Global Tracking: Uganda
THOUSAND HILLS EXPEDITIONS
www. thousandhillsexpedition.com
Uganda is a land of surprises, from five star luxury on the shores of Lake Victoria to white water rafting on the Nile, from mountain gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to the tree climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park, expect the unexpected.
Discovering Uganda is an adventure, and Thousand Hills Expeditions, www. thousandhillsexpedition.com, offers the ultimate safari experience customized to make your visit to Uganda a dream come true.
Uganda has struggled to overcome its embattled history. Achieving democracy following the bloodshed and terror of the dictator Idi Amin has been a long and arduous journey, but now stability, economically and politically, has made Uganda open to tourists eager to discover its wildlife, cultural heritage, and natural beauty.
Personalized service is the hallmark of Thousand Hills Expeditions. Our guide, Henry, met us at the Entebbe International Airport and whisked us on to our first stop, the Protea Hotel.
THE PROTEA HOTEL
The Protea Hotel brand represents luxury throughout Africa, but the beauty of the Entebbe Protea set on the shore of Lake Victoria was unexpected in its sophisticated elegance and luxury. The grand lobby with seating designed for comfort and conversation, welcomes its international guests in style. Spacious rooms invite and delight with attention to every detail in exquisite furnishings, linens, and bath design. Views of Lake Victoria with sailboats and fishing boats inspire daydreams as you sit on the balcony or enjoy refreshments on the terrace or poolside
Early morning breakfast buffet, and the safari adventure begins with a five hour drive through Uganda’s diverse landscapes to the Kibale National Park where we will embark on our chimpanzee trek at Kanyanchu Park Headquarters. Advance reservations have been made by Thousand Hills Expeditions, so we are set to embark on our trek through the Kibale Park Forest.
Chimp chatter fills the air as they playfully socialize, taunt, screech at intruders on their branch, and vocalize in a chorus of song. Craning our necks to view their lofty antics, we were rewarded by a panoramic view of their dynamic display. To be embedded in their world is a wonder few experience but a memory to treasure always.
NDALI LODGE
A private paradise overlooking glistening Crater Lake in the highlands of Kibale National Forest, Ndali Lodge (www.ndalilodge.com) offers dramatic mountain views to the west with breathtaking hues of sunset. Family built and owned, 8 cozy cottages of stone with thatched roofs, individually decorated with locally made furniture and furnishings, candlelight and lanterns. The atmosphere of tranquility, an escape to nature and basics is maintained throughout your stay. No electricity except at the main house where wifi is available means candlelight dining and bedtime reading by lantern light. A swimming pool with lounges overlooks mist covered valleys. The dining room lounge and balcony provide a cozy setting for sipping wine while writing in your travel journal, reading and reflecting. A small bar, well stocked and welcoming, staffed by one of the friendly servers, awaits the pleasure of your company. Dining is personalized with lovely meals featuring locally grown all natural ingredients. Whether searching for a romantic retreat or a peaceful pause in your travels, your time in Ndali will be a lingering memory.
A conversation over cocktails with owner, Aubrey, and his lovely wife, Clare, will enlighten guests on the intriguing history of their families, displaced by violence from their Ugandan birthplace to separate continents, their serendipitous connection and ultimate return to their homeland is reminiscent of a romance novel with a very happy ending.
Our safari continues through the stunning Ishasha wildlife region of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Blessed with abundant wildlife viewing and home of the famous Ugandan tree climbing lions, Ishasha has safari viewers on the edge of their seats eager to glimpse any of the antelope, possibly a duiker or a bushbuck, a zebra or a giraffe, or hopefully, a lion or leopard. Surrounded by the hills of the Great Rift Valley, the distant Mountains of the Moon, and encompassing the impressive beauty of Lake George and Lake Edward joined by the Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth is among Africa’s most famous and popular national parks.
MWEYA SAFARI LODGE
Regally positioned on a rocky promontory rising above the Kazinga Channel linking Lake George and Lake Edward, Mweya Safari Lodge has stunning views of this spectacular panorama. Your stay must include a channel boat cruise which hugs the coastlines to ensure optimal viewing of wildlife…elephants and hippos, Cape Buffalo, eland and every variety of antelope.
