Murchison Falls National Park - April
2012
Murchison Falls National Park lies 350 km North West of
Kampala, with Lake Albert as its western border. The mighty Victoria Nile, starting
at Lake Victoria, enters the park in the East at Karuma Falls and bisects the
park down the middle before emptying into Lake Albert at the Delta Region of
the Park.
In 1863 a hunter turned explorer, Samuel Baker (and his wife!)
set off from Khartoum in search of the source of the Nile. Speke and fellow traveler
Grant passed through the Karuma Falls area (on what is now the eastern boundary
of the park) in1862 on his way to Lake Albert. In 1863 Samuel announced he had
discovered the second source of the Nile, the northern outflow of Lake Albert,
now known as the Albert Nile.
By 1960 it was the most visited park in Africa. Game was
prolific. Herds of elephants roamed the plains, sighting of 200 – 300 were common.
Buffalo, Rhinos, Giraffe, Hippo were abundant. In fact, between 1965 and 1967,
a culling program had to be introduced, so much so was the damage caused to the
environment by the large number of these beasts. Two thousand elephants had to be culled.
So what happened? Civil strife, Civil War and the arrival of Idi
Amin and his army, who went wild with semi-automatic weapons in the Park. Herds
were decimated and the Rhino became extinct.
Sunday 29 April
We meet our driver outside the Sheraton Hotel and head off
on a good solid 4 hour drive to Msindi, our first stop. I’m exhausted having
finished at the hotel at 3am after a Chaine de Rotissiers dinner. I try to snatch
a few zzz’s en route, but it’s not going to be easy in this traffic. Those with
normal jobs are having a great time and enjoying the drive. Heard that the old Msindi Hotel has great
colonial charm and decide it’s a great place to stop for a pot of spiced tea.
Built in 1923, it doesn’t disappoint. Basic, clean and full of old world charm.
We have tea and take a walk around the garden.
Continue another 1hr to the park entrance. At the park
entrance pay US$50 entrance fee per umzungu and USh 20000(8$) for Ester. The
Lonely Planet tells us it should be $30. We get our permits – will need them
over the next few days so hang on to them carefully. As we drive north, heading
for Red Chili Lodge, baboons and Jackson Hartebeest abound, but we have no
chance to see them as the driver is content on getting to Red Chili ASAP.
Sheratons packed sandwiches are going down a treat now.
Before the Lodge we take a turn right to the top of the
falls.
An amazing sight to be able to stand so close to the water. A huge volume of water across a river 50
metres wide, all being channeled down a 6 metre gap in the rock. Talk to a
couple of army guards and are able to walk down the falls to a view point. This
track leads to the boat landing at the base of the falls, where we will visit
the next day. Am told the falls were much more spectacular as the volume of
water was double. That was until a flood some time back in 1962 opened a second
channel over the rocks, and created the Uhuru falls. The falls, 6 metres wide
and 45metres high, aren’t the biggest around, but the spectacle created by the
mighty Nile being forced down this narrow crack in the rock is a sight to see.
s
The driver is really peeing us off now with his speed, and
Tom and I make a decision - we will drive tomorrow.
Make it to Red Chili Rest camp, on the south side of the
river from Paraa. A well run place with a variety of accommodation options, we
take the cheapest and wait for confirmation of a banda for the night. Get two
bundas for $20 each and take note of the warning of nightly Hippo visits.
It’s vege curry and mash for dinner in the thatched
restaurant, and a game of Ludo after dinner. Ester has all sorts of Ludo rules
we have never heard of but nevertheless the boys hold out, and as the
girls lose, so does there interest in the game.
Monday 30 April
Despite a warning to be up by 6 to catch the ferry at 7.
Sandra is still in bed at 6.30. We need to drive 10 minutes to catch the ferry
that crosses the Victoria Nile to Paraa, and onto the northern part of the park
where we are told most of the game is concentrated.
Its 6.45. “Come on Sandra, forget about your hair, the boat
leave in 15 minutes!!” Make it to the ferry and realize we have forgotten our
park entrance receipt – needed to get on the ferry. Race back to the camp to
get receipt, try in vein to stop Sandra from jumping out and “getting something
she forgot “, she jumps out anyway. We make it back - and relief as the ferry
is still there. Pay 15$ and make it just in time - the last of the regulation 8
cars it can carry.
Disembark, pick up park guide. The recommended Park ranger,
John is clearly in demand and is not available for us. Move off quick before
the others, and head west toward Lake Albert and the Delta region, where the
Victoria Nile flows into the Lake. Toms driving, sand road in good condition
and we immediately start spotting game. Rothschild’s Giraffe, Jacksons
Hartebeest, Orbi, Elephant, herds of buffalo, and at the Victoria Nile Delta
pods of hippos – dozens of them. See a three legged lion in the distance, with
cubs - a sign that poaching is still a serious problem in the park. Buffalo - I
have never seen so many – herds of them – 100s and more.
The game and in particular the bird viewing (there are more
than 460 species) really is superb.
