Entebbe Arrival and Lake Victoria Hotel

Switching gears from a few mid-trip posts on Murchison National Park (see Paraa Safari Lodge, Nile tour by boat, and Nile Safari Lodge), let’s start at the beginning of my November 2011 Trip (full trip report here):

After clearing customs and immigrations (USD$50 for visa paid on arrival, post-2006 dated bills only), we were met in the arrivals hall at EBB by our guide, Denis Erabu, one of CAS’s senior guides.

Since just three of us arrived together, Denis picked us up in one of the new 5-seater Toyota Land Cruisers that recently arrived from Tanzania (we will be making a few modifications to the new vehicles, including lowering the seats slightly to increase front visibility). The new vehicles are quite nice and will be ideal for 2-4 pax.

I flew in to Entebbe after spending the previous night in Nairobi, but was still tired from the previous day’s long-haul flight and it was nice to have such a quick (10 min.) transfer to the Lake Victoria Hotel. Entebbe is quite pleasant, relaxed and green – very different from hectic Kampala.

One of the first things that struck me en route to the hotel was how green the countryside was. The Lake Victoria Hotel is a big colonial-style hotel near the president’s house and very close to the CAS office, airport and Lake Victoria. It is nice to arrive and go straight to the hotel rather than sit in traffic for over an hour and a half getting into Kampala.

The hotel certainly isn’t anything fancy, but the rooms were clean, had A/C and the bathrooms were quite nice. The swimming pool and gardens are lovely and the food was good (although there was a cheese and cracker platter served, sans crackers –- they were apparently out of stock -– to someone in our group!).

The rooms (I was in the new wing and was not able to see the old wing) included a writing desk, TV and well-appointed en suite bathrooms with shower/tub. Linens were crisp and white, which is always a plus. After seeing other options in Kampala, I do have to say that the LVH is the best option for travelers who spend just one night in Entebbe on arrival – it is close to the airport and has everything most travelers require. A more luxury-minded traveler would likely find the boutique hotel, Emin Pasha, preferable. The Kampala Serena is also available.

Learn more about Classic Africa Safaris in Uganda.

Photos by Lyndsay Harshman/The Kusini Collection and Lake Victoria Hotel/Laico Hotels.

Nile Safari Lodge - Murchison National Park

From my recent trip to Uganda in November 2011 (Full Trip Report):

After the afternoon boat launch and tour on the Nile, we drove to Nile Safari Lodge for dinner and overnight. The entire afternoon a storm had been brewing in the distance and rain chased us all the way from the Falls to the lodge. We arrived at Nile Safari Lodge in time for a hot shower (bucket showers) and a great view of the storm rolling in over the river.

I really enjoyed Nile Safari Lodge – it is smaller than Paraa Safari Lodge with just 10 rooms. Of those, 5 are ten

ted with attached bathrooms and outdoor bucket showers and 5 others are wooden en suite cabins with indoor bucket showers (all rooms have flush toilets and running tap water in the bathrooms).

The lodge has a Robinson Crusoe feel and a lovely sitting area built over the river, shaded by the canopy of a massive Tamarind tree. The rooms are simple, but the staff w

as sweet and the meal (my dinner in particular) was the best I had the entire trip. I slept soundly that night and woke only a few times to hippos bellowing in the Nile below.

With a pool set overlooking the river, a nice fire pit for pre-dinner drinks and a small covered dining area, the lodge has plenty of areas to relax and socialize. There are plu

gs in the tents for charging batteries while the power is on from 6:30pm to 10:30pm and 5:30am-7

:00am. Outside of these hours, power in the rooms is solar.

The lodge is located outside of the park on community land and

community visits as well as traditional dance can be arranged on request.

Learn more about Classic Africa Safaris in Uganda.

Photos by Lyndsay Harshman/The Kusini Collection.

Murchison Falls National Park

Soon after breakfast at Paraa Safari Lodge, we headed out on a game drive in the park. Murchison Falls has a wide variety of game activities including boating, hiking near Murchison Falls and game drives, with the Nile and the Falls being at the heart of this park.

I really had no idea what to expect, but Murchison Falls surprised me in terms of scenery and wildlife. The landscape is much like that of the Masai Mara, with its rolling hills and open plains, plus unique water elements in the Delta and Lake Albert.

On our game drive we spotted: Patas monkeys, hartebeest, Rothschild giraffe, hippos, buffalo, a pair of jackals chasing an immature Bateleur eagle away from a recent lion kill (the lions were spotted earlier that morning, but we didn’t see them). A couple more highlights included a beautiful flock of crowned crane – Uganda’s national bird – along with a herd of elephant by the Delta and, of course, an impressive variety of birdlife.

