Tag: Murchison Falls

From Masindi Exploring Kabalega’s Kingdom, Uganda

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Above: Approaching Murchison falls in the National Park. Copyright: i Rupi Mangat 2017

Published: The East African Nation media

Part 2 of 2

By Rupi Mangat

At first glance Masindi gives the impression of a one-street, non-descript town with relics of colonial architecture. But is has interesting history as Sally Wareing, the retired octogenarian teacher who bought a run-down hotel and turned it into a charming garden hotel called New Garden View Court Hotel. It’s 90 kilometres from the world’s most powerful waterfall, Murchison.

Kabalega Primary School Masindi Uganda (800x600)
Kabalega Primary School Masindi Uganda built 1914. Copyright Rupi Mangat

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In Kabalega’s Kingdom: Bunyoro in Uganda

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Above: Royal tomb of King Kabalega near Hoima in Uganda. Copyright Rupi Mangat

Published: The East African Nation media 25 April 2020

By Rupi Mangat

Powerful and progressive, Kabalega defended his kingdom against colonial onset

It was the taxi driver who announced, “The royal tomb of Kabalega is here.”  He brought the car to a halting screech when he realized l was serious about seeing it.

At that point Kabalega was quite unknown to me. I was whiling away days in Masindi visiting friends. With time on my hands and no intention of doing Murchison Falls – for now dubbed as the most powerful waterfall in the world – which l had visited in 2017, l was following in my late grandmother’s steps to Hoima. She gave birth in each of the three East African countries with the last born in Hoima in the 1940s.

Hoima was only 60 kilometres further west of Masindi and another 20 to Lake Albert, one of the African great lakes in the rift.

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Chimpanzee baby playing in the forest Image by: Michael Nichols

Trying for Chimpanzees

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Discovering more of the Nile at Murchison Falls and looking for chimpanzees in Uganda

Published 19 August 2017 – Saturday magazine, Nation newspaper

Above: Chimpanzee baby playing in the forest – Image by: Michael Nichols

Part 2 of 2

“When the crocodile jumps into the boat, you jump out,” tells our guide on the sail to reach the base of Murchison falls.

The Nile crocodile on the banks of the Nile near Murchison Falls - copyright Rupi Mangat
The Nile crocodile on the banks of the Nile near Murchison Falls – copyright Rupi Mangat

The Nile crocodile is gigantic – almost 15 feet long lying still as a statue with gaping jaws revealing a set of sharp-pointed teeth. My childhood memory is of the banks lined with crocodiles – we see only four now.

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Sign to Murchison Falls on the Nile at Paraa Copyright Rupi Mangat

Made it to Murchison Falls, Uganda

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Part 1 of 2

Published in Saturday Nation 12 August 2017

Just 20-feet wide and 130 feet down - the whole of Victoria pours its waters into this magnificent river at Murchison Falls Copyright Rupi Mangat
Just 20-feet wide and 130 feet down – the whole of Victoria pours its waters into this magnificent river at Murchison Falls Copyright Rupi Mangat

In 1907, Winston Churchill the English statesman stood where we stand and exclaimed ’10 pounds will suffice to throw an iron bride across’. We’re on top of Murchison Falls, our faces wet with the spray of the water where the mighty Nile, reputed to be the world’s longest river squeezes through its narrowest point – just 20 feet across to crash some 130 feet down over red rocks that gleam in the morning sun.

What Winston said in 1907 – The iron bridge over Murchison Falls built in 1960 but got washed away Copyright Rupi Mangat
At Murchison Falls national Park inthe sturdy Toyota Crown Royal Saloon 1985 model – not a single puncture the entire 2,000km safari – copyright Rupi Mangat
Crossing the Nile – on the ferry near Paraa Safari Lodge Copyright Rupi Mangat

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Zooming in to Murchison Falls from the boat Copyright Rupi Mangat

Epic Safari to Murchison Falls

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The falls raged – our faces wet with the spray of water. Not from any ordinary river but the great Nile. Here we were, my nephew and l standing on sheer rock, spell bound by the force of the falls.

Murchison Falls - from the top. The Bakers' chanced upon it in 1864 coming back from Lake Albert (again they were the first European explorers to see it). Their boat was raised out of the water by a hippo and they had to jump on shore! Copyright: Rupi Mangat
Murchison Falls – from the top. The Bakers’ chanced upon it in 1864 coming back from Lake Albert (again they were the first European explorers to see it). Their boat was raised out of the water by a hippo and they had to jump on shore! Copyright: Rupi Mangat
The Nile crocodile on the banks of the Nile near Murchison Falls - copyright Rupi Mangat
The Nile crocodile on the banks of the Nile near Murchison Falls – copyright Rupi Mangat

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