To
start I have to say that the Uganda is wonderful. I had tons of people saying
things like "why?" and "you're freaking nuts" especially
when I was telling non kayaker folks that I was going alone to Uganda to kayak
the source of the Nile. Not many understood.
Well, now that I have been there, I have to say that in my opinion, Uganda is better than Hawaii. I mean who would'nt enjoy relaxing in the warm weather, after a long days paddle on some of the best whitewater there is, with a cold drink, in front of an amazing view, and all the while dinner is being prepared for you... and not just any dinner, steak and mashed potatoes, all organic.
But wait before we get to that, you are going to have to endure some long plane rides. (actual travel time from my house to the river 45 hours with tight connections.) I chose to fly through Johannesberg South Africa. The flight was nonstop from Atlanta to Johannusberg on South African Airways, then it was a connection through Nairobi to Entebbe on Kenya Airways. The other route that you could tak is through Europe.
THE RIVER
Lake Victoria feeds the White Nile, as you are flying into Entebbe, you will realize the imense size of the lake. Lake Victoria is considered to be "The Source" of the Nile. The lake and river are warm, (swimming pool temp or better) and are absolutely georgeous.
AFTER YOU ARRIVE
After you arrive in Entebbe, you are going to need to get a taxi, or have pre-arranged transportation. It is possible that you could rent a car, but anyone willing to drive through Kampala is braver than me. Someone said that Kampala is about the size of LA. There are people everywhere, walking along the street, and crossing the road wherever they please. Kampala does not have any street lights, and almost no traffic signs. This is a place that you do not want to drive in.
WHERE
TO STAY
After a long drive to Jinja (2 hours) you will turn onto a dirt road. Here is where your choices will start. If you are going with a group of your friends, and will be kayaking the river, I would recommend NRE, or Speke Camp. Both places are situated where you can easily join up with a group to paddle the day 1 section, run the channels of Bujagali falls, or just play on the back wave. Just walk down to the river and get in your boat. Within a couple minutes, you are playing to your hearts content under the watchful eyes of fish eagles. It is a short paddle/hike back to camp, or run widowmaker rapid, and that will take you. When you get back from the river, anything can be arranged with little time or effort. Food, drink, shuttles, telephone, internet, and other activities.
Another Option if you are a rafter is to stay at Adrift. Here you can bungee, run the river, or just laze around. I found the area to be less of a party atmosphere, and the staff to be extremely nice. The drawback for kayakers is that it is a bit upstream from Bujagali falls and therefore paddling would require a shuttle every time. To be honest though, there are places to stay lining the river. You can find places to stay in any price range. Trust me... you wont have a problem once you are in the general area.
Whatever you do, Make sure that you spend some time at The Hairy Lemon. This island resort can not be found on the net, and reservations are a must. The cost is around 20-30 USD and includes accomodations and meals. (drinks extra) The Hairy Lemon is paradice. You can book your stay through NRE, and I definately recomend spending at least a couple days there. From the island, you can paddle upstream to Nile Special, or paddle down stream to Malalu. Nile Special, and Malalu are huge surf waves that are tons of fun. Both waves can be found on the day 2 section, and I recommend spending at least a day at each.
WHAT TO BRING
There are some definate things that I would recommend. The first and foremost is Sunscreen. You can not purchase sunscreen in town or anywhere that I found. I definately recommend bringing spf 30+, Lip block, and aloe vera gel, or after sun lotion. I brought 2 tubes of sunscreen with me, and busted the smaller one. I was burned daily with SPF 30, but I think it was sufficent due to the nice bronze color I turned. Although aloe vera plants grow wild, I recommend bringing the gel, because you wont have to hunt for it, and you will need it at some point.
Also pack your suitcase with used clothing. The kids cant afford to buy it from you, but they are so appreciative and nice, that it is definately worth it. Most of the children are wearing rags, and some are naked. Bug your friends for kids clothing, and pad your paddles with it. You will be happy that you did.
