“I have liked you”
Gonja and roasted goat: bus travel from Kampala to Fort Portal
The bus from Kampala to Fort Portal leaves at 7 o’clock in the morning and I am told to be there an hour beforehand. I catch a boda boda across the city as the early morning traffic gathers. It’s refreshing to be driving through the cool early morning air with my bag packed for five days on the edge of Kibale Forest – away from the laptop.
Our boda heads downtown – avoiding a certain saloooon – where we are surrounded by thousands of people all jostling to get to work, to sell their wares, gearing up for the day ahead.
As we turn a corner, a tall man in bright green overalls shouts “Link? Link?”
I wasn’t sure where to find the Link bus park but there’s no mistaking the man in green who runs up the street to a yard filled with buses of the same bright green. The word LINK is written in large yellow letters.
I don’t have change (balance) so the man in green offers to take my money and buy a ticket for me and come back with the change for my boda boda. No thank you. He seems legitimate enough but I’m wary. (Once-upon-a-boyfriend-ago, a similar move in Cairo by a very helpful stranger separated us from all our money – on the first day of our holiday). Alert for similar tricks, I walk to a shop opposite the Link bus station, buy two bottles of water and have the change I need to pay for my boda boda and my bus ticket without using an intermediary.
On board I squash myself in near the back of the bus. I choose to sit near a lady and her baby. She beams at me as I sit down.
“But I need some water,” she says very loudly (to me?)
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to make of this so I choose to ignore her.
Before the bus departs for Fort Portal, a man walks up and down the aisle selling cakes. A small round cake is 500 Uganda shillings; a big square slab of cake is 1000 shillings. I opt for the smaller cake to accompany my breakfast apple.
The bus leaves on time.
I check WhatsApp while we are still in town. The guy next to me seems very interested in everything on my phone screen. “Ooo Facebook!” He exclaims. I try and ignore him and shield my screen from his interested eyes. His gaze keeps coming back to my phone. I glare at him. Out of the corner of my eye I see his ‘Nokia’ phone. I guess he is envious of my Smartphone. I feel bad for thinking mean thoughts.
We are seated one row in front of the back row. In my rush to get a seat I have (again) forgotten how I will regret sitting over the back wheel of the bus.
As the bus hits the open road to Fort Portal, phone networks go off and everyone settles down for a snooze. There’s a blast of cold wet air. Every time we slide the window shut, the juddering and shaking of the vehicle reopens it. The lady pulls the blanket over her child’s head. I try and keep myself warm by putting my bag on my lap.
The lady is trying to keep the window closed to keep her baby warm. The man sitting between us has fallen asleep. “Typical husband,” I think. “He’s asleep while she’s worrying about the baby.” I’m worried the baby is as cold as I am, so I fold a small piece of paper and pass it to her, thinking she may be able to use it to wedge the window shut. “Do you want me to put it out of the window?” She motions.
No!
I doze and am woken by the ringing of a phone. This lady does love to chat. I hear her cough and I get up to retrieve the second bottle of water from my bag. If she’s breast-feeding, she must need water.
We are halfway to Mubende before I buy my ticket. The ticket seller slowly works down the aisle, writing out each ticket by hand. The guy next to me peers into the pocket of my bag. I try and retrieve my money without showing him exactly how much I am carrying. He’s craning his neck to have a good look. The guy selling tickets doesn’t have enough change so he writes 5,000 UGX and his signature on the back of the ticket to denote that he has to pay me my balance.
At Mubende, plastic bowls full of roasted gonja and cardboard boxes of water and sodas are pushed up to the bus window. Someone waves roasted meat at us through the gap. I opt for a chapati. “Roasted or dry?” The young man asks me helpfully. I understand enough of the lady’s Luganda to know that she is complaining about the prices. She sends the young man to the shop with her order for orange squash and goat.
“I have liked you,” she said. “You can give me your number so I can call you.”
She tells me that she is going to Kasese (the stop after Fort Portal) to visit her parents for a few days and that she will go back to Kampala to see her husband.
“I thought this one was your husband?” I ask.
“No. This one I just met him on the bus.”
The young man jumps back on the bus brandishing wooden skewers of glistening roasted goat. He offers me one. It’s kind of him but I’m not in the mood for roasted goat. (I also recall the advice not to accept food or drink offered by strangers on public transport). This pair seem kind enough though.
He removes the flimsy bag (polythene paper in Uglish) from around the meat and screws into a small ball. He passes it to the woman who knows exactly what he wants her to do with it: she forces it out of the window.
He sits next to me, tearing at the meat with his teeth. His teeth hit a bone which he spits at his feet. A small heap of goat bones accumulate on the floor between us. The smell of roasted meat fills the air.
The chat chat chat starts again. I like this couple. She and her baby remind me of my niece and her baby. She is loud but friendly. He reminds me of someone from the village. He appears uneducated but innocent.
More passengers squeeze onto the bus. A lady passenger places her big bag on the aisle and sits on it and we’re off again. I am still standing up when the driver slams on the brakes. The guy next to me grimaces; I hang onto the side of the seat. There’s never a dull moment on the bus to Fort Portal.
On the other side of the aisle is a Muslim lady wearing a bright yellow headscarf and pink lipstick. She wears a bold kitenge print dress and an eyeful of cleavage.
I pull out a large tourist map of Kampala, fully expecting the young man to ogle at it and start asking questions. I’m rather pleased with my new map: KCCA have launched a tourism map of the city and I’m interested to see which places feature on it.
Nothing! The young man doesn’t even glimpse over. I read the map, unfold it, turn it over, fold again. I’m amazed – the guy doesn’t register interest even once! Is tourism just ‘a white people thing’ I ask myself?
I ask myself: I wonder if he can read? Or perhaps it’s only money and phones that make him tick?
The ticket inspector returns to check our tickets and I politely remind “sebo (sir)” whether he has my balance yet. He doesn’t seem to hear me.
“*Gwe!” Yells the young man, trying to back me up.
*It’s a little rude considering “Gwe” is old enough to be the young boy’s father!
Road travel from Kampala to Fort Portal via Mubende – tips for travelers
- There’s a universal price of 300 ugx for a short call whether at Kampala Link bus station, en route at Mubende or at the bus station in Fort Portal.
- For the best HOT gonja and chicken, buy directly from the women who are grilling (on the way back from the toilet!)
- If you take the afternoon bus from Fort Portal, you may be lucky enough to see the sun set over Lake Wamala. What a wonderful, unexpected sight that was.
- Link have made a lot of investment over the past few years: new buses, redesigned depots and generally helpful staff. The CCTV security system at the Kampala depot is another positive development too.
- Buying bus tickets is a lot easier and more secure since Link introduced a new digital ticketing solution with the KaCyber app. It’s great because it promotes social distancing (avoid the scrum at the booking office!) Book your ticket in advance and pay using mobile money or PayPal. The KaCyber Go App is free to download but not available on all Link bus routes yet. The app is particularly useful now since it is a ‘contactless’ solution (no need to touch money or paper tickets so no need to sanitise your hands!)
- I wrote this story before COVID-19 disorganised us.
- Diary of a Muzungu readers know I regularly take the bus from Kampala to Fort Portal and in October 2020 I took my first bus journey of the pandemic. All travellers have to wear facemasks and everyone’s hands are sprayed with disinfectant. I sat between one empty seat and the aisle. For social distancing purposes, the pattern of vacant seats was repeated throughout the bus.
Do you travel by bus? What are your travel tips? If you enjoy my bus journey stories, I have plenty more 😎
Travel to Rwanda during COVID-19: step by step guide
How to prepare for travel to Rwanda during the COVID-19 pandemic
This article is for everyone who is planning to travel to Rwanda in 2021, whether ‘arriving, transferring, transiting or departing.’ I am updating this post regularly with traveller feedback, answers to Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 (Coronavirus), information from tour operators and guides in Rwanda and the Rwanda Development Board. Travel restrictions and protocols are subject to constant change so please post any questions in the comments or message the Muzungu directly for the latest Rwanda travel advice.
Rwanda recorded its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 14, 2020. The City of Kigali was in lockdown in 2021 but has reopened with numerous Standard Operating Procedures in place. Scroll down to the comments for links to latest lockdown news for Rwanda
Planning a trip to Uganda? For travel advice on similar topics, read Entebbe International Airport Uganda: travel in the new normal. Planning a trip to Kenya? Read Kenya still open to international tourists.
Kigali International Airport, Rwanda’s main airport, is open
With the world set to continue life in the ‘new normal,’ the Rwandan capital’s airport at Kanombe is operating again. Once you arrive at Kigali International Airport, you’ll go through a new set of procedures as you enter ‘the land of a thousand hills.’ I have tried to list the new requirements in chronological order.
With so many changes, it is good to know that visa on arrival remains available for all visitors to Rwanda.
How to prepare for travel to Rwanda during the pandemic
- Do you need a negative COVID-19 test to fly to Rwanda?
- What are the SOPs (protocols) at Kigali International Airport?
- Is it true that I need a second COVID-19 test on arrival in Rwanda?
- Can I get visa on arrival in Rwanda?
- What if I am unable to get a test before I fly?
FAQs about quarantine in Rwanda
- Will I need to quarantine when I arrive in Kigali?
- How can I reach my quarantine hotel if I land during curfew?
- Can friends or family pick people from Kigali Airport?
- How do I book one of Rwanda’s official quarantine hotels?
- How long is the quarantine period in Rwanda?
- What are the protocols for passengers transiting Rwanda in 2021?
FAQs about COVID-19 tests in Rwanda
- How much does a COVID-19 test cost in Rwanda?
- Which COVID-19 test is required by the Rwandan government?
- Which COVID-19 test is required to track the gorillas in Rwanda?
- Who pays for my treatment if I test positive for COVID-19 in Rwanda?
PRE-DEPARTURE
Have a COVID-19 test. The only accepted test is a SARS-CoV 2 Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) performed within 72 hours of departure time. (NOTE April 2021: not 120 hours as it was initially).
Click here to complete the Passenger Locator Form before boarding the plane to Rwanda. Include passport details and full travel info (including hotel bookings) and upload the COVID-19 test certificate The only exemptions are: travellers under 16 years old who are traveling with a parent or guardian, provided that their details are included on the parent or guardian’s form; they arrive and leave together; and stay at the same address in Rwanda. The information on the form will be used if you (or someone you’ve been in contact with while traveling to Rwanda) develops symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). The form must be submitted before departure. Look out for the email confirmation which will give your Unique Health Code (UHC) that you’ll be asked to show upon arrival in Rwanda.
Book one of Rwanda’s designated quarantine hotels. This list is dated December 2020.
ARRIVAL AT KIGALI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
All COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) are strictly observed at Kigali International Airport; screening procedures include body temperature check.
Inbound travellers (arriving or transiting) in Kigali Airport are required to present a certificate of a negative COVID-19 test. All arrivals must check in at one of the designated ‘quarantine hotels’ where you will be tested again, at your own expense. The RT-PCR COVID-19 test currently costs $50 USD (47,200 RWF) in Rwanda and payment can be made on the test appointment website. Test results will be sent by SMS or email. The turnaround time for results is 24 hours from the time a sample is collected.
The Government of Rwanda has negotiated special rates at a long list of designated hotels in in Kigali and Rusizi in different price categories for the 24-hour waiting period. The special hotel rate includes airport pick-up and is full board (three meals).
The hotel quarantine period is 24 hours while you wait for your test results. The test result is valid for five days (120 hours).
If a traveller tests positive for COVID-19 while in Rwanda, they will be isolated in a government-run treatment centre or a hotel at your own cost. You will not be permitted to leave Rwanda until you receive a negative PCR test result, which could take several weeks from the first detection of your infection. This applies even if asymptomatic.
FAQs about transit through Kigali, Rwanda
- I am passing through Kigali in transit. Do I need a COVID-19 test?
