From the moment you land at Entebbe’s modern and efficient
international airport, with its breathtaking equatorial location on
the forested shore of island-strewn Lake Victoria, it is clear that
Uganda is no ordinary safari destination. Dominated by an expansive
golf course leading down to the lakeshore, and a century-old
botanical garden alive with the chatter of acrobatic monkeys and
colourful tropical birds, Entebbe itself is the least obviously
urban of all comparably sized African towns. Then, just 40km
distant, sprawled across seven hills, there is the capital Kampala.
The bright modern feel of this bustling, cosmopolitan city reflects
the ongoing economic growth and political stability that has
characterised Uganda since 1986, and is complemented by the sloping
spaciousness and runaway greenery of its garden setting.
Ecologically, Uganda is where the East African savannah meets the
West African jungle. Where else but in this impossibly lush country
can one observe lions prowling the open plains in the morning and
track chimpanzees through the rainforest undergrowth the same
afternoon, then the next day navigate tropical channels teeming with
hippo and crocs before setting off into the misty mountains to stare
deep into the eyes of a mountain gorilla? Certainly, Uganda is the
only safari destination whose range of forest primates is as
impressive as its selection of plains antelope. And this verdant
biodiversity is further attested to by Uganda’s status as by far the
smallest of the four African countries whose bird checklist tops the
1,000 mark!
People and Culture
Situated at the geographical heart of the African continent, Uganda
has long been a cultural melting pot, as evidenced by the 30-plus
different indigenous languages belonging to five distinct linguistic
groups, and an equally diverse cultural mosaic of music, art and
handicrafts. The country’s most ancient inhabitants, confined to the
hilly southwest, are the Batwa and Bambuti Pygmies, relics of the
hunter-gatherer cultures that once occupied much of East Africa to
leave behind a rich legacy of rock paintings, such as those at the
Nyero Rock Shelter near Kumi.
At the cultural core of modern-day Uganda lie the Bantu-speaking
kingdoms of Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole and Toro, whose traditional
monarchs – reinstated in the 1990s after having been abolished by
President Milton Obote in 1967 – still serve as important cultural
figureheads. According to oral tradition, these centuries-old
kingdoms are
offshoots of the mediaeval kingdoms of Batembuzi and Bacwezi, which
lay in the vicinity of present-day Mubende and Ntusi, where
archaeological evidence suggests that a strongly centralised polity
had emerged by the 11th century. Three former kings of Buganda are
buried in an impressive traditional thatched building at the Kasubi
Tombs in Kampala.
Elsewhere, Uganda’s cultural diversity is boosted in the northeast
by the presence of the Karimojong, traditional pastoralists whose
lifestyle and culture is reminiscent of the renowned Maasai, and in
the northwest by a patchwork of agricultural peoples whose Nilotic
languages and cultures are rooted in what is now Sudan. The Rwenzori
foothills are home to the hardy Bakonjo, whose hunting shrines are
dedicated to a one-legged, one-armed, one-eyed pipe-smoking spirit
known as Kalisa, while the Bagisu of the Mount Elgon region are
known for their colourful Imbalu ceremony, an individual initiation
of young boys to manhood that peaks in activity in and around August
of every even numbered year.
What to do and see in Uganda
Gorilla's
Uganda’s star attraction is the endangered mountain gorilla, the
bulkiest of living primates, and among the most peaceable. Staring
into the pensive brown eyes of these gentle giants, who share 95% of
their genes with humans, is as humbling as it is thrilling; no less
so when one realises that fewer than 700 individuals survive,
divided between Bwindi National Park and the Virunga Mountains.
Within Uganda, five habituated gorilla troops four in Bwindi and one
in Mgahinga National Park can be visited by a total of 30 tourists
daily.
National Parks and safaris
(these are just a few there are a lot more)
Sprawling across both sides of the equator, a network of 10 national
parks and several other protected areas offers wildlife enthusiasts
a thrilling opportunity to experience Uganda’s biodiversity: not
only the mesmerising tracts of thorn-bush savannah teeming with
antelope, buffalo and elephant one tends to associate with
equatorial East Africa, but also lush expanses of tropical
rainforest, shimmering lakes and rivers heaving with aquatic life,
and the glacial peaks of Africa’s tallest mountain range.
Murchison Falls National Park
The country’s largest protected area is Murchison Falls National
Park, whose palm-studded grassland supports dense populations of
lion, buffalo, elephant and Uganda kob, together with the localised
Rothschild’s giraffe and patas monkey. Immense concentrations of
hippos and birds can be observed from morning and afternoon launch
trips along the Nile below the spectacular waterfall for which the
park is named.
Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Rwenzori Mountains National Park protects the eastern slopes and
glacial peaks of the 120km-long Rwenzori Mountains or ‘Mountains of
the Moon’, a world-class hiking and mountaineering destination whose
significance as a source of the Nile was first alluded to by the
geographer Ptolemy circa 150 AD. Rising from the Rift Valley floor
to a wintry elevation of 5,109m, the Rwenzori supports large tracts
of evergreen and bamboo forest, while the higher moorland zone is
known for its other-worldly cover of giant heathers, lobelias and
groundsels.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Set majestically in the shadow of the Rwenzori, flanking Lakes
Edward and George, the lush savannah of Queen Elizabeth National
Park offers prime grazing to buffalo, elephant and various antelope.
