Travel journals · Uganda

Preamble: Africa was calling to me, so a year ago, with our usual travel companions, we decided to return to the continent we love so much. Where to go? Uganda quickly caught our attention—wildlife we’re used to seeing, plus gorillas and the shoebill we missed in Zambia. We got in touch with Paul, who’s been mentioned several times on the forum back in September, booked our flight tickets, secured the gorilla permits, and by early October, the most important things were done. We still had plenty of time to hold our "prep meetings" for the final itinerary.

Three days before departure, I sprained my ankle (my weak spot, as you’ll recall from our Colombia trip). I wasn’t in great spirits, but after a year of waiting, nothing was going to stop me. We’d see how it goes! Off we went for our new adventures

Since I used this forum a lot to prepare our trip, here’s a little feedback from our 15-day self-drive adventure in southwestern Uganda. For those who have questions, don’t hesitate! I’ll do my best to answer them 😉

We’d already traveled quite a bit in South Africa and once in Namibia, always self-driving. When the idea of visiting Uganda came up, we debated—especially me 😛—whether to go solo or with a guide. My husband quickly convinced me to do it self-drive, so I started planning and organizing the trip accordingly. We began preparations and bookings in June 2019 for a trip scheduled during the first two weeks of February 2020. We deliberately chose to explore just a small part of Uganda and take our time. We traveled as a group of four, with our oldest son and his partner.

Here’s our itinerary: - February 1: Departure from Brussels, arrival and overnight in Entebbe - February 2: Drive to Lake Mburo and overnight there - February 3: Drive to Lake Bunyonyi and overnight there - February 4: Boat ride on the lake, then departure for Kisoro. Overnight there - February 5: Trek in Mount Mgahinga National Park for the youngsters. Overnight in Kisoro - February 6: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Overnight in Rushaga - February 7: Gorilla tracking in Rushaga. Overnight in Rushaga - February 8: Drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park – Southern sector – Overnight on the park’s edge - February 9: Morning in the southern sector of the park, then crossing to the northern part – Short safari in the late afternoon – Overnight by the Kazinga Channel - February 10: Safari and boat cruise – Second night on site - February 11: Drive to Kibale Forest – Overnight there - February 12: Chimpanzee tracking in the morning – Bigodi swamps in the afternoon – Second night there - February 13: Scenic drive to see the crater lakes + walk at Lake Nkuruba Nature Reserve – Third night there - February 14: Return to Entebbe - February 15: Morning boat ride in the Mabamba swamps – Afternoon by Lake Victoria and midnight flight to Brussels. That’s the broad outline of our trip.

We fell in love with this country: the people, the kids shouting "muzungu," the colors, the landscapes, the wildlife... But we were also saddened by the poverty in some villages and the child labor, especially in "quarries."

I’ll try to post a day-by-day account if it interests anyone.

Passionate about travel, animals (furry, feathered, scaly), and my partner’s love for photography, it was in 2014, after encountering orangutans in Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra, that I felt the urge to see other great apes in their natural habitat and in the wild. For my 40th birthday, I dreamed of only one thing... seeing gorillas. I still had four years to wait and four years to save up.

At the time, I had only heard of the Virunga Mountains, particularly the part in Rwanda. To be honest, Uganda had never really struck me as a destination I’d ever set foot in, and the DRC, for security reasons, didn’t particularly appeal to me.

But then, one day, I heard that Rwanda was going to increase the price of gorilla permits to USD 1,500 per person. Ouch... that seemed way overpriced, especially since we were going as a couple and I really wanted to see them twice. $6,000 for two days... Okay, it’s for my 40th birthday, but still...

At the end of 2017, I started looking more closely into our trip planned for December 2018. A stroke of luck in my schedule meant my former English teacher sent me a link to an article she’d written for her travel agency about her encounter with gorillas in Uganda. Hmm, Uganda? It was the first time I’d read about the country. Why not?

I scoured various forums in French and English and re-discovered voyageforum.com. And most importantly, I came across Ticapi’s travel journal, which I devoured in one evening, and a few months later, Muriel18’s, whose release I eagerly awaited. Wow!!! Not only can you see gorillas in Uganda, but also chimpanzees and the shoebill, not to mention the savannah and the chance to go on more classic safaris.