- There is no facility for me to get a COVID-19 test before I fly to Rwanda. What can I do?
Yes. Like other passengers, transit travellers will be screened upon arrival in Rwanda. However, beyond that it’s not clear – protocol for further tests depend on whether you are leaving the airport and for how long.
Visitors who are not able to test in their country of origin have the option of being tested twice in Rwanda. The first test will be done upon arrival at Kigali International Airport and the second test will be taken 48 hours post-arrival. Visitors will wait for their results at designated hotels and will only be allowed to visit tourist sites after two consecutive negative tests.
FAQs about flying out of Kigali
- Do you need a negative PCR test to fly from Rwanda?
- How many hours do you need to arrive at the airport before your flight?
- Where can you get COVID-19 tests done in Kigali?
- What if my flight from Kigali takes off during curfew?
The Government of Rwanda has a zero-tolerance policy for exporting positive cases of COVID-19.
Travellers departing from Rwanda must also have a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test within 120 hours (and not less than 48 hours) before departure.
These tests are available at Rwandan Biomedical Centre (RBC) located in Kigali city centre. Rwandan Biomedical Centre has recently opened a testing facility in Musanze, the perfect location for gorilla tracking tourists who need to get the PCR test before heading to the airport. Booking and payment can be made on the test scheduling website. PCR test results are normally sent by SMS within 48 hours and available on RBC’s COVID-19 Test Results Portal. You will need to print out this travel certificate and have it ready to show at the entry to Kigali Airport.
The virus prevention measures and additional health screenings at the airport mean you’ll need to allow extra time. Four hours is recommended.
Government regulations during COVID-19 that tourists need to know
- Do you have to wear a mask in public in Rwanda?
- Is public transport working in Rwanda during the pandemic?
- Can I take a moto (motorbike ride) in Kigali?
- What are the curfew hours in Rwanda?
- How can I find a reputable tour company in Rwanda?
Face masks must be worn at all times in public. Major public facilities have temperature checks in place and most government buildings ask you to provide locator (contact tracing) information before they’ll let you in.
Rwanda COVID-19 update March 2021:
- The Kigali lockdown has been lifted. Private vehicles and taxis are allowed to take tourists across the country, to have COVID-19 test appointments or to go to Kigali airport to exit the country. If you’re looking for a reputable tour company in Rwanda, visit my Travel Directory.
- A curfew is in force from between 9 pm and 4 am.
- Ministry of Health directives include “mandatory wearing of masks by patrons before and after consumption of food, as well as physical distance of two metres between tables at all establishments.”
- Tourists should use cashless transactions such as bank transfer, mobile money, and debit / credit cards. Mobile money can be accessed using a local Sim card. It’s easy to set up, is widely accepted and has lower transaction these than any other method.
- All tourist vehicles and boats should have an unoccupied seat between each passenger.
- Meetings and events should have maximum 30% occupancy per room / space. COVID-19 tests are mandatory for meetings of more than 20 people.
- Restaurants are now allowed to operate with a maximum 30 per cent of their occupancy.
Are private cars allowed to cross the Rwanda border?
At present am I able to cross into Uganda from Rwanda at a land border in south east Uganda? I would be going to Kisoro. I would be travelling as an individual visitor, not with a tour group. Can I walk across a border into Uganda from Rwanda to get to Kisoro?
Enquiry from a traveler.
Rwanda’s major land borders with Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda still remain closed except for returning Rwandan citizens or residents. The exception to this rule are cargo trucks, whose drivers must undergo quarantine before heading into Rwanda.
The Muzungu adds: I do know of individuals (with work permits and/or residency) who have crossed the land borders in 2021. Tourist vans are not crossing; however I have a verbatim report of this being possible if your tour company gets special permission, in advance, from Kigali. However, the process is bureaucratic and not recommended, according to a source in tourism.
Are you gorilla trekking in Rwanda?
- What are the SOPs for tracking gorillas and chimps?
- Does Rwanda have promotional prices to track gorillas in 2021?
- What do domestic tourists need to know about tourism in Rwanda?
- Do I need a COVID-19 test if I’m going on safari in Akagera National Park?
- Are Rwanda’s National Parks open?
If you’re planning to visit Rwanda’s National Parks or track the gorillas, you will need to show your negative test certificate before you are allowed to enter. The only accepted test for Volcanoes, Nyungwe and Gishwati-Mukura National Parks is RT-PCR. A negative Rapid Antigen Test RDT is acceptable for Akagera National Park. All other tourism destinations and hotels will accept either a RDT or RT – PCR test.
** I am publishing a separate blog about gorilla tracking in Rwanda during the pandemic. If you have scrolled this far and don’t see it, please contact me. New rules apply for tracking gorillas and other primates.
Have you heard of Red Rocks? Make time for authentic cultural tourism.
After the gorilla tracking experience – or as an engaging day trip from Kigali – taste authentic cultural tourism at Red Rocks Cultural Centre and Campsite in Musanze, just a few kilometres away from the gorillas. The Northern Province is best known for the gorillas but also a hub for community tourism.
Explore and discover a wide range of cultural activities: be entertained by a traditional local dancer, watch how local banana beer is made, participate in cooking Rwandese cuisine or simply enjoy storytelling by the bonfire with locals. Learn about the history of Rwanda while tasting freshly-roasted corn (maize) or potatoes.
Red Rocks also offers lessons in basket-weaving: women artisans show you how to make the traditional Agaseke basket. Visit the Red Rocks Initiatives art gallery in Kinigi, create art to take home as a souvenir and witness how arts contribute to conservation of the gorillas, and the wider environment. Visitors can buy quality basketry, craft and art souvenirs directly from the artisans at very affordable prices. This support is particularly valued now.
Red Rocks Cultural Centre was established by Greg Bakunzi to support sustainable community development. He is optimistic that local tourism will remain resilient during travel’s trying times of COVID-19. “We have been encouraging Rwandans to become domestic travellers and bridge the gap caused by the big drop in international arrivals. These local visitors have given our host families and communities confidence that gradually we shall resume full-scale tourism, despite the long haul this global pandemic has created.”
I’ve visited Red Rocks a number of times and love the buzz at their community centre.
Further reading about COVID-19 in Rwanda, government advice about travelling during the pandemic and emergency contact information.
- Info note for Passengers arriving or departing from Rwanda, Rwanda Biomedical Centre, Government of Rwanda
- A list of Frequently Asked Questions about visiting Rwanda
- COVID-19 pandemic – Rwanda stats.
- COVID-19 Information, U.S. Embassy in Rwanda
- Kigali International Airport official site
- Coronavirus. Hospital emergency contacts, Rwanda Biomedical Centre Emergency toll free number in Rwanda: 114.
- RBC Medical Team on duty at Kigali Airport 24/7: +250 781 415724 / covid@rbc.gov.rw
Have a question about travel to Rwanda? Feel free to ask a question in the comments (this will help other travellers) or contact me directly.
The future of travel in East Africa: Interview with Prof. Wolfgang Thome
Interview with Prof. Wolfgang Thome: travel post covid-19 in Uganda and East Africa
With over 40 years’ experience working in tourism and aviation in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, Professor Wolfgang Thome is uniquely placed to share his insights on the future of travel post covid-19 in East Africa and across the continent. If you want to know what is happening in tourism circles in Nairobi, Cape Town, the Seychelles or Lagos, Wolfgang is your man! (The above photo was taken at Kilimanjaro Airport in 2017. Pictured with us are fellow travel writers Solomon Oleny and Edgar Batte).
Travel has been impacted more than any other aspect of our lives. For some of us, that affects everything: our business, our lifestyle, our ability to spend time with close family. As we try and assess what the new normal looks like, I decided to ask Wolfgang his views. He is both a frequent traveller and in daily contact with airlines, hotels and tourism boards across Africa.
Overall, Uganda seems to be doing well with our approach to managing coronavirus. Do you think this will encourage tourists to travel to Uganda post covid-19?
Initially did Uganda indeed do very well based on the experience with past Ebola and Marburg outbreaks. Numbers kept stable but those responsible took their eyes off the ball with regard to truck drivers entering from Tanzania, Kenya and South Sudan. It took too long for them to take public input seriously and get off their high horses and institute checks before trucks were allowed to enter Uganda. What is needed is to restore public trust and confidence. ‘Beautifying’ numbers is a transparent ploy to make the country look better … yet, numbers are going up again, literally every day. We therefore have some way to go to demonstrate to potential visitors from overseas – when they are allowed to come in again without mandatory quarantine – that Uganda is safe and ready to host them.
What opportunities do you see for the Ugandan / East African tourism and travel industry post covid-19?
The main opportunity right now I see is in domestic tourism. Kenya has reached a domestic tourism percentage of over 55 percent (domestic tourists as a percentage of overall visitors). We in Uganda need to move towards such goals too. That said, discounting factors in Kenya for domestic tourists can reach 65 per cent off published rates and in some cases even more … so Uganda’s hotel and lodge operators need to take a leaf from that rebating level if domestic tourism is to truly take off. The present US Dollar rates quoted for hotels and lodges also need to go out of the window for Ugandans who want to pay in their own currency. Achieving this is possible but requires a major shift in mindset.
Read #MohammedHersi’s take on the future of the tourism industry – Post #COVID19 on Wolfgang’s website. Hersi is Chairman of the Kenya Tourism Federation.
Wolfgang, you are a speaker at a number of tourism events and exhibitions across Africa, notably AfriaDev in South Africa and Nigeria Travel Week. In your view, what is the future for big trade events like Magical Kenya and Uganda’s Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo?
I do regularly speak at major aviation and tourism events and trade shows across Africa. Unfortunately as of now, some eight such engagements have been postponed and cancelled this year. I do not see any major tourism event taking place this year and our hope is now based on 2021 and no secondary or tertiary Coronavirus infection waves.
When it comes to regional events does the Karibu – KiliFair excel as the largest such fair in Eastern Africa. The more local events like the Magical Kenya Travel Expo in Nairobi, the Swahili International Tourism Exhibition in Dar es Salaam or the Pearl of Africa Travel Expo in Kampala are focusing mainly on promoting their respective countries, which is of course why they were established. The big African tourism trade shows like the Africa Travel Week, which includes World Travel Market Africa, IBTM and ILTM, Indaba in Durban or We Are Africa in contrast promote many African safari and beach destinations and are therefore bringing larger numbers of exhibitors and trade visitors together from around the world.
What is the future for aviation travel post covid-19 in Uganda, East Africa and the African continent?
Brussels Airlines will resume European flights as of 15th of June 2020 and should be back in Entebbe, in combination with Kigali, from probably mid-July although no details are available, even for me, at this moment on how many flights they will launch with. The route to Bujumbura in Burundi is due to follow by mid-August. Kenya Airways intends to relaunch flights as of 8th of June and Safarilink and Jambojet, as soon as the Kenyan government lifts the movement restrictions in and out of Nairobi County, Mombasa County, Kwale County (Ukunda) and Kilifi County (Malindi). Please read my blog ATC News where I publish all the latest information about resumption of flights in East Africa and beyond.
At what point do you think we should reopen primate tourism and should there be limits?
While we wait for any scientific evidence on the possible virus transmission from humans to primates, is it better to err on the side of caution and not open tracking for gorillas, chimpanzees, golden monkeys and other primate species. As and when primate tourism reopens, will visitors obviously have to wear masks and may even need to be tested before being allowed to track. The timeframe for reopening depends on the advice of veterinarians and scientists and we ought to listen to their advice.
Will you be travelling this year? If so, where?
As I mentioned before, eight of my speaking engagements and attendances were cancelled while I cancelled two planned trips to Kenya between late February 2020 and now for obvious reasons: borders are still closed, air transport is not yet available and while the virus keeps spreading, in any country I may want to visit like Germany, Belgium, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana, I will not endanger myself nor my grandkids when I come home. This means that for all intent and purpose, regional and international travel for me will start again next year though I intend to use the time gained to step up travel across Uganda.
