The pearl in Ssesse islands
Oct 10, 2008
A couple is cuddling in a hammock, swinging infront of one of the orange cottages. A small distance away, at the shoreline, another equally intimate couple stares at the waves as they become violent, courtesy of an approaching ship. A day at the 45-acre Pearl Gardens Beach usually ends with dinner
By Matthias Mugisha
A couple is cuddling in a hammock, swinging infront of one of the orange cottages. A small distance away, at the shoreline, another equally intimate couple stares at the waves as they become violent, courtesy of an approaching ship. A day at the 45-acre Pearl Gardens Beach usually ends with dinner served around a campfire.
As the Ssese Islands’ sun retires, visitors, exhausted after the day’s activities, seek solace in the evening breeze at the water front as Anita, one of the waitresses at the bar, gets busy.
It is 5:00pm and most visitors are relaxing after forest walks, canoeing and fishing.
Far into the lake, the Marine vehicle MV Kalangala roars, moving closer and bringing with it turbulent waves from its propellers under Africa’s greatest fresh water mass, Lake Victoria. The waves, whacking the white sand beach, deliver MV Kalangala’s passengers, most of them fun-seeking couples.
It docks a few metres from the gardens, the most popular resort on the Lutoboka shoreline. Since the ship started making trips to the islands, there has been a surge in the number of visitors.
The ship leaves Nakiwogo in Entebbe daily at 2:00pm for a three hour journey to the islandsat a cost of sh14,000 and Sh10,000 for first and second class respectively, with a capacity of 100 passengers and 80 tonnes of cargo including vehicles (at sh50,000 per vehicle). Pearl Gardens Beach has a variety of accommodation facilities.
One can pitch their tent for only sh7,000 per night excluding meals, which go for sh30,000. The hotel also hires out tents ranging from sh10,000 to sh25,000 per night, while a double, furnished tent goes for sh70,000, full board. The guest rooms range from sh35,000 for single occupancy to sh90,000 for double.
Executive rooms cost between sh40,000 and sh100,000 while the cottages range from sh45,000 to sh120,000 and a family unit for four goes for between sh100,000 and sh160,0000 for full board.
The most popular outdoor activities include canoeing on Lake Victoria at sh15,000.
There is also mountain biking and sport fishing with a bike going for sh30,000 and a boat and fishing gear for sh50,000 an hour. Hiring a speed boat (for $560) is also a lot of fun. The hotel also has a beautiful picnic clearing in the jungle.
Ssese Islands are gifted by nature, mostly in the form of forests that host a variety of birds and primates.
Its not surprising that nature walks and bird watching are some of the most sought after activities.
Pearl Gardens Beach provides a guide. One of the places vistors are taken to are the ruins in the jungle, referred to as Speke’s Fort though more research may be needed ascertain that claim.
The forest is great, with birds’ nests tucked in trees and scented fields of flowers as avenues of jungle aromas.
Grand is the jungle with meandering trials in the flora and fauna featured kingdom.
The walks are refreshing and the bird songs reassure you that all is in harmony among the trees that magically unleash the type of peace of the mind that is more often that not elusive. In the forest, tranquility, and the delicate hum of life is felt in the thick foliage where a veil of serenity symbolises the timeless epitome of nature.
During the walks, few people speak; most listen to the guide. From the nature walks, the relaxation from the forest is consolidated at the beach.
Soon after the ship docks, workers start preparing a camp fire as the sun starts to set. By early dusk, the sky is aflame as nature in all her glory changes right before visitors’ eyes.
As the sun sinks wearily, flushed and worn out, the warm lake waters awake, gently hitting the sand. The warmth from the campfire compensates for the lost sun. Many visitors opt to take their dinner by the campfire.
Two of the waitresses, Nnakato and Nyangoma, are identical twins. You cannot tell who is who. But one thing they do not is a smile. The food is great.
