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Uganda

Uganda is a country in East-Central Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania.

The southern part of the country includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria, shared with Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda is in the African Great Lakes region. On September 18, 2019, I departed San Diego to Los Angles to Amsterdam to Kigali, Rwanda arriving 34 hours later in Entebbe, Uganda and Kampala . What a long trip. The official languages are English and Swahili. Beginning in 1894, the area was ruled as a protectorate by the UK, who established administrative law across the territory. Uganda gained independence from the UK on 9 October 1962.

The period since then has been marked by violent conflicts, including an 8-year-long far right military dictatorship led by Idi Amin. Additionally, a lengthy civil war against the Lord's Resistance Army in the Northern Region led by Joseph Kony, has caused hundreds of thousands of casualties.The current president of Uganda is Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who came to power in January 1986 after a protracted six-year guerrilla war.He has since eliminated the presidential term limits and the presidential age limit; due to the nature of Ugandan politics, this effectively makes him president for life.

Unemployment rates today 2019 are a staggering 40%. Rwanda in comparison is 7%.

Uganda is one of the poorest nations in the world. In 2012, 37.8 percent of the population lived on less than $1.25 a day. Despite making enormous progress in reducing the countrywide poverty incidence from 56 percent of the population in 1992 to 24.5 percent in 2009, poverty remains deep-rooted in the country's rural areas, which are home to 84 percent of Ugandans.

People in rural areas of Uganda depend on farming as the main source of income and 90 per cent of all rural women work in the agricultural sector. In addition to agricultural work, rural women are responsible for the care taking of their families. The average Ugandan woman spends 9 hours a day on domestic tasks, such as preparing food and clothing, fetching water and firewood, and caring for the elderly, the sick as well as orphans. As such, women on average work longer hours than men, between 12 and 18 hours per day, with a mean of 15 hours, as compared to men, who work between 8 and 10 hours a day

To supplement their income, rural women may engage in small-scale entrepreneurial activities such as rearing and selling local breeds of animals. Nonetheless, because of their heavy workload, they have little time for these income-generating activities. The poor cannot support their children at school and in most cases, girls drop out of school to help out in domestic work or to get married.

Other girls engage in sex work. As a result, young women tend to have older and more sexually experienced partners and this puts women at a disproportionate risk of getting affected by HIV, accounting for about 57 per cent of all adults living with HIV in Uganda.

Uganda's population grew from 9.5 million people in 1969 to 34.9 million in 2014. With respect to the last inter-censal period (September 2002), the population increased by 10.6 million people in the past 12 years. Uganda's median age of 15 years is the lowest in the world.

Our first day driving around the city of Kakmpala, the capital of Uganda we first stop at the Pingrims center, where the Namugongo Martyrs Srhine is located.

Namugongo Martyrs Shrine (Catholic Basilica) an active Catholic church today.

On 3 June 1886, 32 young men, pages of the court of King Mwanga II of Buganda, were burned to death at Namugongo for their refusal to renounce Christianity. They were Anglican or Catholic. Annually on 3 June, Christians from Uganda and other parts of the world congregate at Namugongo to commemorate the lives and religious beliefs of the Uganda Martyrs. Crowds have been estimated in hundreds of thousands in some years.

Twenty-two of the Catholic martyrs were canonized by Pope Paul VI on 18 October 1964 and are regarded as saints in the Catholic Church. A basilica has been built at the spot where the majority of them were burned to death

Our local guide explained the history of what we were seeing and its profound affect on the people of Uganda today.

He was wearing the most unique cross I have seen on visits to many churchs around the world.

The most prominent shrine is Namugongo which is located where St. Charles Lwanga and his companions were burned.

The Basilica was built in 1965 and completed in 1968. The interior is massive and in a circular form of seating.

The dome inside the Basilica.

A group of students were visiting the Basilica during our visit on a field trip.

Replica of the burning of the martyrs outside the Basilica.

A Catholic Father from the church taking a respite in the afternoon sun or the day outside the Basilica.

Students stopping for a photo outside in the gardens to the side of the Basilica.

The gardens and areas outside the Basilica set aside for services adjacent to the Basilica.

