One year ago today: Sept 25, 2005 (Murchison Falls, Uganda)

Because we were still waiting to connect with the folks at VEF, we had a few extra days on our hands. So we decided to take an unplanned, impromptu safari up to Murchison Falls in Northwestern Uganda. We met a couple at the Kampala Backpackers Inn who were negotiating with a tour agent on a short two-night, three-day safari up to Murchison. If they could find another couple to come along, the safari company was willing to give them an amazing deal, something like $250 for two people including lodging, safari drive, boat trip up the Nile, chimp tracking (woohoo!), food, and accomodation.

The deal was too good to pass up, and the Juerg and Caroline definitely seemed like fun travel companions. We went with Afri Tours, and I recommend them highly. In fact, the Murchison Falls safari was easily the most action-packed and best value safari we did during our trip (itinerary here). Note that there were a few high-profile attacks on tourists at Murchison Falls in the past, so be sure to check on the security situation. I guess that's why we had the park pretty much to ourselves and why it's such a great value destination, hehe.

Anyways, we enjoyed a nice lunch enroute to our lodge, and learned a great deal about Swiss neutrality and such. After checking in to our lodge, we visited the top of Murchison Falls. The entire fury of the Nile River is channeled into a gorge 6 meters wide and 400 feet deep, so it's a violent, thunderous wet, and very awe-inspiring site. Tomorrow, we planned to do a game drive in the morning and then visit the bottom of the falls by boat in the afternoon.

[Note: the classic photo of Kim hanging on for dear life at the falls is posted here.]

Check it out, we've got some grainy videos! Click to play them.

You can overhear Kim's devious idea and my "oh yeah?" during this clip.



And of course, here are a few photos:


Hanging out with Caroline and Juerg at the top of the Falls.


Ian admires the view. The Gore-Tex hat was great.


It's hard to keep the lens dry at the top.


Kim with rainbow at the top of the Falls.