Five Unmissable Food Experiences in Uganda

1.  The Rolex
Not to be mistaken for the watch, the Rolex is one of Uganda's most pervasive street foods, found on almost corner throughout the Kampala. Street vendors start with a chapati, a simple ball of dough stretched into a circular disk which is then submerged into a pan of hot oil, till it's cooked through.  The vendor then cracks one or two eggs into a small cup mixing with salt, thin slivers of cabbage, and tomato.  With a hefty portion of oil the egg meets the pan and bubbles and fries until it is scooped up and placed on the chapati.   Rolling the whole thing up like a burrito, the Rolex is greasy, unhealthy, and delicious.

 

2. Matoke 

If one food that was to define Uganda matoke would be it. The simple plantain based food is a staple for most of the country, especially central areas like Kampala and Entebbe. On market days big bunches of green plantains are brought in from the country side, and quickly sold across the city. Making the dish requires a surprising amount of skill and patience. Women often take on this responsibility; coupling the small plantains in their hands they glide a knife between the skin and actual plantain, until it is released. Once the plantains are pealed they are wrapped in banana leaves and steamed over water until they turn yellow and soft. The texture-less dish has a slight bitter flavor due to the banana leaves, and is almost reminiscent of mashed potatoes.  

  

3. Millet 

Also known as Karo, millet is a cereal crop that is eaten at tables across Uganda. The grain which resembles small beads is ground up to make a powdered substance which is then blended with cassava flour. The combination is then added to boiling water and mixed together for around fifteen minutes, until it becomes a brown sticky ball. Removed from the pan, the millet is served in a small traditional basket made from papyrus.     

4. Posho

Known as the 'starving food' in the villages, posho is only eaten when there is nothing else... and if that doesn't wet your appetite for the stuff I don't know what will!  The white starchy dish is made with dried maize flour combine with boiling water.  The mixture is stirred for fifteen minutes or so until the water becomes absorbed and is almost fluffy. Completely tasteless, posho is usually accompanied with beans or some sort of sauce.    

5.Grasshoppers  Driving through the countryside at night, you may be unsure what you are looking at first, large iron sheets bathed in light surrounding a large barrel drum crowd the roadside, and are Uganda's famous grasshopper traps.  Unsuspecting grasshoppers, drawn to the light, are caught in the containers and harvested in the morning.  Deep fried in hot oil and dusted with salt, the crisp critters taste almost like a potato chip.

 

Whose Hungry?

Kampala, Uganda seems like an unlikely foodie destination, and although the small East African nation may not be able compare internationally to the food giants of Rome or Paris, it can be argued that African cuisine has long  been ignored in the culinary scene.  With an array of options spread out throughout  the capital new fusions and classics are constantly being updated and revised bringing a new voice to the art of food and cooking.  Kampala's first annual food festival is to take place in October 6th, the event will bring together an assortment of rising chefs and experienced judges which will hopefully bring more attention to Kampala's blooming culinary scene.

Kampala Nightlife

Renowned throughout East Africa for its infamous nightlife Kampala is quickly becoming a major site on traditional safari circuits.  With a variety of bars, clubs, and hangouts placed throughout the city there is always something going on during the week, with things really kicking off on the weekend.  Here are a list of some of our favorite local hangouts.

Bubbles O’Leary

Self proclaimed as Uganda’s only Irish bar, Bubbles is an infamous local haunt drawing an eclectic clientele of expats and Kampala business professionals.  Weekdays provide a more relaxed atmosphere with local bands performing and trivia nights, while the weekends draw large and rowdy crowds.  A relaxed garden setting and outdoor patio surrounds the classic Irish pub structure which is notorious for holding dance parties that last till morning.  Their excellent Irish stew is the perfect cure for the morning after hangover.

Cayenne

Located in Ntinda not far from the center of Kampala, Cayenne is a large open-aired venue that plays a mixture of Indian and Western hits on most nights.  Frequented by Kampala’s elite the drinks are pricey, but you are paying to be seen.  Rarely getting busy till well after midnight, when it does pick up it is a party not to miss.

Iguana

Situated near the center of town Iguana is fairly new bar that already has a large following.  The upstairs venue and outside patio plays a variety of techno and house music, which brings in a younger crowd of expats, volunteers, and locals.  With several couches clustered around the dance floor it is the perfect place to drink a cold beer and people watch throughout the night.

