Murchison falls Uganda

The best all rounder in Uganda, with animals in plentiful supply and the raging Murchison falls a sight to behold.
During the 1960s, Uganda's biggest national park (3893 sq km 5081 sq km with the adjoining Bugungu and Karuma reserves) was one of the Africa's best and as many as 12 launches filled with eager tourist would buzz up the river to the falls each day. The park also used contain some of the largest concentration of wildlife in Africa, including  as many as 15000 elephants. Unfortunately, poachers and troops wiped out practically all wildlife, except the more numerous ( or less sought after)herd spicies. There are now no rhinos and only a few prides of lions, but other wildlife is recovering fast and you can find good numbers of elephants, girraffes, Uganda kobs, waterbuck, buffoloes, hippos n crocodile these days. Sitatungas, leopord and spotted hyenas might also be seen and there are rumours that cheetah have returned. Bird life consist of some 460 species, including quite a few shoebill storks.

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Uganda

The big five back. In 2005, Rhino fund Uganda opened this private 70 sq Km. 170km northwest of Kampala, 23 after poachers shot the nation's last wild rhino. Half dozen southern white rhinos ( the northern white rhino oce found in Uganda is so close to extinction there's little hope of its survival). We saw some terrible pictures how people actually killed those rhinos and just took they horn sell them to china and middle east apparently good for health which is not true.

Eventually these magnifecent beast may also be reintroduced to murchison falls and Kidepo Valley National park. A guide will lead you on an up close encounter, either in your vehicle u need 4wd drive if it is rain. Once you reach the rhinos you finish your visit on foot. Reservation are rarely needed, but a good idea. Other animals living inside the two metre tall electric fence include leopord,hippo,crocodile,bushback and oribi. It is worth to visit n give support to the community here.

Bujagali falls, Uganda

Right back to the track again, after from Jinja we decide to go to Bujagali since only 10km away from Jinja and apparently people recommeded to us it is nice place to stop over and do nothing at all.

To get here, head northwest out of town and go straight a head at the Kampala roundbout, Follow this sometime smooth, sometime bumpty road and turn left at the large signpost pointing to the falls. If u decide to take minibus to Budondo pass this junction cost around SH500, 30 minutes but can take a while to fill up again not is africa.

Bujagali falls not an actual waterfall, but rather a wide spread series of large rapids and it is one of Uganda's outstanding natural beauty spot ( admission charge between 9am till 7pm). A thriving backpacker community has grown up near the falls and many travellers end up chilling ther for a few days after their rafting trip (we did this rafting which we were organized from jinja through backpacker hostel it was fantastic experience and wonderful scenery along the way just......absoulutely breathtaking If i have ten tumb I will put up all of them it was worth it)

This is the fun part, when we went to Bujagali fall during the next day a few local men, calling themselves the Bujagali Swimmers, have create a cottage industry by throwing themselve into the falls with one arm wrapped tight around a jerry can and the other paddling them through the safe router and all of a Ush 5000 fee. They make it look easy, but every once in a while a swimmer loses his grip and goes missing.

The controversial and long delayed Bujagali Dam is finally under construction, and sure to affect the falls, though exactly how much of the roar will end up under water is still unclear. Also likely to change things, a posh resort has been discussed for this site for many years. Regardless of these development, most of the facilities are clustered atop the hile and Nile views will still be beautiful no matter what happens down below.

Jinja, Uganda.

Jinja is famously for the source of the Nile river,Known locally as Omugga Kiyara, though this is the hardly reason to come over here.This area has become something of a retirement community of overland truck drivers and guides, plus many expat, aid workers and missionaries use it as a weekend retreat, resulting is some unexpected pockets of sophistication. For short term visitors the principle attractions are much less urbane. Jinja has emerged as the adrenaline capital of East Africa and you can get your fix white water rafting, kayaking,quad biking, mountain biking,horseback riding and bungee jumping.

The town has a lush location on the shores of Lake victoria and is the major market centre for eastern Uganda. It's a buzzing little much Indian-influenced architecture. Check out the spacious mansion overlooking the lake along Nile Cres, opposite the town's golf course, for an insight into how wealthy this town once was.

Coming from Kampala, the Owen Falls Dam forms a spectacular gateway to the town, as you cost across the top you can look right down on the might Nile. Don't take pictures though,people have been arrested for doing so even though there are signs informing people of this law.

