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Travel Guide To Uganda

By on 29. August 2011 in Uganda

Grand Escapades’ Travel Guide To Uganda – Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Wildlife, Unique Landscapes… And Such Gentle People!

Northern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium Simum Cottoni), Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Uganda

Itinerary And Time Of The Visit

In August 2011, we visited the string of National Parks in western Uganda, starting with Lake Byunyonyi, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elisabeth National Park including the Ishasha Sector, Kibale Rain Forest, Semliki National Park, Murchison Falls National Park including Budongo Forest and last but not least Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. This journey can leisurely be done in two weeks. Kidepo National Park in the Northeast we skipped, too remote and too expensive. Continue Reading →

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Budget Guide To Uganda

By on 28. August 2011 in Travel Budget, Uganda

Grand Escapades’ Budget Guide To Uganda – Killing Your Budget?

Gilles, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, North Uganda, Africa

Gilles, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, North Uganda, Africa

Type Of Travel

We decided to use the services of a local Tour Operator to visit a string of National Parks in the West of the country during two weeks. The third week, we splurged at the cozy 2Friends Guesthouse in Jinja. So this ended up as one of the most high-end and most expensive trips we have ever done! Continue Reading →

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Grade 5 Rapids? Let’s look in Wikipedia!

By on 27. August 2011 in Uganda

GrandEscapades-Uganda-194There are six levels each referred to as “Grade” or “Class” followed by a number. The scale is not linear, nor is it fixed. For instance, there can be hard grade twos, easy grade threes, and so on. The grade of a river may change with the level of flow. Often a river or rapid will be given a numerical grade, and then a plus (+) or minus (-) to indicate if it is in the higher or lower end of the difficulty level. Also note that while a river section may be given an overall grading, it may contain sections above or lower that grade. Continue Reading →

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The Livingston Feel – Rafting the Nile

By on 27. August 2011 in Uganda

GrandEscapades-Uganda-195Were there also village people around to haul his boat around unsurpassable rapids? We only needed such external help once. Otherwise the river did the carrying. But for most people, rafting is not so much about floating than about flipping over. Gilles’ raft turned over five times on the 27 kilometers of river travel. Heidi chose the rescue boat, which travels the same river but approaches the rapids less hazardously. Continue Reading →

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Volunteering at Soft Power Education

By on 26. August 2011 in Uganda

GrandEscapades-Uganda-188Hannah Small, a former overland bus driver, saw the need and poverty during her many tours through East Africa. In 1999, she returned with a project in mind. Counting on the support of tourists, she started in the village right next to Bujagali Falls. Today, Soft Power Education is a true success story. They run pre-schools, primary schools, a health clinic and a community center. The project has been even extended to other villages and regions. Continue Reading →

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Idd-El-Fitr At Disappearing Bujagali Falls

By on 25. August 2011 in Uganda

GrandEscapades-Uganda-184Many Muslim families from Kampala, Jinja, and as far as Kenya used this holiday, which ends the fasting month of Ramadan, to visit Bujagali Falls. Dressed up the nine, they all were posing in front of the falls to have their photos taken. Many asked us to join in and happily accepted our offer to send the pictures via eMail. A bible yielding group with a preacher and a lot of Asians was less pleasant. Angrily they demanded to delete the photos we had taken. We simply ignored their aggressive behavior. Was it a secret sect? Continue Reading →

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Jinja’s Many Gems

By on 25. August 2011 in Uganda
In Jinja - Lots of seamstresses sit outside sewing away on old Singer machines and other incredible skills are on display here. Our favorite was an elderly man producing individualized stamps made from wood and rubber. With a tiny razor blade he cut name, address into a little rubber disc, for 2 USD. We could not think of a better souvenir!

In Jinja…

Jinja took us by surprise. The second largest city of Uganda is surprisingly relaxed, quiet and free of the horrible traffic that plagues Kampala. “Main Street” is lined with small shops tugged behind a covered passage way, free of hassle and screaming vendors. Outside on the sidewalk various skills are on display, like seamstresses sewing brightly colored clothes on old Singer machines. Our favorite was an elderly man producing individualized stamps made from wood and rubber. With a tiny razor blade he carved name & address into a little rubber disc, for 2 USD. We could not think of a better souvenir! Continue Reading →

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Jinja – At The Source Of One Nile

By on 24. August 2011 in Uganda
The Sources of the Nile, Jinja, Uganda, Africa - In 1862, the British explorer John Speke identified the geographical Holy Grail, the very place where the White Nile leaves Victoria Lake to start its three month and 6.650 kilometer long journey to the Mediterranean Sea.

The Sources of the Nile, Jinja, Uganda, Africa – In 1862, the British explorer John Speke identified the geographical Holy Grail, the very place where the White Nile leaves Victoria Lake to start its three month and 6.650 kilometer long journey to the Mediterranean Sea.

In 1862, the British explorer John Speke identified the geographical Holy Grail, the very place where the White Nile leaves Victoria Lake to start its three months and 6.650 kilometer long journey to the Mediterranean Sea. Back then, its exit from Lake Victoria was a bit more dramatic than today. It parted from the Lake via Ripon Falls, as Speke named them. However, these have disappeared in 1947 when the Own Dam went into business and swallowed them all up. So we basically marveled at the myth of this legendary place that now presents itself as a very normal river gliding along. Also Speke’s trip was quite different: he was stabbed, speared and became temporarily deaf and blind. Continue Reading →

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Poaching In Uganda

By on 23. August 2011 in Uganda
Alpha Male, Northern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium Simum Cottoni), Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, North Uganda, Africa

Alpha Male, Northern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium Simum Cottoni), Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, North Uganda, Africa

Only a casual conversation with Johann, the South African manager of the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, made us aware of the true dimension of this problem. Of course, we knew that rhinos had been hunted down for their horn and brought close to extinction. But we had no clue how bad the present situation was. Continue Reading →

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Meeting Obama In Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

By on 23. August 2011 in Uganda

Northern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium Simum Cottoni), Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Uganda

We were not quite sure of what to expect – some kind of zoo or rhinos roaming around in the wilderness? Even after we arrived it was hard to tell. Apart from passing a guarded gate, nothing hints at the extreme measures necessary to protect the 10 rhinos that live in the 77 hectare large park. All we knew was that we could not wait to see these massive animals. Only once had we caught a distant glimpse of them in Tanzania. So within an hour after checking into our modest little room near the park head quarters, Raymond Opio, our guide, was directing our jeep along dirt roads. The longish trip increased our suspense. The park seemed huge! Continue Reading →

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