything into this, literally. I’ve never been one to own a lot of stuff, so what I couldn’t sell, I gave to charity. I wasn’t going to pay money to put all my stuff in storage for two years.
The biggest decision was what kind of bike to buy. Now I’m on the road, I’m planning approximately 3 months ahead. Most of my planning is ‘visa driven’ that is to say it depends on getting visas to enter each country. For that I rely on a visa services company.
So, for example, while I am in Uganda, DHL will send my passport for South Sudan to Gulu. Once I’m out of Uganda I can send my second passport back to Cape Town to get the visa for the next countries: Eritrea and Sudan. I spent a few months planning the route and visas in advance. This is probably the best practical thing I did before I left, and no delays so far….
Diary of a Muzungu: How have you funded your trip?
Although cycling is a free way to travel, I spent all my savings buying the bike and setting it up for the trip. Whatever happened, I was leaving anyway. I’ve heard so many stories about people not having money and picking up sponsors along the way.
Once you are on the road, it really isn’t an expensive way of travelling. My budget is R200 or $20 a day. This covers visas and everything, including food, and accommodation, when I need it. Africa is not the cheapest place to travel by any means, but it’s a lot cheaper than just sitting on my couch in Cape Town. You know what I mean?
I have friends who have done well in business who helped me out. They said we can’t sell our businesses and put our wives on ice for two years. We can live our dream through you.
ABSA are my main sponsor. They sponsor the #HumanSpirit. [For them, what is a better example of the human spirit than someone cycling through every country in Africa to watch their rugby team – the Springboks – play in London?]
Diary of a Muzungu: What did you do before you embarked on this trip?
I’ve always been a bit of a restless soul.
I spent most of my career working in banking, in London. Next I set up a business and lived in Thailand for three years. Living in south-east Asia was a wonderful experience. Out of necessity, I then went back to banking, this time in Hong Kong for 3 years. Four or five years ago, I felt ready for a change so I went back to South Africa and set up the rugby tournament. It was fun but I wasn’t building anything for the future so I thought now is the ideal time for me to go and do what I want and to get it out of my system.
Diary of a Muzungu: Get it out of your system? Or ignite an even bigger flame? I asked.
The Fat Kid laughed.
Diary of a Muzungu: How do you keep in contact with everyone back home?
A GPS device records my location every day and this can be tracked on my website. I’m not a great writer, but I do record a few minutes about my experiences a few days of the week. Phone coverage has been surprisingly good. In fact, my family say they hear more from me than they ever thought they would.
After Diary of a Muzungu’s interview with Fat Kid on a Bike in Kampala
A few days after our interview, Ron cycled East to Jinja for some white water rafting with Nile River Explorers, and then North, passing through Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary at Nakasangola “my goodness was the rhino tracking another memorable wildlife experience!”
I told Ron he simply couldn’t miss Wild Frontiers’ breath-taking boat ride to the bottom of the falls in Murchison Falls National Park.
“The Murchison Falls boat ride will certainly go down as a highlight of not only my time in Uganda, but of my entire 5 and a half months on the road so far!”
We last spoke when Ron was in Gulu, planning to cycle into South Sudan. He sounded a little bit uncertain about what was happening next. I’m not surprised: leaving the Pearl of Africa and going into a war zone!
At the border, he commented on “the warm welcome, hospitality, and help received from the Ugandan soldiers based on the South Sudan border.”
Ron’s route was due to take him through Juba:
“I had to accept the very insistent advice of the UN, 50 km inside South Sudan, that to continue any further would be ‘completely reckless’, and I made the decision to back track to Uganda. Seeing for myself the human tragedy unfolding in South Sudan put a little cycle trip into real perspective.”
As a rule, Ron’s transcontinental route sees him exit a country using a different border to the one he enters the country; South Sudan was the first country – and let’s hope only country – where he failed to achieve this.
Ron sounded quite philosophical though:
“This is Africa, after all. I’m aware that things can change at any time.”
Of this experience, he said:
What I will try never take for granted again: the freedom of travel within and between countries. After having to make an abrupt UN enforced U-turn in South Sudan, to having to re-route through Ethiopia and Sudan to get to Eritrea from Djibouti, to the headaches I’m now having in plotting a way across Sudan through Darfur to Chad, it has made me realise the incredible privilege it is to be able to travel and cycle freely across and (even with the hassle of visas sometimes) between most countries.
If you’d like to keep up with Ron’s trip on the remaining year of his journey, visit the Fat Kid on a Bike website or Facebook page. He writes weekly updates and you can follow him on the map.
As Kingsley Holgate reminded me during a long liquid meeting before I left, this expedition ‘isn’t about the bike’, but rather ‘an epic African adventure which you happen to be doing on a bicycle’ – a huge difference!
As we said goodbye, Ron invited me to accompany him on a leg of his trip. How I would LOVE to! (I wonder if I can make it to West Africa in time to meet him?)
If not West Africa, we might have to wait until London 2015… my dad is a rugby fan(atic) too and I have a feeling he will be enjoying the #HumanSpirit watching the Springboks play at Twickenham rugby grounds in August 2015!
All roads lead to Namugongo
Commemorating the Uganda Martyrs. How did the muzungu end up in Namugongo?
It always makes me laugh: the unexpected things I end up getting involved in Uganda, so I shouldn’t have been surprised when John Ssempebwa, the Deputy Executive Director of Uganda Tourism Board sent the Muzungu a message asking if I would help him do the voice-over for a promotional DVD… all about the Namugongo Martyrs.
How the Muzungu came across on film, I’ve yet to see! – but nonetheless the filming was the perfect opportunity for me to learn all about the Martyrs, one of my “blogging resolutions” in fact.
My pre-filming homework was to read Father Simeon Lourdel, Missionary of Africa, White Father, Apostle of Uganda 1853 to 1890. Despite its incredibly dull-sounding name, this account had me hooked from start to finish. Catholic missionaries aren’t normally my cup of tea frankly, but the six month journey on foot from the Indian Ocean coast, traversing Tanzania and fighting off wild animals (lions!), sickness and numerous antagonistic tribes to the south of Lake Victoria had me captivated.
The diary of a French missionary, writing in the 1870s, recalls:
“It was no joke to foresee all that would be necessary for 10 missionaries for a journey of six months across unknown land, all the food, the tools and equipment for putting up permanent settlements in an empty continent. The big headache was to go gather enough of the items to use for the bartering with the African tribes, for free and safe passage through the territories: bales and bales of calico material, boxes and boxes of glass beads, reels and reels of brass wire. The two (Catholic) fathers had also to recruit 300 porters and an escort of soldiers. They had two interpreters who spoke Kiswahili and managed to speak broken French to make sure that their orders were properly understood, and for bartering with the African chiefs on the way.”
The traverse of Lake Victoria – the world’s second largest freshwater lake – in a dugout canoe must have been one hell of a journey for these weary and sick travellers. As well as recounting the subsequent tales of many of the Namugongo Martyrs, the book gives a wonderful insight into the Buganda Kingdom, describing:
“A huge palace with hundreds of courtyards, a countless number of huts and thousands of servants living in and milling around. Great dignitaries of the kingdom were the only people allowed to approach the Kabaka (King). Also admitted to the courthouse visitors were dignitaries who came from neighbouring tribes, as long as they brought presents carried by slaves.”
About the Uganda Martyrs Walk
And so, one Sunday in Kampala, I joined the Uganda Tourism Board in the inaugural 10 km “UGANDA MARTYRS WALK.” Along the route of this unique walk, professional tourist guides explained the history of numerous Namugongo Martyrs, including: Mathias Mulumba, Jean Marie Muzeeyi, Mapeera and the three Martyrs killed at Busega. These names meant nothing to me before; now I notice them every day, as I pass the churches and schools named in their honour.
I am seeing Kampala in a new light.
WHERE is the Uganda Martyrs Walk?
The walk starts at Old Kampala Secondary School and finishes at Busega Martyrs’ Church, Mityana Road.
WHEN is the Uganda Martyrs Walk?
First Sunday in June, from 9 am.
WHY is the Uganda Martyrs Walk?
This is the launch of what promises to be a big, popular annual event with people coming from all over the world. Proceeds from the Martyrs Walk will go to Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago Hospital, Kampala, to undertake life-saving cardiac operations on children and babies born with Congenital Heart Disease.
Millions of Christian pilgrims flock to Namugongo, Greater Kampala, every June. Photo courtesy of Red Pepper
In addition to the professional tour and the chance to learn more about the Namugongo Martyrs, walkers will have access to free medical check-ups.
SSENTE MEKA? How much is the Uganda Martyrs Walk?
10,000 UGX for the walk; 20,000 UGX for the special souvenir T-shirt.
HOW DO I REGISTER for the Uganda Martyrs Walk?
Registration for the walk is going on at the main Kampala Post Office and at the National Theatre. Pilgrims can also register by sending 10,000 UGX to Mobile Money tel +256 704 731 215 and +256 773 831 825. [Note these are the contacts for 2014; in subsequent years, these may change].
Uganda Martyrs Day is celebrated 3rd June every year. On this day, more than a million people congregate at Namugongo.
