Paraa: A five star gem in the jungle
Feb 20, 2004
<b>By Hellen Mukiibi</b><br>Perched on top of a gorge of the rift valley escarpment overlooking the River Nile is Paraa Safari Lodge<br>Situated in Gulu, Paraa Lodge is one of the few gateways to the legendary Murchison Falls and the little known Uhuru Falls, which rolls downhill side by side with
Perched on top of a gorge of the rift valley escarpment overlooking the River Nile is Paraa Safari Lodge
Situated in Gulu, Paraa Lodge is one of the few gateways to the legendary Murchison Falls and the little known Uhuru Falls, which rolls downhill side by side with the mighty Murchison Falls.
The Uhuru Falls was formed in 1962 when the volume of the River Nile increased due to heavy rains.
Paraa (Pa’rawo) is an Alur word meaning, “land of Hippos.†The name Paraa befits the lodge as hippos roam the grounds especially around the staff quarters adjacent to the pier. Numerous hippos can also be seen on a launch ride up the Nile.
I was planning where to take my family during the holiday season when my editor-in-chief suggested Murchison Falls National Park run by Uganda Wildlife Authority and recommended that we stay at the Paraa Safari Lodge, assuring me of a life time memory.
My husband was skeptical about the safety of the area, recalling an incident in which a principal of a school and 11 of his students were murdered by Joseph Kony’s rebels in March 2001.
A few days later we were driving through Kichumbanyobo Gate in Masindi after paying the park entry permit. The atmosphere in our vehicle was mixed. My children noisily argued about the animals found in the park, while we adults worried about our safety.
When contacted, Peace Kyogambirwe the former front office manager of Paraa Lodge, when I asked her about her stay at Paara.
“It is the people in Kampala who used to call and scare us but all is well there,†she said.
The Kampala rumour mill almost made us change our holiday plans. On the contrary the four days we spent at Paraa were tranquil as we tasted the beauty of Uganda’s biggest game reserve.
“All you have to be cautious about are the animals which roam the lodge premises after dark,†said Mani Khan, the director of operations and tourism at the Madhvani Group of Companies, which runs the lodge.
“We asked the army to let us know if there is any threat and are yet to be given such notice,†Khan added.
I had expected at least an occasional army patrol in the park or at the lodge but there was none in sight. The closet we came to military presence in the area was on our last day when we saw a group of unarmed soldiers fetching water from a petrol station at the lodge.
Memories of our holiday in the wilderness of Murchison Falls National Park will always warm the hearts of everyone in my family.
An American tourist who in January returned to Paraa after 36 years shares our feelings. I met Hamid Daudani and his family from San Diego, in the Explorer’s Bar while sipping my Bell Lager after a six-hour game drive.
Daudani says he first visited Parra Safari Lodge in 1968 and returned with his family for another safari in January. In the visitors’ book, Daudani hailed the management of Paraa Lodge for its high standards. He wrote: “It is hard to imagine a five star establishment in a jungle. Congratulations!â€
Several things appeal to guests at Paraa Safari Lodge. The ambiance is 19th Century, with replicas of items used by the British explorers who were trying to discover the source of River Nile. An old typewriter, books, a gramophone, hats, suitcases, water bottles and other safari accessories bring back memories of my history classes in school where names like Sir Samuel Baker, Henry Stanley and David Livingstone were recited as religiously as the Lord’s Prayer.
Khan says the items and the numerous art pieces that dot the walls of the lodge were bought from antique shops in London. The art pieces generously distributed in the lounges retrace the route of the European explorers in Uganda. The lodge also has several reference books about the animals and birds of Africa.
Rangers are on call at the lodge for game drives. The best being in an open roof Landcruiser available at the reception. Fifty-four rooms with balconies overlooking the Nile make up the lodge.
Rates range between $79 and $205 inclusive of VAT and a 5% service charge which goes to the staff. Full board in the “Queen’s Cottage†is $480. The cottage was built in 1954 for the visit of the late Queen Mother of Great Britain.
Continental cuisine is provided at the Captains Table.
At sh15,000 one can have a decent meal. Local beers cost sh3,000 and water or soft drinks sh1,500. Tea costs sh3,000. Lunch boxes and fresh fruit are also provided on order for guests going for long hours in the wilderness.
The best place in the Captain’s Table is the viewing deck where one can enjoy the staggering beauty around. The African moon has never looked so beautiful and one night I thought that the animals and insects in the bushes below made the sweetest symphony ever produced. The melodies include the grunts of hippos and the chirping of birds. Even the humming of the generator which provides power to the lodge was quite acceptable.
My favourite place at Paraa, however, was the White Nile Bar. My children fell in love with the out-door giant swimming pool around the bar. I would proudly watch them as they swam in the pool daily after a hot day out in the wilderness. In a bathing suit, I perched on one of the bar stools in the pool and lazily sipped my beer wishing such moments would last forever.
On their web-site, the Paraa Safari Lodge management boasts, “There is no other watering hole like this in all of East Africa.â€
Khan hails the Uganda Wildlife Authority for maintaining the roads in the park and says Ugandans should participate in local tourism.
He particularly singled out the legislature whom he said should be the first to sample the wonders of Murchinson Falls National Park.
Khan says the private sector should establish information kiosks in Uganda to offer ready services to tourists.