All that’s left is to convince my better half that Uganda is a safe country...

Usually, and now more than ever, we prefer independent travel and self-drive trips in particular. But given the proximity to the DRC border, the potentially impassable roads after rain, and rental cars that aren’t always in the best condition, we hired a guide for two weeks in December 2018. The months passed, and the excitement grew.

Three weeks before departure, I fell ill after a work trip to Asia. Darn! This time, I didn’t waste any time—I quickly saw a doctor and got rid of that virus. That was the plan! Flu or malaria? (I’d been to the Amazon six months earlier.) The doctor didn’t know; the cough only appeared a few days later. We did blood tests two days in a row to rule out malaria. So it was the flu or... pneumonia :-( ...?

The X-rays spoke for themselves—it was pneumonia, and it was already quite advanced. No big deal, I still had two weeks to recover! I religiously took my antibiotics, downed loads of vitamin C, but nothing worked—the antibiotics didn’t seem to be doing anything. I was coughing so hard I thought my lungs would come up, I was short of breath, exhausted. I’d dreamed of this trip for so long... it seemed unthinkable not to go. Five days before departure, my doctor hospitalized me—the pneumonia had worsened, and my blood oxygen levels were dangerously low. I was in tears but still in denial about what was happening to me. Besides, I’d still taken my anti-malarial, because I was determined to leave.

I spent the first day in the emergency room on oxygen 24/7. The germ causing my pneumonia was unknown to the infectious disease and pulmonary specialists. They tried a combination of antibiotics. No big deal, in four days, I’d be leaving. I harassed the doctor, who must have thought I was crazy, to find out when I could be discharged—"because, you see, doctor, I have a flight to Uganda on Saturday." On Thursday, the doctor was firm: I’d still be hospitalized on Saturday... deep down, I knew it but didn’t want to admit it. My partner handled canceling the flights, contacted our travel insurance (thankfully we had some), and I wrote to our guide (who, in the meantime, had become our tour operator) who could hardly believe it. And neither could I! We told ourselves it was just postponed and that we’d take this long-awaited trip at the end of 2019!

March 2019, the tour operator reached out to us: "Didn’t you say you wanted to go to Uganda this year? You’d better hurry and book the gorilla permits before they run out."

Oh yes, we wanted to see the gorillas. But we hesitated about rebooking. I still hoped to do this trip as a self-drive. The thing is, this year, we managed to take three weeks off, and we also wanted to spend a week in Rwanda. My partner still didn’t feel comfortable driving there. Yet, he’s driven all over the world. I respected his feelings, especially since he’s the only one who drives.

Anyway, we went back and forth but neither of us really said what we were thinking: "What if we used someone else to organize our trip?" In the end, we went with him again, made a first deposit for four gorilla permits (two days each) (not the best idea we’ve ever had), and looked into adding Rwanda to our itinerary. We’d have a guide/driver for the whole trip with mid-range accommodations.

After several back-and-forths, the itinerary was supposed to look something like this. To be honest, I got fed up after a while.

Day 1: Arrival in Kigali in the evening Day 2: Transfer from Kigali to Akagera NP Day 3: Safari in Akagera NP Day 4: Akagera NP and night in Nyagatare Day 5: Transfer from Nyagatare to Nyungwe Forest Day 6: Nyungwe Day 7: Nyungwe Day 8: Transfer from Nyungwe to Lake Kivu, Rubavu/Gisenyi Day 9: Transfer from Rubavu/Gisenyi to Kisoro/Uganda via the Cyanika border Day 10: Gorilla tracking in Mgahinga NP Day 11: Golden Monkey tracking in Mgahinga NP, night at Lake Mutanda Day 12: Gorilla tracking in Bwindi, Ruhija (later changed to Rushaga) Day 13: Queen Elizabeth NP, Ishasha sector in the morning and Kazinga Channel in the afternoon Day 14: No clear answer on activities for that day. After three attempts, I gave up. I shouldn’t have... Day 15: Chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge, night at Lake Nkuruba Day 16: Lake Nkuruba, morning activities around the lake and Bigodi Swamps in the afternoon Day 17: Transfer from Lake Nkuruba to Murchison Falls Day 18: Murchison Falls Day 19: Murchison Falls Day 20: Transfer from Murchison Falls via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, night in Entebbe Day 21: Entebbe – Mabamba Swamps Day 22: Mabamba Swamps in the morning, Botanical Garden in Entebbe in the afternoon, and transfer to the airport for the overnight return flight.