Tell us about a typical day in lockdown for you Prof.
A typical day includes my regular writing of articles and news items for ATCNews.org, the preparation of the daily #COVID19 updates at 6 am and 6 pm and, while the lockdown lasted, also a regular dose of humour under the headings #CoronaHumour #CoronaMemes.
During the day I spend as much time as I can find with my grandchildren. I take regular walks through the garden with my grandson in tow to show him birds, butterflies, insects, flowers and orchids and then devote time to cooking meals. If I cannot have a served Egg Benedict once in a while I just have to prepare them myself. What I have refrained from doing is participating in the tsunami wave of webinars and video conferences of which, when available, I read the summaries only to realise I did not miss a lot.
I hardly miss my once a week or once a fortnight trips into the city (apart from those Eggs Benedict at Kampala Serena Hotel and Mestil Hotel). I do check in regularly with key contacts via email or WhatsApp and so overall there was hardly any change in my day’s pattern compared to pre-lockdown days.
How will you proceed when the lockdown has been lifted?
Now that the lockdown has been lifted in a qualified way with the use of private vehicles possible again, I will nevertheless exercise utmost caution and restraint. My visits to the city will be far and few between while infection numbers in Uganda are still on the rise. I urge your readers to exercise similar caution and take extra care in their movements and interaction with others. Stay safe!
I hope to spend more time travelling around Uganda in the coming months. Note for example that Rainforest Lodge Mabira set to reopen on Monday 1st June 2020.
Who is Professor Wolfgang Thome?
Wolfgang is a prolific writer and blogger at ATC (Aviation, Tourism and Conservation) News. He is an aviation expert and has worked at a strategic level in tourism across East Africa for over four decades.
As lockdown eases, I will relaunch my popular ‘Introduction to Digital Marketing for Tourism’ workshops where we discuss: how hotel staff can encourage guests to write positive TripAdvisor reviews and check in on Facebook; tips for using Instagram and Facebook Business Pages; video marketing, Instastories, YouTube, Facebook Stories and WhatsApp status updates; email marketing and how to work with bloggers.
How we travel post covid-19 remains unclear but travel we will – in time. A big thank you to Wolfgang for keeping us up to date on the future of travel in East Africa. Remember to check out his blog ATCNews.org and follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
The land of 1000 … surprises! A solo exploration of Rwanda
Want to explore Rwanda? An ABC of Rwanda’s tourist accommodation – AirBnB, boutique hotels, camping and luxury lodges
A recent trip to Rwanda revealed such a wide variety of places to stay that I thought I must share them with you. Although Rwanda pitches itself as a high-end destination now – and has some wonderful luxury lodges like the remarkable Virunga Lodge – the country has a wide variety of accommodation for all budgets. It’s a very easy country to travel around too (although Ugandan friends did freak out when our vehicle started driving on the right side of the road!)
I seem to have developed this habit of leaving home for three days and returning after three weeks. It’s hard to resist the invitation to visit new places, especially when you’re already far from home (and your toothbrush is packed!)
The early morning bus from Kampala to Kigali is so much more pleasant than the night bus. (Why on earth did I take all those night buses?) I used to think I could kill a night by sleeping on the bus but sitting on the bus is no recompense for lack of a bed. I love Jaguar’s new wide ‘VIP only’ seats. There’s plenty of legroom and – hooray! – working seat belts. I’ve been using Jaguar Executive Coaches between Kampala and Kigali since 2011.
Despite rumours of bad politics between Uganda and Rwanda, I couldn’t tell whether anything was different at the border. Rwanda immigration’s new building is just having its last coat of paint. Those immigration officials must be relieved. If you cross the border late at night, they sit there in open-sided shipping containers, wearing thick jackets and suffering the cold of the damp river crossing.
At Nyabugogo bus park in Kigali, I met my new friend and kindred spirit Denis Senechal, a French-Canadian who has relocated to Rwanda’s capital with his Rwandan wife. Read my story about the cobbler of Nyabugogo bus park that I wrote while looking out of the bus window.
Denis and I swapped stories about their former life in Kampala as he drove me to the cosy and colourful Umusambi Bed and Breakfast in Kibagabaga, my home for the next few days.
After a leisurely breakfast the next morning – “don’t rush me, I’ve only been sitting at the breakfast table for an hour and a half” – I got chatting to an Australian couple who invited me to tour Inema Arts Gallery and the Caplaki craft market. I’ve managed to finance my nomad lifestyle by not visiting craft shops (so it was rather weird to be seen as a tourist).
Rwandan arts and crafts: Inema Arts Gallery and Caplaki Craft Market, Kigali
Caplaki Craft Market has excellent quality crafts – and divergent prices! Luckily we had the lovely Tony from Burundi to negotiate and whisper “don’t pay more than that” under his breath as we wandered from shop to shop.
We’d established that I could buy a snake (made from recycled bottle tops) for around 8,000 RWF (around $8). The shop next door asked for 15,000 RWF. At shop number three, the man with boozy breath said “I give you good price” and then asked me for 25,000 RWF for the same item! (He was the reminder to not buy the first thing you set your heart on).
In the afternoon, Greg Bakunzi from Red Rocks in Musanze introduced me to the Inzora Rooftop Café at Ikirezi Bookshop / Librairie Ikirezi. This stylish – bookish – café is definitely my kind of place and one I plan to revisit.
A highlight of my time in Kigali was feeling free to walk wherever I wanted. Wide (motorbike-free!) pavements and street lights make walking a pleasure. From Ikirezi Bookshop, I walked to the famous ‘peace basket’ structure that is Kigali Convention Centre. It can be seen from all corners of the city, particularly at night when it is lit in a variety of mesmerising colours. Radisson Blu Hotel forms part of the Convention Centre complex. The presidential convoy of Range Rovers with black-tinted windows sped past me as I left the hotel.
Photo highlights from Kigali and Musanze – click on the photos to reveal their location!
Did you know that Google Maps continues to work even when you’re not on Wi-Fi? (You can see who failed physics, can’t you?) To start, I logged onto the free Wi-Fi at Radisson Blu and typed my destination into the app. Google Maps traced the route and the arrow kept moving, even as I left the WiFi zone behind me to walk 5.5 km uphill and down towards Umusambi Guesthouse. Rwandans are generally polite people, and some greeted me as I walked. Walking the streets of Kigali was a wonderful experience (although not everywhere is as developed as the route between the Convention Centre and Kibagabaga, as I found out the following week when I stayed in a residential back street). First the muzungu got lost, then the moto got lost and later Google Maps dumped me in a field of maize! (But tell me, what is a travel blog without the occasional detour?)
I felt so relaxed at Umusambi Guesthouse, that it was an effort to haul myself off the sofa! I chatted in French with the guesthouse’s Belgian owner and had an eye-opening conversation with an Italian lady who is vaccinating frontline staff against Ebola. “Prevention is better than cure” and we are thankful to see numerous interventions in place across the region.
I’ve travelled by bus from Kigali to Musanze many times and it couldn’t be easier. The Virunga Express from Nyabugogo takes a couple of hours from the city as it winds upwards through some of Rwanda’s one thousand hills.
From Musanze, I took a 7 km moto(rbike) ride to the Red Rocks campsite. Here at high altitude, evenings can be cold. I was glad to have a friendly dog lying on my feet as I warmed myself at the campfire while chatting to two very cool trail-blazing chicks: Harriet, one of Red Rocks’ co-founders and Angel, one of Rwanda’s few women tour drivers.
Red Rocks Campsite and Red Rocks Initiatives, Musanze Rwanda
Red Rocks is a popular campsite with super friendly staff who make a point of greeting you with a big smile. I enjoyed chatting French with the chef. Quels petits déjeuners énormes! (The breakfasts were huge!)
Red Rocks is home to authentic community tourism and I was honoured to spend some time with Kamana Theophile, an environmentalist with a passion for community projects. In the Red Rocks Museum, he demonstrated how banana beer is made in a giant wooden canoe-type structure. (I tried some on a previous trip – it’s delicious!) Profits from Red Rocks Campsite fund the indigenous tree nursery and gardening demonstration plots. Kamana discussed in French (ooo la la) how the local community are given seedlings, learn gardening techniques and good environmental practices – all for free. Through Red Rocks Initiatives, local communities – and the environment – directly benefit from tourism. Every aspect is environmentally sound: the ‘raised bed’ kitchen garden is made of volcanic rock and tree seedlings are carried home in pots made of banana fibre (plastic bags are illegal in Rwanda and the ban is strictly enforced).
For a change of scene – we travel bloggers are rarely off-duty you know! – I was escorted to the new Classic Lodge where I did the full tour of the extensive buildings. The night before, over a thousand people had attended an event there. Had Musanze ever hosted such a large number of people?
Classic Lodge in Musanze is quite a set-up!
Here I was given a tour of the presidential suite (which President Kagame himself visited while it was under construction), a family cottage, suites, superior rooms and others. There are at least 40 different rooms and conference facilities.
Café Crema in Musanze is a cosy setup with charming and courteous staff. It’s the kind of place I love to hang out. The cappuccino was excellent, and I was happy to kill a few hours there (the first 30 minutes of WiFi are free).
Caffeine levels boosted, I dropped by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund exhibition. It was humbling to spend a few moments reconnecting with my first reason for travelling to Rwanda, that being to support gorilla conservation.
Next stop Kigali.
The advantage of having fluid plans is you can take up new opportunities as they present themselves. The downside is you occasionally get stuck without a place to sleep! Thanks to Moses Nezehose who booked me in at the Tea House, another great establishment which is walking distance from Remera, a part of the city that I’ve come to know a little over my years of visiting Kigali.
On my first trips to the capital, I would stay at hostels run by various convents. (You can’t argue with $10 a night, even if the shower is cold). Centre Christus Hostel in Remera is set in green, bird (and monkey)-filled gardens away from the main road and I’ve been happy to stay there on several occasions.
On the second leg of my trip in Kigali, I was spoiled rotten. I spent three nights at the fabulous Pili Pili Boutique Hotel. My – it was heaven – so much so that I didn’t leave the compound for three days! My heart skipped a beat when the beautiful breakfast tray arrived in my room.
The cosmopolitan bar and brilliant music at Pili Pili were quite a thrill for this girl from the village! I loved the fresh grilled Sambaza fish from Lake Tanganyika and enjoyed my chats with Rudy, Pili Pili’s owner. I was fascinated to hear about his former life running hotels and bars in Bujambura. I visited Burundi in 2012 and really fell for the place. J’adore l’Afrique francophone!
Pili Pili Bistro and Boutique Hotel, Kigali
Pre-booked visitors ousted me from my little pad – goddamit – meaning it was time to download Air BnB and try my luck getting a cheap room in the city. Within minutes I was booked in to stay with Josiane and her four young sons. It was hard to understand where she lived so she came to meet me midway on a moto. She couldn’t have been nicer. She almost fell off her chair when I told her that Uganda is the Source of the Nile. She was quite adamant that it is in Rwanda! The debate continues…
After the comforts of a luxury set-up, it was nice to spend time with a Rwandan family. They treated me well and the meals were huge. (As for the cockroaches, well I’m glad I didn’t see any on my first night there; the longer I stayed there, the bigger the cockroaches I saw!)
I happened to be in Kigali on a Sunday when roads are closed to allow city residents space to run and exercise. Groups were exercising at Amahoro Stadium that morning as I walked to Java House in Remera where I fell in love with rhinos! Did you know Rwanda has just successfully relocated five black rhinos from Europe to Rwanda? The transformation of Akagera National Park is sensational, as I have witnessed on my last two visits there.