No-one can help but be moved by the Martyrs’ incredible stories. I’m not a religious person but I was blind-sided by these individuals’ belief, determination and the ultimate sacrifice.
For me, this event celebrates human survival and endurance. Every Martyr’s story is inspiring. The reality of their unbearable agonies defies belief.
Join the pilgrims travelling to Kampala on this special occasion.
For more information about the Uganda Martyrs Walk, contact the Uganda Tourism Board. The DVD story of the Namugongo Martyrs is also available from Uganda Tourism Board – [reminder to self: upload it to YouTube!]
As I write, pilgrims are walking to Namugongo, a few kilometres from central Kampala, from across Uganda and East Africa.
We hope to see you there!
My kind of club?
Launch of the Uganda Chapter of the Explorers Club
Star of the show and definitely the Best Dressed: Dr Gladys Kalema and the Muzungu. Explorers Club Uganda
The Explorers Club’s East African connections
Dian Fossey studied the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda. Tragically, she was murdered, probably by one of the poachers she fought in her protection of the gorillas. Photo source unknown.
Dr Jane Goodall D.B.E. is most famous for her ground-breaking studies of the chimpanzees of Tanzania. Dr Goodall is now a UN Messenger of Peace
Sign of the times: In the old days, ‘finding a new species’ usually involved killing one… the above photo shows a Mountain Gorilla killed by von Beringe. Interestingly, this photo is on display at the Explorers Club HQ.The famous firsts of Explorers Club members
- First person to the North Pole.
- First person to the South Pole.
- First person to the summit of Mount Everest.
- First person to the deepest point in the ocean.
- First person to the surface of the moon.
But as the American comedian and actor Groucho Marx once said:
“I don’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members”
Last year I was asked to create a Photo Map of Uganda to commemorate Conservation Through Public Health’s 10th Anniversary
Diary of a Muzungu interview with the Explorers Club
What is in it for Ugandans? And what’s in it for the Muzungu?
Is there anything left to discover?
What made the Explorers Club decide to come to Uganda?
“We believe that the Ugandan chapter of the Explorers Club will help develop a new attitude to exploration.”
The Explorers Club is leading the change in the view that ‘explorers discovered Africa.’
Alan was quick to dispel any of the ‘old school’ associations of Western colonial types ‘discovering Africa.’
What is in it for Ugandans?
“It would be really interesting if one of your students travelled to America, just like previous explorers, anthropologists and so on, travelled to remote villages in Africa to study your village life. I would like to hear what a Ugandan scholar would have to say about the town I live in in California. That is the switch. The idea is that we see the Uganda Chapter as showing the way – along with Bhutan, Morocco and other once so-called ‘undeveloped’ countries – to help us develop a new attitude and new findings within exploration.We are looking at world centred exploration, not western centred exploration.”
Later the Muzungu had a chance to interview Alan and ask him about his travels around Uganda and his own explorations.
Have you been to Uganda before?
Was the gorilla trekking what you expected?
What inspires you to travel?
Which item can’t you travel without?
The Muzungu would love to be an Explorer and take part in some of the Club’s expeditions. Do you have any tips for me?
So dear reader, where in the universe would you like to EXPLORE?
What and where shall we explore in Uganda? I’d love to know your ideas!
Messing about on the River Nile. A week-end at The Haven, Jinja
A week-end at The Haven, Jinja – accommodation on the Nile
A cursory look at The Haven’s visitor’s book tells it all: full of compliments from first time, second time – even ninth time! – visitors. Just outside Jinja, The Haven’s accommodation and camping facilities are particularly popular with campers who just happen to be driving from Cape Town back to Europe via Jinja and Uganda
.
Panorama of the Nile below The Haven at Jinja
I can’t believe it’s been four years since I last visited The Haven. My family had such a fantastic time last time that I was bit worried: Would this visit live up to the memories of the first time? Would the spectacular rapids beneath the Lodge still be visible or had they been submerged following the creation of the new dam?
Early morning fishing on the River Nile. View of the rapids from my room at The Haven
Like melted chocolate, the River Nile flows over the rocks below The Haven at Jinja. A short walk down to the rapids before breakfast is a MUST. It’s the best time of day.
I chatter, chatter as I flow to join the brimming river, for men may come and men may go, but I go on forever.- From The Brook, 1887 Lord Tennyson.
“You can really see how the village has developed!” Exclaimed Ma as Rashid drove us through the bush for the last couple of kilometres drive to The Haven. No doubt it is a combination of tourism and the Bujagali Falls dam that have increased local incomes, resulting in more brick houses and more tin roofs. Nonetheless, the route was as picturesque as ever.
I had forgotten about the legendary Haven breakfasts. When the staff say you are going to be served Continental Breakfast, they don’t just mean coffee and a bread roll. The staff ply you with an extensive menu that consists of: warm, freshly baked slabs of bread; home made fruit juice; a mixed platter of fruit; wafer thin pancakes with honey, chocolate spread and sumptuous mango compote; a mixed platter of cheese and thinly sliced cured meats (clue: the owner is German); and on top of all that lot is the cooked breakfast. These are not options, I hasten to add – this is the regular standard breakfast for everyone!
Just one element of the huge breakfast at The Haven Lodge Jinja Uganda
Blimey.
How I didn’t sink to the bottom of the swimming pool after that lot, I don’t know!
Did I say we ate well at The Haven? Sunday lunch starter was a yummy light salad of warm cashew nuts, black olives, tomato, onion and a vinaigrette dressing. We loved the lunch and evening menu options, always a choice of three main courses. I found the fish and the vegetable kebabs delicious; the caramelised banana pudding with ice cream was to die for. Red meat was on the menu too (but not for this Muzungu).
With these gargantuan tasty meals, you might have thought we would have (should have?) tried all those adventure activities we’d discussed … but the pool beckoned, as did the sun loungers and the hammocks, strategically slung so we could doze above the rapids while watching the Grade 5 white water rafters do all the work.
God my life sucks…
River Nile dining room view at The Haven Lodge Jinja
The outdoor seating at The Haven is designed to maximise the incredible view of the River Nile
Lime trees, bananas and colourful Bougainvillea decorate the grounds of the Haven. Fragrant wafts of Jasmine reached our dining table, adding to the magic of the setting.
The Haven is a wonderful place to take in riverside life: tiny fish are visible in the shallows of the Nile, multicoloured dragonflies and butterflies flourish by the river.
“SothisisaRiver”
“THE River,” corrected the Rat.
“And you really live by the river? What a jolly life!”
“By it and with it and on it and in it,” said the Rat. “It’s brother and sister to me, and aunts, and company, and food and drink, and (naturally) washing. It’s my world, and I don’t want any other. What it hasn’t got is not worth having, and what it doesn’t know is not worth knowing. Lord! The times we’ve had together…”
– From The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
Ma has taken multitasking to a whole new level: birdwatching, filming and drinking Waragi and tonic! All done simultaneously while perched on our little boat.
Late afternoon is perfect time of day to take The Haven’s boat cruise. The lodge now has two electric boats, perfect for birders like us who love to get as close as we can to the birdlife
Our sunset cruise on the Nile below The Haven was a very laid-back, private affair in the hands of the very capable ‘Captain’ Charles, one of The Haven’s staff. A tray laden with Uganda Waragi, tonic water and a bucket of ice are the natural accompaniment to any boat cruise…. (surely everyone knows that?)
As we set off, a Ross’s Turaco flew across the river, black and red wings flapping above our heads.
Along the river shore, we spotted: a vibrant Jacana hopping delicately across the vegetation, our first Dwarf Bittern, the outline of a statuesque Purple Heron at the top of a tree, a Common Sandpiper, bright white Little Egrets and majestic African Fish Eagles.
Jacana bird on River Nile Jinja
The African Fish Eagle is such a HANDSOME bird!
“If the Eagles can’t find fish, they might come into the village and carry off a 3 kg duck!” Charles told us. That would be quite a sight.
Little Egret. Birdwatching from a boat on the River Nile
Charles moved the boat closer to one of the islands, so we could watch the Black Headed Weavers crafting their intricate nests. The Weavers trailed pieces of grass – the effect was as if they had long, thin, tails. Amidst the Weavers’ busy chatter, two Grey Herons made a 360° loop of the island before landing in one of the trees.
According to the book, “the Striped Kingfisher is a small and rather drab kingfisher” – but I spotted him and no-one else did – so to me he was GORGEOUS!
Charles explained how the River Nile separated the two historical kingdoms of Buganda and Basoga. It was interesting to hear the local names for some of the popular river birds. The Malachite Kingfisher is known as the rainbow bird (so much easier to remember in any language!) The African Darter is known as the snake bird, because of its looooooong neck.
Upstream we passed a huge Hammerkop nest at the top of a large tree. More of a house than a nest, did you know this Ugandan bird’s nest is the biggest of any in the world? (Don’t stand beneath one though: you never know what rodent or snake might fall out of it!)
A flock of Sacred Ibis flying to the roost on the River Nile
The birding highlight for me was looking up to see a flock of 14 Sacred Ibis fly in formation overhead. The actual highlight was being with my family, who’d flown all the way from the UK to see me.
As our little boat pootled upstream towards the dam, we noticed the Cormorants and Sacred Ibis flying downstream and away from us to their roost in the trees and bushes on the rapids below The Haven. Charles explained that there they feel safe from predators.