Mish Mash

Another popular hangout, Mish Mash is located in the heart of the city along Accacia Avenue.  The large sprawling lawn is transformed into a dance floor during the weekend where an eclectic mix of international covers and African pop music is played.  Behind the main building lies  a bar and several secluded tables for those wanting a calmer  and more relaxed evening with friends.

Capital Pub

An infamous local haunt Capital Pub is located along the Kablagala strip, or as locals call it the “Tijuana of Uganda.”  Crowded and sweaty this local bar plays a range of Ugandan music and African hits throughout the night.  Locals often come here to play pool and to enjoy the cheap beer. 

Uganda’s Big Five 


Coined by hunters as the most dangerous animals to hunt on foot Africa’s Big Five have long dominated the safari scene, with travelers coming from across the globe to catch a sighting of these legendary animals. Even though Uganda is lucky enough to hold the Big Five within its borders it also contains enough adrenaline packed and slightly dangerous activities to satisfy the most hardcore of travelers. Narrowing it down to just five is difficult, but here is our list of Uganda’s most heart pounding Big Five Adventures.

1. The Kidepo Pilgrimage

The journey to one of East Africa’s most remote and unspoiled National Parks is not for the faint of heart. Set in the furthest North East corner of Uganda along the border of Sudan, Kidepo Valley National Park is a two-day journey from Kampala. The treacherous terrain is a worthy match for even the most rugged land cruiser, and during rainy season you have a better chance of reaching the park in a canoe than a vehicle. Those that are brave
enough to traverse the roads are rewarded with stunning views, abundant wildlife, and some of Uganda’s most coveted bird species. Best of all, the park is deserted, leaving intrepid travelers to enjoy the spoils one of Africa’s most remote wildernesses all to themselves.

2. Conquering the Nile
The longest river in the world, the Nile has given birth to civilizations, eluded explorers, and now at the source in Jinja is where adventures come to conquer the white water rapids. For thrill seekers plunging headfirst into the massive swirling waves, often to be ejected from the safety of their rafts is the highlight of their time in Uganda. Taking on grade five rapids with names like “The Bad Place,” the Nile is the perfect destination for any adrenaline junkie.

3. Volcano Walk
In the towering shadow of the Virungas amongst the mysterious mist of Bwindi is the dramatic setting where Nkuringo Walking Safaris sets off into the heart of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.  Clients can choose between several routes including the arduous hikes up the extinct volcanoes Muhabura or Sabyinyo where the Congo, Uganda, and Rwandan borders intersect. Although a walking safari may not get your adrenaline pumping, the steep terrain will definitely get your heart racing.

4. Paragliding
Having recently set up shop on the slopes of Mount Wanale in Mbale, paragliding is the newest extreme sport to enter Uganda’s repertoire. Soaring above the fertile green landscape is the closest that humans can get to flying. Actual flight time varies between 15 minutes to one hour, and is dependent upon the weather and the amount of elevation gained during flight. As the only paragliding operator in Uganda, Fly Mami Afrika adheres to strict USHPA standards and employs a fleet of experienced and trained staff.

5.Biking Uganda
Exploring Uganda out of the safety of a safari vehicle is not for everyone. For adventurers that wish to experience the natural and cultural wonders on a more intimate level, biking Uganda is the best
option. Through rural villages and national parks, nothing is more exhilarating than being feet
away from the wildlife on a bike. Traditional routes include exploring Mburo National Park
before heading South through the rolling hills of Uganda, eventually landing on the doorstep of Bwindi. Another option is biking up to Murchison Falls National Park before departing to Gulu and
then to Kidepo, where you can bike through the National Park. Interested in a Big Five adventure safari where you also get to see Africa’s Big Five? Send us an email about putting one or all of our Big Five in your safari!

Our new website is up!  With new itineraries, group trips and special promotions!  To celebrate the launch of our new site when you book now with Churchill Safaris save 10% on your airfare from Europe to Uganda with Brussels Airlines! Come experience the Pearl of Africa, the Number one destination of 2012 by Lonely Planet, and Africa's #1 Birding Destination... Uganda with Churchill Safaris.

WWW.CHURCHILLSAFARIS.COM

Some reviews from recent clients that traveled with Churchill in July and August:


"Couldn't have asked for anything more- Charles was perfect.  Friendly, knowledgeable, fun, we loved him!"

-Fred &Lynnette, USA


"A special thanks to Ether that she made this great safari possible, even in the last minuted."