Orientation:

The centre of town is built on a simple grid, with Main St at its heart. This wide avenue has tons of craft shops, internet cafes, take aways, bank, and just about any other service you would want. All road that cross Main St have an east and west side, like New York, indicated in this section as "E" and "W".Most hotel in Jinja, and all of the pricey ones, are is quite residential neighbourhoods a short way from the centre. Overall Jinja is safe place, but it is a city, so dont carry valuables or walk around isolated areas at night

Lake Nakuru

There we are Lake Nakuru. Just a couple of kilometers from the hustle of central Nakuru an army of flamingos turn a sky blue lake bright pink and prehistoric looking horned mammals crash through a landscape of euphorbia trees and acacia forest. With all this and a wealth of other birds and animals there's little doubt why Lake Nakuru National park is rivalling Amboseli as Kenya's second most visited park.

Alongside the flamingos the star attractions of this park are the rhinos black n white and sightings of white rhinos, rumbling like steamrollers through the bushes, are now almost a given at the lake's southern end. Since this species was re-introduced some years ago lake Nakuru has become far and away the best place in the country to see this animals. By contrast the shy black rhinos, browsers by nature and much more aggressive sometime difficult to spot

Next stop Masai Mara National Reserve of Kenya

Backed by the spectacular Esoit Oloololo ( Siria) escarpment, watered by the Mara River National Reserve and littered with an astonishing amount of wildlife is the world renowned Masai Mara and home of tribe masai people.

It is 1510 sq km of open rolling grassland, the northern extension of the equally famouse Serengeti Plains, form just a fraction of the immense Narok ( managed by Narok county council) and Transmara National Reserves ( manage by Mara Conservancy), all which equally wildlife stuffed.

Although concentration of wild life are typically highest in the swampy area around the escarpment on the reserve's western edge, superior roads draw most visitor to the eastern side. Of the big cats, sandy eyed lions are found in large prides everywhere. And it is uncommon to see them hunting  ( very luckly usually they doing hunt during night time) . Cheetah and leopord less visible, but still fairly common and elephants, buffaloes, Zebras and numerous other grazeers occur in the quantities that boggle the mind.

Breathtaking at any time of year the Masa reaches its pinnacle during the annual wildebeest migration in july and august. I was there this time and just amazing seeing those animals line up and somehow when litterally millions of these ungainly beast move north from Serengeti seeking lusher grass before turning south again around october.

The reserve's fame means that it can get very busy and during the migration there seem to be as many minibuses as animals, and many tend to take off, making new tracks wherever they feel fit. This shouldnt be encouraged. In addition the Mara is also very expensive ( and prices are continuing to rise out of all proportion to inflation).

Now the accomodation in Masai mara. We got bit lucky the deals meant, us to stay in camp which is budget accomodation But because the area camp been renovated so they upgrade us into lodge which was niceeee. The place where we were stayed  is near the Masai people village and close to the national reserves park. Nice and peacefull place indeed.

The activities contains games driving required 4WD and excellence driver also guide. Most cars been accomodated with radio transmitted which will be able to detect and located the animals ( most the drivers sharing the information by sending news trhough the radio transmitted sometime if there's animals we havent seen it yet the driver just speed the car like racing the time becareful hold your breath n you wonder what the heck happening here) It was fun. In our group was  7 people and excellence driver. Game driver starting when u arrived in the area for sunset then morning before sunrise. One day, long driving for migration spent mostly the whole day.  So total what we spent here 4 days 3 nite.

If you want extra and different experience seeing people not only animals. There's masai village people in the area. The Maasai Village between Oloolaimutiek and Sekenani gates welcome tourist, though negotiation admission can be fraught. Price start as high as Ksh 1500 (shilling) per person but you can negotiate if too much and u can get down the price for 1000 shiling or even little less. If you willing to drop this kind of cash for free rein the camera, go ahead, but dont expect a genuine cultural experience ( its true thats why we skipping not going to the village seem just fake).

East Africa land for human kind.

let's me see how to begin, when my goose told me he wanted us to go to east africa am kind of not confident at all about it but thing's are about to change.