Dawn mist rises over the River Nile rapids, The Haven Lodge Jinja. You can just make out the roosting birds on the rocks and bushes separating the rapids
A tall and solitary mvule tree made me wonder what this landscape would have looked like 20, 50 or even 100 years ago. Was it once part of Mabira Forest?
Long-tailed cormorants Jinja
A few hundred metres from The Haven is the roar of white water over smooth granite boulders. Long Tailed and Great Cormorants dry their outstretched wings on the ammonia-stained branches of the low bushy trees on the rocks between the rapids.
Red-tailed monkey – my totem – eyeballing us at The Haven in Jinja
Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day. – A. A. Milne, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book
Vervet monkey along the River Nile
By contrast…
White water rafting Bujagali Falls – back in the days before Bujagali Dam flooded the upper section. (You now raft below the dam)
The Haven is a great base for river adventures – especially if you just want to watch them whil enjoying a beer!
Watch the white water rafters and kayakers on the river below The Haven
Unless you knew the river before, you probably wouldn’t detect the impact of the dam. Only the occasional eddies and swirls of water gave a clue to the rocks that lay beneath us. Charles revved up the engine slightly as we reverse boated what were once scary grade 5 rapids.
If only Ma realised – she certainly wouldn’t have crossed this stretch of white water five years ago!
Muzungu taking in the Sunrise over the River Nile. Ahhhhh…. The Haven Lodge, Jinja accommodation
Early morning, overlooking the rapids:
Between me and the white water is a single African Open Billed Stork perching atop a big bush, its beak glistening. These storks often look bedraggled and unkempt to me but this morning it shines. I wish I had my camera! I’m glad I didn’t have my camera… what an image: the gleam of shiny black feathers, early morning mist and the white water backdrop.
African Open billed Stork. COPYRIGHT 2011-2014 MARIE-FRANCE GRENOUILLET
About the accommodation at The Haven, Jinja
We’d loved the banda on our first visit, but on this occasion we stayed in the self-contained thatched family bungalow at the back of the compound. Although the front of the building doesn’t look onto the river itself, climb to the upper floor and the veranda looks out at right angles onto the Nile. The bedroom veranda was a great spot for evening sundowners.
Cottage overlooking the Nile at The Haven. PHOTO Keren Riley
Inside the honeymoon cottage – spacious, airy and with the constant sound of the River Nile to soothe you to sleep!
Oh what a lovely way to wake up – drinking tea while watching the river flow by…
Spot the African Fish Eagle! Mural in the honeymoon cottage
Being at the (less disturbed) back of the compound meant we had the best birdlife. We could twitch right from our beds! We never did work out quite what the bird was that sounded like a creaking wheelbarrow… The tiny bright blue and orange Malachite Kingfishers were easy enough to spot, however.
Isn’t this Malachite kingfisher gorgeous? This pretty bird measures just 12 cm long
The bungalows are spacious and can sleep four adults and two children. The double master bedroom has an ensuite bathroom. Also on the top floor, leading off the master bedroom, is the children’s bunkbed room. The decor here is functional; the honeymoon bungalows are far more decorative.
The facilities at The Haven are better than ever: a big private area for camping with hot showers and outdoor barbecue, mountain bikes for hire, a sandpit, trampoline, swing (and more) for the children, badminton, table tennis, satellite TV and free Wi-Fi in both the main dining area and cottages.
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
George Bernard Shaw
Sundays can be busy. The swimming pool is for residents only, which some lunchtime visitors may find disappointing. The pool isn’t that big though, so this decision probably makes sense; The Haven can be busy at weekends.
Swimming pool The Haven Lodge Jinja River Nile
The Haven is now the base for Kayak the Nile. Many of Jinja’s adrenaline activities can be booked and organised through reception at the Haven. Special thanks to Abraham, who dashed off to the pharmacist for me when I suspected I had malaria!
If you’re looking for lodge accommodation near Jinja, you can tell I (and my family!) heartily recommend The Haven. The staff make you feel right at home, you will eat like a king and even the camping is an upmarket experience. Check out The Haven’s website or email thehavenuganda@yahoo.com or call +256 (0)702905959 / +256 (0)78 2905959.
Please tell them the Muzungu sent you 🙂
DISCLOSURE: This blog is based on my personal experience. I was delighted to be given a discounted room rate in return for this blog post. For more information, read the Muzungu’s Terms and Conditions.
Virunga Lodge: a 360-degree view of Rwanda’s volcanoes and lakes
A luxury gorilla safari with Volcanoes Safaris
Misty volcanic peaks and lakes dotted with small islands are the backdrop to the sensational Virunga Lodge, our base for a luxury gorilla safari, a 45 minute drive from Kinigi, the starting point for Rwanda’s gorilla trekking.
The volcano and lake geography combined to give us constantly changing weather. I was quite absorbed by it. At one point, a thick white fog completely obscured the volcanoes and Lakes Ruhondo and Bulera (Burera). The mist unveiled the volcanoes, one peak at a time. Every few minutes, I looked up to see the view evolve as the day progressed. Later, bright sunshine showed the detail of the villages far below us.
The main living and dining area of Virunga Lodge is perched on the top of a hill, 2300 metres above sea level. (Adjacent is a large football field cum helicopter pad cum stage for traditional Rwandese dancing by the charming and engaging Intore dancers).
I loved the African inspired décor: tribal art from the Congo, Rwandese wall hangings, black and white photographs and the library of conservation and travel related books. Snug in the huge living room, amongst the stacks of funky cushions, with an open fire burning in the late afternoon, the Muzungu planned her next East African adventure.
I loved the colour combination of Virunga Lodge’s interiors, intimate at night when candlelit. We all loved the food: the salmon mousse went down particularly well. The soups were heavenly and perfect for the chilly nights on the hill.
It hardly needs saying but: our Rwanda luxury gorilla safari trekking was an incredible experience – and without doubt lived up to the hype.
Becca Hensley wrote a wonderful account of our trek to see Rwanda’s mountain gorillas. Suffice to say, two weeks later, back in the city, and I’m still dreaming about our magical gorilla trekking encounter in the bamboo forest.
The music and good humour of the Intore Troupe’s traditional dancing were infectious. They weren’t taking no for an answer when they pulled us up onto our feet to dance with them!
The backdrop to their grassy stage were the peaks of Mounts Muhavura, Gahinga, Sabyinyo, Karisimbi and Visoke.
About Virunga Lodge
The twin Bulera banda’s wide veranda opens on to views high above Lake Bulera and its islands. The bandas are very spacious and well-equipped with a personal safe, a torch and solar lamp – even your own umbrella (indispensable in this part of the world!)
The sensors for the bathroom lights confused me to start with (as I was poised to insert a contact lens and the bathroom suddenly went black!) but I admired the considerable eco-efforts, here and throughout Volcanoes Safaris’ lodges.
Two of the bandas are now deluxe standard, with huge living space, and open fireplaces in the bedroom, private sitting room and outside on the veranda, perfect for honeymooners!
Upon arrival at Virunga Lodge, we were greeted with fresh sweet tree tomato juice and friendly staff who seemed only too happy to carry our big bags up to our banda rooms for us. The living and dining area is at the top of the hill, thus there is a short (but quite steep) walk from your banda.
Virunga Lodge provides free Wi-Fi, but the lodge’s remote location means it may not be as good a connection as you’re used to back home. The Muzungu’s advice? Leave the laptop at home, catch up on some reading, make some new friends and take the 360 degree views.
Activities from Virunga Lodge
The below are all included in the price of an overnight stay at Virunga Lodge:
- Traditional dance performance by the Intore Dance Troupe
- One complimentary massage
- Birding / birdwatching in and around the lodge’s terraced gardens or further afield, with a bird guide.
- A visit to the lodge’s Virunga Vocational Centre to learn about the community’s beekeeping and basket-weaving projects.
- Learn about the life of Dian Fossey in Virunga Lodge’s Dian Fossey map room, a space that is perfect for small conferences and special occasions.
Additional activities from Virunga Lodge
Rwanda has 10 gorilla families that have been habituated for tourists to visit: Sabyinyo, Amahoro, Umubano, Susa, Kwitonda, Karisimbi, Agashya, Bwenge, Ugyenda and Hirwa. Generally it takes between one hour and half a day to trek a gorilla family in Rwanda, but it may take up to 7 hours to visit the Susa family. Trekking the gorillas in Rwanda is usually a little easier than gorilla trekking in Bwindi (Uganda), as the forest is less dense. It is a 45 minute drive from Virunga Lodge to the starting point of the gorilla trekking in Kinigi.
- Hike a volcano:
- Karisimbi Volcano is the highest mountain in the Virunga chain at 4507 metres. Its (frequently) snow-capped peak gives it the alternative name of the “white shell” volcano. Warning: this two day walk (camp overnight) can be tough, wet and cold! The Karisimbi Volcano hike needs to be booked in advance.
- The Visoke Volcano has the iconic cone shape. In its crater lies a deep lake (3,700m). While the hike up isn’t too demanding, nevertheless the altitude can affect climbers because of the sharp ascent. The walk takes about 5-8 hours. (If you are travelling with Volcanoes Safaris, this activity is included in the cost of your safari).
