Made it to Murchison Falls, Uganda

Part 1 of 2

Published in Saturday Nation 12 August 2017

Just 20-feet wide and 130 feet down – the whole of Victoria pours its waters into this magnificent river at Murchison Falls Copyright Rupi Mangat

In 1907, Winston Churchill the English statesman stood where we stand and exclaimed ’10 pounds will suffice to throw an iron bride across’. We’re on top of Murchison Falls, our faces wet with the spray of the water where the mighty Nile, reputed to be the world’s longest river squeezes through its narrowest point – just 20 feet across to crash some 130 feet down over red rocks that gleam in the morning sun.

The bridge was built in 1960 to straddle the Nile but no one knows at what cost because no receipts were ever found. It did not stand for long because it got washed away by floods. I’m happy l wasn’t on it.

We’re in Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda – my nephew Galib and l – in a Toyota Crown Royal Saloon 1985 model – having driven close to 800 kilometers from Nairobi in two days via Kisumu and the one-stop-border town of Busia and then being lost on the new Northern bypass that runs from Kampala to Entebbe because there’s no sign for Murchison Falls – 350 kilometers north of Kampala.

I’m reliving a childhood dream to return to the falls – of sailing to the base of one of the most magnificent falls in the world.

Everybody knows about the Nile today – that is – the White Nile – that it flows out of Lake Victoria from its source in Jinja at the now submerged Ripon Falls.

But until 19^th century, it was the world’s greatest mystery for no one since the time of the pharaohs had unravelled the secret of this mysterious river that literally fed the Egyptians – even today.  In 1858, John Hanning Speke stood on the shores of a large expanse of water near present-day Mwanza and stated it was the source of the Nile. He returned in 1862 from England and this time he marched to present day Jinja and saw the thick vein of a river -and on gut emotion stated the spot to be the source of the Nile – 28 July 1862. He was ridiculed. Before he could prove himself, he accidently shot himself dead.

Samuel Baker followed in Speke’s wake to confirm the source – or if there was more than one. Speke had told him about another lake – and so in the search, Baker and his beautiful young Hungarian wife chanced upon the falls in 1864.

Walking across Karuma Bridge on the Nile near Murchison Falls Copyright Rupi Mangat

They had already crossed the Nile near the amazing Karuma rapids before trekking to Lake Albert (Karuma, Albert and Murchison were named by Baker by being the first explorer to report to the outside world about them). It was on their return journey that they came upon Murchison Falls with their boat lifted out of the water by a hippo.

Driving past though thick-clad forests from Masindi which was an important village and later colonial town, we’re at the ferry-crossing over the Nile to Paraa Safari Lodge – the first built inside the park in the 1954 – the year that Hemingway crashed his airplane downstream the falls.

The tin-barge sails us across– eight cars at a time. A few minutes later we’re at the lodge to book the boat to reach the bottom of the falls.

But the skies open with bolts of lightning – like when the Bakers were there. The Nile is barely visible. Drowning in the revered river isn’t on my agenda – and we take a gamble to sail the following day – when the skies are blue.

Instead we explore the national park – in Mama Safari our sturdy car – and spend the night at Chobe Safari Lodge – 100 kilometers away so that we can see Karuma rapids that will soon vanish – like the Ripon Falls and Bujagali Falls on the Nile – because of the dam being built for hydro-power.

Uganda Kob Copyright Rupi Mangat

It’s a fascinating driving. The park is lush with towering borassus palms. Elephants graze and strange antelopes appear- Uganda cob – Uganda’s antelope that takes centre stage during the annual migration in their tens of thousands through the impenetrable swamp – the Sudd (that the Bakers’ sailed through) from South Sudan to reach Kidepo national park. It’s comparable to the annual wildebeest migration over the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem.

Girl Friends on Safari – join me on my next venture to Murchison Falls in search of the chimpanzees in Budongo Forest – for the itinerary email: rupi.mangat@yahoo.com

Fact File

Great roads in and outside park – for info on parks Uganda Wildlife Authority

Stay at

Beautiful room at Paraa Safari Lodge by the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park – notice the picture above – it’s of Ripon Falls at Jinja – the source of the Nile – now submerged because of the dam downstream Copyright Rupi Mangat

 Paraa Safari lodge

and

Chobe Safari Lodge by the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park – it’s near Karuma Rapids Copyright Rupi Mangat

Chobe Safari Lodge – at each end of the park – to see more and avoid back-tracking. Luxury on the Nile.

Basic campsites in park.

The chimpanzee sanctuary at Budongo Forest near Murchsion Falls. Copyright: Rupi Mangat

From Masindi, stop at Budongo forest to trek chimpanzees in the wild.

Rates for East Africans: $30pppn – 24hr– pay at entrance. Car: one time – UGX15,000 (Ksh 450). Ferry (driver and car: UGX 20000) Per person UGX 5000.

Ferry crossing: 7,9,11am and 12,2,4,6,7pm