East africa's allure is legendary as we know it. I would said it has a string of charming themself. the first comes to my mind is the safety since the stabilities in each countries arent really quite well. but well once again am wrong.

our journey starting from Kenya. Bit of background about this country. Kenya is one of east africa's premier safari destination. Indeed, the acacia-dotted savannahs of kenya are inhabitated by classic african animals, from towering elephants and prancing gazelles to prides of lions and stalking leopord ( unfortunately we didnt had our luck to see leopord). the country also plays host to the annual wildebeest migration, which is the largest single movement of herd animals on the entire planet.
However, what makes Kenya truly stand out for traveller's destination is the vast pallete of landscapes that stunninly amazing. The image of the savannahs of the Masai Mara national Reserve is perhaps the single key selling point in Kenya.

History political in kenya. Kenya indenpendence from British in the year 1963. The political hand over began in earnest in 1962, with centralist Kenya African National Union ( KANU) and the federalist Kenya African Democratic Union ( KADU) foarming coaliton government. The run-up to independence was suprisingly smooth, although the redistribution of land wasn't a great success. Kenyan's regarded it is too little, too late while white farmers feared the trickle would become a flood. The coaliton government was abandoned after the first elestion in may 1963 KANU's kikuyu leader, Jomo Kenyatta become Kenya's first president on 12 december and his ruling till his death.

1980s Kenya's Mungiki sect responsible for a series of brutal murder in 2008 emerges, inspired in part by the Mau mau rebellion of 1952.

1990s with collapse of communism and the break-up of the Soviet Union, it was no longer necessary for Western powers to prop up non communist regimes in Africa. On 7th july 1990 things comes a head when the military and police raided an opposition demonstration in Nairobi killing 20 and arresting politicians, human right activists and journalist.

The new millineum Moi put his weight firmly behind Uhuru Kenyatta the son of Jomo Kenyatta, as his successor.

On the 2007 kenya held presidential election. The election was a close call, was marred by various misdeed on the part of two leading parties. The riots soon degenerated into all-out violence that very nearly plunged teh country into civil wars.The images onTV screens across the world were both shocking and dissapointing. Kenyan turn into each other with machetes and all maner of crude weapons. About 1500 people died and hundred of thousand were displaced from their home. ( when we took public transport from Nakuru to Eldoret the journey took about 4 or 5 hours and the guy who sat next to us pointed out outside the areas through window where the tragedy took place, stil some pillars and home been burn untouchable) .

Life in Kenya pretty much everywhere in east africa always pole pole ( its mean slowly slowly and they meant it). Many resident of Kenya are more aware of their tribal affiliation than being "Kenyan" this is one the more fascinating aspect of Kenyan life, but the lack of national cohesion undoubtely hold the country back.

I think just about enough for the background now I would like to start with capital city of Kenya, Nairobi.
has a reputation the dangerous city in africa, beating stiff  competition from Johannesburg( South Africa) and Lagos (nigeria). Carjacking, robbery and violence are daily occurances, and the social ills behind them are unlikely to dissapear in the near future.Wait wait wait dont make you think those people were bad people nah ah. Most the crimes usually happening in the slumdogs areas. The areas where are the touristsm mostly around ,pretty much safe but again sometime you need to take precaution especially during dark time. Taking dalla dalla or matutu arent option it is better to take taxi instead,for your own security safety. So far we both noticed the area where we stayed lots of guard around with a gun so there you go. (no worries)

We spent only a day in this city to organized our safari trip for the next day. The city of Nairobi is flat no hills at all not like Rwanda. We spent time by doing bit of sightseeing city which were not much really.Walking to the parliament building ( you are not allowed to take any pictures of the government building if they court you they have the right to take away your camera I thing the reason behind it was terrorism " too late for that " but precaution always good) went to the top of the building, took pictures the whole city and bingo done. Next to the parliament building not that far there's weekend art market. Quite nice to be honest, you will see lot of carving, painting other typically souvenirs stuff. U can done your last shopping before departure here if you wish. Also there's another art market but when we went inside was very much quite still few of shops opening but not much action.

Food, I like this part very interesting indeed their food.  Lot of BBQ chicken beef,goat in skewers. Then for the side dish u can choose rice, ugali, chips. The sauce simple as well chillies sauce and tomatoes sauce. Drinks they have their own beer which is Tusker and my favourite soda is Stoney its like ginger beer freshin u up the end of your meal.