- Famous primatologist Dian Fossey studied Mountain Gorillas in the foothills of Rwanda’s volcanoes. From Virunga Lodge, you can visit Dian Fossey’s grave, the graves of 30 Mountain Gorillas, and hear more about her ground-breaking work and legacy.
- December 26, 2015 marked the 30th anniversary of Dian Fossey’s death. Who murdered her is still not known, but it’s certain that her passion for protecting the mountain gorillas made her many enemies.
- In this short video clip, Praveen Moman, owner of Virunga Lodge, discusses Dian Fossey’s legacy and the importance that ethically managed ecotourism plays in the protection of the gorillas.
- Trek to see the endangered but beguiling Golden Monkeys.
- A stay at Virunga Lodge is highly recommended if you are invited to attend Kwita Izina, the annual gorilla naming ceremony.
- Lodge prices for foreign non-residents are all inclusive (three superb meals plus afternoon tea and snacks, all alcoholic drinks and a variety of community-based activities). Occasionally, there are special offers for local residents.
If you want to stay in a real ecolodge, then you will love Virunga Lodge.
Ecotourism is a word that’s often used but very few lodges live up to the title. Investments such as solar energy, rainwater harvesting, and low flushing eco-toilets are just some of the lodge’s environmentally friendly features. Active development of community projects (at this and other Volcanoes Safaris lodges) are key to the company’s vision.
The Virunga Community Projects support activities that enhance the livelihood of local communities and in turn support the survival of the great apes. “We believe (carefully controlled) ecotourism is essential to the survival of the great apes and that local people need to earn a livelihood if they are to appreciate the importance of protecting our closest primate relatives and their habitats.”
If you’ve travelled halfway round the world for a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the gorillas, I would highly recommend staying at Virunga Lodge. We flew from Entebbe, Uganda to Kisoro with Aerolink and then drove across the border. You may come for the gorillas, but you will stay for the views – and the food! And the friendliest staff! – it all adds up to an unforgettable experience.
This blog is based on my personal experience. Thank you to Volcanoes Safaris for inviting me on this journalist’s trip and thank you to luxury travel writers Becca Hensley and Margie Goldsmith for all their tips and great stories!
Can you name Mgahinga’s volcanoes?
Mount Gahinga Lodge, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
“Mgahinga is my favourite place in the whole of Uganda!” my friend Julia told me once, yet I’m amazed at how few people talk about the place: I fell for Mgahinga too! It’s perfect for a weekend break from Kampala or Kigali, for: gorilla tracking, volcano climbing, hiking, walking, bird watching, golden monkey trekking, traditional Batwa dancing and culture – and a smart, homely lodge.
Our journey to the volcanoes started with a morning flight from Entebbe.
The sound of drumming … a girl singing next to the river behind my banda … birdsong in the green, lush gardens … Mount Gahinga Lodge was just what I needed.
From the tiny Kisoro airstrip, our driver Sam took us on the one hour drive to Mount Gahinga Lodge. He pointed out the gahinga, piles of volcanic rock, dug out of the gardens, on sale in neat piles at the side of the road. We peered up at the volcanoes of the weather-battered Mount Sabinyo ‘Old Man’s Tooth’ and the distinctive Mount Muhuvura, ‘the Guide.’
Mount Gahinga Lodge is located on the edge of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (MGNP), Uganda’s smallest national park, part of the Virunga Conservation Area “Virunga Massif” that links with national parks in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Hot chocolate and the friendliest staff welcomed us at Mt Gahinga for a late breakfast: a plate of mixed fruit, followed by a variety of cooked breakfasts, freshly baked bread and local honey. The excellent coffee is produced at Volcanoes Safaris’ sister lodge in Kyambura Gorge, Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Luckily, we had a variety of physical activities lined up for us to justify the already bulging waistlines!
Mgahinga is an inspiring location and a great base if you’re a hiker or walker. On day one, we hiked across cool, undulating countryside between fields of potatoes in delicate purple flower. Herbert, Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust Project Manager, pointed to the boundary of Mgahinga National Park; the ‘Buffalo wall’ that keeps the occasional four-legged intruder from damaging the farmers’ crops; and then showed us the Congo, on a distant horizon. As we walked, Herbert told us about the traditional life of the Batwa ‘pygmy’ people, former inhabitants of the Central Africa’s ancient forests.
With minutes to spare, we arrived back at the lodge, just as it started to rain. Luck was to be the mainstay of our trip. Tea, silverback gorilla biscuits and crunchy caramelised nuts kept hunger at bay until dinner time as we snuggled inside the lodge around an open fire.
Outdoor activities off the agenda, I opted for Mount Gahinga Lodge’s complimentary massage in a cosy cabin in the grounds of the Lodge. The sound of the coals fizzing on the charcoal stove and the stream next to the cabin sent me into a lazy stupor.
Back in the living room, we sat around the now roaring fire for the first gin and tonic of the evening. Scrumptious three course evening meals included hearty soups and the best Tilapia I’ve eaten in a long time, served with fragrant rice and stir-fried vegetables. Another option was chicken and peanut sauce on a skewer, all followed by home-made apple crumble and custard. Oh yum!
Spot on 7.15 the next morning – as requested – there was a gentle tap on the door and a friendly voice announced the arrival of morning tea.
“Can I open the shutters for you?” He asked.
I jumped back into bed with tea. Note to self: on my next visit, I shall dedicate a whole day to just sitting in bed, drinking tea and reading.
The trek to see the playful golden monkeys, one of Africa’s rarest primates, on day two was a highlight of our trip. Our excellent Uganda Wildlife Authority guide Benjamin really added to the experience. “Golden Monkeys fear Crowned Eagles” he told us. “When the monkeys hear them, they come down from the trees to hide.”
As with trekking the mountain gorillas, the Uganda Wildlife Authority constantly monitor the whereabouts of the golden monkeys, so the chances of seeing them are very high.
The hike to find the monkeys, through the bamboo forest, was just as much fun as seeing the primates themselves. The sightings of a shy Bushbuck and a sleepy Buffalo were unexpected bonuses. (Even our guide was surprised at our luck). We found a tortoise too!
Make sure to wear gaiters (which Mount Gahinga Lodge are happy to lend you) – or at least tuck your trousers inside long socks. (Even so, it’s not 100% guarantee that you’ll keep those tenacious Safari Ants out… )
The lodge’s Batwa Heritage Trail was fascinating and gave us a glimpse into this traditional culture. According to Batwa tradition, when an ancestor was ambushed and trampled by a buffalo during a hunt, the Batwa would immediately move on. After burying the body in the hut, muhanga ‘the mother of all herbs’ and umunanira leaves were picked from the Forest “to make a juice that was taken and the husks thrown behind the hut.” With the bad omens left behind, the hut would then be demolished and the Batwa nomads would move on to make another home elsewhere in the forest.
Batwa community leader Steve, invited us to use his bow and arrow. The Muzungu failed miserably in my attempt to hit the target …
Back at Mt Gahinga Lodge, Margie ‘the Pied Piper’ led an ensemble of more than a dozen harmonica players. It was quite a show.
The Batwa dancers perform at the lodge, several times a week. In addition, every Wednesday, they do a free performance for the community. Herbert told us how this weekly show has really helped build relationships between the Batwa and the Bafumbira, the other tribe in the village.
About Mount Gahinga Lodge
Fragrant Eucalyptus permeated my Banda bedroom Nyiragongo, named after a volcano in the Congo that last erupted in 2002, destroying almost half of the city of Goma. (Hopefully nothing so dramatic was to happen in my named banda!)
The fire had been lit when I returned to my banda in the evening. Even better, the staff had secreted two hot water bottles into my bed under the layers of thick blankets What a treat! (Nights can be cold at Mgahinga).
Based on the design of a traditional Batwa hut, each volcanic stone banda has its own colour scheme. Mine was a bright turquoise with matching Ugandan and Rwandese craft accessories. Mount Gahinga is an eco-lodge run on solar power, but I still enjoyed two hot showers.
The Lodge offers free Wi-Fi, but the remote location of the lodge means you can’t rely on it too much. The Muzungu’s advice? Leave the laptop at home, enjoy some solitude or enjoy a sundowner around the open fire in the living room. Prices are all inclusive (three meals a day plus afternoon tea and snacks, all alcoholic drinks and a variety of community-based activities).
New friends, fantastic food and three activity packed days – made it hard to leave Mount Gahinga Lodge.
The friendly, attentive staff really made us feel welcome. Mount Gahinga Lodge is a great weekend retreat. Next time I go, I plan to climb Mount Sabinyo!
Activities from Mount Gahinga Lodge
The below are all included in the price of an overnight stay at the lodge.
Complimentary massage.
Birding / bird watching. Planting around the Lodge is natural, encouraging a wide variety of bird species. Streaky Seedeaters are commonly seen in the garden. The park is full of spectacular bird life, including a wide range of Afro-montane endemic species, such as: the Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird, Langdon’s Bush-shrike, African Hill Babbler, Dusky Crimsonwing and the Rwenzori Turaco.
Traditional dance performance by the Batwa community and Batwa community Heritage Walk (supported by Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust).
