Previously, my farthest trips ever were to Gulu, Lira, Mbarara and Mbale. However, I had been told about a long dusty road to Karamoja, Northeast of Uganda. Earlier this year, I embarked on a journey to Kaabong District in company of three Tourism beauty queens.
Miss Tourism Karamoja Karen Nyagan, Miss Tourism Karamoja first runner-up Celestine Acheng and Miss Tourism Uganda first runner-up Aysha Naguddi, were going to check one of their development projects.
Set off
Time check, 8am. In a Pajero Mitsubishi, I opted to doze off for five hours. I woke up at our first stopover, Gulu town for lunch break. An hour later, we to my surprise, snaked through a murram and not so bumpy road as I had been forewarned. This stretched via Kitgum.
For four hours, my colleagues and I slept and woke up at random intervals. I vaguely recall dusty sign posts which indicated distance to Kidepo Valley National Park.
Arrival
At 7.30pm, we explained got to the park gate. To be let through the security point, we had to explain that the chief warden was expecting us. Another hour on the dirt road to Apoka, the park’s observation point. The tour guides and chief warden warmly exchanged pleasantries with us. “Kaabong town is 75km from here,” said one of them.
We went to the bandas – grass thatched self-contained structures, where we were going to spend two nights. We freshened up and gathered for a bonfire.
Relaxing
As we had supper, Zackary Logwe, a tour guide assigned to us for the two nights emphasised the don’ts of the park. “Do not play loud music in the park as it disturbs wildlife, don’t litter and most of all, do not walk alone.” He retired.
The roars, chirps and growls seemed distant as we roasted goat while sipping our drinks. The fire burned out but we still had more drinks coming. Given Logwe’s assurance, that the park is safe, we kept going. Out of the blue, came a bizarre roar. We dashed to our places of abode.
Game drive
We woke up at 6.30am for a three-hour game drive. According to Logwe, what we had heard was a warthog not lion as our peers had speculated. On the 1,442 sq km park were buffaloes, giraffes, and elephants browsing and grazing but hardly any cats. “A game drive is a game of chance, you either win by seeing animals or you lose by not seeing them. There are animals you can never see for a month even if you drive every day,” Logwe explained. We retired before noon and relaxed.
“When we have guests, we sit around the fire otherwise, we are always indoors and sleep as early as 8pm,” one of the staff said.
We had more drinks and mchomo until 2am. The staff hail from the West, North and the Central regions. One of them, Joseph Okello told me that he had been employed for 12 years in the park. He occasionally checks on his family.
“Instead of the game drive tomorrow, we shall drive towards South Sudan border before you people head back to Kampala,” Logwe announced. We cut short our conversations and retired.
Visiting border
Driving at dawn, through the savannah, we had to do 45km to the border of Uganda and South Sudan. We saw Narus and Kidepo rivers. The palm trees whose fruits litter the place because they fall when they ripen.
Finally, a few kilometres away from the border is Kidepo hot springs. At the border, there was not even a sign post or interesting feature.
After three minutes of photo moments, we returned to the lodge. We found the manager who introduced himself as Kori from South Africa.
He took us around the lodge; the magnificent cottages and crystal clear swimming pool looked exotic in such a region. Kori said that Apoka Lodge is one of the best safari lodges in Uganda.
Hot spring
Kanangarok is a tepid hot spring in the extreme north of Kidepo Valley Park, beside the South Sudanese boundary. This spring is the most permanent source of water in the park and one of the interesting tourist sights.
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