Wherever I travel in the world being a member of Rotary International I like to pause for a photo of a local club.

Kampala is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper was estimated to have a population of 1,680,800 people on 31st July 2019

Kampala was originally built on seven hills, but it has expanded to cover more than the original seven hills.

I think the name of the driving company says it all. Notice no I in Instruction.

Preschool for children in the middle of who knows where on a dirt road in Kampala.

The motorcycles are called Boda Boda. They are the Taxis for the country. In the countryside they are actually bicycles.

As you can see the Boda Boda transport everything.

They can transport bamboo

The Boda Boda transport people .. sometimes in numbers at a time too. The fastest method is by boda boda, the motorcycles seen all over the city. You won't be in Kampala long before being propositioned by a boda driver.

Side of the road vegetable markets

Chickens at market for sale in cages in the back of a pickup truck.

Kampala has many faces. There's the impossibly chaotic jam of central Kampala, its streets thronging with shoppers, hawkers, and the most mind-bogglingly packed bus and taxi parks you’re ever likely to see.

The people of Kampala, and Ugandans in general, are very kind and friendly and are very approachable.

Kampala, with a population of approximately 2.5 million, is by far the largest city in Uganda.

More Chickens at market for sale in cages. No Free range chickens here.

New Furniture is not displayed inside but outside in all the dust and whatever is in the air.

Boda bodas got their name from the bicycle taxis that operated at some of the busy border crossing points. Buses had to discharge their passengers at the exit border control, who then had to walk to the entry border control. The distance across no man's land at some borders can be considerable. Hence the bicycle taxis would cry "boda boda" ("border to border") to the weary travelers. These bicycle taxis can still be found in most smaller Ugandan towns, however, in Kampala they have been replaced by motorcycles.

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Boda bodas are dangerous as their drivers will do whatever it takes to get you to your destination quickly. Expect to dart in front of and against traffic and even through crowds of pedestrians when necessary. Boda boda accidents account for most of the hospital visits and traffic fatalities in Kampala, so ride with caution.

Entrance to the Presidential Palace from the Buganda Palace

Roundabout on the Palace to Parliament road. The gate would be oopened only for the Kings Car only.

Kabaka's Palace, Seat of the Buganda king. It is not in use at this time. It is not possible to enter the palace, which is used for official functions only., fortunately our guide showed us around the gardens, described the history of the Buganda kings, Milton Obote, and Idi Amin, and walked us to the bunker used as a torture chamber by Idi Amin.

Kabaka's Palace or the Presidential Palace built in 1922 as the main Palace of the Buganda Kingdom. Not in use today.

Kabaka is the title of the king of the Kingdom of Buganda. According to the traditions of the Baganda they are ruled by two kings, one spiritual and the other material.

Wankaki - Main Gate. Only opened for the Kings car only.

Gift from Gadaffii of Libia to Idi Amin

Rusted remains of a Rolls Royce automobile destroyed in battle. Our local guide, Yudaya, for this Palce and surrounding grounds explains the history to us.

Jack Fruit, also known as jack tree, is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family. Its native range is unknown

The jack tree is well-suited to tropical lowlands, and it bears the largest fruit of all trees; reaching as much as 120 pounds in weight, 35 inches in length, and 20 inches in diameter. A mature jack tree can produce about 100–200 fruits in a year. I personally like the taste of the fruit.

First these were office from the Buganda Kingdom.

Then they became Soldiers barracks.

Today they are the new home to guards and other staff from the Palace of Buganda.

Tunnel constructed as an arms depot in 1971. It soon became the torture chamber of Idi Amin. A one way trip for thousands and thousands.. No one ever excaped.

Each Chamber would take 500 prisoners. The corridor would be flooded for torture and then electrocution.

Our local guide, Yudaya, at the Palace. During her discussions and at then at this site she told us the story that her own father was killed on this very site by Idi Amin and his troops. His body was never recovered. You could have heard a pin drop everyone was so silent in listening to the story of her families loss here.

Only meters from the white palace, within the same compound, is a structure originally built by the Israeli government in the 1970s as an armory for the Idi Amin regime. There were five torture chambers Idi Amin used to kill and electrocute his prisoners.. These are photos of the interior of the death chambers.