On my last day in Kigali, I headed to the Rwanda Development Board offices, also in Remera. Tourism, conservation and many other departments are managed by RDB. Boy what an impressive setup. Did you know that it’s free to register a business in Rwanda? Did you know that it generally takes only six hours to do that? The ‘one stop shop’ at RDB really is that. You can make bank payments, get advice from copyright specialists and immigration officials and have someone sit with you and guide you through the whole process of setting up a company, from start to finish. Let’s not do comparisons with Uganda…
Upstairs, I was delighted to see Moses, one of our hosts at the brilliant Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony. Kwita Izina is the annual celebration of conservation and tourism in Rwanda and now lasts a whole week.
Lunchtime took me back to the famous Chez Lando for my final brochettes (grilled meat on skewers) of the trip. I do enjoy Rwandan food. Read How to eat like a Rwandan – 10 snacks (I bet you’ve never tried).
The final leg of my trip took me back to Kampala. Life is easy when you can jump in an Uber as soon as you hit the city outskirts! Boutique B&Bs were a bit of a theme on this trip and I was thrilled when Albert Ntambiko invited me to stay at the new Mahali Guesthouse in Makindye. Albert is also the owner of Coffee at Last. Mahali is housed in the new Coffee at Last building, just a few steps away from the original establishment.
Like I said, I seem to have this habit of leaving home for three days and returning after three weeks! Last year’s four day trip to Mombasa led to invitations to visit high-end hotels in Nyali, explore backpacker hostels and luxury beach resorts in Diani and attend Diani’s Five A Side International Beach Touch Rugby Tournament. (I arrived home three weeks later!)
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One to watch: Gishwati – Mukura, Rwanda’s newest national park
Gishwati – Mukura, Rwanda’s fourth national park is the closest to Kigali
On a drive from Lake Kivu towards Musanze, my eyes were drawn to the green cultivated hillsides behind the thin row of houses that line the main road. “This is Gishwati,” said Maurice. “One day it will be a National Park.”
I thought no more of his comment until a year later when I found myself sitting next to Dr Sam Kanyimibwa of the Albertine Rift Conservation Society, the organisation that facilitated the management plan for the new Gishwati – Mukura National Park.
This blog is based on information shared by ARCOS and the Rwanda Environment Management Authority. It’s a little geekier than my normal conservation and adventure stories but what a brilliant and ambitious project! You have to hand it to the Rwandans: they have vision.
Gishwati and Mukura Forests are two remnant forests which were designated as reserves in the 1950s. Although not physically joined, the government of Rwanda decided to establish a new national park that will – in time – link the two forest fragments of Gishwati and Mukura to create Gishwati – Mukura National Park.
Created in 2015, Gishwati – Mukura – Rwanda’s fourth national park – is now the closest National Park to Kigali. “This location is very special. It’s surrounded by tea plantations and pastoralism. It is a very beautiful mountain ecosystem,” Dr Kanyimibwa explained.
Gishwati-Mukura National Park is home to many species that are listed by IUCN as threatened or endangered. Among these is the Eastern Chimpanzee.
“Joining the two forest fragments of Gishwati and Mukura is positive. However, there is the challenge of species isolation,” explains Dr Kanyimibwa. The creation of Gishwati-Mukura National Park GMNP in Western Rwanda is “very interesting in terms of conservation,” he added.
In 2019, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) signed a 25-year concession agreement with Imizi Ecotourism Development to develop and operate “an exclusive chimpanzee and primate trekking experience under the Wilderness Safaris brand” one element in a multi-phased conservation and tourism management programme for the newly formed Gishwati – Mukura National Park.
Where is Gishwati-Mukura National Park?
Gishwati-Mukura National Park lies in North-West Rwanda (1° 49´ S, 29° 22´ E) and is part of the Albertine Rift and Congo-Nile Divide. The park is composed of montane rainforest fragments that are rich in biodiversity. GMNP’s tropical climate has an average temperature ranging between 20° and 24° C, the mean annual rainfall is between 1,500-1,600 mm and the elevation ranges from 2,000 to 3,000m above sea level.
Gishwati-Mukura National Park lies in North-West Rwanda (1° 49´ S, 29° 22´ E) and is part of the Albertine Rift and Congo-Nile Divide. The park is composed of montane rainforest fragments that are rich in biodiversity. GMNP’s tropical climate has an average temperature ranging between 20° and 24° C, the mean annual rainfall is between 1,500-1,600 mm and the elevation ranges from 2,000 to 3,000m above sea level.
History of Gishwati and Mukura Forests
More than hundred years ago, the forests of Mukura and Gishwati covered approximately 253,000 hectares and were Rwanda’s largest indigenous forests.
These forests cover just 3,558 hectares now (1,570 ha on Gishwati and 1,988 ha for Mukura), due to encroachment, large-scale cattle ranching, cattle grazing, resettlement of refugees after the genocide, illegal mining and plantations of non-native trees. If deforestation were to continue at the same pace, these forests would no longer exist by 2020. Subsistence activities such as mining, logging, collection of firewood, charcoal-making and sand quarrying further degrade the environment.
History shows that Mukura Forest, Gishwati Forest and Nyungwe Forest once formed a continuous forest. (The extension of forest into Burundi is known as Kibira Forest).
The creation of a corridor between Gishwati and Nyungwe through Mukura Forest aims to restore the ecological connectivity of these forests.
How is the new Gishwati – Mukura National Park being created?
Although there is more than 20 km of community land between the two forest fragments, conservationists are pinning their hopes on using a river – or more precisely, the land either side of it – to reconnect these two forests. The law states that people must respect 10 metres of land either side of the river – this gives conservationists an entry point. The Rwanda Environment Management Authority is now working to restore the highly degraded Gishwati-Mukura landscape through the “Landscape Approach to Forest Restoration and Conservation (LAFREC)” project.
The plan to connect the patches of forest by an ecological corridor is complicated by a complex mosaic of different land uses between the two forests.
However, the hills and valleys and GMNP are dominated by crops, pasture and non-native trees (mainly eucalyptus and pine).
The main human activity in the mountains around Gishwati-Mukura National Park is small-scale farming of maize, beans, Irish potatoes, bananas, tea and coffee. Some land is also used for pasture for livestock (cows, goats, sheep, and pigs) and forestry.
Biological highlights of Gishwati and Mukura
Although Gishwati-Mukura National Park has suffered a serious loss of biodiversity as a result of deforestation – fauna alone has declined by a mind-boggling 99% – nevertheless, GMNP still hosts significant biodiversity, including:
- 200 species of trees and shrubs including numerous hardwood trees and bamboo.
Many species that are listed by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as threatened or endangered, including:
- Eastern chimpanzee. Gishwati-Mukura National Park and Nyungwe National Park (NNP) are the only remaining habitats for Eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in Rwanda.
- Golden monkey (Cercopithecus mitis kandti).
- Mountain monkey or L’Hoest’s Monkey (Cercopithecus l’hoesti).
- More than 200 species of birds, including Albertine Rift endemics Ruwenzori / Rwenzori Turaco (Gallirex johnstoni) and Grauer’s swamp-warbler (Bradypterus graueri).
- Amphibians such as brown forest frogs and multiple species of toads.
- Reptiles that include the Great Lakes Bush Viper and multiple species of chameleons.
- Satinsyi River is home to a highly endangered species of fish (Haplochromis erythromaculatus).
The ecological importance of Gishwati – Mukura National Park
The role played by these forests is vital to the local, regional and national economy.
GMNP channels run-off into the headwaters of Africa’s two largest hydrological systems: the Nile and Congo rivers. Gishwati and Mukura forests – with their many streams and riverbeds – regulate river flow and ensure that water is available throughout the year. The forests absorb and slowly release rainwater, preventing loss of topsoil, (preventing sometimes disastrous landslides). As such, Mukura-Gishwati Forest landscape is crucial for farming and primary industries such as tea and coffee.
The forests are home to birds, bats and insects that pollinate crops and aid in the natural control of insect pests. With massive deforestation, these benefits are not just lost locally but impact is felt miles downstream. Gisenyi town and surrounding areas depend on the Sebeya River for water and electricity. Bralirwa (Rwanda’s main brewery) depends on Sebeya for beer production.
In the future, the riverbank protection and forest plantation initiatives along Sebeya and Satinsyi rivers are expected to restore part of the ecological connectivity of the two forests.
What next for GMNP?
The establishment of Gishwati – Mukura National Park will boost conservation of the forests’ rich biodiversity and help restore habitats and offer better protection of threatened species.
Officials are pushing for the park to be recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Biosphere Reserve. For local people, the new Gishwati – Mukura National Park brings the promise of jobs in the hotels and restaurants that will be established near the park and as guides and souvenir sellers. (Tourism globally employs 1 in 11 people).
Gishwati – Mukura National Park is Rwanda’s fourth national park. The others are Volcanoes National Park, Akagera National Park and Nyungwe National Park.
But can tourists visit now?
According to the Rwandan government’s tourism site, “activities in the park are due to begin in 2019 and include a guided nature hike, guided chimp and monkey tracking, bird watching and a visit to the waterfalls.
Community-based activities include a farm stay, a live cultural dance, making handicrafts, beekeeping, a tea plantation tour and the chance to learn from traditional healers, who use natural plants to support modern medicine and synthesised drugs.”
I’ve attended the highly professional Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony a number of times and was in Rwanda recently when black rhinos were being shipped to the country. Imagine this country’s tourism in a decade or more. It’s really quite something. It looks like exciting times are ahead for this new national park and tourism in general across Rwanda.
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A rainy season journey: ‘nsenene’ grasshopper road trip to Fort Portal
A rainy season journey: nsenene grasshopper road trip to Fort Portal
Our dawn departure from Kampala is marked by streaks of pink and orange daybreak filtering over Port Bell and Lake Victoria. Houselights twinkle in the darkness. Kampala is so pretty at this time of day.
We are driving to Fort Portal. Along Hoima Road, a traffic policeman dressed in white leaps out into the road to intercept a passing saloon car that has large white canvas sacks billowing out of every window.
An excited Julia shouts “nsenene!”
Grasshoppers are back on the menu!
It’s rainy season and there is a glut of nsenene (grasshoppers). The sacks contain live insects that are hung out of the window of the moving vehicle to keep them cool as they are transported to Kampala markets. Ugandans are going crazy for the delicacy, with queues of people lining up downtown to buy them.
Vehicle after vehicle drives towards us laden with white canvas sacks.
It’s 7 o’clock on a November morning.
Julia recounts the story of the day she bought a quarter sack of nsenene on a previous road trip between Fort Portal and Kampala. The kids were screaming with excitement at the thought of feasting on them. Grasshoppers do not have a long shelf life. They have to be ‘cleaned’ (their wings and legs removed) before they can be washed and cooked. Everyone arrived home from the long journey exhausted, she said, but then had to spend several hours plucking off wings and legs! “I think everyone was too sick to eat them after that!”
I remember opening the fridge the next day to find it full of grasshoppers (in addition to the chicken feet and cow hooves reserved for the dog!)
On our journey, Malcolm likes reminding us that Julia was a full-on vegan when they first knew each other many years ago on the Mweya Peninsula in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Back then a grasshopper would not have passed her lips.
At a small trading centre we see some lovely looking chapatis. “Let’s stop for a rolex,” Malcolm says. Everyone loves a rolex. The popular Ugandan street food (of an omelette wrapped in a chapatti) has gone global this year (thanks to an article called ‘The African dishes you should be eating’ on CNN.com)
Our car pulls up next to an open-air butchery. Next to the car, the butcher hacks at a lump of meat with a machete. His face is covered with tiny flecks of meat. Big slabs of beef hang on hooks, intestines lie glistening on a table.
“I’m just going to get some cow hooves for the dogs,” Julia informs me. (Barf. Did you need to tell me? I beg).
As she walks towards the butcher, she stumbles over the head of a recently butchered cow. It sits upside down on the muddy ground, bright red blood draining onto the dark floor. A man straps the cow’s head to the back of his bicycle and wheels it away.