"Thanks so much to Isaac!  We had a great time with you.  We're still impressed about your driving skills always very safe & convenient, your knowledge of the country and the animals, your ability to see & identify plenty of animals and last but not least your very friendly, sympathetic, and helpful way of guiding."

- Soja and Michael, Switzerland

"I would have no hesitation in recommending Churchill Safaris.  Our 'drivers' were so much more than that: true professionals and gentleman."

-Richard, UK

What to bring on Safari

Packing for an African safari can be exhilerating and daunting.  We get asked by clients all the time about what they should bring, and more importantly what they shouldn't. Having been in the safari business for 10 years we think we have a good idea about the necessities.

1. A good camera

If your going to make your friends and family sit through your your African safari slideshow when you return home, the pictures might as well be good.  For budget concious travelers the Nikon D90 and Nikon D7000 are both excellent cameras that are accessible to beginners.  When budget is not an issue, there are a range of Nikon and Cannon cameras which can bring your photos to the next level, including the Nikon D3S.  Either way bring a camera with you that atleast has a good zoom.  For those that really want to take exellent wildlife shots it may be wise to invest in a photographic safari, where a professional can come on your trip to show you how to take those award winning shots.

A polaroid camera is also a fun way to make friend here!

2. Clothes

Yes, you will have to pack clothes, and although you may have the desire to wear only khaki during your safari, we recommend lighter, cotton based clothes, ones that you wont mind getting dirty, sweaty or even leaving behind.  It also gets cold during the night so a light weight jacket, a rain jacket, sweater, and warm socks will come in handy.  We also recommend bringing a crushable safari hat, with a brim that will cover your face, having a cord will also keep it from leaving your head.

Closed toed shoes are best for walking and safari drives, but a pair of flip flops or sandels can be worn for other parts of the trip.

 3.  Binoculars

Always good to have a pair while on a game drive.

4.  Toiletries

Shampoo, conditioner, insect repelant, several bandaids, tooth bursh, toothpaste, feminen products, deoderant, floss, nail clippers, tweezers, lotion, anti-bacterial gel, chap stick, sun block, are all absolutes to pack.

Also, as strange as it may seem, we highly advice on packing baby wipes!  Nothing quite beats a baby-wipe wipe down while on safari!

5.  A journal

A great way to keep track of things for the slide show!  Bring a small purse or plastic bag too keep it safe from the elements

6. Sun glasses

Oh, the way sunglasses get destroyed, whether they get sat on, left behind, or fall off your head, there are  a million and one ways to loose your sunglasses while on safari.  Bring a spare pair, or two for when you inevitably loose your first pair.

7. Guide to the flora and fauna of the region

Of course your guide will know every plant, bird, and animal species, but just in case it is always helpful to have a guide book to familiarize yourself with the flora and fauna of the country you' re in, as well as learn some interesting facts... like a rhino's tusk is actually made out of compressed hair!

8.  Pictures from home

People will be interested in you, where you come from, your family, etc.  A great way to break the ice and share a little bit more about where you come from and who you are is to bring pictures from home.  Just make sure to leave out the ones of you at the Christmas party.

9.  Entertainment

A good part of your trip will more than likely be spent in your safari vehicle.  Bringing a good book, ipod, or something to entertain yourself is advisable.

10.  Everything else

Visa, tickets, money, credit cards, medicine, passport, passport photos, and anything else that will get you here and back!

Churchill Safaris Promotional Video

An experience with Churchill Safaris

This is an account from one of our clients who took a safari with us in 2011.  Exceptional reading and details about traveling through East Africa.

Early last year my wife decided she would like to visit the Mountain Gorillas for our annual holiday at the end of the year. After some research on trip advisor and a few questions answered we combined two itineraries suggested by mfuwe & atravelynn (thanks guys!) omitting only Akagera NP in Rwanda because of time constraints and e-mailed these itineraries to Volcanoes Safaris and Churchill Safaris for comment & pricing. We were also going to get Kazinga Tours to quote but decided against it as at the time it appeared there was some trouble within their organisation. Churchill Safaris was the first to return my enquiry, unbelievably within 20 minutes. Ether wanted to acknowledge my enquiry and advise me that she would put together an itinerary for me & get back to me which she did within the hour!! Volcanoes Safaris took 3 days to get back to me with a very brief itinerary that was a massive 50% more expensive than Churchill’s. Maybe I shouldn’t mention our quoted price but Churchill’s was US$19,000 for a 25 day Safari including 4 Gorilla permits, staying in mostly top of the range accommodation and including most meals.

