This is a brief story of two visiting American friends who happened to take a six days break in Uganda while on their journey to Dubai. By the way, these were first time visitors to Africa who decided to have a one week’s break to behold what Uganda has to offer. They said, they had heard a lot about Uganda as a beautiful tourist Country called the ‘Pearl of Africa’ and for that matter wanted to have a glimpse of this beautiful country and take back stories home when they returned. I hope this will interest you. Here we go;
June Diary:
Day One: Sunday:
These visitors arrived at Entebbe Airport on Friday and after a one day’s rest, decided to take a ride within Kampala to see what it was like. My Cousin Harriet picks me and the visitors, Hilary and the daughter Gabriella from Kisaasi where they were staying. They told me they wanted to go to church so, 
we went for the 10:00 O’clock service at Watoto Church Ntinda. It was near and the language of communication used was English so, my visitors were a lot comfortable. While in Church everything went on well and they felt happy and nodded their heads as a sign of satisfaction.
Around half past midday, the service was over and we decided to take our visitors around town because they wanted to see how the famous city looked like. We took a ride through Ntinda via Bukoto to Kamwokya and branched via Acacia Shopping Mall and went down via the golf course which was so beautiful as the lawn looked so green and serene. The roads were smooth with no pot holes at least, thanks to Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA). “Kampala city looks cool” Hilary said with a confirmation from the daughter. My visitors were smiling and looked relaxed as we connected from somewhere there and passed through Serena Hotel, Sheraton Hotel until we joined the Jinja Road. From there we took a cool drive as the traffic was not heavy and the jam was not there since it was a Sunday up to Lugogo Shoprite Shopping Mall where we branched for little shopping and some snacks at Café Javas. After our snacks we decided to go back to Kisaasi.
Day Two: Monday:
At around twelve thirty in the afternoon, we left Kisaasi for Old Kampala to the magnificent Gadhafi Mosque. When we got there, we were told we had to decently dress up with the ‘Sharias’ and ‘wrappers’ in order to be able to tour around the Mosque as well as enter into the Mosque to be briefed about the history of Old Kampala as well as the Mosque and how it has turned out to be one of the tourist attractions we have in Uganda.
Day Two continued…..
Namugongo Martyrs Shrine
Day Three: Tuesday.
At the Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo
We now prepare to leave for Murchison Falls Park but before we set off, the plan was to pass through the Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo, have breakfast then leave for the Murchison Falls National Park. So we left Kisaasi at about 8.30am and off we went to Munyonyo. We arrived and at the place and found it super. Wow! Hillary exclaimed. Was this the place that hosted Queen Elizabeth during CHOGM? Yes, I replied. It is good I said, looking at the hotel, green pastures, the flowers, the trees and the general environment that welcomed us with birds singing and chirping in the air. We were told it is a big place but did we seem to have time to go round it? The answer was no. We were in a hurry to leave for Murchison Falls Park so, we decided to just get on a booty car and go for a quick ride around then later, we visited the stable to see some horses, take a horse ride then come back for breakfast and leave. That was what we did. The experience we had at the Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo was excellent. This delayed us and we ended up getting a quick lunch then left at 1:00pm for Murchison Falls Park. It was a long ride that took us about five hours through Masindi and we also saw the green lushy Bundongo rain forest. We reached a bit late and we ended up sleeping at a nearby lodge.
You can take a quick look at these pictures.
Day Four: Wednesday.
At Murchison Falls National Park
The following morning at around nine o’clock, we left for Murchison Falls National Park and arrived at the Murchison Falls National Park gate about Eleven am. We then paid our entrance fee and entered and there we went through the heart of the park gazing at different wild animals that looked so innocent. Hillary exclaimed whaaaat!!! Is that a Giraffe? We saw, the Antelopes, Water bucks, Giraffes, Buffaloes and Wart hogs on our way to Paraa Safari Lodge. This was beautiful to behold.
We arrived at about half past Midday. Before checking in, we were received with cool glasses of yellow passion fruit juice for each one of us at the reception. Surely, this was a kind gesture for any visitor. We really saw customer care here! Shortly after that, we were directed upstairs for lunch where we settled for a buffet and later had a variety of desserts from which we were to make our selections. We were then told to go and book for a trip to the Murchison falls if we were interested, after lunch because it was one ferry left and the boat cruise was taking off at 2:00 O’clock.
After lunch when we got there and found all the three decked ferry boats were full of tourists and we had no space left. The ferry boats were from Uganda Wild Life Authority and Ministry of Tourism, Wild Life and Antiquities.
The only option we had was to use a motorized boat and a tour guide. We were excited all the same and boarded that boat. We were five on the boat and at around 3:00 O’clock, we took off cruising and feeling cool on the waters of the Blue Nile as we headed to see the falls which were about 2 to 3kilometres away.
We bypassed a 9 – 10feet long abandoned crocodile and found a school of hippopotamuses floating gracefully and gushing out water to the amazement of everybody on the boat ride. We then reached the dirty whitish bubbling foaming waters that gave us a sign that we were not far away from the falls. We later packed about 20meters away as we beheld the mighty white falls amidst a narrow gorge surrounded by trees, gushing and wheezing, which could only be seen from a distance.
After the trip, we came back satisfied and happy for the glorious site we had just seen so, some tourists felt it better to get out of the ferry and go rock hiking and later get back to the hotel through another route. For us, we got back and took a shower and then relaxed at the lounge and later got out to hang outside at the poolside where some guest children were swimming from.
Day Five: Thursday.
Journey back to Kampala.
Leaving Paraa Safari Lodge
We had a nice trip to the Murchison Falls National Park and we were now set to leave for Kampala. We took some pictures inside the lounge and outside and we also saw some animals on our way out of the Park. We saw, the Kob, the lion cub, Elephants, buffaloes and others.
Day Six: Friday
At Blu Perch Riviera and Resort at the Source of the Nile
We had to visit the source of the Nile so, we left Kampala quite early to be able to have ample time at the source of the Nile. We arrived at the Source around 10:15am in the morning went to the Blu Perch Riviera and Resort a newly upcoming site right at the source.
Day Seven: Saturday
Preparing to leave for the Airport.
Our visitors were really exhausted from a hectic tour and so we had to leave them to rest because they were to leave around 10.00 O’clock in the night. They woke up at around 10am to have breakfast and to begin packing. We agreed to have a good luncheon at 2:00pm at Café Javas then relax with friends and family as we waited to bid them farewell at around 7:00 O’clock. Most people were happy to have seen them and wished them a safe journey back home. I remained with Harriet to escort our friends to the Airport. We also did not spend much time but left them to check in as we hurried back. They boarded the Emirates Airplane to Dubai. From that day on, my friends say, they are yet to officially comeback for another week or so in Uganda to explore what they left behind.