In April, he asked us for a substantial deposit for the accommodations and some park activities, as one of his colleagues was doing the same tour in May and it would be good if he could secure the already-made reservations by paying the bill.

A week before departure, just like in 2018, we paid the remaining balance of the agreed amount. Three days later, since I hadn’t heard from him (the TO is based in Germany), I sent him a message to confirm he’d received the payment.

My partner joked, "And that’s when he tells us he closed the account we sent the money to." I forced a laugh... and even more so when the TO asked me which account I’d sent the balance to... "Uh, the same one as before." And then he told me he’d closed that account and maybe should’ve mentioned it earlier... uh, you think?! And of course, he needed the money sent again quickly. "Well, buddy, you’ll have to wait until I get it back!!!

It was already late, and my bank had been closed for hours. The next morning, first thing, I called my bank and explained the situation.

"Unfortunately, we can’t do anything for you; you’ll have to wait for the money to be returned." "But how long will that take?" "A few days or weeks, depending on the banks, and you should expect transfer fees."

Brilliant! :-(

After nearly 10 years of traveling almost exclusively without traditional travel agencies, had we just been scammed? I went back to the forums to reread posts about this TO from other travelers. They were all positive; no one mentioned a scam.

The next day, I searched online for the contact details of his bank in Germany. I wrote to the generic email address in English, explaining that I’d made a transfer without knowing that this gentleman had closed his bank account. The employee replied in impeccable English that the bank only responded to emails written in German. Grrr! I used a well-known translator since my German is, let’s say, rusty, and resent my email in German. The same agent replied in German that unfortunately, they couldn’t do anything for me—that if the account had been closed, an automatic rule would return the money to the sender... period, end of story!

Well, our money is lost somewhere in the "cloud," or so we hope! Wait and see!

No news from our TO, and we didn’t reach out either—we were too annoyed by the whole situation.

Hi everyone, I’m taking advantage of the forum’s long-awaited reopening to dive back into my memories and start my first travel journal, destination Uganda!

Why Uganda?

Choosing this destination was almost by chance. I’d already traveled to East Africa two years earlier, to Kenya, and loved the experience. Of course, I wanted to return to the region and see that abundant wildlife I’d enjoyed so much. But Uganda wasn’t really on my radar... While looking for a destination for a two-week trip in May 2023, I came across cheap flights (~400 €) with Kenya Airways to Entebbe. Why not, I thought? I started looking into the country.

How did the trip go?

Most travelers whose posts I read had organized their trip with an agency and/or rented a vehicle, with or without a driver. That’s not at all how I like to explore a country... and besides, I don’t have a license ! Digging a little deeper, I saw that it seemed possible to reach the main sights using local transport, as long as I was ready to put up with the discomfort of the journeys. Challenge accepted! On the other hand, the budget accommodations near the parks that I’d managed to find in Kenya seemed much less common here. The trip was shaping up to be expensive, especially since the highlight—gorilla trekking—requires a permit costing several hundred dollars. Yikes, sticking to a reasonable budget was going to be tricky... In the end, I found a solution. Almost all lodges offer the option to pitch a tent on their grounds for a modest price (between $10 and $20 per night). That would let me enjoy the safaris while keeping this trip "relatively" affordable.

My itinerary

After studying the Lonely Planet East Africa guide, various travel journals and blogs, and the excellent site Safari Bookings, I finally settled on an itinerary (not counting the travel days):

Entebbe – 1 day Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – 1 day Murchison Falls National Park – 2 days Crater Lakes – 1 day Queen Elizabeth National Park – 2 days Bwindi – 3 days Lake Bunyonyi – 1 day Kampala – 1 day

See you soon for the first stop in Entebbe!