We arrived in Entebbe at 7pm on the 18th December. Obtaining a Visa was easy, no passport photos were required but there were queues at immigration so it took us about 40 minutes in total including exchanging some US$ to UGS. At immigration they photograph you with a webcam but the Visa is just a stamp in your passport with a maximum stay date written on it. The exchange rate at the Airport was about as good as we saw anywhere and it is so much easier whilst you are there. Emmy from Churchill Safaris was waiting outside and after an introduction we were on our way. I was surprised at how young he was, 29 years old – actually he had his 30th birthday whilst on our Safari. However he was a very capable and very friendly young man who did his best to ensure we had a good time. As we travelled around the many friendships and working relationships he had built up with people wherever we went worked in our favour many times. One huge plus to Emmy was that he told it like it was – no crap and nothing glossed up for a tourist; we got it just as it was and we both appreciated that immensely.

Our trip to Kampala took an astonishing 2 hours 20 minutes! The traffic was hell, virtually stopped the whole way. We were too late arriving at the Kampala Serena for dinner so had a room service snack which was fine. The next morning we visited the Kampala Museum and then drove to Jinja which was a good road & a good introduction to Uganda. As is typical in Africa people are walking along the side of the roads and there are Markets & just so much happening – so interesting. We found the source of the Nile a little underwhelming but still worth seeing.

The next morning and we were off on Safari. The drive North to Murchison Falls took all day stopping off to view the top of the falls en route. The road as far as Masindi was sealed and good but from there on to Paraa Lodge was unsealed and rough. We spent the next 2 days on game drives in the park and also did a cruise up river to the base of the falls. The cruise took about 3 hours, was on a new large catamaran owned by Paraa lodge and we saw a big number of Hippos and Nile Crocodiles from above which was good for photos. In the park during the game drives we saw a lot of Giraffe, Elephant and Buffalo but no Lions. The terrain reminded me of some parts of Tanzania. We liked the way at morning tea time Emmy produced a flask of boiling water and some coffee, so we could have refreshments sometimes whilst clients of other safari companies looked on. Very civilised!! Having said this there is not the volume of Safari traffic in Uganda there is in Tanzania orKenya. It is rare to be anywhere with more than 1 or 2 other vehicles – great!! Another plus to Churchill’s is that they supply you with as much water as you need – in Tanzania once we had run out of the initial supply we had to pay ourselves for more. Not so with Churchill’s. We were delighted on returning to our room at Paraa lodge one night that there was a Hippo just near the door to our room. We stood and watched her for ages; she didn’t seem to be aware of our presence.

The drive from Murchison Falls to Ndali lodge near the Kibale forest is a very long one on an extremely rough road. At the end of it you and your luggage are covered in dust. The Toyota Land Cruiser we were using was of the Station wagon variety that Churchill’s use for just 2 people; they use the Land Cruiser troop carriers for more than 2 people. Our one was 13 years old and had travelled 320,000 kms so the dust sealing was not as effective as it used to be and the A/C didn’t work. The vehicle was otherwise in sound mechanical condition though and gave no trouble at all, not even any punctures. I did notice that it had 5 brand new tyres and a new Battery. Also it had been fitted with heavy duty suspension. Some Safari companies use 4WD vans but these struggle to get along some of the roads especially the road from Buhoma to Ruhija which they can not travel along if it has been raining. Confirm with your safari company what they use, believe me you do not want to be travelling in a van - they are not up to the job of handling these poorly maintained and very rough roads. Churchill’s have another similar vehicle that is 1 year old, this would have been much better. We travel with back packs and next time we are going to take some pack rain covers to put over the packs whilst travelling along to keep the dust off them – much easier to just run the shower over a nylon cover than having to battle with trying to clean your pack.

Ndali Lodge is in a spectacular location on the rim of a Crater. One nicety we noted in Uganda was that there was somewhere to put your luggage when you arrived at a lodge even if it was just a locally made mat that they laid out on the ground. In some countries your luggage is removed from your vehicle and unceremoniously dumped in the dirt. On arrival at Ndali our luggage was so dusty they brushed it clean for us. The next day we did the walk through the Bigodi swamp in the morning and in the afternoon the Chimp trekking in the Kibale Forest. Here you have an 80% chance of seeing Chimps but after a moderate 4 hour treck we fell into the other 20% category. They offered for us to return first thing the next morning but we declined as we had another long drive ahead.