Malcolm gets back into the car frustrated. “That guy has a chapati, the other guy has eggs, but no-one can make me a rolex!” He is on a mission. He decides to return to the stall and get the vendors organised.
Meanwhile, I should not be surprised to see Julia instruct a man to tie a bag of grasshoppers onto the front of our vehicle!
A woman rushes over with a basket of roasted gonja (bananas) on her head. A young man walks up to our parked car and shows me a gold coin. He asks me how much I want to buy it for. He’s trying to sell the muzungu a 20 cent Euro coin. (I wonder if he’s been asking every passing muzungu to buy it).
A happy Malcolm gets back into the car with three monster-sized rolex. The chapatis are thick and well-cooked. They are delicious! We are ten minutes south of Mityana.
“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve!” Malcolm counts twelve Great Blue Turacos. “They must have just come out of roost,” he says (meaning the birds have just left their overnight perch).
As we continue our journey towards Fort Portal, more cars come towards us, overloaded with grasshoppers.
“I could carry three sofa sets on the roof of my car today and none of the traffic police would notice!” Exclaims Julia. This morning, the traffic police are only interested in watching the vehicles heading to Kampala.
En route we talk about birds, we talk about conservation, we talk about the many poacher snares and traps that have been recovered by Uganda Conservation Foundation and Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Last time I drove this road I had to slam on the brakes to avoid crashing into a cow that walked straight into the road without looking (it seems to be a Ugandan trait!)
We pass lines of bright shiny corrugated iron sheets, set in horizontal lines to catch grasshoppers. The insects are attracted by a bright light bulb that reflects onto the metal. The insects crash into the metal sheets and land in the buckets at the bottom.
At Mubende, we pull over for Julia to buy some fried grasshoppers and mbuzi roasted ‘goat on a stick’.
“That’s baboon meat!” Shouts Malcolm.
“It’s not baboon!” Laughs the meat-seller.
A man selling water and sodas bangs on the window and tells me to put the window down. I bang back at him angrily. He gets the point and we smile at each other through the glass.
I spot three Hooded Vultures at the top of a tree “the ones with pink necks” I say. The birds’ necks are feather-free to stop them getting covered in blood and core as they eat corpses. “Vultures are known as coprophages,” Malcolm corrects me “because they eat turds!”
Driving through Kiko tea estate, outside Fort Portal, thousands of grasshoppers float above the bright green tea bushes like a layer of green mist. The emergence of grasshoppers floats above the tea and up into the air.
A troupe of eight black and white Colobus Monkeys sit at the top of a tree in a clearing next to the tea plantation. I’m surprised to see them in such an open area. “They do very well in disturbed forest,” Julia – the primatologist – tells us.
We are travelling to Kanyanchu where Julia’s land touches Kibale Forest. For many years she lived in a treehouse in the middle of the forest while she followed, studied and habituated the chimpanzees that are now so popular with tourists.
Malcolm grabs his binoculars to take a closer look at large flocks of Abdim Storks that are circling high in the air, to our left and to our right. “Must be thousands of them,” he says.
According to Fanshawe and Stevenson’s The Birds of East Africa (the best book for identifying Uganda’s birds), Abdim Storks are “nomadic and gregarious.” They are seen in Uganda between October and November as they follow “the rains and burns” on their flight from northern Africa. They are known as “opportunistic” feeders and are undoubtedly making the most of the grasshopper season.
We talk about migration and Malcolm explains how birds use thermals to cover vast distances. “You will notice that vultures are never in the air at the start or the end of the day. They need the hot air rising off the land to allow them to climb high. Vultures can go up 1 or 2 km and then slowly guide for 400 miles. Doing this, they expend very little energy.”
He tells us about a Ruppell’s Griffon Vulture that was seen 12 km above the surface of the earth by a commercial pilot. Vultures have incredible eyesight and watch each other from up on high. I like hanging out with Malcolm Wilson. He is an expert ornithologist and ringer or ‘bander,’ at the very top of his game, and revered by many birders in Uganda. Not only can Malcolm identify a bird, he has a mine of fascinating facts to explain what we’re looking at. “A vulture only drops for one reason: a kill. When one drops out of the sky, the others follow.” Read about his ringing expeditions and bird watching tours across Africa on his web site.
At Tooro Botanical Gardens, a young man called John guides us through the various plants, telling us both the English names and the Latin names. With John’s help, Malcolm and Julia pick out a selection of tree seedlings. Julia and I share a moment of realisation. Julia has been wanting to invite Malcolm to advise her on which plants and trees will help develop her land for birding tourism. Finally we are here. This weekend has been many years in the planning. I am so excited to be part of it.
There is a small fishpond in Tooro Botanical Gardens. It hasn’t been stocked with fish yet but there’s already a heron inspecting it. Julia correctly identifies it as a Black-headed Heron. The girl’s birding knowledge is coming on!
We drive on the new road through Kibale. The Chinese (of course) construction company have been working on it for a couple of years. It’s a good road in many respects but too wide. We bemoan how big and fast the road is. It passes directly through Kibale National Park, described as having “the highest concentration and density of primates in Africa.” We are worried how many of the forest’s animals will be killed by speeding motorists. There are a few road humps but nowhere near enough. We hope and pray that the speed humps will proliferate.
Our car passes through a troop of baboons. One stands on its two back legs to peer into the car looking for food.
I am appalled to see that one of them has had its whole snout (large pointed nose and lips) are missing. Its normally 3D face is flat. His front teeth are permanently visible but beyond this appalling wound, the animal looks healthy enough. Will he survive?
Another baboon, in the bush above the verge, picks at something that it holds in its right paw. It appears to be an animal skin. The baboon pulls the last bits of flesh off some skin “it’s most likely a vervet monkey,” Malcolm says.
At our final destination, Sunbird Hill, Malcolm teaches us all about tree felling and the best plants to attract more birds to the forest edge. It’s an enlightening few days.
If you enjoy my insect stories, read Grasshoppers – nsenene: eat them or smoke them? Discuss.
Travel options for seeing the mountain gorillas
Can I fly to see the Mountain Gorillas? How long is the journey by road from Kampala or Kigali to the gorillas’ habitat?
The main roads leading to Uganda and Rwandas’ gorilla tracking areas are generally good but travel is much slower than on European or American roads, for example. Secondary roads are often slow and bumpy, especially approaching Uganda’s gorilla parks. Be prepared for long car journeys often taking most of the day. Four-wheel drive vehicles are required for certain routes in the rainy season. I’ve travelled to these areas by every possible means – private car, coach, public transport, boda boda and plane. However you travel, enjoy the journey! The scenery is fabulous.
Have you read Diary of a Muzungu’s Ultimate Guide to Mountain Gorilla Trekking?
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest – home to the world’s biggest population of mountain gorillas – is 8+ hours’ drive from Kampala or Entebbe. If you’ve never visited this part of the world at all, the drive is a fantastic opportunity to view African life in the trading centres you pass through. En route through the gloriously green Pearl of Africa you will cross the Equator (and the obligatory stop for photos!)
If you have time to spare, you can easily make a detour for a safari in Lake Mburo National Park or Queen Elizabeth National Park.
If you prefer to fly, buy a round trip air ticket from Entebbe to the Bwindi area (at a cost of $350 – $450). This one and a half hour flight in a small aircraft is out of this world! You pass over the islands on Lake Victoria, swampy marshlands, trading centres and the mist covered valleys of south-western Uganda. Seeing the cloud covered peaks of the volcanoes approaching the distance is an unforgettable sight. The transfer from the airstrips of Kisoro or Kihihi is approximately 30 minutes to one hour, depending where you are tracking the gorillas.
If you’re pushed for time, or you don’t fancy a long road drive, a flight to Kigali and a short drive is the easiest option. The drive to Ruhengeri (Virunga) Volcanoes National Park, home of Rwanda’s gorillas, takes just two hours from Rwanda’s capital city Kigali on very good roads. En route you will quickly understand why it is called ‘the Land of 1000 Hills’!
It is also possible to fly to Kigali then drive across the border to see Uganda’s gorillas. Both options take considerably less time than driving from Kampala.
For gorilla trekking stories and Uganda and Rwanda travel advice, click on the hyperlinks in the Ultimate Guide to Mountain Gorilla Tracking. Looking for more info? Check out my Travel Directory or Contact the Muzungu.
Kenya
The Muzungu’s top 10 reasons for visiting #MagicalKenya
The divine Karen Blixen Camp seen from the river. In the Mara North Conservancy, the Maasai work with lodge owners to conserve wildlife
I LOVE Kenya – for a hundred – THOUSAND – reasons – but let’s just start with ten …
- Kenya is the home of the classic African safari and the Big Five
- Kenya is a vast country of contrasting landscapes
- Kenya has 48 national parks, reserves, marine parks and private sanctuaries
- Kenyans are world-class leaders in wildlife conservation. Read Why Kenya’s ivory burning makes sense #worthmorealive
- Kenya has 400 mammal species and 1057 bird species, the most of any country in Africa
- The Great Migration passes through Kenya’s Maasai Mara
- Kenyans are proud of their 42 tribal cultures, who play a big and colourful part in welcoming tourists
- Kenya offers an unmatched range of beach holidays, think: sunbathing, snorkelling, scuba diving, SUP Stand Up Paddling, kitesurfing, sailing
- English is widely spoken throughout Kenya. Swahili is the official language
- The East Africa Tourist Visa makes travel to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda even better value
Famous as the birthplace of the African Safari, you can never tire of Kenya’s limitless attractions for visitors and incredible diversity of landscapes and natural diversity.
Giraffes on the horizon. Photo Riz Jiwa rizjiwa@gmail.com
Kenya’s world-famous wildlife is exceptional by any standards, and is protected in 48 national parks, reserves, marine parks and private sanctuaries, although many say that it is outside Africa’s national parks that the majority of wildlife still resides (meaning those animals need greater protection too).
The ‘Sleeping Warrior’ AKA Lord Delamere’s Nose is a stunning backdrop to views of flamingos from Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp
Have you visited a conservancy? I loved my three days at Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp in the Soysambu Conservancy in Kenya’s Rift Valley.
Read 10 fascinating flamingo facts (I bet you didn’t know). Lake Elmenteita is a birder’s paradise! (And a superb place for horse riding; game drives to see eland, Rothschild’s giraffes and leopard; the lakeshore breakfast among flamingos and pelicans was unforgettable too!)
Hot air ballooning safari: the sun rises over the Maasai Mara, Kenya – the GoPro view! from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.
Kenya offers visitors an infinite array of authentic wildlife experiences, on land, on the ocean, and even from the air!
Great Migration, Maasai Mara, Hot Air Balloon Safaris. Photo Riz Jiwa rizjiwa@gmail.com
Kenya is most famous for the million and a half Wildebeest (and other four-legged friends) that, twice yearly, traverse the Maasai Mara in the epic migration.
Cheetah with three cubs, Maasai Mara safari, Kenya from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.
Lesser-known ecotourism attractions include the Marine Big Five: sea turtles, dolphins, whales, whale sharks and billfish.
Hawksbill Turtles. Photo Turtle Bay Dive Centre Watamu
Did you know you can now experience the Twin Migration – uniquely – in Kenya? Watch the migration in the Mara and watch whales migrate along the coast too! Read all about whale watching trips from Watamu.
The highest point is the snowcapped peak of Mount Kenya, the intersection of the Equator and the Great Rift Valley.
Kenya is a geographer and naturalist’s dream: a country the size of France and Spain combined, featuring mountains, extinct volcanoes, soda lakes, Equatorial rainforest, alpine glaciers and arid deserts.
On the Indian Ocean coast, the white sandy beaches of Watamu, Malindi, Lamu and Mombasa, and the Swahili coast’s blend of African and Arab cultures, add an extra dimension to this must-visit country. Read 17 must-try experiences in Mombasa. 