Community / scenic Walk. Mount Gahinga Lodge staff are very happy to take you on a walk through the Bafumbira villages. Learn how local baskets are made, watch a performance by a traditional harpist, visit an iron-smith, climb a caldera, enjoy the scenery and visit a local school. This stroll takes about 3 to 4 hours, although the route is not fixed.
Additional activities from Mount Gahinga Lodge
Hike one of the three volcanoes:
Mt. Gahinga (3,474m) is the least challenging climb of the three volcanoes on the Ugandan side. The round trip takes 7 hours and passes through farmland, bamboo and swamp up to the old crater.
Mt. Sabinyo (3,634m) is the second toughest of the three volcanoes. The reward for the steep climb is a chance to summit three countries simultaneously: Uganda, Rwanda and the DR Congo meet on the peak. This is a round trip of 9 hours.
Mt. Muhabura (4,127m) is also known as Mount Muhavura. Climbing the distinct cone shape of ‘the Guide,’ as it is known locally, is the most demanding. Although not a ‘technical’ climb, it can nevertheless be tough, sometimes cold and muddy. The round hike takes between eight and 10 hours but the ascent is well worth it, for the dramatic changes in vegetation, a chance to swim in a crater lake and breathtaking views as far north as the Rwenzori Mountains.
Gorilla tracking in Mgahinga
Updated 2023: According to the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Nyakagezi habituated gorilla family of Mgahinga is one of Uganda’s most entertaining families. They also have five Silverbacks! Although at one point they frequently sauntered across the border into Rwanda, they have been permanent residents of Uganda’s forests for several years now. Where once we were hesitant to recommend gorilla tracking here (because we did not want anyone to be disappointed if the gorillas had absented themselves) we now heartily recommend it. During 2018, the Hirwa family from Rwanda also crossed into Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, where they could be tracked (with revenue for tracking split equally between Uganda and Rwanda). The Hirwa gorillas returned to Rwanda during 2020 – I wonder if they will return one day?
Once upon a time, gorilla tracking permits in Mgahinga could be booked at the last-minute. This is no longer the case since Rwanda increased their gorilla permits to $1500, pushing a lot more tourists to Uganda.
If you are interested in tracking the gorillas in Mgahinga, contact the Muzungu or the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Visit this page for the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s Tariff (price list) 2022. The tariff contains all National Park entry fees; hiking; gorilla, chimpanzee and golden monkey tracking permits; birdwatching, boat cruises; nature walks and more.
Ecotourism is a word that’s often used but very few lodges deserve the title. Volcanoes Safaris really deliver. Investments such as solar energy, rainwater harvesting, and low flushing eco-toilets are just some of the environmentally friendly lodge features. The Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust supports activities that enhance the livelihood of local communities and in turn support the survival of the great apes. “We believe (carefully controlled) ecotourism is essential to the survival of the great apes and that local people need to earn a livelihood if they are to appreciate the importance of protecting our closest primate relatives and their habitats.” Volcanoes Safaris Ltd donate $100 to the VSPT from every full cost safari purchased.
Have you visited Mgahinga? Which volcano did you climb? Did you meet the Batwa?
“Eyes turned upward” – aerial photos of South Western Uganda
“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned upward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), painter, artist, engineer & Renaissance genius, Florence, Italy
The Muzungu was looking forward to escaping the sticky city of Kampala for some cool weather and the distant hum of village life. In fact, I was so excited about my imminent departure to Kisoro (and then onto Mgahinga, Virunga and Kigali) that I was ready early: 24 hours early to be precise! Yes, my family may tease me for the missed flights and the missed trains, but not this time. At 5.15 in the morning – indeed! – I stood outside my house, bags packed, waiting for the driver to pick me up…
The Sunday morning flight from Entebbe International airport took off at 7:45 AM.
The check-in process for domestic flights in Uganda is the same as for international flights; however, once you’re through security in the departure lounge, you are up in the air within minutes.
Clean, and with plenty of legroom, there were enough free seats for everyone in our group to have a window seat.
One of the pilots welcomed us on board and told us the emergency procedures. “Behind the seat in front of you, there is a sick bag, in case you need it.” I couldn’t help but notice his tiny, cheeky chuckle.
But we weren’t to need it, the Aerolink flight was smooth as smooth can be.
Our flight took us over Uganda’s former capital of Entebbe. As we flew over the shore of Lake Victoria, we passed over Uganda Wildlife Education Centre UWEC and the departure point for the boat to Ngamba Island, home of the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Wildlife Trust.
The low, early morning sun glimmered on the lake beneath us.
Islands – inhabited and non-inhabited – spread out below us, caught in outline by the rising sun.
Small wooden canoes passed beneath our plane, en route to fish in the depths of the lake.
Flying west, we flew inland over dozens of lakes and waterways, swamps and wetlands. Lake Mburo is a popular weekend destination for Kampala expats, and a convenient stopover en route to gorilla trekking in Bwindi, Mgahinga or gorilla trekking Rwanda, but is in fact just one of many lakes in this part of the world.
Beyond the lakes, the topography changed. I love the way the shadows outline the contours of the land.
I was surprised to see geometric lines – defining land boundaries I assume – not a style I have seen in Uganda. I would love to know why this particular area of land has these straight lines. I wondered if the inhabitants of the area are from outside Uganda?
A newly tarmacked road passes through a trading centre. The road west from Kampala to the Rwandese border has been improved significantly over the past few years – but flying is so much more exciting!
The occasional hill and raised terrain give way to an uninterrupted mountainous area.
The morning sun glints on the tin roofs of houses below us.
There was a sense of anticipation as we approached our destination: Kisoro.
Low cloud or early morning mist?
You have to admire the ingenuity of humans who can live and farm at this altitude. Note how steep many of the terraces are.
On our walking safari in Nkuringo, south side of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, we couldn’t believe how steep the potato fields were. One day we watched a young boy dragging a huge sack of potatoes up quasi-vertical terraced fields. How he managed to stay upright, I don’t know.
The first of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga chain comes into view. Mount Muhuvura is known as ‘the guide’ – this photo clearly shows you why.
Like water lapping at the edge of the lake, mist half covers a village.
Lake Mutanda is an increasingly popular tourist destination in South West Uganda. It’s a great base for hiking volcanoes, walking safaris in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, mountain biking, trekking the mountain gorillas or trekking the Golden Monkeys. Its proximity to Kisoro and the Rwandese border makes it a convenient stopover for anyone trekking the gorillas in Rwanda too.
And she was still asleep! An hour and a half later, this lady passenger was still sleeping as the plane descended to land.
Coming into land at Kisoro airstrip.
A perfect start to a perfect day.
Next stop, Mt. Gahinga Lodge, Mgahinga – and breakfast!
Are you looking for domestic flights Uganda?
Aerolink offer daily flights to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Kihihi and Kisoro airstrips), Queen Elizabeth National Park (Kasese, Semliki and Mweya airstrips), Semuliki National Park (Semliki airstrip), Murchison Falls (Bugungu, Pakuba and Chobe airstrips) and Kidepo Valley National Park (Kidepo airstrip).
For more information on domestic flights Uganda, please email info@aerolinkuganda.com or call +256 776882205/2/3. Remember to say the Muzungu sent you 😉
5 Years a Blogger
Five years ago I first set foot in Uganda. (Is that all it’s been?) Thank you to everyone who’s been part of my journey.
I mean THANK YOU. It wouldn’t have been the same without you.
The Muzungu was first sighted in Namuwongo, Kampala. Posing here at my home-cum-office with Patrick, Enid, Simpson and Eva
“For better, for worse” and despite the occasional argument or misunderstanding, my rantings and frustrations, you have helped me pursue my passions for conservation, travel and writing. In different ways, you have helped me ‘live the dream’ and I am immensely grateful for that.
My life in Uganda has stretched me beyond compare, and sometimes I have failed – you or myself – but whoever said it was going to be easy?
Thank you for the support. Thank you for the trust.
Thank you for the opportunities. Thank you for the faith.
Thank you for the shoulder to cry on. Thank you for the advice, the criticism and the feedback…
Thank you for reading Diary of a Muzungu.
Thank you for subsidising my volunteer’s allowance!
Thank you for buying my Uganda Souvenir Maps.
Thank you for paying my electricity bill when I got cut off.
Thank you for killing the cockroaches so I don’t have to face my phobia.
Thank you for Baldrick.
THANK YOU for the nights out!
The nights in!
The belly laughs.
Thanks for believing in me.
WEBALE NYO. Neyanziza. [I appreciate]
Crossing continents – the Muzungu’s Istanbul city tour
Crossing continents – the Muzungu’s Istanbul city tour
The Muzungu loves to explore new places on her own but this time top of things to do in Istanbul was: a personal Istanbul tour guide!
Istanbul’s most popular city tour takes in Sultanahmet, a confusion of cobbled streets, imposing architecture, vibrant shops and lively cafes. Whether you are on foot, or public transport, it couldn’t be easier to find your way around. Sultanahmet is beautifully maintained and well signposted. Along the way, you can pause for snacks, delicious Turkish meals at pavement cafes – even a Turkish bath!