Most of the drive to the Queen Elizabeth NP was on tarmac and we arrived sans dust at Katara lodge which we loved. I will do a separate review of each place we stayed. The next day we did a morning game drive and saw a huge number of Elephants and in the afternoon did the boat trip on the Kazinga channel. This turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. We have never seen such a concentration of Hippos or Buffalos on the shore and down in the water. There were even Elephants right down by the water. For bird lovers this place must be heaven – it would be impossible to count the number of birds, both large and small. If you get the same boat that we did when you get on everyone makes for the front downstairs but at the back on the left hand side there is one double seat that is raised up and provides a much better view. As we were leaving the area a Leopard walked across the road in front of the vehicle. We have never seen one so close up and you could see the incredible spots on him. This was amazing as it was not far from Myewa Safari lodge.

The next morning after we checked out of Katara we went for the chimp tracking in the Kyambura gorge. Here it is not as likely to see the Chimps but this was our day and after a short walk down into the spectacular gorge and a walk over a swing bridge with no sides there they were. A male even brushed up against me as he climbed down a tree. There were moments when I thought I may have lost my daypack & Camera as he went right up to it & touched it but he decided it wasn’t for him so we spent the next hour watching him and his family – amazing!! Part 2 tomorrow, thanks for reading.

After our successful visit to the Kyambura gorge we continued to our next stop at the Ishasha Wilderness Camp along a non sealed road but with a good surface. This was a nice camp situated in a very pretty area and we would like to have stayed here longer. After an overnight stop we began what was going to be a very long, dusty & rough drive to Ruhija in Bwindi. Not too far out of the southern section of the Q.E.National Park Emmy spotted a Lioness sitting in a tree. Wow, she was right there and we were just below her – I swear we were so close we could hear her breathing but for her she virtually ignored us. I can tell you the Camera’s were working overtime!!

I can’t impress enough just how rough the road from Buhoma to Ruhija is and how totally unsuitable it is for anything other than a purpose built 4WD such as a Land Cruiser or Land Rover. It is not suitable for one of these 4WD Toyota Hi Ace Vans no matter who tells you it is. You need a proper 4WD with a low range transmission and either locking front hubs or a diff lock. (Yes, I work in the motor industry) Even with all this it had been raining and we still got stuck in the middle of the road. After several back up attempts we made it through the worst section. I have done a lot of four wheel driving in the Australian outback and this section of the road to Ruhija is a worse track than the Oodnadatta track through central Australia. If Uganda wants to keep the momentum on the increasing Gorilla tourism market going the government needs to have a serious look at this road. We arrived at Ruhija totally exhausted.

This was the day we had been waiting for and we set off for our Uganda Gorilla tracking. Once we had been briefed it was only a short 40 minute walk along a ridge and then 20 minutes down into a shallow swamp and there they were. The Bitukura group has several Silverbacks and we observed them feeding before we climbed up (and slipped down again in my case) a grassy bank to observe the rest of the family. All too quickly it was over and we had to go. A word of caution here is that we had an easy and short walk there but at an altitude of 2700m the walk back uphill was really tough going and whilst in the swamp we were standing in muddy water half way up our shins at times. The temperature was not cold though. I had on cross trainers and they did not have the necessary grip needed and I slipped and fell 3 times. Usually I am very sure footed and one time I slipped right down the bank, couldn’t move and had to be helped up by 2 ladies. That was embarrassing! A young girl that came with us had tracked at Buhoma the previous day and had to walk up steep farmland for 2 hours before even coming to the forest. For me I just would not have been able to do that, I am reasonably fit but the altitude zapped me of my energy. At the end of our tracking we rested and ate our picnic lunches and the young girls’ driver started to hurry her up as it was going to rain and he was saying their van would not get through the road if it rained heavily!

The next morning we departed en route to Rwanda. The road beyond Ruhija is still very rough but not as bad thankfully as before it and there are some amazing views of the steep countryside and all the crops planted in seemingly impossible places. Once off the Ruhija road the sealed road is of an international standard as you head towards Kisoro and there are some amazing views down into Lake Bunyoni. After about 20 kms the road deteriorates and there are a lot of road works.

