Peace and beauty by the river

Aug 17, 2001

I was invited with a group, to my very first safari and two night stay at The Nile Safari Camp of the Inns of Uganda. I was.

By Rovianne Matovu I was invited with a group, to my very first safari and two night stay at The Nile Safari Camp of the Inns of Uganda. I was. I was so excited, and had every reason to be. It turned out to be a fantastic and natural experience. Nile Safari Camp is the brainchild of Zahid Alam. It is situated on the banks of the Nile, downstream from Murchison Falls. We were picked up at The Sheraton Hotel and embarked on our six-hour journey from Kampala. Zahid Alam fell in love with this tranquil and secluded place. He discovered the unique location and was so taken by its breathtaking beauty that he decided to set up a lodge complex right on the Nile. There was nothing operational there, so they had to start from scratch. As industrialists, Zaid and his wife Sarita saw it as a place of retreat and solace from the pressures of the city. They are both very creative. Zahid wanted to be an architect and Sarita has been an interior designer. This marriage was to bode well for such a project, which required a lot of artistic licence. They wanted to tackle something different and challenging. To keep close to nature, they used local materials such as mahogony and cypress. This is what gives the resort a quaint, immediate and appealing rustic feel. Nothing is synthetic or plastic. It is all organic. This is a fine example of eco-tourism. The design and architecture of the Camp was created by Zahid, who was initially helped by Shaun Mann, who is now the EU Tourism Consultant for Uganda Tourism Bourd. The Alams love and respect the rich history of the Nile itself, as well as the unique geography of the Falls. They began building at the beginning of 1994 and finished the same year. They had no time to lose. This was too good to waste. They were passionate about their project and exerted all their energies into it. At first the Lodge complex contained only six rooms, but they have now expanded to 12 rooms including family rooms suitable for children. They employed their own workforce from their other businesses, as well as taking on new local employees, whom they had to train on the job. Their aim is to offer an exclusive and personalised service; home away from home. It was such a treat to receive room service of early morning tea or coffee on the verandah of our luxury tents in the company of black vervet monkeys and a cacophony of bird life. You felt alive and at one with the world. Sarita explained to me that, unlike other camps in Uganda, they strive to offer something quite special: a safari stay that is ecologically in tune. The Alams are so passionate about their country that they want to share, both nationally and internationally, the spectacular scenery of tropical wild Africa. Nothing is imported. Everything is indigenous. You are out in the bush away from the artificiality of urban life. It also marks a strong contrast with the overdeveloped West, and it is they who are so keen to commune with nature. This is the attraction. Nile Safari Camp offers something authentically different. It is something you experience outwardly and inwardly. The first night, we retired to bed early, pleasantly tired, eager for the next day’s activities. We got up early and went on a launch trip down the Nile to see the spectacular Murchison Falls. They are awesome. My appetite was whetted by the game we saw on our way down. We saw giant goliath, bee eaters, pied king fishers, herons, fish eagles, thousands of species of weavers and black bellied busturds. This took about two hours. Afterwards, we crossed over to the northern side and had a well-earned picnic lunch at the pier. Afterwards we set off on our two-and-a-half hour game drive in Muchsion National Park. Murchsion National Park is vast. We managed to have the Park all to ourselves. I felt very privileged. The highlight for me was when a group of elephants appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and nonchantly strode across the track right in front of us. I have never been so close up to these magnificient creatures. I was almost in tears. The food at the camp is simple, healthy and natural. Dishes include local produce from the village like oranges and lemons, as well as fish. The rest has to be brought in from Kampala. The kitchen caters for all palates, including vegetarians. The set menu varies from Continental and Ugandan food. The last night we were treated to a barbeque by the pool under the stars and we were entertained by a local group of musicians and dancers. I loved it. It was a lovely departing swansong. Sarita and Zahid are concerned about security but are happy to report that the area is now secure, which is crucial for tourist confidence. They believe, however, with concerted effort by all of us, we can contribute towards Uganda’s burgeoning tourism industry. We cannot rely on gorillas alone! Sarita inspired me to look at my own responsibilities towards helping Uganda. We are complacent about the beauty of our country and overlook its potential. We can compete with Kenya and Tanzania. We have a lot to offer if not more. Ends

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