Awesome African Adventure. Day 13-April 21, 2025

Leaving R4W and Buhoma, Eve and Dennis.

Thankfully the Facebookers, Mary and Suzie, have been doing a better job at keeping you updated. I’ve had a slight hiccup with WordPress – which I’ve sorted out (on the 23 April) so now the challenge is wi-fi and time to author and create the posts. Apologies for the delays.

Leaving Ride 4 a Woman today with Wilson

Packed up and breakfast at 8.

Eve promised to show us a chameleon and she delivered.

It was with absolute mixed feelings that we leave our R4W family today. Sad to leave and expectant for our adventures with Wilson.

We had some fun settling the bill – Eve was being far too generous. As it was we paid a donation by rounding up a bit. Suzie and I paid for twin share price despite having single rooms.
Please I can’t stress enough if you are visiting Bwindi for the Gorillas seriously consider a few days at Ride 4 a Woman.

Shake off was kicking off as we were saying our goodbyes so we joined the group and they sung us a farewell song. Phil spoke lovely words of appreciation and thanks. Suzie also said a few words I’m not sure what she said as I was in tears. Then they danced for and with us again.

Very emotional and tearful farewells.

Then off we went down the road back to Kihihi. There was a truck stopped in middle of road we negotiated around and a bus broken down too.

Passed many tea plantations and factories. A few villages. Crossed the Ishasha river.

We are once again near the Congo border.

We got some local cash in Kihihi. I had a heart attack as my wallet wasn’t in my bag!!!! Eek. I was sure it was in my jacket pocket in the car but Wilson had gone to deliver something. So Phil got me some cash out while I sweated bricks and tried to appear calm and confident. Wilson returned and my wallet was in my jacket pocket. Phew. Crisis averted. Loo break and on we go.

Soon after leaving Kihihi we entered Queen Elizabeth NP and then we had Cob Antelope ( as seen on Ugandan Coat of Arms)

Soon after some Elephants off in the distance.

A warthog or more was spotted.

Then a troop of Vervet monkeys hiding in the grass.

More elephants.

A drongo on branch over road.

Another pair of elephants under an Acacia tree and Red Bishop bird nicely alighted on some grass right beside the car.

Wilson has popped the roof which is fantastic.

Another elephant closer the track feasting on the Acacia tree. Suzie is obsessed with the thorns on the White Thorny Acacia bushes and there was one close to the car for the arty shot.

Then on for another 10 minutes for our picnic lunch.

Wilson had been so good at spotting the elephants for us. Then another grazing right beside the road. Too close for the big lens!!! Who would believe it. They eat 200kg of grass a day and this fella was full on shovelling it in. His huge tail swishing continuously. We are only an hour in to the park and already the superlatives are flowing.

We pulled into the Katookye gate for lunch.

Then over the Ntugwe River. All the waters from this river and Ishasha go to a Lake and end up in the river Nile.

Open billed Storks were our next camera victim. Followed closely by some anti Poacher rangers resting by the roadside. We backed up to give them a cold water each out of the fridge.

A tree full of Black-headed Weaver Birds and their woven nests. The males busily make the nest, if the female is not impressed the males then destroy it and start weaving another one.

A Red- Collared Widow bird with long tail in mating season.

Water buffalo and lapwings in the water. The buffalo has one egret and were wallowing in the mud.

Long Crested Eagle

Along the potholed track there are flurries of butterflies drinking the water at the potholes and on elephant poo. As we drive past they take off in a cloud of mostly orange with some green and white colours.

Rwenzori Mountains came into view in the distance. These are Uganda’s highest point and are snow capped.
By this stage Wilson has said he was only stopping for Lions and Leopards. But he did slow down and stop for Butterflies and we did see some good Baboons.

We passed two trucks loaded high with charcoal. They are rocking and rolling through potholes and are prone to losing their load. The second one was broken down with the driver lying underneath trying to repair.

We are driving into very dark clouds and some rain which required a stop to lower the roof.

A couple of water bucks ducked off the road in the rain without any of us getting a shot.

Rain started about 3:25 and was pretty heavy and steady. And even hail with a poor bodaboda coming towards us in it. Yuk!!!

As quickly as we drove into the storm we drove out from the forest section to grasslands and out of the storm at 3:35.

We saw an African Grey Hornbill.

Then OMG from out of nowhere Wilson spotted a Lions leg hanging from a Euphobia (Cactus) tree. None of us could see a thing. He drove level with the tree and even then we couldn’t see it. Finally with cameras we found the leg. Ended up there were two young males which Wilson says have been kicked out of the tribe. They were sleeping in the tree. The first one hardly moved but then we spotted second one and he gave a little more to play with. Tricky with the tree obstructing views of them. But we were all pretty stoked even so.

Giant Forest Hog in a group. We were lucky to see them as they are nocturnal and very shy.

Kestrel.

Water Buffalo – red ones come from the forest. Black ones from on the plains. With Ox Peckers and Egrets.

Water Buck – female without horns. Male with great horns.

Spotted Bush Buck.

Giant Forest Hog again – just a single one with 3 Yellow Billed Ox Peckers on his back and head.

Katanguru Park Office. Wilson took our passport copies to get checked in.

We drove into a village Katanguru and by a channel joining Lakes George (right) and Edward (left).

Into our Lodge. Buffalo Lodge.

We are to be escorted to and from our rooms. Wilson said it looks calm now as we are in at 5, but it gets wild at night. Suzie heard that a lady was eaten by a lion when she was in Sth Africa (didn’t use the security guard.)

Masitulah met us with hot towels and a welcome drink – hibiscus and pineapple.

Gave us our briefing including the fact that between 7pm and 7am we cannot move around the resort. We must be accompanied back to our rooms from dinner and back again for breakfast in the morning.

Masitulah also indicated that the resort is under renovation and they have upgraded us to Superior suites.

Then we’re taken to our room with our luggage by Fred, then briefed again. Lovely room with an upstairs balcony which we are probably not going to have time to capitalise on.

We have identical mirror image rooms with an interconnecting ante-room.

Off to the lounge area for wi-fi, sundowners and photo review and transfer. It’s been a bit of a day for pictures given the wildlife we have seen today.

Dinner at 7 out on the balcony with stunning views over the
pool, the grasslands and a small village to the Rwenzori Mountains.

The security guys then shone a torch on Wild boar that wandered along the pathway. They also lit a fire to deter both animals and mozzies we reckon.

We all started with butternut pumpkin soup. Suzie and I shared two meals. Firstly the pork, fresh salad and potato. Secondly the beans, greens and corn bread with roasted pumpkin. We had a quarter of each. Both quite tasty. Mary and Phil had the fish and a pasta dish. Banana fritters for dessert and Phil chose chocolate cake.

We were entertained by lizards, a huge Dung Beetle, and a bird flirting under the verandah.

We shared the space with a family group from Holland who have 3 generations travelling together.

Then back to our rooms, no wi-fi.

Early pick up tomorrow at 5:50 by Chris from Security for breakfast.