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Feeling bored and wishing for something more than your routine can offer? Do you want to experience something special in a space far from home with a promise of excitement?

Think no further than Oli Wa? which is a Marasa Africa initiative to boost local tourism in Uganda. Oli wa is Luganda for “Where are you?”, which means the initiative calls Ugandans to actively take part in local tourism.

Luckily, for you to enjoy a weekend away, you do not have to go through the cumbersome air travel detail because the sites are within Uganda. However, if you don’t feel like taking a 275km road trip from Kampala to Chobe Safari Lodge, you can catch a plane because it has a runway.

Even more exciting is the fact that Marasa Africa has a 20% offer for Ugandans who book on Thursday for a weekend getaway.

The package also includes the family so that they can spend time together and unwind in the wild, seeing wild animals at close range. They can also gaze into the sunset, enjoy bush walks, take a boat ride and enjoy thrilling game drives.

Marasa Africa’s lodges open for the Oli Wa? initiative include Chobe Safari Lodge in Murchison Falls National Park and Mweya Safari Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

According to Marasa Africa Group Head of Sales and Marketing Julian Katz, the getaway sets you back $110 (approximately, sh414,165) per night per person, which is worth it because you need to reward yourself for all the hard work you do.

The essence of a getaway

According to Jean Nuwagaba, a counselling psychologist, a getaway is integral to ensuring a person peace of mind so much so that she considers it a form of self-care.

“It is a form of self-care away from the work routine,” she said.

She said it calms a person down from stress to allow the mind to reboot. “It calms you down from stress so your mind reformats itself so that you are able to deal with panic or anxiety.”

In regard to a nature getaway, Nuwagaba said being with nature refreshes the mind. “The contact with nature refreshes the mind because you are not seeing family or work responsibilities and troubles. Your mind goes back to a format where you can think properly,” she said.

In regard to a nature getaway, Nuwagaba said being with nature refreshes the mind. (Photo by David Lukiiza)

She explains that the way our mind works is in such a way that much of our thoughts come from what we are sensing, basing on our environment, and so, a calm mind will think better.

She explained elaborately, saying: “Much of our negative mental health experiences originate from how we perceive the environment around us. Our senses and feelings direct our emotions and behaviour. Negative emotions from a stressful environment can lead to stress depression anxiety and other negative mental health challenges.

“A change in the environment creates a break in this routine, creates a calmness of mind which influences our brain activity by releasing hormones that generate positive reactions within our brain activity causing us to think and behave better, be more rational and more productive,” she said.

Nuwagaba noted that a getaway is also important because one gets physical relaxation in a fun area.

“You experience new things in your mind,” she said.

On another note, for a couple, Nuwagaba said a getaway breathes life into a relationship. “If you are a couple, it is time to resolve conflict. You talk things over,” she said.

In the event the couple is at a transitional point, Nuwagaba said a getaway is important because it offers them an opportunity to plan or strategize the next leg of their journey together. She added that even for singles, the getaway can be a platform to plan how they will chart their next course of life.

“Going away will help you get your action plans to improve your life for both singles and couples,” she said.