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By African standards, Uganda is a postage stamp-size country, at the heart of the
continent, sandwiched between Kenya, Rwanda, Congo, Sudan and Tanzania. It is roughly the
size of Great Britain or the State of Oregon in the USA. Uganda's most alluring features
are its forests, lakes and mountains. Most of the country is 1,000 m above sea level and
there are three mountainous areas - the Rwenzoris, Mount Elgon and the Virunga volcanoes.
Wildlife has steadily increased and many species of game can be seen. Game viewing is free
of the mass tourism in some countries. Primates, especially the mountain gorilla and
chimpanzees, are a special attraction together with over a thousand species of birds.
Most of Uganda is well-watered and fertile. Although it lies on the Equator, the climate
is tempered by its altitude. The Nile starts its long journey to the Mediterranean from
Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa, and traverses Murchison Falls National Park.
The population is about nineteen million, largely Christian, but with sizeable
Muslim and Animist communities.
The central area is largely Bantu-speaking with the Baganda as the largest group. The
Northern tribes are Nilotic in origin; the north is also the home of the nomadic Karamajong
and the remote mountain tribe - the Ik. There are pygmy communities (the Batwa) in some
forest areas. More than 30 languages are spoken - with English, Luganda and
Swahili being the most widely used.
Lord Lugard established a British East African Company base in 1890 in Kampala and shortly
afterwards Uganda became a British Protectorate, centred around four old African Kingdoms.
The Uganda Railway linking the interior to the coast reached Kisumu (in Kenya) on Lake
Victoria in 1901 and Kampala in 1915. The system of indirect rule gave Uganda greater
autonomy than elsewhere in British-ruled Africa. At independence in 1962, Uganda was a
prosperous and peaceful country. It went through a turbulent period after Amin seized
control in 1971 and expelled the Asians. In 1986 the National Resistance Movement, lead by
Yoweri Museveni, took control of the country. Today, the country is progressive, peaceful
and inviting. The old kingdoms, abolished in the 1960s, were restored in 1993 and the
monarchs have now re-emerged as symbols of traditional society. The 36th Kabaka of the
Baganda, Ronald Mutebi, was crowned in 1993 and married in 1999, to great public rejoicing.
MAIN ATTRACTIONS.
Chimpanzees One of man’s closest relations, are found in a number of forests in
Uganda – especially Kyambura and Kibale in the west and Budongo and Kanyiyo Pabidi near
Murchison Falls; they are also found in the huge afro-montane forest of Nyungwe in Rwanda.
Bwindi is one of the few forests where gorillas and chimps co-exist but are rarely seen as
they live lower down when both species are present. The Ugandan and Rwandan variety
(Pan Troglodytes Schweinfurthi) is long-haired and lives in those forests where there is a
rich, all year round food supply.
Gorillas in the Virungas - Mgahinga and PNV The Virunga Conservation Area, around the
upper slopes of the dramatic Virunga volcanoes, comprises three contiguous national parks
- Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Parc National des Volcans (PNV) in Rwanda, and Parc des
Virungas, commonly called Djomba, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. About 350 mountain
gorillas make their home in these afro-montane forests. On the Ugandan side there is one
gorilla family that is habituated. You can climb a volcano, go birding, visit the emerald
waters of Lake Mutanda or just take in one of the most breathtaking landscapes of Africa.
Volcanoes Mount Gahinga Rest Camp is located just outside Mgahinga. In Parc National des
Volcans on the Rwandan side, where Dian Fossey worked,
there are four habituated gorilla families.
Sources of the Nile Much of the nineteenth century was dominated by the search for
the Source of the River Nile. Many of the great explorers of the age – Baker, Burton,
Grant, Livingstone, Stanley, Speke – traversed the continent to understand the connection
between the different rivers and lakes in Africa’s central highlands. In 1862, Speke
deduced that the river on the north shore of Lake Victoria was the White Nile on its
way to Egypt. In reality the Source includes a number of lakes and rivers in Uganda and Rwanda
as well as the Virungas and Rwenzoris.
Volcanic lakes - Kivu, Bulera, Ruhondo, Bunyonyi and Mutanda These five volcanic lakes
on the borders of Rwanda and Uganda have their own special attractions. Lake Kivu, on the
Rwanda/Congo border, the largest, is like a giant inland sea with some interesting lakeside
towns. Kibuye, two hours from Kigali, is a relaxing retreat for swimming, canoeing and
water-skiing. Gisenyi, a famous resort in the past, now has a sleepy forgotten air with some
fine but neglected buildings from the Belgian era. The twin lakes of Bulera and Ruhondo are
attractive places to visit after gorilla tracking in PNV in Rwanda. The emerald green Mutanda,
in Uganda, with its distinctive hump-back islands, seen in the distance from Mgahinga,
has a pristine beauty. Toyo Island, Volcanoes’ private island in the lake, wild and
unspoilt, is reached by dug-out canoe. The finger-like Bunyonyi literally "a place of
little birds”, lies among steeply terraced hillsides near the hill town of Kabale; it is
an ideal stopping point on the way to Bwindi and Mgahinga.