We were following a truck being driven erratically when suddenly they stopped virtually in the middle of the road at the bottom of a gorge. Emmy said he didn’t like the situation and decided to drive around the stationary truck on the RH side. We drove so close to a boulder on the RH side of the road I was waiting for the crash but fortunately it never came. We continued on to the top of the next hill and found a lot of angry guys had constructed a road block out of huge boulders, rocks and whatever else they could find. Emmy asked what was going on and they told us that some thieves in a truck had been stealing from the local villages along the road. These guys were absolutely furious and they quickly cleared away some stones so we could pass by. This is any area with virtually no police presence and if the guys had been able to stop the truck they may have beaten the thieves to death on the spot. Lower down the hill another road block, this time a huge tree across the road and many young guys appearing out of the bush and running frantically to the road block. We continued on again, and then about 5 kms later there was the truck right behind us! There are two thoughts on why they tried to stop us earlier, one was that a Safari vehicle will contain tourists probably with some foreign cash on board to add to their booty and the other thought is that they knew the locals would clear the road block to let us through and they could charge through after us. Whatever the reason we knew we needed to get away from them and after passing two cars and finally a bus they could not pass the bus and we were out of harms way. This was rather scary and if it hadn’t been for our capable driver it might have turned out differently to what it did. We relaxed after this ordeal with a nice lunch at the Travellers Rest Hotel at Kisoro and then headed to the Rwanda border. I have tried to keep this short but have wanted to provide as much information as I could to help anyone I can so yes –there is going to be a part 3 and also the part in Rwanda I will post in the Rwanda forums. I will upload our trip photos to my flickr site which is www.flickr.com/photos/kiwiexplorer which you are welcome to look at in a week or two,

Having left Rwanda we were now back in Uganda and heading for Lake Bunyonyi. Once through Kabale we turned off and after a short but typically rough ride on another very bad road we arrived at a jetty area where there was a very busy market taking place. From out of the hordes of people, Steven the manager of the Heritage Lodge appeared and we were off on a longboat to his Lodge. This is a pretty lake with arms of the Lake coming off in all directions. After 30 minutes we arrived at the Heritage Lodge on Habuharo Island. For the one night we were there we were the only guests, the next night there were no guests at all and 3 arriving the following day. Steven explained to us that he thinks the coming elections in Uganda are putting people off coming at the moment.

Early the next morning we left for an hour long boat ride to a swamp to observe the birdlife. We had been warned that it would be cold but it was absolutely freezing. It was expected to be 16 degrees but moving rapidly through the air as we were I doubt it would have been over 0 degrees. We just simply hadn’t brought clothes warm enough to Uganda for this. We held the life jackets up as windbreakers to try to help but we became so very cold our immunity was compromised and we both promptly got nasty throat infections which I still have now. Had we known how freezing this boat trip was going to be we wouldn’t have done it. Part of the trip was to visit the Batwa Pygmies which was interesting. Some local kids met us at the boat and struggled with each other for the right to hold our hands. Those that missed out held onto our sleeves and we walked up the Hill to the Batwa. Unfortunately the Batwa are a lazy bunch of no hopers and after a short dance and sing song they wanted the expected tip. We gave them 20,000 shillings as Steven had suggested and suddenly the performance stopped. Their leader held his hand up for another 20,000 but Steven said not to give it. They produced some poorly made and filthy dirty craft ware they had made and we picked 2 items & gave them what they wanted but by now things had soured and Steven said abruptly that we must go now, without seeing inside one of their houses as expected!! Apparently the more they get the more they want. We gave the same tip to the local kids whose company we enjoyed immensely and they were so appreciative & happy they jumped into the air and screamed and shouted thank you to us so many times. They were still thanking us as we disappeared down the hill to the boat.

As expected the very punctual Emmy was waiting for us at the jetty on our return and we sped off along a very good road in the direction of Mihingo Lodge near Lake Mburo where we were booked in for the next 2 nights (or so we thought). As we were driving Emmy received a phone call from Katy, the manager at Mihingo lodge asking what time we were expecting to arrive tomorrow??? When we had first received Ether’s suggested itinerary we modified the last 3 nights to suit our flight out ofEntebbe. This had been noted, a revised itinerary was forwarded to us along with a revised quoted price. Now, on our arrival in Entebbe Emmy had presented us with the original itinerary. We told him it was not correct and there would be no way we could drive from Mihingo lodge to Entebbe to catch a 7.15am flight. He had informed Ether but I had not been comfortable about this so had e-mailed her from Paraa Lodge with a detailed explanation of the problem and I even attached a copy of the revised itinerary to the e-mail. She replied to the e-mail saying there had been a problem with their reservations dept.