The drinks smooth. The sparks from the fire are magical. Visitors whisper in muted voices to their friends. Others crack jokes while some couples hug.
By now, the lake lies pallid, save for mukene fishermen with pressure lamps in the distance.
A couple is cuddling in a hammock, swinging infront of one of the orange cottages. A small distance away, at the shoreline, another equally intimate couple stares at the waves as they become violent, courtesy of an approaching ship. A day at the 45-acre Pearl Gardens Beach usually ends with dinner served around a campfire.
As the Ssese Islands’ sun retires, visitors, exhausted after the day’s activities, seek solace in the evening breeze at the water front as Anita, one of the waitresses at the bar, gets busy.
It is 5:00pm and most visitors are relaxing after forest walks, canoeing and fishing.
Far into the lake, the Marine vehicle MV Kalangala roars, moving closer and bringing with it turbulent waves from its propellers under Africa’s greatest fresh water mass, Lake Victoria. The waves, whacking the white sand beach, deliver MV Kalangala’s passengers, most of them fun-seeking couples.
It docks a few metres from the gardens, the most popular resort on the Lutoboka shoreline. Since the ship started making trips to the islands, there has been a surge in the number of visitors.
The ship leaves Nakiwogo in Entebbe daily at 2:00pm for a three hour journey to the islandsat a cost of sh14,000 and Sh10,000 for first and second class respectively, with a capacity of 100 passengers and 80 tonnes of cargo including vehicles (at sh50,000 per vehicle). Pearl Gardens Beach has a variety of accommodation facilities.
One can pitch their tent for only sh7,000 per night excluding meals, which go for sh30,000. The hotel also hires out tents ranging from sh10,000 to sh25,000 per night, while a double, furnished tent goes for sh70,000, full board. The guest rooms range from sh35,000 for single occupancy to sh90,000 for double.
Executive rooms cost between sh40,000 and sh100,000 while the cottages range from sh45,000 to sh120,000 and a family unit for four goes for between sh100,000 and sh160,0000 for full board.
The most popular outdoor activities include canoeing on Lake Victoria at sh15,000.
There is also mountain biking and sport fishing with a bike going for sh30,000 and a boat and fishing gear for sh50,000 an hour. Hiring a speed boat (for $560) is also a lot of fun. The hotel also has a beautiful picnic clearing in the jungle.
Ssese Islands are gifted by nature, mostly in the form of forests that host a variety of birds and primates.
Its not surprising that nature walks and bird watching are some of the most sought after activities.
Pearl Gardens Beach provides a guide. One of the places vistors are taken to are the ruins in the jungle, referred to as Speke’s Fort though more research may be needed ascertain that claim.
The forest is great, with birds’ nests tucked in trees and scented fields of flowers as avenues of jungle aromas.
Grand is the jungle with meandering trials in the flora and fauna featured kingdom.
The walks are refreshing and the bird songs reassure you that all is in harmony among the trees that magically unleash the type of peace of the mind that is more often that not elusive. In the forest, tranquility, and the delicate hum of life is felt in the thick foliage where a veil of serenity symbolises the timeless epitome of nature.
During the walks, few people speak; most listen to the guide. From the nature walks, the relaxation from the forest is consolidated at the beach.
Soon after the ship docks, workers start preparing a camp fire as the sun starts to set. By early dusk, the sky is aflame as nature in all her glory changes right before visitors’ eyes.
As the sun sinks wearily, flushed and worn out, the warm lake waters awake, gently hitting the sand. The warmth from the campfire compensates for the lost sun. Many visitors opt to take their dinner by the campfire.
Two of the waitresses, Nnakato and Nyangoma, are identical twins. You cannot tell who is who. But one thing they do not is a smile. The food is great.
The drinks smooth. The sparks from the fire are magical. Visitors whisper in muted voices to their friends. Others crack jokes while some couples hug.
By now, the lake lies pallid, save for mukene fishermen with pressure lamps in the distance.