Prolific birdwatching includes opportunities to see the fish eagles diving for their prey from their perches on the highest branches of the shoreline trees. From the channel cruise you glimpse the lives of the villagers as they come to the water to play and bathe, tote water up the hills to their homes in distinctive yellow plastic jugs, and fish from the shore or the fishing boats most common in early morning and late afternoon.
A stay at Mweyu Safari Lodge (www.mweyusafarilodge.com) provides uninterrupted vistas for photographers from spectacular sunrise to equally breathtaking sunset. Sundowner cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are best enjoyed on the broad terrace as the sun’s descent reflects an array of colors across the cloudless sky. Dining on the terrace in moonlight and candlelit tranquility is only interrupted by frequent visits to the scrumptious buffet, offering a variety of international dishes guaranteed to please every traveler’s taste buds.
Rooms range from standard to deluxe suites, cottages and luxury tents. All are modern and beautifully furnished with contemporary African design for maximum style and comfort.
A three hour drive through the Kigezi Highlands, the Switzerland of Africa, takes us to new heights and ecosystems. Remarkable cloudscapes emerge, forming and re-forming across mountain crests, captivating us with its fleeting splendor, and soon we reach our destination.
MAHOGANY SPRINGS SAFARI LODGE
Mahogany Springs (www.mahoganysprings.com) is set in the shade of a magnificent mahogany tree, strong and proud, proclaiming the entrance to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Here lies the gateway to the mountain gorilla habitat sought by adventure seeking trekkers and flocks of birdwatchers with tripods and long lenses seeking a long list of indigenous and migratory birds abounding in this region.
Mahogany Springs Safari Lodge, known for its impressive mahogany tree, has 8 lovely chalets overlooking the Munyaga River valley in peaceful serenity beneath the misty Ugandan mountains. Each chalet is uniquely designed and features work of local artisans in support of the surrounding communities. The Lodge is recognized for its warm hospitality and personal service, a central bar and lounge area, and a cozy living area with stone fireplace and library. Relax at the bar, tended by a charming local storyteller who will recount gorilla encounters guaranteed to entertain. Or enjoy the wrap around terrace, capturing the view of the homes and farms in the valley, children racing down the well worn pathways, the pastoral setting of cattle grazing, and the inset waterfall where gorillas have been known to visit for a shower and soak in the pooling water below. Whether you choose terrace dining or the comfort of the dining room which shares the views of valley and mystic mountains beyond, dining at Mahogany Springs is extraordinary with its cosmopolitan presentation and gourmet offerings. Afternoon tea features fresh baked cakes and breakfast options nourish the trekkers for the challenge ahead.
One of nature’s most incredible wildlife encounters, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Mountain Gorilla Trek promises up close and personal viewing of these gorillas in their habitat as family groups. Like our stay at Mahogany Springs, the gorilla trek has been arranged by our Thousand Hills guide. We gather at the staging area for an orientation and we are grouped according to the families we will be seeking.
Our trek sets off with local guides leading groups of up to 8 trekkers with porters providing necessary support up the steep rainforested hills, on mud slick “trails”, navigating roots and vines, branches and brambles. The challenges presented on our ascent over this difficult mountain terrain tests our resolve. Our eyes are on the prize as we edge upward nearing our gorilla family’s most recent nesting area. Our guide is a young woman with fresh knowledge and enthusiasm as she cheers us up the challenging terrain. She distracts us with a soundbites of information. This UNESCO site is a 124 square mile homeland to half of the remaining mountain gorilla population, 350 at latest count, more than 100 species of mammals including non-habituated chimpanzees, 346 species of birds, and 163 species of trees.