Preamble:

For summer 2019, the idea was to return to Africa. We had already been to Namibia in 2017 (+ a few days in Botswana and the end of the trip at Victoria Falls), which we loved, and a trip to Asia in 2018 (Borneo, Perhentian, and Singapore), a nature-focused trip but a bit disappointing due to environmental destruction. The desire to return to Africa was very strong. We wanted a change of scenery, nature, discoveries, to step out of our little comfort zone (a bit, anyway!) and experience travel differently. In short, we dreamed of authenticity, and we weren’t disappointed.

We traveled as a family of four with our daughters, aged 19 and 17. When the urge for Africa hit, Uganda quickly stood out, especially for the chance to see rare animals, particularly the famous mountain gorillas. When I looked into the budget, I was quickly disheartened. It’s really expensive. Too expensive… Then, after reading a few trip reports on "VoyageForum" (thanks Muriel J!), I decided to ask a local agency for a quote. The first contact was very friendly and responsive, and the initial offer for two weeks fit our budget :). A few images gathered from the internet (especially Sipi Falls) finally convinced us all. I asked for an adapted offer with a few more sites to extend the trip to three weeks and cover a fairly complete visit to the country (which, of course, increased the budget! To stay within an acceptable range, we prioritized activities over accommodations and regularly chose the cheapest options, with 2-3 nice lodges in between). It’s booked! We were in October 2018, and the first thing to do was reserve permits to see the gorillas and chimpanzees. Then, the agency took care of all the bookings except for the international flights, which we booked with Ethiopian Airlines. A few months of waiting to look forward to… and a little worry too! Two events didn’t reassure us: the kidnapping of an American tourist by four men at the DRC border and the Ebola outbreak in Congo, with confirmed cases in Uganda by mid-June…

Here we are in July, and departure is approaching. The suitcases are packed (warm clothes, long, short, dark, light, practical, sun, rain, hiking/trekking shoes, flip-flops—clothes for every situation! Don’t forget: headlamp (essential!), binoculars, cameras), and we’re ready.

One day before departure, our agency Mpolampola, through its manager Paul, informs us that he won’t be the one taking care of us during the trip but another guide named Moses. He has a big problem with a vehicle and can’t do otherwise. For us, as long as everything is okay, no worries, especially since I had read glowing reviews about Moses, who turned out to be a very pleasant guide, cautious (most important) on the road, clear about all the activities, and an expert on birds, his specialty. We briefly met Paul in the middle of the trip, who is also very friendly. In short, we 100% recommend this agency. Flights to Entebbe went smoothly; we arrived around 10:30 AM, filled out health forms (Ebola information signs everywhere), visas, baggage claim, and met Moses, who took us directly to the vehicle. It was in pretty good condition with huge tires (we’d understand why later!), but it had quite a few miles (400,000 on the odometer!). Just missing a seatbelt… Okay, it’s Africa!

Now, here’s our day-by-day itinerary, which I’ll summarize briefly with ratings for each activity: ****TOPISSIME (Amazing) ***Very good **Good *Meh

Day 1) Departure from the airport at 11:45 AM for some currency exchange. Stop along the way at the equator for a meal and souvenir photo! Arrival at Lake Mburo Park *** around 5:00 PM. Even before entering the park, we saw lots of antelopes, zebras, elks, etc.—it’s magnificent. On the way, we had already encountered many goats and cows, and we were impressed by their enormous horns. We enjoyed a nice game drive until about 7:00 PM, when we reached our lodge, one of the nicest of the trip, Eagle’s Nest ****, with a magnificent view, a tent with a nice bathroom/shower, and a very good meal.

Day 2) Departure at 7:00 AM for a game drive; we encountered many animals again, especially antelopes, zebras, and birds. There are no giraffes, lions, or cheetahs in this park. We didn’t get lucky enough to see a leopard… :-) Then, we continued to Lake Bunyonyi ***, where the road and views are very beautiful, but we were shocked to see locals (mostly women and children) breaking stones by hand on the mountainside in very precarious safety conditions. There are regularly dramatic accidents because, over time, entire sections detach and cause landslides. These stones are then used for road construction… Another world… This was the only place we saw this. Lake Bunyonyi is a nice stop (but less exotic in our opinion since we have many lakes back home too!). We took a boat to our accommodation, Byoona Amagara ***, which has a lot of charm. We stayed in huts called "geodomes," completely open to nature, so it was very cool at night. To reach the toilets located below, you had to be brave! The meal consisted of lake shrimp—good but a bit bland.