Now open and empty, the dungeon had an electronically controlled gate, which was removed in 1997 by the Ugandan army. The dungeon had water flowing six meters above ground, meaning that whoever was kept in the 5 chambers or cells to the left in the photo, would be up to their knees in water. "People were locked up here with no food, no water and no medical attention," Then electricity was turned on and everyone was killed by electrocution, in the standing water.

A young boy, most likely a son of the guards or staff living in this building . Not the best of living conditions for sure.

Looking from the Palace to the Buganda Parliament building on Kabaka Anjagala Road via the round about in the center of the photo.

Wherever you go traffic in Kampala is the worst.

View of the city of Kampala from our hotel.

View of the Pool Area at the Hotel Protea Skylaz Hotel located high up on one of the 7 Hills of Kampala.

Mini van bus to the outlaying areas. Note the fruit from the market on the top of the van.

Everyone is trying to make a living somehow.

Working on the Boda Bodas

Departing the hotel early this morning for our destination to Muchison National Park we travel over 6 1/2 hours, about 200 miles. .

Our journey will take us through a number of small villages where life teams daily for survival.

The infamous yellow water containers are found all along the road at wells in many of the villages. No one has water delivered to their homes. That would be a luxury. You have to carry it yourself to your home daily.

A small by the road butcher shop where products are hung out in the sun daily until sold.

By chance a meeting place for a cup of the local beverage.

Chickens, produce, everything is locally grown

During this journey we pass through the lush countryside of the infamous Luwero Triangle, sometimes referred to as the killing fields of Uganda during the country's armed struggles of the 1980's.

Local fish is being purchased in the hot sunny day

Bargaining is the word of the day to make purchases and earn money for the days work.

Local Market . you need it you can find it here somewhere.

Another market.. another village

To think this whole area sets up early in the morning and by late afternoon most sales are complete.

There is something for everyone.

A product Coffins, made by hand, all of us hope we never need. Here Coffins are found by the highway as you drive by.

Fish being sold IN ICE in the bed of the truck of this vendor. This was very rare to see any ice.

I don't know which was more dramatic.. the color of her hair the beautiful bananas she is selling.

Daily life in the coutryside of Uganda

Even with 40% unemployment everyone tries to make money selling something.

Try riding a bicycle with this many pineapples strapped to it. Looks like a sale too.

Cooking kabobs to go over an open flame barbecue

A mother and children working a field near the highway

A beautiful young lady pausing for a moment for a photo.

A young boy on a bicycle carrying water home for his family walking alongside.

These are the biggest Long horn cattle I have seen ever.

Entrance to the Murchison Fall National Park

Once in the Park we are greeted by Baboons

Our first view of the Nile River near the headwaters where it begins its long journey through Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.

As we cross the Nile we see a large Hippopotamas along the side of the banks.

Our destination into Murchison Falls National Park after our short ferry ride.

Unloading the ferry across the Nile we shared with a local school bus on a field trip and various autos.

It never takes long to make friends. These students shared our ride across the river.

No we have to have the whole group of students in the photo including Carrol Wheat, a fellow traveler, with our OAT tour group also. Made a lot of new friends that day.

Murchison Falls National Park is a national park in Uganda and managed by the Ugandan Wildlife Authority. It is in north-western Uganda, spreading inland from the shores of Lake Albert, around the Victoria Nile, up to the Karuma Falls. Together with the adjacent 289 sqare miles Bugungu Wildlife Reserve and the 280 square miles Karuma Wildlife Reserve, the park forms the Murchison Falls Conservation Area

Here we find a Bush back in the high grass of the highlands.

Two Jackson Hartebest

Adult Jackson Hartebest female and a youngster

Murchison is home to a wide variety of wildlife species, including more than 76 mammal and 450 birds species. All are widely spread out over the savannah grasslands, animals, grazing or hunting for prey.

Adult Rothschild Giraffe and a young Giraffe barely visible in the high grass.