Budongo and Kanyiyo Pabidi, near Murchison Falls, contain one of the most extensive
mahogany forests in East Africa, and the region’s largest chimpanzee population - about
900 animals. Chimp tracking is available either at Busingiro, in the south of Budongo, or at
Kanyiyo Pabidi on the road to Murchison. The birdlife in the forest is prolific - about 330
species. The strange Bunyoro rabbit can also sometimes be seen at night. There is a church
nearby which was built by Polish refugees in the war. Kabalega, the powerful king of Bunyoro
at the turn of the 19th century, is buried at the Mparo Tombs near Hoima.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, in south-western Uganda, has about 300 mountain
gorillas and two families are habituated; it is also rich in other primates, some unusual
bird species and butterflies. Volcanoes Bwindi Camp overlooks the forest.
Entebbe and Ngamba Chimp Island Entebbe Airport, probably the friendliest in Africa, is
some 40 km south of Kampala on the shores of Lake Victoria. Entebbe became a colonial centre in
the 19th century, and was the capital until 1962. With its botanical gardens and colonial
buildings, it is a charming sleepy place. Activities here include golf, tennis, sailing and
swimming as well visiting the Entebbe Wildlife Centre. From Entebbe there are regular trips
to Chimp Island. The sanctuary, on a beautiful forested island, is home to chimpanzees
illegally removed from the wild and confiscated by the authorities; a raised platform
enables close viewing and makes feeding time an exciting activity to watch. The tour lasts
about half a day, travelling either by a modified traditional Ssese canoe or a faster
motor boat. An overnight stay, at a simple mobile camp, can be arranged. The entrance fees paid
goes towards looking after the chimpanzees.
Kibale Forest has thirteen species of primates
- among the highest number recorded in an African
forest - including the chimpanzee, the vervet
monkey and the red colobus. Tracking the noisy
chimpanzee families racing through this verdant
forest is a thrilling experience. Together with
Bigodi Wetland nearby, many forest and swamp birds
can be seen.
Kampala, the capital of Uganda, is spread
over a number of green hills and takes its name
from Kasozi k'impala, "the hill of antelopes".
The city grew around the court of the Kabaka of
Buganda with British officials and Indian merchants
settling on adjoining hills. It is a charming
green city, with its many gardens and attractive
views of the surrounding countryside and Lake
Victoria. There is a wide range of hotels and
restaurants. The Kasubi Tombs - the traditional
royal tombs of the Kabakas of Buganda - are a
fine example of Ganda architecture. Do not miss
the colourful Nakasero fruit and vegetable market,
the general goods market and the crafts market.
There are a number of interesting buildings in
the city, including the buildings that housed
the colonial administration and the houses of
the Indian merchants, the Parliament, the museum
and buildings of different religious faiths and
the Namugongo Martyrs' Shrine. Barkcloth, basketware,
pottery, gourds, kikoi cloth, carving, traditional
weapons and musical instruments are some of the
souvenirs available for purchase.
Murchison Falls The meandering River Nile
and the dramatic Murchison Falls make this National
Park, the biggest in Uganda, a stunning habitat
for wildlife. Crocodiles, hippos, elephants and
birds including the rare shoebill stork, bask
on the banks of the Nile. Chimpanzees can be tracked
in Budongo and Kanyiyo Pabidi nearby.
Nakayima Tree on Mubende Hill, a four hundred
year old tree, near the Kampala-Fort Portal road,
is thought to contain the spirit of Ndahura, a
medieval Bachwezi king. The Munsa Earthworks,
the remains of an elaborate fortification and
Ntusi, a large settlement from the 15th century
are other Bachwezi sites deeper in the interior.
Queen Elizabeth National Park (QE), in
the western arm of the Great East African Rift
Valley, is centred around Lake Edward and Lake
George. The launch trip along the Kazinga Channel
is especially good for viewing hippo, buffalo,
elephant and a vast array of birds. Around Ishasha
go on the hunt for the famous tree-climbing lions
which lounge nonchalantly on old fig trees. The
beautiful steeply forested Kyambura Gorge nearby,
is home not only to chimpanzees but also the red-tailed
monkey, black and white colobus and many bird
species.
Rock Paintings There are two sets of rock
paintings in Eastern Uganda. The Nyero rock paintings,
near Kumi, among the most important in East Africa,
are thought to be about 400 years old and are
found in three shelters situated close together.
The Kakoro rock paintings, near Mbale, are located
on a koppie and, although less spectacular, are
easier to reach. There is also an unusual rock
gong near the paintings. Near Tororo there is
an imprint of a man’s foot thought to be
several hundred years old.
Rwenzoris - the Mountains of the Moon -
as named by the Hellenic astronomer Ptolemy have
a legendary beauty. The range has six peaks, capped
with ice and snow and has three glaciers. The
highest peak, Margherita, rises to 5109m, the
third highest in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro
and Mount Kenya. The luxuriant flora and bird
life are unique. A hike through the central Rwenzoris
takes about five days; the peaks are accessible
only to experienced climbers. The best time to
visit is from June to August, and December to
February.
Sipi Falls and Mount Elgon Volcanoes Sipi
Falls Rest Camp, in the foothills of Mount Elgon
in eastern Uganda, overlooks Uganda’s most
romantic and beautiful waterfall. It is the perfect
place to relax and go for rambles, explore the
many falls and caves. Excursions to climb Mount
Elgon, visit the rock paintings or go rafting
on the Nile can be added.
For further information of our safaris please click here |
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