For intimate and wild honeymoon

Inside one of the rooms. A couple on honeymoon can cuddle away. Courtesy photo

After the bustle from Kampala by bus, a guide is assigned to me and we go past Fort Portal Town to the heart of Semliki Game Reserve in Ntoroko District. Six hours down, we join the medium dirt road to the reserve. It has been recently graded making the journey more enjoyable.
The savannah stretch which from minute to minute is strewn by apes, Uganda Kobs and bushbacks keeps one wondering what the destination in the wild will offer. Finally, a wooden small but legible signpost inscribed on Semliki Safari Lodge welcomes us. Before the four-wheel Land Cruiser parks, swift pleasant gentlemen in neat collared shirts stand looking on eagerly. The staff receive our luggage and usher into a patio outside a grass-thatched lodge for cold juice. We sip in fresh air while overlooking the forest canopy. More exciting things are forthcoming.

The main lodge
With a soaring thatched roof, the main lodge is where guests gather around the chunky wooden dining tables or stretch in the comfy sofas as they tell stories. Lit by lanterns and open to the elements on one side, Semliki Safari Lodge keeps one blending with the wild. Here the chefs are on standby to take your orders in time and attend to your every culinary need. Also, a personal butler to ensure a happy and comfortable stay is a must.

The nests
The different nests are named after Ntoroko river valleys such as Nyabarongo, Marwa and Mugiri. These cater for both family and single guests. Made of canvas, the immaculate interior with polished hardwood floors is irresistible. The thick thatch roof to protect you from natural hazards. Herein you cannot miss the bedside lamps whose shades are made from brown cloth-like materials to keep you from bright light rays.
Then, fresh scented en-suite bathrooms with running water and hot showers plus flush toilets make one crave more nights in the wild. The chirps and groans from the woods, the wind softly brushing the canvas and a quiet so unusual is guaranteed.
Morning call is one moment you cannot miss. At sunrise, a personal butler is assigned to you for tea or coffee and a cookie of your choice is brought to you. You can sip this while lying on your bed or sit on your veranda overlooking the forest canopy.

Get out and walk
After catching a sound sleep, I have to stretch my body and see beyond the bandas. The very informative tour guide Denis Muhindo, who has been at the lodge for nine years did not disappoint. Armed with a pocket knife, binoculars, rack sack and big book about the wild, he arrives with a game ranger, who has a rifle to protect you from charging animals. We confidently strut the riverine forest. Shy forest elephants and bush pigs crisscross. Muhindo hee-haws at the Blue-tailed monkeys which is a rare species in Africa, to come closer and he goes on to teach us about animal tracks. Thereafter, lunch time is served and we gear up for a boat cruise.
Surely a perfect destination for couples who wish for the most romantic getaway.