We see an Army post (anti-poaching patrol) in the middle of
the bush and Ester decides she wants the toilet. She returns and announces that
the army long drop is much cleaner than the flush at Red Chili.
Head back to catch
the ferry across the river at 11am. Thank the Ranger, and join the boat queue.
A few cars are lined up so the boat has to make two trips
Look for accommodation at Red Chili – the rush to get away
this morning didn’t allow time to rebook. No luck, fully booked, so we head to the
UWA (Ugandan Wildlife Authority) hostel close by. Get the keys to a house and grab the better
rooms, before other expected visitors arrive.
At 2pm we head back to the ferry landing - this time with
all documents in hand, for a boat trip up to the base of the falls.
Disappointment initially as we board the smaller of two boats. But debate over
the best boat is suddenly overshadowed by a splash, as my camera is knocked
into the water. OMG!!! We all scream,
and a fast reaction from the boatman ensures the camera is only in the shallow
water for a split second. Rest of the 3hr trip upstream is spent with it in
pieces trying to get it dry in the sun. Thankfully, it is operational again by
the end of the day
Pick up others on the
Paraa side of the river, and we head up stream. The boatman and a short chubby female
guide assure us that the smaller boat is more maneuverable and will allow us to
view game closer. I hope so.
They are right; we pull in real close to the shore and see
at close quarter’s pods of hippo, including one particularly active adult
thrashing around in the water. A large double story boat stays in midstream – I
think we got the better boat deal. See crocodiles, including a huge old adult
basking in the sun with his mouth open. We are enthralled with the abundance of
hippos and the beautiful birdlife, along the edge of the river. Kingfisher’s
weaver nests everywhere. Hippos run throwing their huge bodies into the water.
We stop about 100mtrs from the falls and the boatman tells
us the current is too strong to go any further. This is disappointing as I was
expecting to get right up close and feel the spray ( as the brochure pics
illustrate !) – The current is strong even for the bigger boat, and the boatman
struggles to keep the boat pointing upstream. The rush of water coming down
from the falls is nevertheless spectacular. The smaller boat does allow us to
pull in at a small boat landing and we get off for a walk up the same track we
came down yesterday for more views of the falls.
Spot another massive croc on the side of the river on the
way back get to within a few metres of it. Black and white collobus monkeys
swing everywhere from the trees.
Back at the UWA house, we take a nap whilst waiting for
towels and charcoal, and wonder if our other guests are going to arrive. Red Chili management kindly dig up a bbq
grill for us and allow us to BBQ our own fillet and chicken breast outside
their restaurant. We plan the next day.
Our two hostel companions arrive at 2am and proceed to talk
the rest of the night.
Tuesday 1st May – Mayday
Sleep late. Breakfast on tea and toast, and with all
documents in hand, as well as a well-rested, on time, Sandra we take the same
ferry across the river again at 9am. We head east this time with me driving,
open grass savannah with palm type trees, this is where yesterday’s ranger said
there were a lot of elephant. Sure enough we run into large groups of them. 10
– 12 adults with young, and herds of buffalo in the mud – there seem to be
plenty of water here. Sandra wants to get out and get up close to the elephants
– she ignores all of our instructions to stay in the car, and gets out anyway.
We head east, intending to turn right onto the road that
exits the park at Karama Falls – but are alerted by another vehicle that the
road is blocked by trees uprooted by elephant. So we head north and exit the
park at Wankwar, double checking, that to enter the park again at the falls is
not going to cost us. It’s not, so we head on - on a good tarmac national road
now. Stop on the side of the road to buy mangos. The kid doesn’t quite
understand us so calls the old man – then we don’t quite understand - as he
tells us its 200 shillings for a pile of eight. 200 shillings! This is unheard of in Kampala so we proceed
to buy a couple of bucket loads, for just 6000 shillings, the old man shows his
appreciation by pressing two mangos into my hand and says “Thank you very much
sir”. He has 25 trees on the property he tells me.
The Indian family that told us about the blocked road in the
park pulls up behind us and proceeds to buy the rest of the stall plus the
extra baskets that rapidly appear from the little hut behind the stall. I am
sure more sales today for the old man than he has done all month.
Continue the drive to the Falls and park across the bridge.
We are reminded of the unsettled political situation in the north, as a couple
of army guys tell us they are here to guard the strategic bridge from any
attack. I’m presuming from Kony and the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) who still
operate from this north western part of the country. Very pleasant guys who
tell us we are welcome to look around but no photos of the bridge, thank you
very much.
Tom and I take a swim in a pool below the falls. But when
Ester spots a snake in the branches above the water – we get out pretty quick!!
Sandra does her magic with the camera and gets some amazing pics of this well
camouflaged snake. Stop at a garage for a long drop visit and a pizza from
Pizza Boys, for what turns out to be chapatti with cheese, and a diesel
flavored soda.
Arrive back in Kampala around 4pm tired, but a fantastic
weekend had by all.
For More Amazing Pics and Ugandan
stories visit robertknuckey@blogspot.com
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