If
you are interested in camping, Bring a tent. Camping is easy, and cheap. Most
places charge $2 a night. I enjoyed having my own tent, because nobody let the
bugs in but me. I had an almost bug free tent the whole time. The downside to
tenting is the heat. It must have been 200 degrees in my tent in the day. My
gum melted, some of the medicine that I brought melted, and when I needed to
get something out of the tent, I could'nt think because it was so hot.
If you like a bed and the cool, a banda is a nice alternative to tenting. The problems with banda's are that they are not mosquito/pest proof. Some of the staff found a green mamba in their banda one morning.
Insect repellent is a great idea reguardless of where you are staying. Malaria is common, and it is not recomended to pass out in the bar. Those who do will wake up with more than a headache.
Bring cash. The only way to travel. If you are uneasy with it, a visa with your pin will get you cash in Jinja, although the exchange rate will be
worse
with your bank than at the forex beareau. American Express and Mastercard are
not accepted in Jinja.
SHUTTLES
Now this is a bit more complicated, and depends on what type of paddeling you want to do. For getting back from running Bujagali falls (there are about 6 channels and a playwave) Just walk back if you are staying at Speke or NRE. Also, you can hire someone to carry your boat the 10 min back to NRE. If you stay at speke, you are there.
To shuttle back from the half day run down to Silverback rapid. Walk over and ask one of the local Boda Boda's (moped drivers) to meet you there. You will need to balance yourself, your boat, and anything else you are carrying on your lap for the way back, but its fun and cheap.
To shuttle back from the full day, just go with the rafting company. Arrange it at the bar, due to a fee for the ride.
To shuttle to or from the second day section, hire a car and driver. The day 2 section is a ways out there and so while you are doing it, stay at The Hairy Lemon. Arrange both at the bar.
THE RIVER
This river is all about big volume. You will need a solid class 4 bigwater roll, and some good lungs. The river consists of big waves, big holes, big hydraulics, and scouting is near impossible due to overgrown banks, huge spiders, snakes, and biting insects.
Now the good things. Amazing Play. Any trick possible can be done here. Beautiful weather, warm water, amazing bird life, and dramatic scenery.
A playboat is a necessity. Bring your own. It isnt easy to sell it here so you will be bringing it back too.
When
you run the river, you will need someone who knows the channels. Most rapids
have more than one channel, so if you dont know where to go it can be a scary/deadly
thing. Head down with someone who knows the river, and can guide you down. The
good thing is that if you cant find someone who knows the river, you can playboat
to your hearts content.
COSTS
Uganda is about a $20.00 to $30.00 a day budget if you are staying on a reasonable budget. You can definately find $60+ a day accomodations, but thats not for me. The local cuisine is fruit, eggs, and meat. The local meal is japati's (forgive my spelling) Flatbread and an avocado, tomato, onion and egg omelette wrapped together burrito style. (less than 1 dollar)
TIMING
You can come to Uganda any time you like. The river is dam controlled and the water is always good. Plans for a new dam are underway, and will take out most of the day 1 section. As of March 2005 there has been no signs of it, and it is anyones guess when they start on it. (funding is the problem)
FIRST AID
Make sure you start planning this trip early. You will need an array of shots and vaccinations. Yellow fever vacinnation is mandatory, and in many states hard to get.
Take malaria seriously. Malaria can be deadly. Make sure that you have anti-malarial drugs if you are travelling for a short time, and when you arrive, pick up some malaria treatment medicine.(just in case)
Bring antibiotics with you. Risk of infection is high. I would personally bring oral, topical, and ear drops. Just in case. There are plenty of places to get hurt, and it is always a good idea to bring a good first aid kit.
WHAT ELSE?
This place is amazing. The only thing that you may be disappointed with is the ease of travel to get there. If you are looking for a challenge, its not going to happen. (except maybe the river) The people are friendly, generally honest, and warm. It is rare to wave at someone and not have them wave back. The kids will wave your hand off, and scream Jambo (hello) while running after the car. The food is good. The river is amazing. This place is paradise. Africa has her way of finding the soft spot of your heart, and making you cry to have to go home.
GO and ENJOY.
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