Let’s explore Uganda, home of Knuckles!
This is an excerpt from a longer article
Before diving into my itinerary, a few considerations:
- English is the Lingua Franca in the region, but in Rwanda many people speak french instead
- Backpacking is not a big thing in East Africa
- It might be dangerous at times, I don’t recommend going alone
- It’s by no mean a cheap destination
- Info is hard to get online, I’ll try to bring as much useful intel I can
- Prices date from 2023, might have hiked up in the meantime
____
Note: This article detailing logistic can be a nice read as well
Tips on how to travel Africa
I got this one too, for Cheap safaris!
Tips for Cheap Safaris
Itinerary done quick
🇺🇬 UGANDA
| Day | Destination | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Kampala | Long road into Uganda + city |
| Day 2 | Kampala | City day |
| Day 3 | Fort Portal | Long transfer |
| Day 4 | Rwenzori | Trek |
| Day 5 | Rwenzori | Trek |
| Day 6 | Kabale | The worst road… |
| Day 7 | Lake Bunyoni | Lake Bunyonyi 1 |
| Day 8 | Lake Bunyoni | Lake Bunyonyi 2 |
| Day 9 | Return to Kampala | Way back |
That’s it! Do click on the links (destination name) to learn more!
Uganda
Day 1 Road to Kampala
Arrive in Kampala when you can, visit the Gaddafi Mosque near the bus station or go to your hotel and visit whatever you want. It depends on your energy.
Kampala is crazy busy. Taking motorbike rides is especially crazy, no wonder there are a lot of road accidents and death. They call them boda-bodas here. But sometimes, I still say Tuk-Tuk.
Day 2 Kampala
Two options: Go to Jinja for rafting. Or, like me, visit the city a bit more in depth. I went to the Kasubi tombs, I checked viewpoints, ate some rolled eggs, saw the Hindu temple, rode Boda bodas at my life’s peril…
The city is chaotic but friendly, but walking is suicidal.
Day 3 Road to Fort Portal
Early departure west (7–8 h).
Fort Portal is green, with views of the Rwenzori Mountains.
There isn’t much to see, so I ate and went further in the mountains, through a road in construction
to get to my hostel.
Day 4 Rwenzori Mountains
Trek or hike shorter routes near the base.
If you’re not climbing fully, there are beautiful day trails around Ruboni Village.
Otherwise, try to get to a good altitude to see the unique plants.
Day 5 Rwenzori Mountains
Second day of hiking. You can sleep in one of the lodge then go higher to see the plants and stuff! Honestly, it’s one of the prettiest part of Eaast Africa.
Rwenzoris means moon mountains. What a lovely name!
Day 6 Road to Kabale
Rough day on bad roads.
It was like 12 hours, I got stuck at the back of a 12 seaters with 20 people.
A big black guy, sitting on my lap, a girl vomitting just in front of me, the only openable window open
right next to me, with stops lasting hours and autists trying to touch me or grab me.
It was genuinely awful. But at the time I went there, there were no other ways direct from the Rwenzoris.
A better/nicer option might be to go back to Kampala…
Day 7 Lake Bunyonyi
Arrive by noon and take a small boat across Lake Bunyonyi.
Quiet, scenic, dotted with small islands.
A perfect spot to rest and read!
Day 8 Lake Bunyonyi 2
Second day on the lake.
Kayak, read, and recharge before entering Rwanda.
I really needed this rest, and so did many travelers.
Day 9 Return
You can go further or home. Your choice :) Hope you enjoyed!