And suddenly we are there, a mother and babe in arms are revealed in the shadow of bamboo overhung with vines. Around us the trees and underbrush begin to take on life as juveniles confidently climb and swing around us. Our new challenge is to capture them in motion as cameras click without stop. Our tracker returns to tell us the silverback has left the tribe and has headed up the mountain’s steepest slopes to scout for new foraging and nesting areas. Thankfully we are not going to pursue him, but we will stay for our allotted hour and observe the domestic life of these wondrous beings, watching them forage and feed, frolicking amongst the dense overhead canopy. Sunlight is scarce here on the ground, but flash photography is forbidden. A toddler races by our cluster of trekkers and touches the hand of one of our group. We revel in the moment. This experience is beyond description. It is at once spiritual and grounding to share this time with these mothers and their children, to experience our commonality and the bonds of our common history.
The trek has been 7 ½ hours of challenge and ecstacy, and the finale of the day upon our return is the promise of an in-room massage by Mahogany Springs’ professional massage therapist to soothe the aching muscles and revel in the magic of this amazing day!
Next stop:
CHOBE SAFARI LODGE
A short flight takes us to the airstrip near Murcheson Falls and we meet our next driver/guide, Davis. We head to the Chobe Safari Lodge, an extraordinary lodge of stone and glass overlooking the Nile River and panoramic vistas of hippo, elephant, warthogs, and crocodile. Stunning three tier cascading swimming pools with poolside spa and fitness center create the resort ambience of this incredible property. Outstanding wildlife viewing can be found without moving from your seat from the comfort of the bar and lounge areas. Elegant dining with the choice of the large terrace overlooking the river or the comfort of indoor seating.
The safari tour includes a Murchison Falls game drive and lunch at sister lodge, Paraa. From here we take the launch for the Nile cruise to Devil’s Cauldron waterfall with wildlife sightings along the shore.
A return to the Chobe Lodge is to relax into the Five Star luxury of the beautiful rooms, the soaking tub, and pillowy duvet covered beds. Whether you choose a luxury river side tent a sumptuous suite or the standard room, your stay will be wrapped in luxury and your wildlife experience will be memorable.
Expect the Unexpected!
A 3 hour drive will lead us to the most unique lodge experience in Uganda.
JINJA WILDWATERS LODGE
The only way to reach the lodge is by the motorboat moored and waiting at a remote parking lot. Embarking from there, you are transported to the rocky peninsula jutting into the rapids of the Nile River. Individually designed, the 10 cottages of Wildwaters resemble extraordinary tree houses with lofty ceilings, furnished with rustic beauty, spacious, and open to nature and the sounds of the rapids. On the privacy deck rests a huge copper soaking tub with bubble bath and toiletries awaiting for a one of a kind experience bathing under the stars with the sounds of plunging rapids frothing nearby. Wonderful food and service in the intimacy of the riverside dining with a delightful small pool and comfortably cozy lounge area.
We descend to the launch, this time with the promise of crazy fun. A speed boat ride is the prelude to our white water rafting and is an institution in this region. Driven by an eccentric character who delights in spinning and splashing his passengers, veering startlingly close to the shoreline and rapid drop-offs, this is the closest thing to the thrill of an amusement park ride on the water. The unexpected is a highlight of the Ugandan adventure.
Prepared for white water adventure, the guides ready the rafts, lifejackets and helmets dispensed, and a paddling orientation ensues. The Nile River has an exciting array of rapids, ranging from 3 to 6 on the rapid scale. We set out, six people to a raft, and paddled. Exciting beyond expectation!
Next stop: Kampala, Uganda’s capital
HOTEL HUMURA
A warm welcome by hotel manager, Hannah White, helped make this final Uganda destination especially enjoyable. Humira means relaxation or state of calm, and the staff strives to ensure a most relaxing, pleasurable experience. From comfortable rooms, casual dining, and a fitness center complete with the latest Technogym equipment for guests to enjoy quality workout time while traveling, Humira is a great package. This venue’s central location within Kampala provides convenience for business travelers and tourists with easy access to the city business center, a short walk to the largest shopping mall, and near the National Museum.
Uganda has emerged as a tourist destination offering safari wildlife, mountain gorilla trekking, white water adventures, and opportunities to experience its diverse cultures. Natural wonders abound, making Uganda a bucket list dream and leaving us with gratitude and lasting memories.
