Here on my 5th trip to Uganda, I finally agreed to go on a safari. I struggled to justify it in previous years, but with my bride and my youngest with me, both wanting to go, I gave in. Seriously, I was not looking forward to going. Once I arrived, however, I was glad to be there.
Our destination on Tuesday morning (early!), leaving the Stevensons behind with Ralph, Carl, and Delbert, the rest of us (Isaac, Sherry, Scott, Kimberly, Ray, Christine, Debbie, and I) left with the Intek Tours guide, Richard. We wanted to go early in order to get ahead of Kampala traffic and some anticipated construction as we traveled northward for four hours to reach the border of Murchison Park.
We spotted a few groups of monkeys as we approached the park. And, as we entered the park, we were greeted by a family of baboons. From there on, baboons were a common companion alongside the roads as we continued to travel into the park - another 2 hours before reaching the "Red Chili Cafe" for lunch with their pet warthog nearby, sleeping in the sun.
Murchison Park is an interesting place that is 2000 square miles in size and has a varied topography - lush foliage in the south with red clay changing to open fields and a savannah to the north. And, one of the highlights, is the Nile River flowing through the park with a rich variety of animals and birds as it connects with Lake Albert.
After a ferry ride across the river, we caught the "African Queen", a double-decker boat that allowed us to have the whole team on the bottom deck together. The guide & driver, Amon, promised that we would see hippos and we saw them all throughout the 3 hour trip.
There were cape buffalo, crocodiles, elephants, warthogs, and riverboks (a type of antelope) along with so many birds. The trip up the Nile ended at the bottom of the Murchison Falls. Other trips offer a trek from that point up to the top of the falls, but we were glad that wasn't on our agenda when a serious storm moved in just as we reached the falls.
After turning the boat around, we fought the storm off and on all the way back to the launch where our driver, Richard, waited.
We disembarked and started further north through the park to look for animals on the plains.
Our primary target was giraffes and we saw a few but only from a distance and just when the light was about to give out.
In between, we encountered hartebeests, more cape buffalo, waterbuks, and a very small version of an antelope (a kob?). Just as we left the park in complete darkness, we had to suddenly stop the tour van due to an elephant who suddenly appeared and crossed the road in front of us. Wow.
Our accommodations for the evening were very good at the Fort Murchison Nature Lodges. Another pleasant surprise. We enjoyed a delicious 4-course dinner, a restful night's sleep, and breakfast the next morning before starting out toward the Ziwa Rhino Reserve on the other side of the park (on the Kampala side). Once we arrived, we were able to "track" four rhinos - a momma, her calf, and a couple friends. The only one that kept an eye on us - just 40 yards away - was momma. Let me say, that I was nervous and glad when we were back on our way out of there.
The roads, with a few exceptions, were terrible. We found out, again, that riding in the van gives one an "African Massage" as we are bumped and jostled and occasionally slammed against the seats - especially in the back. Even so, it was a great trip!
Our accommodations for the evening were very good at the Fort Murchison Nature Lodges. Another pleasant surprise. We enjoyed a delicious 4-course dinner, a restful night's sleep, and breakfast the next morning before starting out toward the Ziwa Rhino Reserve on the other side of the park (on the Kampala side). Once we arrived, we were able to "track" four rhinos - a momma, her calf, and a couple friends. The only one that kept an eye on us - just 40 yards away - was momma. Let me say, that I was nervous and glad when we were back on our way out of there.
Comments