The snorkeling in Watamu is out of this world. Diary of a Muzungu on the beach at Watamu, Kenya
TripAdvisor Winner 2015: Medina Palms’ clients voted this resort the BEST of all hotels, lodges and establishments across the whole country. A series of infinity pools lead down to the white powder sand beach
With eight swimming pools cascading down to the Indian Ocean, Swahili Beach Resort in Diani is high on my list of places for ‘a proper holiday.’🌴🍹🌊🥥👙⛱️
Read Swahili Beach – confessions of a travel blogger.
The 5 star Swahili Beach Resort in Diani – SWOON! Click on the image above to read my blog and view a gallery of this resort’s amazing architecture and interiors
A technicolor start to our morning’s sightseeing in Mombasa. Shree Cutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple, Haile Selassie Avenue
When it comes to food, I can’t think of any better combination than the Kenyan coast combination of fresh seafood and spices: crab samosas, fresh fish and lobster, with a Swahili twist (washed down with an ice-cold Tusker beer, of course!)
Enjoying a cold Tusker at the Bomas, Nairobi
Kenya is famous for her colourful human culture, notably the Maasai, the Samburu and the Turkana, just three of the country’s 42 tribes.
Kenya’s rich heritage can be traced back a staggering 4.5 million years. Didn’t we all come from Africa once?
Walking to school through Uhuru Gardens, Central Business District, Nairobi. In November, the Jacaranda trees are in full and glorious blossom
I love Nairobi more every visit. The streets are becoming more familiar to me now: I LOVE this incredible video!
Nairobi- A Timelapse Portrait from xixo collective on Vimeo.
The capital Nairobi is the only African city with a national park in its centre. Even if you don’t get a chance to leave the city perimeter, it’s still possible to go on a game drive if you are visiting Nairobi. Read my blog all about Nairobi National Park: the muzungu’s first city safari!
If you’ve seen the incongruous-looking photographs of wildlife in front of a modern urban background, then you may know I’m talking about Nairobi National Park (which is actually IN Kenya’s capital, making it very accessible for weekend or business visitors).
I recently stayed at the 5 star Nairobi Serena Hotel, conveniently situated on a quiet and leafy corner of the Central Business District. The hotel has been totally refurbished and offers a complimentary Architectural, Cultural and Conservation to guests. The creativity is quite mind-blowing! If you’re a fan of African history and culture, the Murumbi Gallery and Heritage House, you must read How to tour Africa from the comfort of your Nairobi hotel.
Admire the fabulous wood carvings in the Bambara Lounge, Nairobi Serena Hotel on the Architectural, Cultural and Conservation Tour
This delicate brass box derives from West Africa. Isn’t it gorgeous? Click on the images to see more artefacts you can see on the Nairobi Serena’s Architectural, Cultural and Conservation Tour
Did you know…? The East Africa Tourist Visa makes it easier and cheaper to combine a trip to Kenya with a visit to Uganda and Rwanda. Read the Muzungu’s definitive guide to the East Africa Tourist Visa here.
I’ve only just skimmed the surface of what Kenya has to offer as a tourism destination but the country has blown my tiny little mind, I can tell you!
View from the Lunatic Express train from Nairobi to Mombasa
If you are travelling between Kampala to Nairobi, you might enjoy reading my cross-border bus journeys.
Travelling between Nairobi and the Mombasa coast? The photo above was taken on the Lunatic Express train – a real highlight of my travels across East Africa. It’s been replaced by the rather less romantic – but infinitely more reliable – Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train. Read my detailed comparison between the bus and the train journey between Nairobi and Mombasa here in Brief encounter – of romance and railways.
Keep reading Diary of a Muzungu for more travel tips and adventures from across Kenya and East Africa.
Bumming around in Nyabugogo bus park
Waiting for the bus to depart: Nyabugogo bus park, Kigali
I can’t believe my luck. My allocated seat – number 11 – happens to be the window seat near the front of the bus. I couldn’t have chosen a better position. (Luckily it’s not so near the front that I can see danger looming! Jaguar Executive Coaches block off the driver’s cabin from the rest of the passengers, which suits me just fine). I always travel between Rwanda and Uganda’s capital cities with Jaguar, as regular blog readers may recall.
Just don’t sit on the back seat – you will feel every hump and bump! On the bus from Kampala to Kigali
From my window seat, I kill time watching a man cleaning and repairing shoes. The shoeshine man has set up his makeshift shop in one of the bright yellow bus shelters. On a blue painted wooden bench sit eight pairs of clean shoes, their wet tongues hanging out to dry.
A man wearing dark green overalls stops at the shoeshine man’s bus shelter to remove one of his baseball boots. (What is the fashion with cutting the huge hole in the backside of your overalls? Is it general wear and tear? Is it for quick access at the local latrine? I don’t mean to stare at the guy’s bum, but… my eyes are drawn to it by the gaping hole!)
The shoeshine man retrieves a pair of blue flip-flops for the customer. The new arrival removes his threadbare “peephole” socks (to match his “peephole” overalls) and wipes the dirt from between his toes. He folds his socks away into a small ball. He puts the ball of socks in his pocket and leaves his boots with the shoeshine man before he walks off in the temporary footwear.
In the meantime, a smart-looking gentleman removes one of his black office shoes. The shoeshine man picks out a pair of black sandals from his canvas sack and hands them to the new customer. The man who arrived wearing black office shoes rolls up the bottom of his trousers, puts on the black flip-flops and disappears into the Nyabugogo bus park crowd.
His customers temporarily gone – replaced by their shoes – the shoeshine man gets to work, scrubbing another pair of black leather shoes. He scrubs them with a green plastic brush, as he bends over a red plastic basin of water. He looks around for something, and pulls an old T-shirt from his white canvas sack. He dries the shoe thoroughly with the T-shirt.
A tall man in a white baseball cap sits on the yellow plastic bench of the bus shelter, grabs a brush and starts to brush his black boots. No money exchanges hands.
Customer number four is given bright pink plastic sandals to wear. They look rather like a lady’s house slippers to me. The man sits gazing into the distance, chewing on a toothpick. Another guy in long green overalls comes to stand under the bus shelter. He looks over at the Muzungu in the bus and flashes me a big grin. I’m trying not to stare – but he has this huge gaping hole in the back of his overalls too – and he’s rather handsome… from the front and from the back too!
A boy selling newspapers stops in front of the bus shelter. He grabs a brush, gives his shoes a quick scuff and moves on through the crowd.
As people come and go, one thing is constant: the shoeshine man works and works, hardly passing the time of day to chat or to look up from his work. The ‘man in pink sandals’ walks off contentedly – transformed into ‘the man in brown polished brogues’.
A young man walks by, with an empty milk churn hanging off one arm. A paper tissue drops out of his pocket onto the ground. A minute later, a woman in a headscarf and red batik wrap approaches, equipped with a traditional broom and a red plastic shopping bag containing a battered old cardboard box and miscellaneous rubbish. She leans down to pick up an empty crisp packet and the tissue. The shoeshine man hands her some of his rubbish. They do not acknowledge each other. I sense the rhythm of a regular routine. It’s a relaxing way to wile away a few minutes before the bus pulls out of Nyabugogo bus park for Kampala.
Carrying a heavy load – these guys are strong! Selling biscuits, sodas and water to the bus driver in Musanze bus park
Read How to eat like a Rwandan (10 snacks I bet you’ve never tried) inspired by traveling through Musanze bus park.
Hard-boiled eggs, roasted ground nuts (and akabanga chilli oil of course!) on sale in Musanze bus park
Those are some nice-looking rolex! A food vendor jumped on the bus to sell us breakfast
If you enjoy the muzungu’s occasional cross-border bus journeys, read:
‘No hurry in Africa’ – bus from Kampala to Kigali
This guy should have been on the stage: the traveling salesman who literally travels as he travels, walking up and down the aisle of the bus from Kampala to Kigali, working the crowd, proffering samples and chucking out sweets to an enrapt audience of hecklers. How I wished I understood Luganda at that moment!
MASH-tastic! The muzungu’s bus tips from Kampala to Nairobi
Julia complained that she hardly slept for the whole journey. She only fell asleep for the most interesting part: passing through a private wildlife reserve, where I spotted zebra and antelope from my window seat. “You snooze, you lose!” As she likes to tell me…
The real ‘boda boda’ – Nagawa travels sidesaddle into Kenya’
We drove from the coach park straight into heavy evening traffic – and the side of a car. After ten minutes of arguing and arm waving, the consensus was that the car was the one-size-fits-all Ugandan term: “stubborn.”
The Kigali Marriott Hotel: American luxury with Rwandese class
The Kigali Marriott Hotel: American luxury with Rwandese class
Driving up to the rather smart Kigali Marriott, you might think this is just another American hotel. However, enter the building and you will be appreciate the local touches to every aspect of the hotel. The Kigali Marriott’s decor displays the very best of Rwanda’s high quality crafts industry. The interiors are thoughtfully done and ooze Rwandese character. This extends to the staff who are smartly dressed in tailored uniforms with a touch of kitenge fabric. Every interaction I had with staff was characterised by friendliness and politeness, in an understated Rwandese fashion. I felt very welcome.
Time was against me on my recent visit so I didn’t have long enough to swim in the pool, have a massage in the Saray Spa or enjoy the huge gym but there’s certainly plenty to do if you’re planning to spend a weekend in Kigali. Actually, why not start your weekend on a Thursday? Thursdays are Ladies Night at Iriba Bar, the trendy cocktail bar on the ground floor. Cocktails and house wine are half price for ladies on Thursdays. There is live music, and free entry to all. The Iriba Bar also has Happy Hour(s) from Monday to Friday from 5.30-7.30 where it’s 2 for 1 on regional bottled beers and house wine.
On Sundays, spend the day by the swimming pool and enjoy a leisurely brunch for 25,000 RWF (with unlimited soft drinks) or 32,000 RWF (add regional beers and house wine) or 38,000 RWF (add Champagne to all of the above!) By the way, it’s great to see that the Marriott Hotel employs a lifeguard.
A note about exchange rates: 25,000 RWF is just under 30 USD. 1,000 RWF is approx 1 USD (Jan 2020).
Breakfast at the Kigali Marriott Hotel
Eleven types of pastry, three types of doughnut, fresh waffles, an ‘omelette station’ offering 20+ ingredients, dried figs and mangoes, yoghurts, fresh fruits galore, bread pudding with chocolate sauce, meringues in four pastel colours, what an incredible breakfast display! I hardly knew where to start! African food – added to the menu by Executive Chef Eduardo Frausto Cornish – included gatogo (or ‘katogo’ in Uganda), kahunga (ugali) and Uganda’s famous rollex (“rolled eggs”) of an omelette served in a chapati. Throughout the hotel, Rwandese-produced coffee is served and promoted, thanks to the Question Coffee community development initiative. Scroll down to see a few of my photos.
The Kigali Marriott’s award-winning chef!
Since my visit to the hotel, I had an opportunity to meet Chef Eduardo, at the annual Silver Chef competition, which this year was held at Birdnest Bunyonyi Resort, Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda. He and his team had travelled from Kigali to support their competition candidate Chef Innocent Rutayisire.
Here the Marriott’s Chef Innocent was awarded second prize in a stiff competition between professional chefs working in the Gorilla Highlands region of Rwanda and southwestern Uganda.
Was this the comfiest bed ever?
My air-conditioned room had all the features you’d expect of a 5 star hotel: fabulously hot shower, deliciously inviting bathtub, in-room safe, ironing board, bathrobes, expensive toiletries, mini handtowels and possibly the comfiest bed I’ve ever slept in. (I was quite relieved that the many power points were of the three-pin variety as the muzungu had forgotten her adapter, as usual!)