Mothers head buried in the tall grass and the baby looking around

Female Giraffe checking on her baby

Warthog

2 Buffalo and a Bush back

Young Giraffe nursing

Rothchild Giraffe

Family of Rothchild Giraffes

Uganda Kob with only horn

Guinea Fowl

Ugandan Kob

Uganda Kob

Buffalo

Buffalo

Buffalo

Buffalo

Grey Crowned Craine

Crains in a mating ritual in the air

Crains maiing in a dance by the male. The male is trying to impress the female

The formality

Herds in heat , females in the center and males to the outside.

Male Kobs, Jackson Hatebest, and Bush backs sitting the the outside grass areas waiting to make a move for mating of the females in the center.

Females in the background... this guy is playing hard to get I believe..

Abyssinian Ground Horn bill in the tree.

Herd of Buffalo

A couple enjoying their viewing in Murchison National Park

Herd of Buffalo

Orbi with one deformed horn

Northern Red Bishop Bird

White birds resting on the backs and heads of submerged Hippopotamus

Warthog coming too close for comfort

Local villagers fishing in the shallow water banks of the Nile. They are stuck in the mud and trying to free themselves.

A male Bush back trying to court a female

Nuzzling her at the neck and back

Looks like he succeeded. She still does not look too interested.

What should appear coming from the Nile River but 4 large African Elephants.

As the elephants approached they made eye contact but continued to walk toward us.

Eating their way while walking...grazing on the local plants

To cool themselves and relieve themselves of the flies and insects they throw dirt on their backs.

A little playful jousting as they approached us closer.

Once in sight they just walked right in front of us as if we did not exist in their lives.

FAmily of rothschild Giraffes

The Rothschild is an endangered giraffe. Less than 1600 are in the wild.

Swimming pool and swim up bar at the Paraa Safari Lodge

View of the Paraa Safari Lodge where we are staying from the Nile River

Group of Hippopotamus along the banks of the Nile

Hippos watching us as we pass nearby

River boat we trolled up the Nile on to the head waters of the river.

African Dater

A number of birds make their homes along the side of the banks of the Nile in Uganda.

Cameron

Fish Eagle in flight

Fish Eagle

Female Elephant with her young ones along the Nile. Cruising the river watching for crocodiles, hippos and wildlife along the banks of the Nile.

Alligator in the grass near the headwaters of the Nile river

The actual headwaters, beginning of the Nile River, where it leaves Lake Victoria above

In a few photos you will see the falls of Lake Victoria from the top of the ridge

At the base of the falls the water is teaming with Alligators looking for animals that have been swept over the falls and food for them.

The hotel we are staying Paraa Safari Lodge

Our vehicles waiting for the ferry to cross the Nile to continue the trip onto Murchison Falls

The world by the river

Waiting for the ferry to arrive

Loading the vehicle

This the steering mechanism for the ferry.

In the background the arrival portion of the ferry trip.

Murchison Falls, also known as Kabalega Falls, is a waterfall between Lake Kyoga and Lake Albert on the Victoria Nile River in Uganda. At the top of Murchison Falls, shown here, the Nile forces its way through a gap in the rocks, only 23 feet wide, and tumbles 141 feet, before flowing westward into Lake Albert. The outlet of Lake Victoria sends around 11,000 cubit feet of water per second over the falls, squeezed into a gorge less than 33 feet wide.

The sheer force of the water so close shakes the ground as you stand near the force of the water.

Looking down on the head waters of the Nile which will eventually merge in Khartoom, Sudan with the White NIle and then flow through Egypt to the Mediterrean.

Just the day before we had been looking up at the falls from below.

It is hared to fathom the amount of water per second that flows over this location behind me.

In all the beauty of the falls we have yet another gift the beautiful rainbow.

Looking from a distance the beginning of the Nile River.

A couple is driving this vehicle from France to South Africa. I wish them good luck.

Checking into our lodge accommodations at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Uganda.

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a collaborative effort between the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Rhino Fund Uganda, a Ugandan NGO committed to the restoration of Uganda's rhinoceros population and Ziwa Ranchers Limited, a private land management company

There are currently 19 Rhinos within the Ziwa Sanctuary. I call this the "Luck of the Schroder photo shot of the day" to see mother nature and the call of the wild attempting to increase the number of Rhinos all while son looks on.