A checklist of 600-plus bird species testifies to the extraordinary
ecological diversity of this park. Mammalian specialities include
the (elsewhere elusive) giant forest hog, and the legendary
tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha Sector.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Of Uganda’s forested reserves, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is
best known for its superb gorilla tracking, but it also provides
refuge to elephant, chimpanzee, monkeys and various small antelope,
as well as 23 bird species restricted to the Albertine Rift.
Mgahinga National Park
Mountain gorillas also form the main attraction at Mgahinga National
Park, which protects the Ugandan portion of the Virungas, an
imposing string of nine freestanding extinct and active volcanoes
that runs along the border with Rwanda and the Congo.
Adventure
Uganda is a classic adventure tourism destination. Indeed, Bujagali
Falls, which lies downstream of the Source of the Nile an hour’s
drive east of Kampala, is the East African counterpart to more
southerly ‘adrenaline capitals’ such as Victoria Falls and Cape Town.
Bujagali is the launching point for a commercial white-water rafting
route that ranks as one of most thrilling but also one of the safest
in the world, passing through three heart-stopping Grade Five rapids
in one day. Other activities at Bujagali include kayaking, mountain
biking, quad-biking and a new 44 metre-high bungee jump from a cliff
above the Nile.
Boasting three separate montane destinations topping the 4,000 metre
mark, all protected within national parks, Uganda offers some of
Africa’s top hiking and climbing possibilities. Serious mountaineers
need look no further than the majestic Rwenzori, whose trio of
craggy 5,000-plus metre glacial peaks offers a genuine challenge to
experienced alpine climbers, while fit hikers will find the six-day
loop trail through the Rwenzori’s forest and moorland zones to be as
rewarding as it is demanding.
Further east, Mount Elgon, Africa’s eighth-highest mountain, offers
an excellent and relatively undemanding introduction to Afro-montane
climates and vegetation, culminating in the ascent of a 6km wide
volcanic caldera studded with small waterfalls, caves and hot
springs. Another estimable hiking destination is the Virunga
Mountains, where mountain gorilla tracking can be supplemented by a
tough day ascent to one of the three extinct volcanoes protected
within Mgahinga National Park, the tallest of which is the
4,127-metre Muhabura.
Jinja
Jinja lies on the shores of Lake Victoria and is chock-a-block with
old Asian-style buildings, reflecting the days when the town had a
sizeable Asian community. The town was virtually owned by Asians
until Idi Amin unceremoniously kicked them out of the country.
Many of the Asian population have started to return and the town is
once again becoming prosperous. Jinja is also one of the spots on
which Mahatma Gandhi chose to have his ashes scattered. A statue
commemorates Gandhi at a Hindu temple near town.
Things to do in Kampala
(the capital of Uganda)
A modern, bustling capital, Kampala suffered a great deal during the
years of civil strife. In the decade or so since President Museveni
came to power, the city has gone from a looted shell to a thriving
city befitting the capital of one of the most rapidly developing
countries in Africa.
The electricity works, clean water comes out of the taps, damaged
buildings are now habitable, many new ones have gone up, and the
shops and markets are once again well stocked. These days, Kampala
even has casinos, nightclubs and fancy restaurants. And it's safe.
The Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi
The Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi constitute a site embracing
almost 30 ha of hillside within Kampala district. Most of the site
is agricultural, farmed by traditional methods. At its core on the
hilltop is the former palace of the Kabakas of Buganda, built in
1882 and converted into the royal burial ground in 1884. Four royal
tombs now lie within the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga, the main building,
which is circular and surmounted by a dome. It is a major example of
an architectural achievement in organic materials, principally wood,
thatch, reed, wattle and daub. The site's main significance lies,
however, in its intangible values of belief, spirituality,
continuity and identity.
Uganda's national Museum
Uganda's national museum is nowhere near as good as the ones in
Kigali or Nairobi, but is still worth visiting. There are some old
artifacts and ethnographic displays from various ethnic groups
around Uganda, including some old masks, spears, pipes and other
objects. There is a small amount of information about Ugandan
history, especially in the late nineteenth century, and there is a
whole room about the geology of the rift valley which I found
interesting. Finally, there are some musical instruments on display
that can be played, including a couple of three-foot high drums.
While the museum would definitely benefit from a major renovation,
it is still worth a good 1/2 hour of your time.
Food and Drinks
There are restaurants in and around Kampala (capital). Many hotels
serve local food. Popular dishes include matoke (a staple made from
bananas), millet bread, cassava, sweet potatoes, chicken and beef
stews and freshwater fish. The national drink is waragi, a banana
gin, popular among visitors as a cocktail base.
For the most part, the Cuisine of Uganda consists of a starchy
filler with a sauce of beans or meat. Main dishes are usually
centred on a sauce of beef, goat or mutton and the starch comes from
ugali or matoke. Ugali is cooked up into a thick porridge until it
sets hard. It's then served up in flat bricks. If that doesn't sound
appealing, the country's tropical climate contributes to a healthy
choice of fruits. Something you don't come across very often but
which makes an excellent snack meal is mkate mayai (bread eggs).
Originally an Arab dish, it's wheat dough spread into a thin
pancake, filled with minced meat and raw egg, and then folded into a
neat parcel and fried on a hotplate.
Both traditional and western beers are probably the most widely
available commodity across Uganda. Pombe is a locally made fermented
banana beer. Waragi the local millet based alcoholic baverages.
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