Downstairs, the hotel has a state of the art fitness centre (gym), swimming pool, sauna and steam room. The Saray Spa has an extensive range of massages, body wraps, facials, waxing and scrubs. (There are singles and couples massage rooms, showers and lockers – every need is catered for). The Kigali Marriott has a range of flexible membership options, according to whether you are just visiting or are a Kigali resident wanting an occasional swim or regular gym membership.
The area around the pool has a welcoming, informal atmosphere and will soon offer barbeque options at the Sarabi Grill. The new Cucina Restaurant is finally open and serves top-class Italian food.
Perfectly set up – for business, leisure and tourism
The Kigali Marriott is the perfect hotel for visiting diplomats and VIPs, with close proximity to the Swiss and Russian embassies (and situated right next door to the Kigali Serena Hotel). The air-conditioned Executive Lounge (only accessible to guests staying on the Club Floor and above) is a good location for coffee meetings and catching up on some work. Breakfast and lunch can be served here and complimentary hot drinks and snacks are available 24 hours. The Executive Lounge has two private meeting rooms. Security levels are high. Only hotel residents can access the lifts, for example.
The hotel’s numerous boardrooms and function rooms are ideal for conferences, workshops, weddings, parties, cocktails, receptions and more. The Kilimanjaro Ballroom can be partitioned into smaller sections or opened onto the terrace for attractive breakout areas. It really is a splendid set-up.
Opened in October 2016, the Kigali Marriott is one hotel where I could gladly return and spend more time, but my next adventure beckoned. Next stop: Kinigi, home to Rwanda’s mountain gorillas!
DISCLOSURE: This blog is based on my personal experience. Thank you to the Kigali Marriott for hosting me. For more information on sponsored posts, please read the Muzungu’s Terms and Conditions.
Have you visited the Kigali Marriott? As you can see, even one night’s bed and breakfast is a real treat!
10 little-known things to do in Arua, West Nile
Here’s the muzungu’s guide on how to travel to Arua, 10 things to do in Arua and West Nile, all about Arua town, what to buy in Arua market – and the best times of year to travel.
The Muzungu writes: I first visited Arua in 2016. That trip to the far north west of Uganda would not have been possible without the guidance of Gerard Iga. He is the ‘go to’ guide for Arua and West Nile. In 2022, I revisited. The town has seen a number of changes, in particular: new roads and a huge new shopping centre in the middle of the town. I haven’t updated all the restaurant and hotel recommendations in this blog post yet but, as ever, if you have a question just send me a message.
Special thanks to my friend Harriet Fowler who gave me a return Eagle Air ticket to Arua!
Flight to Arua from Entebbe with Eagle Air
The Victoria Nile flows down from Lake Victoria through Lake Kyoga via Karuma Falls and thundering down over the famous Murchison Falls. Heading north, the water becomes known as the Albert Nile, and flows from Lake Albert on through South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt.
If you like aerial photos, check out the Air Photo Archive of Settlement and Agriculture, Rural Uganda 1963, created by Walter Deshler, University of Maryland.
The land below remains surprisingly green as we headed north. Superficially at least, not much seems to have changed west of Pakwach in 50 years!
I could see no brick constructions and no tarmac roads, just dirt roads as far as the eye could see and the very occasional tin roof. Not a vehicle in sight. I could make out the occasional person on a bicycle on the red dust roads.
Borassus Palms are one of the distinguishing trees of the north bank of the Nile, their seeds carried from Sudan in the stomachs of wandering elephants, and later expelled to transform the environment.
Eagle Air flight to Arua. Landing from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.
We had a very easy landing at Arua Airstrip. Watch the short clip to the end – how delightful to see the schoolchildren watching the plane land! Pretty as a picture.
About Arua – a great town!
Arua: think ‘Fort Portal without the hills’. We’re talking calm, clean and organised, with a touch of retro, thanks to the colonial architecture.
I travelled with friends from Kampala and Nairobi. We were all impressed by Arua. Many friends had not visited for a decade or more and noticed huge changes in the town.
Arua is a cosmopolitan town, heavily influenced by its proximity to DRC and South Sudan. Apparently the Congolese of eastern DRC do more trade with Kampala than they do with Kinshasa, their own capital.
There are many forex shops in town. Arua also benefits from the many NGO offices, including Red Cross, Welt Hunger and others, here for humanitarian work in South Sudan.
Cars are few in Arua. You have to feel sorry for the abused vehicles: overloaded trucks carry 30 men at a time.
Gerard and Charlotte take a boda boda motorbike ride through Arua town, West Nile, Uganda from @CharlieBeau Diary of a Muzungu on Vimeo.
While the road tarmac is in good condition, you can see the poverty as you drive north, up to the South Sudan border. The road is lined with thatched huts. Mabati tin roofs are few and far between (showing how little money there is in the area).
Arua town has colonial buildings such as the Post Office style that is common to Kampala, Fort Portal and elsewhere. There is a Public Library too.
The small town has a population of 62,000, with 785,000 in the District. Apparently the late emeritus Bishop of West Nile developed many projects for the local community during his 30 years in office.
“And we should remember they produced a president!” My friend Daniel added, when we were trying to work out why Arua is such a thriving town.
West Nile has historically been isolated, both physically and politically, from the rest of Uganda. There is only one road bridge that crosses Nile (at Pakwach) to connect the region with the rest of the country although there are lesser used ferry crossings.
Former President Idi Amin was born in West Nile (his mother was from Arua and his father was from Koboko). During Amin’s reign, local people are said to have benefited but post-Amin, they were punished politically and economically.
To read more about the history of West Nile, read Dark past to glimmering future; the West Nile you never knew! One day, with an investment in facilities and itineraries, I can imagine tourists visiting the region just to learn more about this period of Uganda’s history.
10 little-known things to do in Arua
1. Take a walk to the top of Arua Hill for a panoramic view of the town
2. Eat local food
Market Lane in Arua has a good number of restaurants serving goat’s meat, beef, chicken, smoked dried fish with g’nut [groundnut/peanut] sauce.
“What food will you take with it?” In Uganda, ‘food’ is specifically the starchy stuff like rice, kalo, matooke, sweet potato and chapatis. Side dishes [no jokes please] include tasty osubi, finely chopped greens, prepared with gnut sauce and rock salt.
The Still Baghdad Restaurant in Arua does a good beef pilau rice – with enough chunks of beef to satisfy a Kenyan!
3. Enjoy the live Congolese music at Club Matonge
The Congo is just a short drive from Arua, meaning the town is a great place to hear Congolose musicians perform. Club Matonge is a ‘free to enter’ outdoor bar. (The bar doesn’t serve spirits, just beer and wine from a box). We spent a couple of hours here. When the band realised we had Kenyans in our crowd, the singers launched into some classic Swahili songs. Our friends from Nairobi reminisced!
4. Go clubbing at Vino Lounge
Vino is the place to hang out, particularly on Friday nights. It gets packed! Club entrance is free.
Everyone had told us we had to check this place out. It’s a late night / all night club, with several bars. Head for Galaxy, the VIP section, on the 2nd floor to get away from (some of) the crowds. These guys can DRINK! OMG. We’re talking neat spirits.
5. Eat at Café Cosmo, Arua’s best café and restaurant
Open 11 to 11 every day, Café Cosmo is very affordable, has good service and a great menu of international, Indian and local African food. This popular restaurant is frequented by Indians, UGs, expats, everyone. [2022, the pandemic plus construction of the new mall have changed things].
Sham the chef’s ‘Cosmo Bites’ include the freshest beef samosas ever. Indian dishes include tandoori and a scrumptious chicken tikka. ‘Afro favourites’ include goat stew and chicken pilao. Fridays and Saturdays, Cosmo make pizzas including a tikka paneer one! I’ll try that on my next trip 🙂
The very friendly Martin recommends C.F.C. the ‘Cosmo Fried Chicken’ [geddit?] Café Cosmo is opposite the URA building on Pakwach Road.
6. Oasis 247 bar and restaurant is open every day
Karaoke nights, quiz nights and pool competitions make this a popular hang-out. Oasis is a good bar for beer promotions and music videos.
7. Walk round the back streets of Arua to see the Hindu Temple
The striking red wall enclosing Arua’s Hindu temple. The ladies here are selling sweet potato seedlings
8. Visit Arua’s markets. The muzungu’s shopping suggestions
- Kitenge material from the Congo
- Termite mushrooms – click here for A Kitchen in Uganda’s Curry Termite Mushroom Soup recipe!
- Groundnuts in their shells
- Shea butter (locally farmed)
- Sim sim sesame seeds
- Sugarcane
- Jackfruit (peeled into bitesize pieces)
- Pineapple (chopped into long chunks)
- Dried enswa white ants – don’t forget to ask for the recipe!
- Salt-dried Angara fish
- Wooden mortar and pestle
- … and bucket after bucket of dried beans of different colours
9. Visit Miriadua Falls along the Arua – Koboko road
Gerard Iga writes: “I have a personal attachment to this one since it was my very own uncle that named the falls after himself. He was the county chief of Maracha in colonial times. When he went to visit this place, he asked the locals what the falls were called and they said “Iyi Kuru” which literally means “rough flowing waters”. Since all over Lugbara land, such falls are called iyi kuru, he decided to name them after himself and that is the name by which the place is known everywhere else except the locality. There, people still call it iyi kuru.”
Miriadua Falls are a 20 minute journey outside Arua Town.
10. Enter inside Uganda’s smallest church! Near Goli, Nebbi
Imagine … a church that “can only accommodate three people, including the preacher.” What a great place to get married (and keep down the cost of your wedding!)
I’d heard rumours that this is “the smallest church in the world” but I can’t seem to verify it – it certainly is petite though, according to my travel writer friend Solomon Oleny. The muzungu failed to reach… the church on Biku Hill is near Nebbi, a good hour’s travel from Arua.
How to get to Arua, West Nile
Fly to Arua
Currently, Eagle Air is the only operator to fly scheduled flights to Arua. They fly 3 times a week between Entebbe and Arua.
They are efficient in person e.g. at Kampala office in Portal Avenue. Tel +256 (0)414 344292 / +256 (0)772 777338/7 and +256 (0)752 793860.
The new airstrip should be a real boon for trade with the DRC. Will commercial flights open up West Nile to tourism too? I heard rumours of Kenya Airways and RwandAir… let’s see!
Take the bus to Arua
A number of bus companies supply Arua with daily services. Generally, the standard daytime bus costs 30k UGX and the executive (overnight) bus costs 50k. They all depart from Arua Park, downtown Kampala. Contacts in Arua recommend the executive Gaaga bus which runs overnight and has reclining seats. KKT are ‘more reliable than Gaaga’ according to another source. California bus company started up last year. Nile Coach is an old school provider that ‘overpacks vehicles.’ [2022 there are new bus providers].
If your bus (or car) stops at Kafu, en route to Arua, think twice before you eat the roasted ‘muchomo’ meat!
How to get around Arua town
Bodas in Arua are cheap and everywhere. If you don’t have the right money, you won’t have to argue to get your change. Refreshing. (I am constantly overcharged in Kampala!)
Arua is a very pleasant town to walk around. Main roads have good wide pavements (and the boda drivers do not seem to drive on them either!)
In 2016, the 4km taxi journey from the airport cost me 10,000 ugx. By boda, it cost me just 2,000 UGX.
When to visit Arua
Arua is at an altitude of 1,200 metres meaning nights can be cooler than in most places in Uganda.
Generally expect:
April to June – lighter rains; August – cold, day and night; August to October – heavier rains;
December to Feb / March – cold mornings, very hot in the day, warm at night.
A few words of Lugbara, one of the local languages
Mi efu ngoni – good morning [mifun-GO-ney]
Mi ngoni – how are you? [min-GO-ney]
Awadifo – thanks [awad-if-O]
I love exploring new parts of Uganda and learning a few words of local language. But in West Nile, as soon as I got the hang of greeting somebody in Lugbara, I was told that we were in a different district where a whole range of other languages and dialects are spoken!
