The Wild Side of Uganda

Our whirlwind 3-day tour was exciting to say the least...

The scenery gradually changed as we headed northwest to the national park: from brush.. to farmland.. to tropical palms.. to hill country shrouded by clouds and bedecked in greenery. All along the way, small communities were sporadically spaced with sub-standard houses, some slightly more presentable than others. The roofs morphed from tin to thatch as we moved further along the route while potholes and road construction crowded out the smoother pavement near Kampala.

Upon arrival at Red Chili Camp, we had just enough time to find our cabins and eat lunch before our adventures in the wild began with a cruise down the Nile to the base of the falls...

The Nile River, lifeblood of the African continent and subject of many Biblical accounts, supports a lot of wildlife. Not far from where our boat shoved off to begin our cruise, hippos enjoyed the cool water of the Nile... they were plentiful along the banks. Crocodiles showed their teeth in wicked smiles as passed. Cape buffaloes swam contentedly near the shore. An elephant made a cameo appearance and quickly retreated into the trees. Kingfishers hovered in mid-air before dive bombing into the water after fish or bugs.

Foam resembling toasted meringue floating in the water and a low roar announced the proximity of the falls. It was quite a sight when it finally came into view!

On Tuesday, we ferried across the Nile to begin our wild animal search on dry land. Our vans were now converted to safari vehicles with the roofs popped up for viewing. Many species of animals and birds inhabit the 3800 km of national park. We saw... giraffes feeding on the Acacia trees; water buck, kob and antelope roaming the open expanses of the savannah; a lioness leading us away from her cub; a leapard lounging in a tree; mother elephants protecting their young; papas monkeys playing in the trees; a jackal trying to avoid our cameras; wart hogs calmly grazing; cape buffalo rolling in the mud... Amazing! We took 100s of photos, but no picture can capture the feel of the wind in our faces, the smell of the wilderness or the excitement of spotting an animal in the wild.

We sang 'Happy Birthday' to Carol before loading up for our trip back to the Stevensons. On the way, we stopped at the top of Murchison Falls - a short trek brought us up close and personal with the power and strength of the water as it crashed down to the Nile below. The breathtaking rainbow that formed in the fall's spray seemed almost within reach!

After leaving the national park, we traveled on to the rhinocerous sanctuary. The sanctuary was opened in 2005 to breed rhinos and release them back to Murchison Falls where they once roamed - because of poachers, rhinos have not been seen in Uganda since 1982. Our guides led us through the brush and grasses under a low, thick canopy of fan trees and throny branches. Suddenly, there we were nose to nose the the tight knit group of 6 white rhinos. Following a short photo session, the bounded away, but we followed them to a small mud hole and were able to capture some great shots!

We are all in awe of this country and it's diversity! What a vast and magnificent world God created!