Our Istanbul tour first led us to the Turkish capital’s spiritual centre, Sultanahmets Park, particularly popular after mosque on Ramadan evenings when folk come together to celebrate what they do best: eat and drink, both central to Turkish culture.
View Diary of a Muzungu’s Istanbul tour in a larger map
With the grand edifice of Aya Sofia at one end and the Blue Mosque at the other, Sultanahmets Park’s pretty but formal garden is built over the remains of the great Palace of Byzantium. Symbolism and history are woven into the very fabric of everything you see and touch on an Istanbul tour.
Istanbul’s 3000 mosques and dozens of museums showcase Byzantine and Ottoman history and culture, writ large. Looking for Things to do in Istanbul? Then visit just one building in Istanbul: Aya Sofya.
Aya Sofya captures the essence of Istanbul and Turkey
Commonly acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest buildings, Aya Sofya captures the essence of Istanbul and Turkey. The beauty of its interior embraces a rich transcontinental history and the significant religious shifts of two millennia. Built in the sixth century, this remarkable building features a dazzling collection of mosaic portraits. You could visit Aya Sofya many times before you could get to grips with just a fraction of its history.
Aya Sofya was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and consecrated as a church in 537. It was converted to a MOSQUE by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453, and declared a museum by Atatürk in 1934.
The most notable architectural aspect of Aya Sofya is the size of the central dome, which measures over 55 metres from ground level, and over 30 metres in diameter. (Quite big then!) It has been rebuilt and strengthened more than once in its history, following damage by earthquakes and fire.
I particularly loved the eight huge 19th-century ‘medallions,’ inscribed with the names of Allah, Muhammad, the four caliphs and the grandsons of Muhammad. Apparently these calligraphic panes are the largest ones in the Islamic world. They are simply beautiful.
Understand the history of Aya Sofya and you will understand Istanbul.
Known as Hagia Sophia in Greek, in English Aya Sofya is called Church of the Divine Wisdom.
Aya Sofya’s reinvention continues to this day. This church cum mosque cum museum even features in the latest Dan Brown novel “Inferno.”
Documentary filmmaker Göksel Gülensoy and his exploratory scuba team have located flooded basins lying hundreds of feet beneath Istanbul’s heavily touristed religious structure. In the process, they discovered numerous architectural wonders, including the 800 year old submerged graves of martyred children, as well as submerged tunnels connecting Hagia Sophia to Topkapı Palace.
Like an iceberg, “I believe what is beneath Hagia Sophia [Aya Sofya] is much more exciting than what is above the surface,” said the filmmaker.
Titillating Topkapi Palace
A presidential palace, the centre of government and key ministries, and army headquarters, according to Lonely Planet, “this Palace is the subject of more colourful stories than most of the world’s museums put together.”
Unfortunately Topkapi Palace was shut the Sunday I was in Istanbul, but if you want to visit a harem and get the lowdown on the antics of eunuchs, sultans and their concubines, make sure your Istanbul tour guide includes this on your Istanbul city tour. The Gate of Salutation, the Circumcision Room, the Courtyard of Favourites, the Handkerchief Room and the Courtyard of Black Eunuchs are just some of the titillating places to explore!
The Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Market, is now open on Sundays
Smaller than the Grand Bazaar, the vividly coloured pyramids of spices and multicoloured displays of gem-like Turkish delight captivate your senses. (My mouth is watering just remembering it all!)
At Gőzde, shop No. 23 in the Spice Bazaar, I loaded myself up with spices and Turkish Delight. Forget the factory-produced glucose substitutes, real Turkish delight is an art form. Apparently, vacuum-packed fresh Turkish delight can last for three months; vacuum-packed baklava can last a week. (To be honest, it was all gobbled up well before then!)
Don’t mind the crowds; it’s all part of the Spice Bazaar experience, an essential on any Istanbul tour.
We passed female couples, shopping: “The girls shop, and the mother in law pays for it,” said my Istanbul tour guide. Hasan informed me there are incredible 15,000 shops along Mahmutpaşa Yokuşa, the area of streets between the two markets.
A boat trip on the Bosphorus Strait is the best way to appreciate the scale of the Turkish megapolis
Istanbul stretches east and west – as far as the eye can see? No, further. I can’t get my head round the scale of this city.
Our Bosphorus boat cruise took us across continents, transcending cultures and passing through centuries of history. Each riverside building tells a story: of conquering armies, intrepid merchants and traveling traders. Either side of the river are ornate Ottoman palaces, Egyptian stone fortresses and timber mansions.
We passed art nouveau style villas and hunting lodges, buildings constructed by the foreign ambassadors of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. My guide points to the Palace where, in 1938, Atatürk died. He tells me about the Military ‘academy’ used as a hospital by the English during World War I and by Florence Nightingale during the Crimea War of 1856. Just as you imagine the density of buildings may lessen, another well populated hill comes into view.
Palaces have been converted into luxury hotels, universities and private apartments. These are now the most sought after addresses in the city, owned by media tycoons, bankers and industrialists.
The article The Bosphorus through the Eyes of European Travelers elaborates further.
Two million commuters now cross back and forth across the waters of the Bosphorus every day. (97% of Istanbul’s residents commute from the Asian side).
The Marmaray undersea tunnel linking ‘Europe’ and ‘Asia’ – as Istanbul’s two opposite riverbanks are known – is complete. “In theory it brings closer the day when it will be possible to travel from London to Beijing via Istanbul by train.” Wow wee, imagine that! Marmaray is not yet fully operational however.
As the sun set over the Bosphorus, our cruise boat made its way back to the quayside below the Süleymaniye Mosque, now bathed in warm evening light. This old city major landmark, in the spiritual heart of the Bazaar district, stands majestically on one of Istanbul’s seven hills.
“What are you doing in Istanbul?” asked Hercule Poirot
And the final stop of my walking tour? A nice cold Efes beer at the Orient Express café, situated on the platform where the famous train makes its final stop, and a chance to chat about everyday Turkish life with my erudite Istanbul tour guide Hasan.
I fully expected to bump into Hercule Poirot.
“At the small table, sitting very upright, was one of the ugliest old ladies he had ever seen. It was an ugliness of distinction – it fascinated rather than repelled.” ― Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express.
Istanbul Tour Tips
- Having a professional Istanbul tour guide made for a fascinating excursion. Rather than have my head buried in a book – and miss half of what I was there to see – Hasan gave me a comprehensive insight into the history that has built and shaped Istanbul. He anticipated my gazillion questions while I gawped in admiration at the sights.
- My Istanbul city tour was organised in advance through Hello Tourism who put together a bespoke itinerary based on the things I wanted to see and do in Istanbul. The agency pre-booked Aya Sofya and ferry tickets so we didn’t have to wait in line with all the other tourists.
- I’m not normally one to shirk the chance of trying out a new language, but on this occasion I limited myself to Türkçe bilmiyorum (I can’t speak Turkish).
- The Ministry of Culture and Tourism runs a number of tourist information booths across Istanbul.
- The Istanbulkart is a travel card for discounted public transport. It can be purchased for a refundable deposit of 10 Turkish lira. The Istanbulkart can be recharged using the machines at Metro and bus stations and by the ferry.
- The boat trip along the Bosphorus cost 12 Turkish lira. Definitely one of the Things to Do in Istanbul.
- Three days is an ideal amount of time to set aside to explore Istanbul (although I could very easily spend a lot longer there!)
- For more Istanbul tour ideas, read Diary of a Muzungu’s … A Day in Istanbul.
Have you been on a tour of Istanbul? What are your favourite things to do in Istanbul?
Turkish Delightful – the restaurant in the sky
How to fly from Uganda to London – fly via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines!
Flying with a national carrier gives you an insight into a new culture.
On my Turkish Airlines flight to London via Istanbul, staff passed down the aisles sharing a huge tray of fresh Turkish Delight. Later we were served small packets of Turkish-grown hazelnuts, figs, walnuts and cherry juice; the Turkish wine and Pilsner lager (Turkish of course!) went down well too. And dinner was still to come …
Suleymaniye Mosque. Diary of a Muzungu visits Istanbul
On our flight from Entebbe to Istanbul, everyone had their own individual entertainment systems and access to the latest films. The sound was good, the touchscreen worked easily and I had plenty of legroom. The seats were very comfy and the planes very clean. Turkish Airlines got me in the holiday mood that’s for sure!
The advantage of being a single traveller is sometimes you’re seated in the area next to the emergency doors, the idea being if you’re not responsible for anyone else, you’re easier to call on in an emergency. You have the option of refusing, but I didn’t mind at all; here I had plenty of extra legroom (and the Muzungu saved herself the unwanted embarrassment of my previous flight!)
I love aeroplane food
I can’t help but get excited when I see the little assembly of food containers on a tray. I guess it takes me back to happy family holidays as a child.
Diary of a Muzungu visits Istanbul with Turkish Airlines
The arrival of dinner was announced with a colourful printed menu listing the starters, choice of main course, desserts and drinks. Vegetarian options are always available (confirm this when you book). None of the food products contain pork.
We were trusted with metal cutlery! (And the food tasted better for it).