Unfortunately it didn’t sink in though and it was now apparent they were still working to the original itinerary which had never been accepted by me anyway. I was furious and even more so by the fact that we couldn’t contact Ether as she was 180kms out ofKampala where there was no cell phone reception. Fortunately for us Katy from Mihingo Lodge phoned around whilst we drove and secured a tent for us at the Kimbla Mantana tented camp. There are only 2 other accommodation providers nearby . Nobody had any money to pay for the night and they didn’t take Credit cards so I had to pay using my dwindling $US. This peeved me off so much as it was my Birthday and we had been looking forward to relaxing at Mihingo lodge. On our return to Kampala we were re-imbursed for the night we didn’t use at Mihingo and some other items and an apology was given but such a silly mistake was not on. If you use this Safari company and you have any doubts at all about anything I recommend you get on the telephone and sort it out verbally. Apart from this incident and a few differences about what had been included in the price which were easily sorted I do recommend Churchill safaris. It is a trustworthy family business who will not abscond with your money; you will get your Safari unlike some other companies that have popped up on trip advisor recently. So with my Birthday written off and us starting to feel under the weather we tried to enjoy the rest of the trip. Mihingo Lodge was awesome and we enjoyed Lake Mburo although didn’t see a lot of wildlife there except Zebra and Impala. We didn’t see any Eland.

Our final day and a long trip into Kampala over what started out as a very good road and then deteriorated with various road works into a dusty road but the surface remained reasonable. We stopped at the equator briefly but thought the equator stop near the Queen Elizabeth NP was prettier so decided not to take any photos this time. It was interesting to see the fish sellers holding their Tilapia up as you drove past in case you might be tempted to stop and purchase one! We drove to Churchill Safaris HQ to meet Ether. We enjoyed talking to her and were impressed at how she was prepared to refund us some monies without hesitation. I really feel that our itinerary problem was unusual – trust it to happen to us and on my Birthday!! Our final drive was to Entebbe to the excellent Boma guest house and this time the drive took barely 30 minutes.

All up we had a great trip and were looked after splendidly by Emmy. We found the people in Uganda exceptionally open and friendly. The food was surprisingly good and generally superior to what we have had in the past in Tanzania. This may be in part that the lodges in Uganda are smaller and it is easier to cater a higher standard of food in a smaller institution. Also, there is a huge abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables in Uganda as you can see everywhere for sale on the side of the roads. We had no stomach upsets of any sort in the entire trip, something to be said for staying at mainly top end properties. There isn’t the wildlife in Uganda that there is in Tanzania, Zimbabwe or other African countries that we have visited but when you do see it you are likely to be alone so can have a decent look at it. If you have never been to Africa before and it is going to be your only trip then I probably wouldn’t recommend Uganda or Rwanda but if you have visited Africa previously then it is well worth it to see somewhere that is different. Thank you to all that assisted me in the planning of our Safari and thank you for taking the time out to read my other 2 parts to this review and my review of the Rwanda part as well.

2012  marks an exciting time for Uganda.  Ranked as the world's #1 Travel Destination of 2012 by Lonely Planet, Uganda's National Parks, culture, and wildlife are now becoming of serious interest to world travelers.  Often overshadowed by it's East African neighbors Uganda has been the hidden gem of East Africa, with pristine National Parks that have yet to be affected by mass tourism.  Uganda offers something unique and rare in an ever changing and developing world, in that visitors still have the opportunity to feel adventure, to go off the beaten path, and to discover what has remained hidden.

In order to help visitors better explore our verdant country we have some exciting new developments and trips planned in the near future.  This includes:

-Special offers and deals:  From now until May 1st, 2012 save 5%-10% on your safari or gorilla trekking tour.  

-Volunteer Discounts:  In order to support volunteerism Churchill Safaris offers discounted safaris to volunteers working in Uganda, we thank you for your work and would like to show our appreciation as such.  We offer further discounts on large groups.

-More trips off the beaten path:  As a locally owned safari company we understand Uganda better than anyone.  We know the places to go to see the "real Africa" and how to do so in an unoffensive and responsible way.  Such trips include volunteer based projects including school and hospital outreaches, as well as visits to traditional communities.

Safari photos of Africa