The sanctuary offers a secure place where rhino populations can be expanded by breeding, protected from human and non-human predators and gradually re-introduced into Uganda's national parks, while at the same time, allowing the public to enjoy these majestic animals, as the project moves forward.

Both the Black Rhinoceros and the Northern white rhinoceros , are indigenous to Uganda. However, due to a number of factors, including prolonged armed human conflict, poaching and the mismanagement of their natural habitat, by 1982, both species had been wiped out in the country. Ziwa Rhino sanctuary was established in 2005 to reintroduce the southern white rhinoceros to Uganda.

This looks like a serious father and son talk.

During our visit we met the head administrator for the Ziwa Sanctuary. She explained to us some of the workings of the park today and the past history of the location. . She is from South Africa. I showed her some of the photos and videos that I had taken that afternoon. She told me that of the 140 staff employed at the Sanctuary less than 20 had ever seen what we saw that day.. She asked for the photos and videos that I had taken to be used for training of their employees. We were very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. I sent them to her immediately.

The photos of the two White Rhinos were actually three different sessions of the two animals. What are the odds?

These were called laughing ants if you stepped on them. We didn't.

Our Guide at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. He was full of information and answered all the questions we asked.

At dawn we left for a nature walk along the Lugogo Wetlands, on of Africa's richest bird destinations. We immediately were lucky to see Uganda's most sought after sighting, the rare and prehistoric look shoebill stork.

The Lugogo Wetlands is an integral part of the ecosystem and is home to a multitude of animals, and rare birds. It provides guests with some of the most unparalleled opportunities for bird viewing in Uganda

Avid bird watchers will be ecstatic to view some of the 350+ species found here

The hadeda ibis is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four note calls uttered in flight especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens

Yellow Backed Weaver

Yellow Backed Weaver

White Crested Turaco

Hadada Ibis male and female in flight

Locals waiting to go aboard a canoe to another village close by in the wetlands

Motorcycle and all in the canoe

Our group putting on life vests for our journey by canoe in the wetlands.

Great reflections in the early morning on the water

Only means of transportation in the wetlands is by canoe and push pole

Several of our group ahead of us in a canoe

Long horns nearby the Ziwa Sanctuary and the Wetlands

Our guide stopped by the road for us to see a termite hill up close. The man was digging into the the termite hill to collect the queens inside to sell to eat. A delicacy in China and locally.

Queens of the termite colony

This was an education moment for us during our trip by our local guide and the man digging out the queens from the Termite colony.

Hard to believe that termites could build this. They are all over this part of Africa.

We also stopped for some education on Bee keeping and Honey. Very interesting.

Our host at the Honey and bee keeping stop.

Local hives where the bees make and store the honey off the ground.

Life along the road returning to Kampala and Entebbe

A side road along the main highway

You see everything and anything for sale along the highway

Typical road side local businesses

Computer repair and dresses for sale in the same business

Notice the names of the local businesses.. God's Plan Supermarket. Who knew?

Fresh live Chickens anyone?

The local Walmart

Local Pharmacy on the left maybe.

Bottled Water anyone?

Motorcycle repair and internet services. All in one.

Clothing and Furniture. Maybe the local Sears?

Wow a real side street

Maybe the local 7 Eleven

Shoes, Mattresses, furniture, carpet, materal

Latest fashions and 4 G net work Cell phones in the rear.

Local transportaion to the outlaying areas. They cram as many as they can into the vans.

Returning to Entebbe with work on the highways by the Chinese

The Chinese come in all over Africa to build highways. In exchange they take the mineral rights of the countries.

Lake Victoria. The countries of Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya share the large lake. It is also is the body of water that supplies the Nile River with water. We saw where the headwaters begin the nile a few days ago.

Entebbe is on the shores of Lake Victoria. It is not to be confused with Victoria Falls which is in Zimbabwe. Victoria Falls is fed by the Zambezi River from Botswana.

There is so much to see in the country of Uganda. The people have been very helpful and friendly during our stay here. We are now flying from Entebbe to Kigari, Rwanda to contiune our journey..

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© 2025 Jim Schroder