Touring Uganda in 21 days

After David Gonahasa returned to Kampala, Herbert Opio and Muhereza Kyamutetera continued exploring Uganda. “We proved that you do not need a very big car for a road trip across the country,” Opio says, adding, “Many people came to us saying they had never been to most of the places we went to. We are all in the tourism industry, so it made sense for us to open up those places before we could take people to them.”
He adds: “Many Ugandans have cars. Instead of spending the weekend eating pork, drinking alcohol and Whatapping each other about where kawunyemu (breathalyser tests) is, they should get out and visit these places. We are trying to break the culture of overeating on weekends and watching Manchester United and Arsenal. There is more to life.”
Gonahasa says it is not about how much money you have or how big your car is. “Along the many roads we visited, we found Noahs, Premios, and Ipsums. Any car can do a road trip. It is all about trying out a different place each weekend, instead of sitting at home.”

Day 15 (Mbale to Sipi falls)

After a late breakfast, Opio and Kyam decided to check out of Mbale Resort. At the reception, they met Saleh Naminya, proprietor of Casa Uganda Safaris, who offered to show them around Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa. By 3pm, they were ready to go down the falls.
“We went to the Sipi Falls to do abseiling; where you are harnessed with a rope and you go down the rocks off the falls,” Opio says, continuing, “People should not do this stuff, but it is fun. I was the first to go down. The man released me slowly. I could not believe I was suspended on a rope. It is the scariest thing I have ever done, but I survived.”
Kyamutetera says he was so nervous as he was going down the rocks. “I was so scared. I kept wondering what would happen if those men had not tied the ropes securely around me or if the ropes were not UNBS certified. It was the longest three minutes of my life. I do not know if I will do it ever again.”
Abseiling costs Shs100,000 for a local tourist, however, a group will be charged Shs80,000.

“The falls were not so frightening because it was a dry season; but we still had to go down 100 metres with 93kg of ropes around us,” Opio reminisces, adding, “You need all the faith you can muster. Unfortunately, once you reach the ground, you have to use another path to climb the steep ridges back up the cliff; Kyam wanted to kill someone.”
“I fell many times and had to lie down to catch my breath several times,” says Kyamutetera, adding, “At some point, I had to let some 14-year-old children pull me and cheer me.”
After slaying Sipi Falls, the duo drove back to Mbale Town where they spent a night at Casa Del Turista Bed and Breakfast.

Day 16 (Nyero Rock paintings)

After breakfast, the duo drove to Kumi to look at the Nyero Rock paintings. The Batwa made the paintings, but the Itesots gave the place its name, as Opio explains. “Supposedly the Itesots chased the Batwa away after migrating because of major beef with their uncles, the Karimojong. We decided to honour the tenacity of the early inhabitants of Nyero. Interestingly, the residents of Kumi District did not understand why we were wasting fuel going there. ‘Just to photograph?’ they asked with quizzical looks.”
From Nyero, they drove to Dokolo District for lunch. Passing through a suburb called Television in Soroti they then drove towards Namasale to catch the MV Kyoga Ferry from Amolatar District to Nakasongola District at 4.30pm. However, they missed it.

“I walked around Bangaladesh Landing Site in Namasale and discovered that the lives of fishermen are difficult,” Opio says, adding, “It was so dry and the lake was covered with floating suds, so the cows, pigs, and the fishermen had to beat their way through the suds to get water. Even the lodge where we were to stay got its water from this place.”
Each ethnic group had its own small village. The Langi and Acholi lived in Juba, the Baganda and Basoga lived in Entebbe, while the Itesot lived across the road.
The duo had found accommodation in Entebbe worth Shs10,000 per night, the best on the landing site because it had parking, although the toilets were outside the rooms.

“As I was walking back to the lodge, I decided to take a shortcut through a field. I found all types of animal waste there. I realised that if it rained, the stuff would flow into the lake. When I told Kyam, he proposed that we buy mineral water worth Shs30,000 for bathing. He freaked out. In fact, on the entire trip, Kyam was a real star.”
In the end, they bought mineral water only to wash their faces and heads.
The rest of their bodies were washed with Lake Kyoga water. For supper, they cooked katogo of spaghetti and smoked meat.
“Kyam slept in the car, while I took a room. It was very hot, the windows were metallic, and the beds had nylon bedsheets. I put my sleeping bag on the bed and slept in it, with the windows wide open, though I sweated profusely the whole night.”
Day 17 (Jinja)

They crossed the lake and drove to Nakasongola, where they had brunch at Migera. Then, they drove through Luweero, Zirobwe, Kabimbiri, until they reached Kayunga where they were to catch the ferry to Kamuli District. “There was only space for 10 cars on the ferry and ours was the 11th,” Kyamutetera says, continuing, “I got onto the ferry and left Opio in the car waiting for the next schedule of the ferry. I waited for him in Mbulamuti.”
They had planned to climb Kagulu Hill, but Kyamutetera was not interested. Instead they drove to Jinja Town and booked into Ci’Sand Suits. “It is a nice place but there is a leather tannery below it, towards the lake,” Opio says, adding, “If you open the windows and there is a breeze, you can fail to breathe.”
They had a three-course meal at Street Lights Pizzeria near the post office, which included a crostini for starters, then chicken roulade and pizza.

Day 18 (bungee jumping at river Nile)

After a breakfast of rolex on the streets of Jinja and exploring the town, they headed to River Nile for bungee jumping, which Opio considers to be another scaring adventure. “I had never done it. I died 20 times in one minute. They tied the ropes on me and I stood at the edge but I could not jump. My legs were shaking. I began changing my mind slowly. So the guides put their hands of my shoulder and began talking to me. Suddenly, they pushed me off! I fell, and just when I was getting used to it, the ropes pulled me up again. I went up and down four times. There was a boat in the water below me in which I eventually went.”

The experience was equally scary for Kyamutetera. “If I say that I was not scared I would be lying. We did a live Facebook streaming as we took the jump. The distance is so high, although the scenery around is very beautiful. Opio was the first to go and he gave me the phone numbers of his wife just in case of anything. It is 44 metres down. After the exhilarating experience, the friends drove to Lugaza and branched off into Mabira Forest, heading to Griffin Falls.
“We wanted to do zip lining as well. First, we climbed a tree of 18 metres, and then they hooked us onto ropes for the zip line on a small wire like a monkey from one tree to another. We did six trees in all. All of them had a platform for resting.”
“It was like a third attempt at dying. I am 100kgs and I had to glide on that small rope. The climb cost Shs60,000. The locals told us Griffin was the name of the man who demarcated Mabira Forest. As in all the daring adventures, Herbert had to go first.”
From Griffin Falls, it was on to Entebbe where they spent the night.

Day 19 (on the ferry to Ssesse Islands)

In the afternoon, at Nakiwogo Landing Site, they caught the MV Kalangala for the three-hour journey to Ssesse Islands for the last leg of #UGin21Days. A few friends from Kampala joined the duo for the journey to Ssesse.
“On the MV Kalangala, it was calm, relaxed, steady, and breezy,” Opio says, continuing, “We were walking with John (Johnnie Walker). They lodged at the Brovad Sands Lodge.

Day 20 (breakfast on the lake)

Breakfast was by the lakeshore, on the sand, taking in the breeze. The day progressed as they explored the island and as the sun went down, they prepared for a barbeque by the shore. “We bought a catfish (ssemutundu) and a Nile perch (mpuuta) from fishermen, which we were going to stuff, marinate and grill in foil paper and have with ugali. We ate the food with wine and Black Label. Kyam was the chef.