There seemed to be a wait between the menus and the food arriving. I realised later it was because bread rolls were being freshly cooked – even at 30,000 feet! The food was excellent, incredibly fresh and very tasty, Turkish Mediterranean flavours like spicy tomato, fresh (not tinned) olives and eggplant; chicken or minced meat were the other options
The Muzungu was met at Istanbul by Hello Tourism
Oh what a treat. Rather than lugging my heavy bags by myself, I was greeted by a very courteous driver at the airport. Within minutes I was whisked away in a very clean SUV, lined with obligatory Turkish carpet. We zoomed into Istanbul city centre. Arriving early Sunday morning meant there was no traffic.
I can see the sea!
“I’m almost in Europe!” I told myself. I never thought I would miss Europe but, despite lack of sleep, my growing excitement told me I had.
Diary of a Muzungu visits Istanbul with Turkish Airlines. Turkish Airlines provides flights to uganda from london. View of cruise ship on the Bosphorus, Istanbul
After dumping my bags at Olimpiyat Hotel, in the heart of the old city, it was time to explore.
3 – 4000 cruiseships pass through Istanbul every year. These ships are immense, the size of a small town.
TURKEY TRAVEL TIPS
- Keep a print-out of a currency ‘cheat sheet’ in your pocket: it avoids some of the newly-arrived traveler’s confusion between currencies (Ugandan shillings / Euros / Turkish lira). Cheatsheets are so handy, particularly when you first arrive in a new country
- Buy local: Turkish coffee is 5 Turkish lira, whereas imported cappuccino, for example, is 6.5 lira.
Coffee on the Bosphorus. Diary of a Muzungu visits Istanbul with Turkish Airlines.
- Women travellers: put a headscarf in your bag. You might want to think about covering up your shoulders too, especially if you are entering a mosque while sightseeing.
- Turkish Airways online check-in: I did struggle a bit with the online check-in system. Much of it is in Turkish. If you get stuck, contact your local booking office.
- How to purchase your Turkish Airlines ticket: Flights to Uganda from London can be bought online. In Kampala, flights from Entebbe to Istanbul, and flights from Entebbe to London – or anywhere else in the world – can be bought at Turkish Airlines office in Nakasero.
- Bag wrap: I always use this when I have to change planes. Get your hold baggage wrapped in cellophane when you first check in your baggage; it cost me £9 GBP per item at Heathrow (don’t remember the price at Entebbe) and always gives me peace of mind when my bags are in transit.
- Do you have problems sleeping on a flight? Here are some travel tips on how to sleep on a plane.
Diary of a Muzungu visits Istanbul. Turkish Airlines provides flights to uganda from london
- Transfer without boarding pass: look out for this sign when you are transiting with Turkish Airlines through Istanbul. Go to the information desk and they’ll guide you.
- At Gate 205, Istanbul airport, there is an excellent little coffee shop. Turkish coffee is by far the cheapest option. Cappuccinos et cetera are very expensive although excellent. You can even have beer and a huge freshly baked simits (sesame seed covered bread ring) or snack. Surely this is how all airport lounges should be?
- Don’t get off in the wrong country!
Diary of a Muzungu nearly visits Kigali. Turkish Airlines provides flights to Uganda from London
I flew back to Uganda from Istanbul on an overnight flight. I’d been dozing when the pilot announced we were going to land. I grabbed my things from the overhead lockers.
The bags were heavy and the man next to me got out of his seat to help me. I struggled down the plane aisle, thanked the staff, exited the plane and – just as I was about to walk down the steps onto the tarmac – looked up to see a huge sign saying Welcome to Kigali International airport.
I stopped.
I turned around.
I walked ‘the walk of shame’ back to my seat with 100 people looking at me, suppressing smiles.
The sign at Istanbul airport had clearly mentioned two destinations – but I had been half asleep…
DISCLOSURE: This blog is based on my personal experience. I traveled to Istanbul courtesy of Turkish Airlines. The Istanbul city tour was provided courtesy of Hello Tourism tour agency. For more information about sponsorship and advertising on Diary of a Muzungu, read the Terms and Conditions.
Do you like aeroplane food? Have you visited Istanbul? Have you ever got off a plane in the wrong country?!
Advice for women birders!
Assertiveness Training for Women Birders by Lorna Salzman
Regular Diary of a Muzungu readers know how crazy I am about birds.
Thanks to Lorna Salzman for allowing me to republish this great article. I found it quite illuminating! And it might explain why in Uganda – a society that is dominated by men in almost every sphere – there are few female birdwatchers. Ladies of Uganda, please do not be dissuaded – read on! Gentlemen, this is quite educational.
This is a copy of an article written by Lorna Salzman in 2002, based on her personal experience. For background to the article, please scroll down the page.
Some people still think birding is a backyard hobby of little old ladies in tennis sneakers. In fact it has become a highly competitive contact sport for macho types, who vastly outnumber females in the field.
Looking at the strongly skewed ratio of male to female birders, it becomes clear that there must be special hazards and risks that discourage women from participating in this popular sport. And in much the same way that obstacles to women in other competitive sports have been gradually overcome, it is incumbent on the presently male-dominated birding community to overturn the barriers to female participation so as to achieve gender parity in the field.
The general dangers presented to all birders are always with us: ticks, snakes, chiggers, mosquitoes, jaguars, Montezuma’s Revenge and rental car breakdowns, though these are not found necessarily in the same place at the same time. Through the rapid communication offered by the internet and by specialized publications and bird clubs, birders have quickly learned how to minimize these omnipresent risks. With the exception of the professional trip leader who decided to investigate on behalf of his group a loud noise in the Indian jungle and was later found half-eaten by a tiger, most birders have learned how to keep insects more or less at bay, how to walk carefully on an untrodden trail, and how to recognize jaguar tracks. In any case, the risks posed by wildlife in the United States are generally far less than those of tropical countries.
But there is another risk that is ubiquitous, on all continents and in all climates, which uniquely targets women birders, and which requires careful, calculated responses: men. In order to sensitize themselves to this special hazard, and most of all to develop appropriate defensive measures, women need to understand the behavior and ecology of the male sex, or rather of that morph of the male sex whose niche lies in bird habitats.
All male birders should be regarded as alpha males, even those lacking the typical physical characteristics. Many of these who might otherwise have served in the US Marines or in major league football are, either literally or figuratively, 90-pound weaklings who never read a Charles Atlas ad or assumed it didn’t apply to them. But it does apply, whether they are 5’5″ or 6″6″‘ tall, because if they are the former, that makes them even more aggressive and competitive. Thus, women, on encountering male birders in the wild, should assume the worst and not judge male physical size and bulk alone.
While some men may lack the physical equipment of alpha males, size matters in one crucial respect: binoculars. Apparently the binocular manufacturers are colluding with male birders. If you look carefully, you will see that nearly all the new improved binoculars advertised to and bought by the birding community are ten power rather than the old-fashioned seven or eight power type. And although new light materials are used, the new ten power binocs are extremely expensive and often heavier than the old type.
An analysis of these facts tells us that the manufacturers took the male birders aside and whispered in their ears: “Psst, I’ve got a great deal for you. These binoculars are very expensive so frugal women won’t buy them, and best of all they are too big and heavy for most women to carry, so you can spot those rare birds faster than they can”. A male birder hearing this is hooked because it means that he can make a rapid identification before the woman can focus on the bird, and in most cases the bird will already have flushed before she sees it, thus insuring that she cannot challenge the man’s ID.
It is important to understand the primary differences between men and women birders.
They have not only different behavior but different objectives and therefore different strategies. In the field these will frequently clash. Therefore Assertiveness Training is a fundamental prerequisite for women before they can hold their own. The male goals are:
- maximization of species numbers;
- being the first to spot a new bird;
- finding a rarity.
Anything that interferes with or poses an obstacle to these is considered detrimental and hostile, and the male behavioral response to such obstacles is calculated accordingly.
Female birders’ objectives – and thus their strategies – are diametrically opposed to those of men: to have fun, learn about the ecology of birds, see interesting habitat and appreciate Nature. Thus, they should expect their presence in particular and participation in general to be regarded by male birders as hostile. With a little practice the following recommendations of adaptive behavior in the field should become second nature to women birders.
1. Your first impression is always correct. If you think you see a black bird with a yellow head, you have indeed seen one, even if this is literally your first foray into the field. Don’t let any male question your observation. You were right.
2. There are no “rare” birds. Most birds called “rare” by men are birds they studied with extreme care and memory training in a book, not birds they ever actually saw in their lifetime. In practice the birds called “rare” by men (and few will dare to challenge them) will be those that no one else saw or was able to see, such as the out-of-range Manx shearwater seen fifteen miles away on the horizon of a black ocean, on an overcast morning, during a pelagic trip 80 miles out to sea, with eight -foot swells and a wildly rocking boat. (I was on that boat so I know whereof I speak.)
If you find yourself in that situation, pull out your bird book and give the man a quiz: ask him to provide every field mark he saw and prove to everyone’s satisfaction that it was indeed a Manx. This may take some courage but you need not worry that his troops will come to his rescue; they are all inside the cabin, eyes closed, manifesting a peculiar shade of yellowish-green.
(Note: all beginning birders will sooner or later see a “rare” bird but eventually as the birders become more experienced, those rare sightings will diminish and eventually disappear).
