Safari!

At 4am Sunday morning, we groggily dragged ourselves out of bed, ate breakfast and loaded on to the bus for a 7 hour ride. We left a dark, drizzly Kampala behind and headed north to Murchison Falls National Park. After several hours we turned off the paved roads and things got super bumpy, although all of the baboons and warthogs running around outside were a great distraction.

Two and a half bouncy hours later we pulled up to the entrance of the park where Joseph and Gilbert hopped out to get more info on the hike we supposed to take to the top of Murchison Falls. Unfortunately, the rain falling during our entire drive had created a mud mess of the roads. Gilbert gave us a choice – wait 3 hours for the roads to dry and then attempt the hike or continue on to the hotel and hang out there. We decided to forgo the hike and continued on with Joseph safely driving us up slick clay hills and through large water-filled potholes. During which he earned a well deserved round of applause for managing to control the bus as it was fishtailing in the clay. That guy is an amazing driver.

Hours passed and we reached the banks of the Nile River where we got out to stretch our legs, take pictures and wait for the ferry. After a short ride we were across the river and at the door of the Paraa Safari Lodge. After unloading luggage in our rooms, we stepped out the back door and found ourselves face to face with a group of elephants who were calmly eating a leafy lunch. What an amazing sight!

We grabbed our own lunch at the hotel’s buffet – a delicious spread created just for tourists (yay!)then headed back the river for a boat ride up the Nile. From the very beginning our ride was full of animal sightings. Pods of hippos, crocodiles, cranes, eagles, water bucks, warthogs and jumping Nile perch entertained us as we made our way up river towards Murchison Falls. As we drew closer to the falls, foam began to fill the water and finally we could see the falls thundering through a 20ft section of rock. Another incredible part of God’s creation.

Post boat ride, we enjoyed a dip in the swimming pool (which hippos and elephants are known to frequent at night) then made our way to dinner with bats swooping and diving about our heads – yes, there was some screaming and running involved. After another great meal and a game or two of pool, it was off to bed in anticipation of our 6:30am safari.

6:30 came quickly but we eagerly piled into the bus, picked up our guide( and his AK-47), then headed out with high hopes. Beginning with an incredible sunrise things only got better. Two lions, brothers, were relaxing right off the road, then elephants snacking on trees, kob, hartebeest, and oribis continuously leaping out of the way as our bus passed , herds of giraffe eating bushes together, monkeys sitting on branches, and cape buffalo lying in the mud. As one amazing sight after another passed, I simply took in God’s ability to wow me with his creativity and beauty. What an incredible opportunity.

After lunch and a couple of hours at the pool we said goodbye to Paraa and drove to the Chobe Lodge, our destination for the second night on safari. With portions still under construction, the lodge was not yet opened to the public and we had the entire gorgeous place to ourselves. We instantly took advantage of the waterslide and swimming pools, convincing Joseph, Gilbert, and Brian (our Watoto hosts) to swim as well. However, I think the most exciting part was getting to shower with water pressure. Dinner was delicious and the evening was spent relaxing, spotting hippos on the lawn, playing games, and checking out the channels on the flat screen TV. Breakfast the next morning brought talk of rock hard beds and excitement for what was next to come – Gulu.

-Noelle Alvis