“We should advertise within Kampala. Let Ugandans promote tourism,†he said.
Other hotels run by the Madhvani Group are Mweya Safari Lodge, Chobe Safari Lodge, Jinja Sailing Club and Kakira Guest House.
Ends
Situated in Gulu, Paraa Lodge is one of the few gateways to the legendary Murchison Falls and the little known Uhuru Falls, which rolls downhill side by side with the mighty Murchison Falls.
The Uhuru Falls was formed in 1962 when the volume of the River Nile increased due to heavy rains.
Paraa (Pa’rawo) is an Alur word meaning, “land of Hippos.†The name Paraa befits the lodge as hippos roam the grounds especially around the staff quarters adjacent to the pier. Numerous hippos can also be seen on a launch ride up the Nile.
I was planning where to take my family during the holiday season when my editor-in-chief suggested Murchison Falls National Park run by Uganda Wildlife Authority and recommended that we stay at the Paraa Safari Lodge, assuring me of a life time memory.
My husband was skeptical about the safety of the area, recalling an incident in which a principal of a school and 11 of his students were murdered by Joseph Kony’s rebels in March 2001.
A few days later we were driving through Kichumbanyobo Gate in Masindi after paying the park entry permit. The atmosphere in our vehicle was mixed. My children noisily argued about the animals found in the park, while we adults worried about our safety.
When contacted, Peace Kyogambirwe the former front office manager of Paraa Lodge, when I asked her about her stay at Paara.
“It is the people in Kampala who used to call and scare us but all is well there,†she said.
The Kampala rumour mill almost made us change our holiday plans. On the contrary the four days we spent at Paraa were tranquil as we tasted the beauty of Uganda’s biggest game reserve.
“All you have to be cautious about are the animals which roam the lodge premises after dark,†said Mani Khan, the director of operations and tourism at the Madhvani Group of Companies, which runs the lodge.
“We asked the army to let us know if there is any threat and are yet to be given such notice,†Khan added.
I had expected at least an occasional army patrol in the park or at the lodge but there was none in sight. The closet we came to military presence in the area was on our last day when we saw a group of unarmed soldiers fetching water from a petrol station at the lodge.
Memories of our holiday in the wilderness of Murchison Falls National Park will always warm the hearts of everyone in my family.
An American tourist who in January returned to Paraa after 36 years shares our feelings. I met Hamid Daudani and his family from San Diego, in the Explorer’s Bar while sipping my Bell Lager after a six-hour game drive.
Daudani says he first visited Parra Safari Lodge in 1968 and returned with his family for another safari in January. In the visitors’ book, Daudani hailed the management of Paraa Lodge for its high standards. He wrote: “It is hard to imagine a five star establishment in a jungle. Congratulations!â€
Several things appeal to guests at Paraa Safari Lodge. The ambiance is 19th Century, with replicas of items used by the British explorers who were trying to discover the source of River Nile. An old typewriter, books, a gramophone, hats, suitcases, water bottles and other safari accessories bring back memories of my history classes in school where names like Sir Samuel Baker, Henry Stanley and David Livingstone were recited as religiously as the Lord’s Prayer.
Khan says the items and the numerous art pieces that dot the walls of the lodge were bought from antique shops in London. The art pieces generously distributed in the lounges retrace the route of the European explorers in Uganda. The lodge also has several reference books about the animals and birds of Africa.
Rangers are on call at the lodge for game drives. The best being in an open roof Landcruiser available at the reception. Fifty-four rooms with balconies overlooking the Nile make up the lodge.
Rates range between $79 and $205 inclusive of VAT and a 5% service charge which goes to the staff. Full board in the “Queen’s Cottage†is $480. The cottage was built in 1954 for the visit of the late Queen Mother of Great Britain.
Continental cuisine is provided at the Captains Table.
At sh15,000 one can have a decent meal. Local beers cost sh3,000 and water or soft drinks sh1,500. Tea costs sh3,000. Lunch boxes and fresh fruit are also provided on order for guests going for long hours in the wilderness.
The best place in the Captain’s Table is the viewing deck where one can enjoy the staggering beauty around. The African moon has never looked so beautiful and one night I thought that the animals and insects in the bushes below made the sweetest symphony ever produced. The melodies include the grunts of hippos and the chirping of birds. Even the humming of the generator which provides power to the lodge was quite acceptable.
My favourite place at Paraa, however, was the White Nile Bar. My children fell in love with the out-door giant swimming pool around the bar. I would proudly watch them as they swam in the pool daily after a hot day out in the wilderness. In a bathing suit, I perched on one of the bar stools in the pool and lazily sipped my beer wishing such moments would last forever.
On their web-site, the Paraa Safari Lodge management boasts, “There is no other watering hole like this in all of East Africa.â€
Khan hails the Uganda Wildlife Authority for maintaining the roads in the park and says Ugandans should participate in local tourism.
He particularly singled out the legislature whom he said should be the first to sample the wonders of Murchinson Falls National Park.
Khan says the private sector should establish information kiosks in Uganda to offer ready services to tourists.
“We should advertise within Kampala. Let Ugandans promote tourism,†he said.
Other hotels run by the Madhvani Group are Mweya Safari Lodge, Chobe Safari Lodge, Jinja Sailing Club and Kakira Guest House.
Ends