3. Vernacular and traditional names are still valid such as Baltimore oriole and Myrtle warbler. Or Bluebill or timberdoodle. (Caution: the old-time vernacular for cormorants is disallowed). Don’t let the self-styled male experts intimidate you or demand that you recite the full list of the most recent AOU species splits. Traditional and vernacular names are a vital part of birding history and culture so use them at every opportunity to keep birding a popular, not an elitist, pastime.
4. It is better to be a Splitter than a Lumper nowadays. Scientific advances in DNA analysis mean that new species are being split off from previous parent species faster than you can say “Drink your tea”. But of course this can change so be alert.
5. DON’T, I repeat, don’t memorize birds from the book and then take off looking for them hither and thither. You will end up seeing memorized birds in wholly inappropriate habitats and will look foolish. Even worse, the B3 (Black Belt Birders, the avian equivalent of the Mafia) will put out a contract on you.
This happened on a trip in South America where a male, not a female, tripmate, having read about an ancient Oilbird spotting in the area, identified a single supposed Oilbird flying up a tiny stream at final dusk. He wasn’t concerned about the fact that South America has only a handful of Oilbird cave colonies, separated by hundreds or thousands of miles, or that Oilbirds emerge at night and travel huge distances to feed in huge flocks not on riverine vegetation but solely on oil palms, or that the bird he saw was about one quarter the size of an Oilbird. But the B3 were just getting organized so the spotting of the purported Oilbird – in reality a small duck — went unpunished. Today that spotter would be kneecapped had he been a woman, but being a man he got off with a light sentence: stepping out of a small boat, he slipped and fell into thick black mud up to his keister [kabina].
6. Be suspicious of any male birder who scorns the “clock” method of locating birds in a tree. This is hostility in the extreme because it is intended to impair or delay the enjoyment of the other birders.
This method, which uses the highest central point of the tree as high noon, and the sides of the tree as a.m. and p.m., is extremely useful and works very well, saving a lot of time for less experienced birders who might otherwise search every leaf and never find the bird. The same men who scorn the clock method are the ones who call out a new bird and, when asked where it is, hem and haw and say: well, I guess it’s out there in that tall tree between that small green shrub and that other tree, guaranteeing that by the time you have found the right tree the bird is gone. So the Guy chalks up the bird on his list and the others don’t.
This is what could be called Arboreal Upsmanship.
7. If you are a woman birder, NEVER bird in a group unless there is at least one other woman present, stick together, support each other, point out the birds to each other before you point them out to the men, and always take the offensive, not the defensive. If you see a new or unusual bird, do not under any circumstances allow your attention to be diverted away from the bird! Continue to study the bird and its characteristics and behavior, while noting its presence out loud so others can hear, but do not take down your binoculars or look away until you have examined it as best you can. All around you men will be demanding that you specify where it is; do not let them distract you until you are sure you have seen everything you need to see. You can be sure that if the situation were reversed, they would not defer to you.
Hold your ground.
8. On pelagic trips, always stand at the rail and never move away. When a bird is spotted and everyone crowds to the rail, remember that the men are taller than you and can see over or around you quite well. They can take care of themselves.
Finally, some words of encouragement for those women birders who have unwittingly and unwillingly let themselves become awed by male birders:
Whatever happens, it’s not your fault. The men are not always right. You are having more fun. (Note: names have been withheld to protect the innocent; the guilty will recognize themselves. All situations and incidents, however, are taken from real life).
For identification purposes: Lorna Salzman, an environmental activist and writer, has traveled widely with her husband on most continents to see birds. She does not keep totals of birds seen.
Lorna Salzman 2002. Assertiveness Training for Women Birders.
If you’ve read this far, you must be a birder! Have you seen this kind of behaviour out in the field in Uganda?
Do you think Lorna is right? I’d love to hear from you 😉
Shake your kabina! A musical, dancing tour of Uganda
The Culture of Uganda – in rhythm and dance
Tick-tick-tick goes the bamboo on the calabash.
Sh-sh-sh-shake the seeds in the gourd.
Thump-thump-thump thuds the stick on the taut hide of the drum.
The early evening air in the Ndere Centre’s ampitheatre fills with the rich, bass sound of the harp-like adungu.
Men beat the surface of the drum hard with the flat of their hands. The drumming rises to a crescendo as the women dancers elegantly descend the stairs into the open air Amphitheatre, all brilliant smiles and waving arms. And then it starts!
A group of twelve women shake their hips, moving to a joyful, seductive rhythm. They throw back their heads as they circle the floor to the sound of the dexterous plucking of the adungu. To one side of the stage, five men play a giant wooden xylophone.
Shake your kabina! The Culture of Uganda – in rhythm and dance. Photo courtesy of Stephen Legg
Ten drummers and acrobats in bark cloth tunics fly onto the stage, doing press ups and mock fighting and doing press-ups. They SLAP the sides of the drum with sticks. With big grins on their faces, the acrobats race towards the audience, arms flailing and legs akimbo, kicking left and right. Round and round they go. The energy of the Maggunju, the Royal welcome dance of the Baganda, holds the audience captive, ready for our musical and cultural tour of Uganda.
As our host – and cultural ambassador – Stephen Rwangyezi walks down through the audience to welcome us, a little white boy runs up to him and starts playing Stephen’s drum.
“Forget your problems – we are going to take you to the different parts of the country.” Stephen tells us. “Now WE are the donors” – he tells the predominantly Muzungu audience – as we have something in abundance to offer YOU!”
The Culture of Uganda – in rhythm and dance. Stephen Rwangyezi takes the audience on a musical, dancing tour of Uganda at the Ndere Cultural Centre. Photo Ndere.
In Western Uganda, it’s all about the cows.
We listen to the music played to relax the cows. “After walking 20 kilometres each way to drink water, wouldn’t you be stressed?” He asks. Even the okujumeera – the sound of cow mowing is developed into the singing while the thudding of their hooves – is reflected in the dance steps of Western Uganda.
Boys herding Ankole cattle
Through his anecdotes, Stephen reminds us of the continent’s enormous contribution to global culture. He illustrates how the traditional sounds of Africa can be heard in modern American rap music.
“Who is President Obama?” He asks, but “the Original Black African Managing America.”
We pass through Bunyoro and Toro “where love was first invented.”
We hear a haunting song from Ankole and then we move on to the upbeat sound of the West Nile and the adungu.
The Amphitheatre is filled with a frenetic whirl of colour and a flash of white teeth. KABINARIFIC! The women dancers whip up a storm on the dance floor. Fast and furious, how do the men play those drums so speedily? (I can’t even tap my fingers that fast).
Ndere Troupe Stephen Rwangyezi. The Culture of Uganda – in rhythm and dance. A musical, dancing tour of Uganda at the Ndere Cultural Centre. Photo Ndere.
We can’t pass through West Nile without a historical anecdote, of which there are many interweaved throughout the evening. Of Idi Amin, Stephen says “when he was in the country, people were scared. When he was out of the country, people were embarrassed.” He recounts how, time and again, cultural and language blunders rolled out of the then president’s mouth.
Later in the show, children are invited onto the open stage. 27 kids of all ages listen attentively to Stephen’s every word. It’s an unexpected highlight of the evening to see him invite each child to do their turn in the circle. I find it extraordinary to think that not so long ago this dancing was banned. (Even now colonial legislation still exists in Uganda that in theory makes traditional dancing illegal).
As the show draws to an end I recognise the unmistakable whistles of the music that made me first fall in love with Uganda.
The male dancers wear bright green beads around their waists over imitation (I hope) leopard skin tunics. Long colourful beads drape over their shoulders, criss-crossing at the waist. Their headdresses have white tuft-like tails. The women wear thin strings of beads around their foreheads.
“If you dance together you can never be at war.”
Shake your kabina! The Culture of Uganda – in rhythm and dance. Photo courtesy of Stephen Legg
The dancers genuinely seem to love what they do. There’s a great camaraderie and joking around between the dancers and Stephen. Their passion and playfulness is contagious.
How many shows are there in Uganda that you would rush to see more than three times?
“When people in our culture dance, you don’t let them suffer alone – you join in!” So just remember, next time you feel stressed, do as Stephen suggests: “shake your seating facilities.”
The Muzungu recommends:
Watching the Ndere Troupe perform takes me back to my first Kampala night out, courtesy of VSO. The show is a fantastic introduction to Uganda. It’s a real celebration of Africa and everyone should see it. I remember sitting on the edge of my seat thinking, “I’m finally here. I’m in Africa!”
The colour, the energy, the smiles and the humour, the stories… the whole experience was everything I’d imagined Africa to be and more.
Ndere Cultural Center entrance fees
Last published entrance fees below. Please check with the booking office first. Buffet dinner, snacks and drinks are available.
- Adult Ugandans 30,000/-
- Adult Non Ugandans 50,000/- or $ 15
- Children Aged 2 to 15 – 15,000/-
**Note: These prices do not include buffet
How to book to see the Ndere Show
Ndere Cultural Centre is on Plot 4505, Kira Road, Ntinda – Kisaasi Stretch
This article was originally commissioned by the Empazi Magazine, the brainchild of Ugandan creative Arnie Petit.
Have you visited Kampala’s Ndere Center yet? What was your favourite part of the show?