We returned to the lodge for lunch and a bit of down-time before our afternoon private boat launch on the Nile. Denis (of CAS) accompanied us, as well as the local boating guide, who was superb. The couple-hour trip heads upstream towards the Falls, well within viewing distance, but it's the pressure of the water coming downstream that is truly awesome and a bit scary!

As we headed upstream we were treated to another array of wildlife: buffalo, hippo, elephant, crocodile, black and white colobus monkeys, red-throated bee-eaters, fish eagles, black kite, goliath heron and more…I really enjoyed how wild this excursion felt.

I envisioned myself as an early explorer heading upstream for the first time, with the beautiful lighting and impressive Falls. I loved how undeveloped the area is – no hotels sitting right on the edge of the Falls, just lush forest and wild riverfront. While the game was OK, it is much better in the dry season when large herds of elephant and buffalo come to the water’s edge to drink. However, the birdlife was excellent.

We learned how wildlife populations really suffered under Idi Amin (there were once 14,500 elephant in the area and now the number is estimated at half that; with anti-poaching efforts the numbers are increasing). The boat was comfortable and drinks are available for purchase. A wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen are a MUST on this boat trip! All of our boat trips are private versus done on the big boats with 30-40 other people, and the boat guides are excellent.

For more on Murchison National Park wildlife, see my Uganda photo album on Facebook, or learn more about Classic Africa Safaris in Uganda.

Photos by Lyndsay Harshman/The Kusini Collection

Paraa Safari Lodge - Murchison Falls National Park

From my recent trip to Uganda in November 2011 (Full Trip Report):

After leaving Kampala, anticipating the approximately 6 hour drive (under normal conditions) to Murchison Falls National Park, we stopped for a picnic lunch in Masindi at the Masindi Hotel. The roads were paved for about 4 hours to Masindi, where the gravel road starts about 30 minutes before the park gate. We arrived in time to catch the last ferry across the Nile to Paraa Safari Lodge, set high on a hill overlooking the river. The ferry crossing – the vehicle is loaded and passengers walk on – was quite picturesque: Cruising across the Nile with hippos surfacing in the distance and a flame red sunset backdrop. Just a quick ride up the hill and we arrived at the Paraa Safari Lodge. The lodge is one of the larger properties that we use (with 54 rooms), but I do think it is a good option for travelers in MFNP. With so many public areas, the lodge doesn’t tend to feel crowded.

Upstairs a spacious bar and dining area offer indoor and outdoor seating. The buffet choices were generally good, but group members did comment that the quality of the meat could be improved. I enjoyed my fish, along with the soup, veggie, salad and dessert options. Downstairs there are plenty of places to sit back and relax or connect to wi-fi (slow!), plus the huge pool outside boasts a swim-up bar and beautiful view. It is a great place to relax before or after lunch with a Nile Special!

CAS includes all meals at Paraa Safari Lodge in our itineraries; drinks are additional. Guest rooms are on the small side, but most of the overlook the river or pool, and all have private balconies. My room had an A/C unit, but it didn’t work so my room was really hot overnight. The en suite bathrooms include a shower with soap and shampoo (you don’t usually find conditioner in Uganda).

My common complaint: Please upgrade the linens and the whole place will look loads nicer! A nice neutral duvet or bed spread would really freshen things up. The rooms are really dark, finished in dark wood, and the dark bedspread on top of it all made the rooms look quite colonial and a bit outdated, but provide plenty of hot water and good water pressure. And, conveniently, there were plugs in the room for charging batteries.

Note: Please advise clients to take a headlamp or flashlight, at minimum – many hotels in Uganda are on solar power or generators and do not have 24-hr electricity and/or occasionally experience power outages.

Photos by Lyndsay Harshman/The Kusini Collection

Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Permit Update

The Rwanda authorities at RDB (Rwanda Development Board) have made a second change to the permit fees and processes as of yesterday. Uganda, for now, is keeping permits at $500 per person, per permit. As it stands now:

(1) All permits purchased between now and 31st May for any trekking dates in 2012 will be at $500 - permits need to be purchased in full at time of confirmation.

(2) All permits purchased for trekking dates in 2013 will be at the new price of $750.

(3) Any permits purchased after 1st June 2012 will be at the new price of $750. For 2012 and 2013.

(4) Deposits will remain at 40% - $300.

(5) Top up date will remain at 1 month prior to trekking date.

(6) For any permits already secured with deposits for trekking dates in 2012, if we top them up by 31st May then the price will remain at $500. If we do not top them up by 31st May then they will increase to the new price at $750. Hence at top up date (1 month prior) amount to be paid will be $550 per permit.

(7) Any permits already secured with deposits for trekking dates in 2013 are automatically increased to the new permit price of $750. This means at top up time, amount to be paid will be $550 per permit.