Day 3) After a good breakfast, departure at 9:00 AM to visit three islands. We took several nice walks with beautiful views of the lake and islands. A local meal was served on the last island. At 1:00 PM, we met Moses for the rest of the program and headed to Ruhija in Bwindi Forest****. The landscapes are breathtaking. After two hours of driving and many photo stops, we arrived at our accommodation near the trekking starting point, Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort **. We stayed in a room instead of the initially planned tents, which was just as well because there was a lot of wind during the night. We still had time for an activity and decided to meet the Bwata pygmies despite the bad reviews in the guide… The first part of the visit was quite nice, with a visit to a school where the children gave us a very joyful welcome. We had a great time listening to them sing and dance! Then we met the Bwata pygmies who live on the edge of the forest. When Bwindi Forest was declared a national park, they had to leave their habitat because their activities weren’t compatible with nature and wildlife protection. We left on a somewhat sad note… The visit ended with a local doctor explaining different medicinal plants, and we watched the making of local beer from sorghum. Good meal. We had butterflies in our stomachs—tomorrow was a big day! I admit I was a bit stressed, not entirely confident in my physical abilities…

Day 4) After a short night due to excitement, breakfast, and departure at 7:30 AM. First, it started calmly with singing and dancing. Then, a 15-minute briefing and group assignments. No one asked if we had any physical problems or anything (when booking, I had inquired a bit, and they told me groups were assigned based on physical abilities). We were assigned to the Mukiza group. At first, I was pretty happy—it was a fairly large group with babies :). The ranger explained that for now, they didn’t know where the gorillas were… the trackers couldn’t find them… Oh… (that’s not a good sign!!!) We set off at a good pace, first on a reasonably sloped path. We were accompanied by a family of four Italians and five porters (four for us!). After an hour, the ranger stopped us and informed us they still couldn’t find them—they had fought with another group the day before and scattered throughout the forest, so they were very far away, and we needed to move faster… Hmm… we picked up the pace (we weren’t going slowly before!!!) and walked for another good hour—down, up, down again, up again, we kept going, but always more or less on paths. Then another stop. A 10-minute break waiting for news. The news wasn’t very precise, it seemed! The ranger decided to cut through the forest—machetes were used to clear the path. We descended unimaginable slopes, then climbed back up. Our stick kept getting stuck; luckily, our porter helped us, held our hands, and the terrain was vertical! An hour later, another stop: we heard gorilla cries (yay!!!). False hope—we waited again for news from the trackers, who informed our ranger that it was a non-habituated family, so we couldn’t see them. Cold shower—we had to go all the way back up and return to the starting point to maybe see another group. But time was running out… We arrived around 1:30 PM; all the other groups had already left long ago. Our guide was worried because we still had a long drive ahead. We quickly ate a banana, and off we went for another trek (I was exhausted!). Luckily, this group was close—about 45 minutes of steep descent (I was already thinking about the climb back and considering being adopted by a gorilla ). The forest was sublime, with magnificent tree ferns—the place was truly splendid. Finally, we were there. The porters stayed behind, we grabbed our cameras, and followed the ranger. The progress wasn’t easy, but suddenly, a female was in front of us, curled up in a little ball, eating—so cute. The emotion overwhelmed us. But she moved away—it’s hard to observe them; they move constantly, and the terrain is very steep and uneven. We saw a female descending from a tree with a baby on her back—too adorable. Then, here was the silverback, enormous, incredible, yet so calm and peaceful. He ate quietly and gave us a nice demonstration of nostril exploration! We could observe them for a good hour, but photographing them wasn’t easy because they kept moving, and we could barely stand! Toward the end, a large male (black back) suddenly stood up and decided to pass right where I was! I ended up in the bushes, and the male passed in front of me just a few centimeters away (he stepped on one of my daughters’ feet!) followed by the whole family. Just an exceptional moment. It was time to leave; we had to climb back up. I dreaded it because, I admit, I was exhausted. We finished the hike after 4:00 PM, exhausted but happy. The ranger gave us diplomas, and we didn’t linger because we still had a long drive—we needed to reach Ishasha before nightfall. Our guide was a bit stressed. If we were to do it again, we’d spend an extra night in Bwindi. However, it seems finishing so late is exceptional—it never happens, according to our guide! The road between Bwindi and Ishasha is sublime, with extraordinary landscapes, and despite the late hour, we regularly asked our guide to stop for photos. We arrived at Enjojo *** Lodge around 6:00 PM. The huts are located quite far from the reception and the bathrooms, a bit far from the huts, but otherwise, it was very nice.

