Before I visited Uganda, the only thing I knew about it was that it is internationally known for its mountain gorillas. I meticulously researched and planned my itinerary to include as much of it as possible to experience for myself why the former PM of the UK Winston Churchill referred to it as ‘The Pearl of Africa’.
Try mountain gorilla tracking
Mountain gorilla tracking is special in Uganda as there are only about 1,063 mountain gorillas in the world and they are all found in Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda has about 300 gorillas.
At the outpost, we were welcomed by a song and dance performance by local ladies. There is also the option of flying to the outpost in a helicopter. Before tracking, we were briefed about the gorilla family that we would be visiting. It belonged to a silverback named Xmas.
After hiking for an hour, we reached the area where Xmas was resting with his family of 10. The indescribable experience of seeing them so up close, at a distance of about seven feet in the wild, made me realise why people come here for mountain gorilla spotting from all over the world.
Spending time with the Batwa pygmies:
After observing mountain gorillas, it was time to interact with the Batwas, indigenous Ugandan pygmies. What made the experience special is that there are only about 6,000 Batwas in Uganda. I visited their settlement in Kisoro District which included 250 members.
Before we reached the settlement, my guide had told me that some of the Batwas can make fire using just a stick and dried grass. I didn’t believe him. I thought he was exaggerating until I saw it with my own eyes. It was fascinating to see a Batwa man rub the stick against the grass and in less than a minute, the grass had caught fire.
The community loves to sing and dance. Their zest for life is so inspiring that I joined in even though I didn’t understand what they were singing.
Walking with giraffes in Lake Mburo National Park
How could I not go on a safari in Africa? I chose Lake Mburo National Park because it has 350 bird species. During our game drive, we heard and saw a variety of birds. We also spotted many zebras and impalas. But I had not yet seen a giraffe.
When I told my guide that I was hoping to spot a giraffe, he mentioned that the vehicle ahead of us had spotted a herd. And soon we would too.
Instead of being quiet spectators, we were able to get down from the safari vehicle and walk with three giraffes. The calf was a few months old and the mother was protective about her baby. We also learned about the flora of the park while walking through the savannah grassland.
In the evening, I went for a boat cruise on Lake Mburo and got to see hippos. At night, we shared stories over a crackling bonfire.
Clicking yourself at the Equator
The Uganda Equator was about 45 minutes by car from Kampala, which is the capital of Uganda. Geographically, I was 6,025 miles from the North Pole and 6,025 miles from the South Pole. I was also 3 percent lighter. I was told about an interesting demonstration here, called the water experiment.
Wondering what it was, I paid for an individual experience and got to see how water drained straight down and not clockwise or anti-clockwise as it does towards the North and South Poles. The Equator is a very famous photo stop and the shops nearby were selling souvenirs ranging from African clothes to wooden figurines and handmade jewellery.
Food tour in Kampala
Kampala has a number of diverse attractions and activities. I chose to go on a food tour to learn about Ugandan cuisine. My guide started the tour by asking me whether I had come for Rolex. I was confused about what he meant and looked at him quizzically.
He smiled and explained that in Uganda they don’t wear Rolex, they eat it. Rolex is a popular dish made with eggs and roti [flat bread]. It is a roti filled with an egg omelette for those who eat eggs and for vegetarians, it is filled with vegetables or tomatoes. Our first stop was for Rolex and as I sampled it, I learned some more about the culinary heritage of the country.
The tour was a foodie’s delight with tastings of G- nut sauce or Groundnut sauce made with peanuts; a dish made with steamed and mashed green bananas that is known as Matoke; and rice balls known as Namungodi. There was also Luwombo stew made with beef and Ugali, which uses maize flour for its preparation.
Where to stay:
Gorilla Heights Lodge is a luxe property in Nkuringo. It can be the base for mountain gorilla tracking and spending time with the Batwas. Kigambira Safari Lodge is located at Lake Mburo National Park. Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort by the Speke Group of hotels is located in Kampala. It can be the base for the food tour in Kampala and for visiting the Uganda Equator.
Travel Notebook:
How to get to Uganda from UAE: Emirates, Etihad Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar Airways and EgyptAir fly to Entebbe International Airport in Uganda.