Dhanya Damodaran

Dec 15, 20193 min read

Unwind In Uganda

Updated: Feb 12, 2020

Visited In December 2017

Karibu na Uganda!!

The Pearl of Africa - Uganda is a very good destination in Africa which offers not only safari, but also lakes, rivers, falls, forests, hikes, equator and a lot more

Our trip to Uganda was very special as we had our friend and son who joined us, to make the trip even more memorable.

Our 4 days trip to Uganda was to cover

1) Lake Victoria

2) Jinja and River Nile

3) Tropical Fruit and Vegetable Markets

4) Murchison Falls National Park

5) Wildlife Safari

6) Equator

Most of the African trips are in consultation with local travel agencies, so was our Uganda trip. We had a safari van for the entire duration of the trip with a friendly English speaking driver.

Lake Victoria is one of the Great Lakes in Africa, the second largest fresh water lake in the world, vastly spread across Kenya. Tanzania and Uganda. We strolled on its banks for sometime and headed towards our hotel in Jinja. On the way there are plenty of tropical fruits and vegetable markets, dusty African villages and small towns. The next morning, we visited Jinja, the Source of River Nile. It was very pleasant surprise to see the statue of our Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, the icon of peace and non-violence at the entrance to Jinja. We hired a boat and the ride in the early hours over the waters of River Nile was particularly refreshing with tropical wildlife all around us. The boat stopped at a small island in the spot which was supposed to be the source of River Nile can be seen.

The next destination was Murchison Falls National Park. The drive to the park was indeed long covering a lot of distance over the markets, towns followed by tropical forests and then grasslands. Well, while you pass through the markets, don't forget to buy some juicy pineapples and melons, you'll never regret your decision...they are super yummy...You get a nice local feel in the markets and definitely fresh fruits.

As we drive closer to the Murchison Falls National Park, we got to see a lot of birds, especially the horn-bills. It was interesting to see how the dense tropical forests unwind to Savannah grasslands and the geography totally changes and we are ready for the falls and then the game drive. We need a ferry to cross the river to reach the National Park, and then,so soon you get to encounter the wilderness of the park. We were welcomed by a few giant African Jumbos :)

The evening game drive was particularly interesting with the sunset and the view of animals. We checked in to our hotel and had a good night sleep and all set for the early morning game drive. The River Nile view in the backdrop added to the beauty of the place and is indeed unforgettable.

After the game drive, we took our boat to get the views of the majestic Murchison Falls from the Nile,followed by a hike unto the top of the falls. The rainbow formation from the splashing waters of the falls and the view of the Nile from the top were indeed breathtaking and fantastic memories.

After a peaceful stay, we headed towards the last leg of our trip - The Equator. Equator passed through Uganda and you have the golden opportunity here to keep your both legs in the 2 different hemispheres of Earth. You could buy the Equator crossing certificate as a souvenir from here. Also, don't forget to seek for a ride on the local scooter taxi - Boda Boda