Day 5) Departure at 8:00 AM after a good breakfast with the hope of seeing tree-climbing lions (no luck!). Overall, there weren’t many animals, and we arrived around 12:45 PM at our next stop, Parkview Safari Lodge ****, with a magnificent view, a beautiful family bungalow, and a good meal. We enjoyed a short relaxation by the lovely pool. At 4:00 PM, we left to see Kyambura Gorge *** and hike there. Unfortunately, this activity is no longer available, so we walked around the area—it was very beautiful. Back at the hotel, a little rest after the previous day wasn’t a bad idea! Reading, swimming, meals, and dances made the end of the day enjoyable.

Day 6) Departure at 6:30 AM—one of our daughters was sick (stomachache, cold sweats…). Safari in Queen Elizabeth ** (Kaseny Plains)—a bit disappointing. Stop by the salt lake with a nice view. A small market, but we weren’t thrilled by the crafts (overall, apart from some beautiful baskets/plates, there wasn’t much, and the wooden objects were, in our opinion, much less pretty than in Namibia). Then we took the crater road (27 km long) **** with magnificent landscapes. However, you absolutely must close the windows because it’s infested with tsetse flies. At noon, we arrived at Mweya, where we stayed in basic rooms, but the restaurant was well-placed with a beautiful view of the Kazinga Channel. At 2:00 PM, we enjoyed a magnificent cruise **** on the channel. Elephants, antelopes, crocodiles, hippos (including adorable babies), buffaloes, all kinds of birds. Wow!!! Two hours of pure bliss. Quiet end of the day playing cards with a view of the channel and elephants.

Day 7) Departure at 6:00 AM—still sick, we weren’t sure if it was due to the preventive treatment (Malarone) or something else… Another game drive in Queen Elizabeth (Kaseny Plains) and breakfast by the salt lake. Overall, we were a bit disappointed by this park. Then we took the road to Crater Lakes***, again with very beautiful landscapes. A hike of about an hour and a half allowed us to discover these beautiful crater lakes (the water mainly comes from the Rwenzoris). We crossed pretty villages and had nice encounters. End of the day at Tinka’s Home ****, with a family. We loved this place—very welcoming, where we took a cooking class with our hosts. A really great time. After the meal, we enjoyed African stories and dances. Really awesome.

Day 8) Departure at 7:30 AM for another highly anticipated discovery—the chimpanzees in Kibale Forest ****. We went to the meeting point and were split into groups of six, each with a guide. We saw three different groups, and for the last group, we followed a chimpanzee (slightly more comfortable running in the forest than we were!) that led us to the group. Their cries are very impressive, and we could observe them well, even though they were often high up in the trees. We were lucky enough to see two on the ground, very close to us. It was magnificent. End of the encounter and return to the starting point—it was noon. We went back to Tinka’s Home for the meal (delicious!). At 2:00 PM, we hiked in Bigodi Swamp ***, a marsh surrounded by beautiful vegetation, especially huge papyrus, and inhabited by many birds and monkeys. We saw, among others, black-and-white colobus monkeys, red colobus monkeys, and vervet monkeys. We also visited a basket-weaving workshop where we bought two beautiful baskets. Then a short stop in Fort Portal, where we stayed for two nights at Ruwenzori View Guesthouse ***, a nice place with a family room and very good communal meals.

