In the 2nd travel report of this tour we drive from Kampala where we bought new scooters, to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to spot the critically endangered rhino. This does not go without a hitch, because we soon come to a standstill with our new scooters and see refugees from South Sudan with severely malnourished children.
Uganda has stolen our hearts more than once and as far as we are concerned it is a travel destination that belongs on the bucket list of every world traveler. Find out why Uganda is called the pearl of Africa.
A trip through Uganda will be one you will never forget. Spot the tree-climbing lions, meet thousands of elephants, come face to face with Mountain Gorillas in the jungle and get to know the beautiful culture.
Bad luck with the scooter
It is Friday morning and the bags are packed. There is quite a bit of unnecessary ballast left in Via Via Guesthouse† It's the way it always goes. You unconsciously take a lot too much luggage along. Chris and I have thought and weighed everything and we both leave with a backpack and a shoulder bag. Barely five kilos per person. You simply can't do more with the small scooter.
An hour later the scooters are ready for the start. The official papers are not yet in order, but Simba assures us: 'They will be sent by email within two weeks. Uganda registers the vehicle ownership logs online.'
Throttle lever broken
It's just before noon and we're not quite there yet or I can move the throttle in all directions without hitting the gas. We stop at a gas station 3 km from Simba and I decide to ride Chris' scooter (who has been able to drive the whole trip without any scooter problems!) to pick up a mechanic. The mechanic gets to work and repairs the broken throttle on the spot.
Meanwhile it starts to rain heavily and all boda-boda drivers look for a place to hide under the roof of the gas station.
Exhaust broken
Half an hour later the mechanic is ready and we chug out of Kampala. Barely 30 km further on my scooter is fine again, this time it's the exhaust. A bolt has vibrated loose and must be replaced. Twice bad luck and we're barely a few hours on the road with our new scooters, that's promising… We get back on our scooters and continue our way to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Lollipops (tam-tams) and frightened children
The pace is good now, the roads are reasonably good and we leave the bustle of the metropolis of Kampala behind us for good. I bought a few bags of lollipops (tam-tams) along the way to hand out along the way. I know from experience what is to come.
Afraid of 'mzungu' (white person)
The little ones here hardly ever see a 'mzungu' (white person) and are very scared. The littlest ones run crying towards the hut where their mother looks surprised. 'Why are you afraid of that mzungu? He's got a tom-tam for you!' Then the sky clears slowly. The lollipop is gratefully received and even a cautious smile appears. It takes a while for the children to get used to us and after a while we even manage to take a selfie with them. Chris puts his phone on the floor and the children are amazed to see their own faces. The little man at the bottom presses the button after a few directions from Chris.
Some children, who carry a heavy jerrycan of water along the road and see us 'mzungus' (whites), throw that jerrycan away and flee into the bushes in panic.
Eric Schuit | Wereldreizigers.nl
Refugees from South Sudan
After about 100 km we stop at a series of huts. The residents appear to be refugees from South Sudan. Ever since the civil War since it erupted in full force a few years ago, nearly two million South Sudanese went to Uganda escaped. Many of them are related to the Acholi, the largest population group in Northern Uganda. They speak the same language. The borders were once drawn by the British without regard for the local population (where not in Africa; eg Nigeria).
Appalling conditions and malnourished children
I rejoice the very malnourished children (some have very swollen bellies) with a lollipop. Dirty, scratched and sweaty from working the land and carrying heavy jerry cans of water, they take the lollipop. Your heart almost breaks when you see a rare smile on their face… You can't make such a little one more happy, because they live in appalling conditions without water or electricity. The lollipop they get from a passing mzungu is the highlight of the day, the week and probably even the month.
They get water from a well a few kilometers away. They have no money, work, school or things. They survive with the help of their own vegetable garden, because the Ugandan government has given every fleeing family from South Sudan their own piece of land on which they can grow fruit and vegetables. The piece of land they live in then looks something like this: a self-built hut made of reed, many young children and yes, the pregnant woman also shows herself for a while. As if there weren't enough kids already.
Here in one of the poorest parts of Africa, things work differently with children. The more children, the more work that can be done. You should not think about child labor here, for them it is simply a matter of survival.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
It is now getting dark and that means near the equator that it will get dark very quickly. Chris and I reach the reception of Ziwa Rhino Lodge just before dark. The first rhinoceroses report immediately.
The many signs and warnings ensure that you stay at an appropriate distance. We evaluate the successful day over a Nile (Uganda's unsurpassed national beer). After some start-up problems, the ride of about 165 km from Kampala to Ziwa went smoothly. Walking back to your lodge from the restaurant after sunset is out of the question, there are many dangerous animals here, including leopards. We are escorted back safely and go to sleep on time. The next day we have to get up early for the rhinoceros walking safari.
Background information Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
In the 1970s of Go Amen thousands of rhinoceroses were shot. Amin and his family loved the hunt. In the years that followed, poachers in particular made off with the last rhinoceroses. By 1982, both the black and white rhinoceros were completely extinct in Uganda.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary was established in 2005 to reintroduce the extinct southern white rhinoceros to Uganda. Four rhinoceroses hatched Kenya and two rhinoceroses were donated by Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida. Ziwa now houses a healthy rhino population of 32 through successful breeding programs!
When the rhino population reaches 50, the group will be split and half released into one of Uganda's better-guarded national parks.
A rhinoceros walking safari
The next morning dawns. We get up early and walk with a Ranger through the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. We are accompanied by a group of curious warthogs, who happily wag their tails. It is a matter of a few minutes and the first rhinoceroses are already appearing. They are used to people and graze without a care.
armed rangers
It is immediately noticeable that each rhinoceros is guarded by armed rangers who work for Uganda's Wildlife Authority. The rhinos are guarded 24/7 against poachers, which is apparently really necessary. A rhinoceros horn is worth about $300.000 in China, where it is believed to have healing powers.
After the walking safari we decide to get back on our scooter and look for the 'real game'. In part 3 of the #pipikikitour2021 we make a first sensational scooter safari in Murchison Falls National Park.
Uganda has stolen our hearts more than once and as far as we are concerned it is a travel destination that belongs on the bucket list of every world traveler. Find out why Uganda is called the pearl of Africa.
A trip through Uganda will be one you will never forget. Spot the tree-climbing lions, meet thousands of elephants, come face to face with Mountain Gorillas in the jungle and get to know the beautiful culture.