Awadifo!
I was drawn to the northern region of West Nile and Arua town by the lure of a tourism ‘familiarisation’ trip. I really had a great time.
Thanks to Kampala House Harriers (KH3) for finally getting me to Arua – an invitation I most definitely could not ignore! My Arua trip included three days of fun supplied by KH3. Read that story here “Nagawa – you cowardised!” A detour via the Congo.
A big thank you to Dolorence Were of USDC Uganda Society for Disabled Children for letting me transfer the Eagle Air ticket (that my friend won in the USDC fundraiser raffle) into my name.
Have you visited Arua? When was the last time you visited ? What are your favourite things to do in Arua?
Kenya’s dazzling marine life: where to snorkel in Watamu
The Indian Ocean beckons…
Seventh Heaven isn’t up in the sky, it’s here in the warm Indian Ocean waters of Watamu, Kenya, an hour and a half drive’s north of Mombasa. This is the Muzungu’s guide on where to snorkel in Watamu. If you think Kenya’s wildlife is just about the Big Five, then think again. Even now, conservationists are still exploring and discovering new species in Kenya’s ocean, of dolphins and whales, and the tiniest prettiest little creatures: nudibranchs. Read on, Kenya’s marine life will amaze you…
What a treat! Today I’m being taken on a snorkeling safari by a zoologist and a marine biologist.
At Hemingway’s Watamu I’m taken aback when a handsome (virtually) naked man jumps out of his car to greet me and Steve from the Watamu Marine Association. What a welcome! (I try not to stare). Our zoologist and professional snorkeling guide Richard is simply dressed in swimming shorts, ready for the beach. Life in Kampala has made me a total townie.
The weather is intensely hot. We have arrived during a heatwave, sweating all the way from Nairobi to Mombasa on the legendary Lunatic Express train.
The swim out to the main snorkeling area of The Larder is not quick! I am following two seasoned marine experts, read ‘strong swimmers,’ who are effortlessly doing front crawl for 100 metres. I am honoured but humbled too. (Will I keep up with them? I ask myself as they plough ahead of me).
The Larder gets its name from ‘the old days’ when the plentiful fish attracted spear fishing for food. Spear fishing is no longer allowed. Watamu Marine Park and Reserve is a nationally protected area; now the only things we take are memories and photos.
The three of us are never more than 20 metres apart. I’m incredibly lucky to have these two experts guide me around the reef and point out the new fish. (It is also quite fun to spot new fish on my own!)
I find myself in an open sandy area of the ocean, fringed by long dark seagrass. There is little else to see until … a sudden, large movement along the sandy edge of the sea grass: A SHARK! It’s a small one, around a metre long. No sooner have I spotted it, than it wiggles off into the distance. Richard and Steve later confirm that I have seen a Black-tipped Reef Shark.
According to the Coral Reef Fishes book, the Black-tipped Reef Shark “lives on reef flats and margins. They can measure up to 180 cm long. It is easily frightened but known to mistakenly bite waders’ feet.” Oo er….
Above the water, Richard shouts “Let’s look here. Sometimes we see turtles here.”
When Steve and Jane first arrived in Watamu, they worked for Watamu Turtle Watch. I haven’t seen any turtles yet on this trip. No worries there, I know I will revisit Watamu!
We see a number of rays, disc-shaped flat fish, half submerged in the sand. As we approach, their panic throws up a flurry of sand and they speed off into the distance. When we see them from the surface of the water, they appear pale brown. When I dive down for a closer look, I see why they are called Blue-spotted Ribbontail Ray.
Steve points to a Batfish, an elegant tall fish, shaped like a human hand. Something about its demeanour makes it look very serious.
We see Porcupine fish, Whitespotted puffer and Trevallys. You don’t need to know the names of every fish you see though. Just watching these gorgeous creatures, and enjoying the play of colour, movement and light is fascinating. It’s a kind of meditation.
It’s the tiny wrasses and nudibranchs that are the most colourful. The splendid vibrant little wrasse fish weave between the larger fish, and in and out of small crevices and rocks. The sunlit water comes to life with their colour and movement. Many of these fish appear familiar to me. They are the kind that were once popular in British doctors’ waiting rooms! (Imagine the glum life that awaits the poor fish that is plucked out of the tropical ocean and exported to a sanitized life in an aquarium. Many don’t even last the journey from sea to aquariam).
The stunningly beautiful – and tiny – Nudibranch are in a world part! Photos thanks to Turtle Bay Dive Centre, Watamu.
We pause at the surface of the water for a moment and Richard removes his breathing tube to explain that The Larder is known as a cleaning station. “Fish come from miles around to this particular section of the reef. Here the Cleaner Wrasse remove (and eat) the parasites from larger fish.”
The three of us pause at the overhang of some coral rock. Richard dives down and points. I realise he must be pointing at something new but I can’t see it. He tells me he can just spot the fish’s dorsal fin sticking out of the seaweed. (All I can see is something that looks a bit like a dog-eaten credit card!) It is a pale olive green with vibrant white edging, sitting perfectly still.
I dive down for a closer look. It takes me several attempts before I realise that the ‘dog-eaten credit card’ is actually ‘the spot of the day’! Richard seems quite excited when we talk about it later. It turns out that it is a Leaf Scorpionfish (Triacanthus taeniatus).
Watamu Marine Park and Reserve once had a dazzling array of colourful corals. The fish are evidence of that. You can still see a wide variety of coral shapes and structures but, for the most part, their colour has faded. I glimpse small patches of pink, orange and yellow. It was the El Niño of 1997-98 that devastated the majority of the corals here. In places you can even see the scorch marks of bleaching made by the abnormally high ocean surface temperatures.
Will the coral ever recover?
For the last three years, conservation organisations A Rocha Kenya and Kenya Wildlife Service have been carrying out research into the health of the coral. They have seen good recovery of the coral in a number of areas in Watamu Marine National Park. However, the coral will take decades to recover to its former splendour. There is hope for the future but climate change is always a looming threat.
Back on our snorkeling safari… we swim back to land after what is (unbelievably) one and a half hours snorkeling. I’ve been so caught up in the whole experience, I’ve completely lost the concept of time. Only my shriveled ‘prune-like’ fingertips are the tell-tale sign of my being in the sea for a long time.
In the shallows, approaching the beach, I see a long thin stretch of colour in a small sandy crevice. Is it a fish or is it a bit of plastic? As I watch, it turns in a circle, dives in the hole and pokes its head out of the front. It waves its tiny teeth menacingly at me in a characteristic Moray Eel fashion. It has a pale body, with pale brown / pink freckles on it and tiny yellow freckles on its face. Is it a Ribbon Eel? Was it a Sharptail Eel?
Watamu’s beach is a wonder in itself. It is whiter than white. The sand is softer than talcum powder. During the day it is burning hot under your feet too!
Keeping the beach clean requires teamwork. The Watamu Marine Association has devised a comprehensive beach clean-up and recycling programme which is a win-win for the whole community.
Local people are employed to keep the beach clean. The plastic rubbish is recycled at the award-winning recycling centre. From there, some fabulously innovative recycled plastic products are made for tourists to buy in local lodges and hotels. (Needless to say, anyone who visits the beach is asked to take their rubbish home with them as well!)
Top tips for snorkelling and scuba diving in Watamu
The best time of day for snorkeling: figure out the tides first. The best time to snorkel is when the tide is halfway out.
When the tide is out, there may not be enough water to snorkel. When the tide is in, you will be too far above the reef to see the fish beneath them. As the tide comes in, the water can be cloudy as it’s full of sand.
Think about how far you have to walk or swim before you reach the most interesting part of the reef. Do you have to get a boat there?
The fee to snorkel or scuba dive in Watamu Marine Park and Reserve is 150 KES (Kenyans); 350 KES (all other East Africans citizens); $20/15 (non-residents / tourists adult and child). This fee is payable daily to the Kenya Wildlife Service.
Buy or borrow a copy of Myers and Lieske’s “Coral Reef Fishes Princeton Pocket Guide.” I need to relearn the body parts of a fish (it will make it easier to explain to your guide what you have seen and what you are asking for help in identifying).
- Don’t forget to apply high factor sunscreen. It’s a good idea to wear a T-shirt and even a scarf to protect the back of your neck (or your bald head, Steve!) You can easily lose track of time and not feel the hot sun – until you’re writhing in pain from sunburn a few hours later!
- Do not touch the coral, ever. Simply touching it can damage it. Coral takes many years to grow. If you’re a snorkeling novice, don’t wear fins.
- Go snorkeling and scuba diving with a knowledgeable local guide.
- I didn’t see dolphins but I did on a previous trip with the Watamu Marine Association!
Special thanks to Esther Steiger for the beautiful fish photos.
- Good practice guidelines for snorkeling, courtesy of Watamu Marine Association
- Your safety and protection of the marine environment should be your number one consideration. Keep your head in the water and feet at the surface at all times when you are in the coral areas.
- Fins can be very destructive to the coral. Snorkel without fins unless the water is deep and you are covering a large distance.
- Don’t step on the coral. This will kill it. Stepping on coral can also lead to nasty cuts. Bacteria and algae living in the coral can easily enter wounds.
- Do not touch, damage or remove coral. It is a fragile living organism, which takes many years to form. The coral is also host to many rare and endangered vertebrate and invertebrate species.
- Never touch, chase or harass the wildlife or marine life.
- It is illegal to remove shells, starfish or any other sea-flora and fauna, as it disrupts the ecosystem. Empty shells provide homes for hermit crabs and some fishes. Leave them in the ocean.
- Hand feeding of fish is discouraged. Certain species are dangerous; it also disrupts natural feeding patterns.
This is the Muzungu’s first sub-aqua blog. On land, I carry a pen and notebook – the ubiquitous ‘diary,’ my voice recorder, camera, binoculars and guidebooks … Underwater, there is no equipment, it’s just me. I try hard to remember everything I’m seeing. I want to take in the different shapes and colours, the sizes of the silver fish, the numbers of yellow fish. It is also liberating too. I am just there to enjoy the moment in all its vibrancy.
Being among the reef fish brings back many happy family memories. I can never be in the sea without thinking of my sister and the hours, days and weeks we have shared as kids, face down in the water, looking, pointing and diving down for a closer look.
Underwater, even only half submerged, we mostly lose the sense of sound. It’s a pleasure to disconnect from the world and immerse myself in an alternative one. I realize what a leveler this is for my deaf sister. While snorkeling or diving, we experience the same world.
I think how one day we must come snorkelling and scuba-diving here together in Watamu…
Have you been snorkeling in Watamu? Scuba diving, Stand Up Paddling, dolphin watching, whale watching, bird watching, sunset cruises on a dhow on Mida Creek, kitesurfing and sundowners at the Crab Shack are just some of the fab range of activities on offer!
Watch this short clip “Watamu Kenya Naturally, A Community Welcomes You”and imagine yourself in Watamu…
Mida Creek sunset, Watamu. A birding cruise in a dugout canoe on Mida Creek is highly recommended. If you’re lucky you may spot a flamingo!
The Crab Shack at Dabaso Mida Creek is a ten-minute drive from Watamu’s hotels and resorts – and a must-visit evening out! This enchanting and low-key local restaurant is set in the futuristic-looking environment of a mangrove swamp. A walk along the boardwalk reveals the large wooden crates in which small young crabs are fattened up for the best crab samosas you’ll ever taste! The menu is very simple – and all the better for it.
A sundowner – with the obligatory Tusker – should be served cold with some hot fried coconut, grilled octopus and oysters. All proceeds from the Crab Shack go to the community.
Read more about the Watamu Marine Association and keep up-to-date with new marine activities, and updates on the migration of dolphins and whales. Follow the Watamu Marine Association on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