Day 9) Departure at 8:00 AM for a hike in the Rwenzori****—it was a bit chaotic today. First, we had to exchange shillings because we wouldn’t have another chance in the following days. At the bank, employees went to get the bills by motorcycle from other buildings—it was quite surreal! And it took time! Then there was a misunderstanding between the organizer and me… I really wanted to see the region where chameleons are found in the Rwenzori—this region is south of the mountain range, and we were in the north! Anyway, the program included an ascent in the northern part with a positive elevation gain of over 1,500 meters… Talking to the guide scheduled for this hike (Noah), we explained that we really wanted to discover the vegetation and these famous chameleons, not necessarily achieve a physical feat… (we’d had enough!). The decision was made to go south, which meant quite a bit of driving. The hike was really enjoyable, with magnificent vegetation by the river. We saw three of the four chameleon species present, including the famous three-horned chameleon. The region is superb. We ended with a drink at Ruboni Camp, which has a magnificent view of the region (ideally, we should have stayed there). Two hours of driving to finish, and a good meal :).

Day 10) Departure at 8:00 AM—we had a long drive to Ziwa Rhino Ranch****. We passed through Hoima, had lunch in Masindi, and arrived in time for the rhino tracking walk. We could approach them closely on foot—it was impressive. We saw eight. Since we were staying on-site in the guesthouse **, we received precise safety instructions for moving between the rooms and the restaurant. And we quickly understood why!

Day 11) Departure at 6:00 AM for breakfast—surprise, in front of our room, several large rhinos were sleeping (we had also heard a lot of animal noises during the night—rhinos but also what seemed to be predators). So we had to take a detour to reach the restaurant! Second surprise—next to the restaurant, just three meters away at most, two mothers and their baby were also sleeping! Memorable! Then we had an appointment for the shoebill trek and canoe ride **** (package with the previous day’s walk). So there we were, in our boots, splashing through 30 cm of water in search of the shoebill (I really wanted to see one :))! It was really fun, and luck was on our side—a shoebill had just landed in the distance! We approached as best we could and observed it from afar. What a strange bird! There are very few left, and Uganda is one of the countries where the chances of seeing one are quite good. The tour continued with a canoe cruise where we saw a herd of cows (the famous ones with enormous horns) being swum as a dowry to the father of the future bride! A funny spectacle. This stop wasn’t the most anticipated, but we all thought it was really worth the detour. Road to Murchison Falls Park, and arrival around noon at Red Chili Rest Camp **, where we stayed for two nights (family banda). Good meal. Then a cruise to Murchison Falls*** where we disembarked and continued on foot. It was pretty. Back to Red Chili.

Day 12) This morning, early departure for a cruise in search of the shoebill*** (booked in case we didn’t see one at Ziwa). The landscapes were pretty, but there weren’t many birds in the end. We spotted the chosen one from afar after the first 10 minutes—so the suspense didn’t last long :-) It was a nice activity but quite long—5 hours. In the afternoon, safari in Murchison Park****—this park is sublime, the landscapes fabulous. Really one of our favorite parts of the trip. Lots of animals and even a leopard spotted with binoculars because it was far away! Night at Red Chili.

Day 13) Departure for the first morning ferry—it was drizzling, the sky was threatening at first, so the landscape was spectacular! Beautiful contrasts. In the middle of the morning, we were lucky to observe a whole group of lions, first from afar, then with a little patience, the whole group approached until they passed beside and in front of our vehicle. What emotion and excitement! We could then observe large groups of giraffes. They were magnificent. The morning was incredible. Then we headed to our lodge, Fort Murchison ****, and on the way, we saw a whole group of elephants—the view was magnificent. We had a very good meal and enjoyed the pool a bit. We also met Paul, the organizer of our trip. Very nice :). In the late afternoon, off for a short safari in the park. We slept in very well-equipped tents.

Day 14) Today, we had a long drive to Kidepo Park. It was raining, which didn’t help our guide—according to him, the tracks near Kidepo turn to mud with rain and become difficult to navigate. We saw, among other things, a bus in a bad situation in the ditch. Some sections were really tricky, and we were glad to have a driver. The end of the trip—the landscape was spectacular and original, and we saw some traditional villages. We arrived at Kidepo quite late. Short safari in the park before reaching the accommodation. We booked two simple bandas in the park camp**. It was clean but didn’t hold up well in the rain . The restaurant was very nice, though.

Day 15) The day was dedicated to discovering Kidepo Park **** where the landscapes were again superb. First encounter with a lioness resting on a rock. We saw other lions later and observed them for a long time. There were almost no other tourists in the park. Our daughter wasn’t feeling well, and by the time we arrived at the lodge, she had a temperature of 39.5°C (103.1°F)… A nap was necessary. In the late afternoon, we returned to the spot where we had seen the lions that morning, and they were still there—they weren’t happy because rain was threatening! It was a great photo opportunity. Then came the downpour, and our driver urged us to return quickly because the tracks were becoming impassable. Indeed, a jeep was in the ditch… The return was eventful, and several times we slid without being able to do anything… Wow, what a day!

Day 16) No safari this morning because of impassable tracks—the road to Kotido*** was longer than expected as we had to take a detour. The landscapes along the way were surprising. We finally arrived around 1:00 PM at the accommodation and left at 3:00 PM to visit the largest manyatta in East Africa with two translators. It was incredible—a very beautiful experience. The manyatta is immense and has 28,000 inhabitants. Night at Karamojaarts guesthouse*—very average meal.

Day 17) Departure for Moroto****—on the way, we saw many bird species. Moroto doesn’t look like other Ugandan cities. Life there seems very pleasant. We arrived at Kara-Tunga and had a bite to eat. At 4:00 PM, we left to visit a Karamojong village. We enjoyed beautiful dances and watched communal games—it was fun and so authentic. Then we headed to a kraal (where shepherds and herds are) to set up our camp. Moses had to get used to the idea of sleeping in the tribe in a tent! It was incredible to find ourselves in this universe. The place was beautiful, and we had a great time with the Karamojong. Some had never seen white people… had never been in a car… Their culture is incredible. During the evening, around the fire, to our guide’s dismay (a bird enthusiast), they grilled hornbills! On our side, we ate a meal prepared by Kara-Tunga for our sensitive stomachs! Night in a tent.

Day 18) Dawn wake-up in the fog—the atmosphere was quite strange. Our daughter was attacked by a cow—fortunately, more fear than harm, but she ended up with a lot of thorns in her buttocks and thighs ! Then we left for the Mount Elgon region, specifically Sipi Falls****. Lacam Lodge****, perched on the edge of the cliff with a direct view of one of the falls, was just magnificent. The view and landscapes were fabulous. Big favorite. We had dinner and then went for a hike to visit the three falls in the region, partly in the rain. The landscapes were breathtaking! Sunset at Lacam Lodge with the sun setting over the waterfall. We couldn’t get enough and stayed to admire until nightfall!

Day 19) Visit to coffee plantations*** where we were given all the useful explanations to understand the culture and the incredible work required for this product, which is ultimately not very glorified. The visit was very interesting, and we drank very good coffee with the owners. Last photos at Lacam Lodge, and then departure for Jinja, where we arrived in the middle of the afternoon. We took a small cruise to see the source of the Nile*. Very touristy and not at all to our taste… Then a meal at Jinja Base Camp** where we enjoyed guacamole. Our guide Moses left us because another group was waiting for him!

Day 20) Road to Kampala***, the market, the Gaddafi Mosque. Short but interesting visit. Last meal in Entebbe by Lake Victoria, where we almost felt like we were by the sea. Transfer to the airport and return to Switzerland…

Epilogue: All four of us were enchanted by this trip, which will undoubtedly remain one of the most beautiful we’ve ever taken. Talking about it gives me chills and brings tears to my eyes. It was simply a magnificent experience. However, I wouldn’t recommend this trip to everyone because you often have to overlook small inconveniences like toilets (the worst of my life) and certain comfort details that, for us, remain details but could be important to others.

Our favorites: - The gorilla trek - The cruise on Kazinga Channel - The Fort Portal region - The Rwenzori Mountains - The chimpanzee trek - Murchison Falls - Kidepo - Spending time with the Karamojong tribe - The Sipi Falls region - The accommodations: Eagle’s Nest, Byonna Amagara, Parkview Lodge, Tinka’s Home, Rwenzori Guesthouse, Fort Murchison, Night in the kraal, and Lacam Lodge

What we liked less: - Queen Elizabeth Park - Jinja - The accommodations: Ziwa Rhino Ranch, Karamojaarts Guesthouse

I’ll try to post some photos later. If you have any questions about a future trip, I’d be happy to answer them.