Bukasa: A True Tropical Paradise
Apr 18, 2003
Lake Victoria has many attractions; fantastic bird-life, tropical forests, water skiing, sailing, fishing, wonderful climate, spectacular sunsets and others. All these can be sampled at Bukasa Guest House, perched prettily on Buwanga hill.
By Hellen Mukiibi in Bukasa
--After a hectic time editing reports at the country’s leading daily about the Iraq and Kony wars which pushed me close to insanity, a weekend at Bukasa Guest House recently was my best choice
Lake Victoria has many attractions; fantastic bird-life, tropical forests, water skiing, sailing, fishing, wonderful climate, spectacular sunsets and others. All these can be sampled at Bukasa Guest House, perched prettily on Buwanga hill.
the guest house peeping through the greenery of Bukasa Island in Kalangala district, was built in 1954 by former Ssese Chief Teefe Kaganda. It commands a view of one of the most beautiful sunsets on Lake Victoria.
It has a large verandah, large white doors and windows, typical of the colonial style of architecture. The chief’s home was turned into a guest house in 1972.
For two years, operations were smooth until management was forced to close due to lack of business following the collapse of the tourism industry in Uganda. “To make my father’s dream come true, I refurbished the place when I returned from the bush,†says Lt. Col. Andrew Lutaaya.
Lutaaya, formerly a transporter, enlisted in the National Resistance Army (NRA) in 1981. He was one of President Yoweri Museveni’s entrusted cadres during the guerrilla days.
He says he handled “special assignments,†which included making initial contacts with the NRA confidants serving in government forces in the early 80s.
Lutaaya, who hails from the Ssese Islands, was one of the best choices to undertake NRA escapades on the Victoria waters. He was always plying the Entebbe-Kisumu 16- hour route, transporting NRA fighters to and from the bush by a motorised canoe. He proudly recalls that he and Capt. Paddy Sekyalo and Lt. Busagwa (both deceased), had “successful missions†on the lake including transporting the then guerrilla leader Yoweri Museveni.
Lutaaya says he was introduced to Museveni, then minister of Regional Co-operation, by his brother in-law, the late Grace Ibingira. Lutaaya was last deployed in 1997 in the Uganda Revenue Authority(URA). After that, he was unoccupied and therefore devoted his energy to developing tourism in Ssese. He has now completed construction of an airstrip, bringing a new concept to tourism in Ssese. He is grateful to Museveni who last year ordered UPDF authorities to pay him all his remuneration including arrears since 1997 when he left URA.
Lutaaya is confident that dedication to eco-tourism is undoubtedly the right choice.
With the 1,100 metre-long Teefe aerodrome, Bukasa and Ssese in general is now just 10-15 minutes away from Entebbe by water. Unless one chooses to use another means of transport, gone are the days when the journey to Bukasa was a one hour and 30 minute boat ride from Entebbe or Munyonyo.
With the airstrip in place, Lutaaya says he would soon work out tour packages with Eagle Air. Good sailors can enjoy the boat ride aboard Victoria Eagle, Lutaaya’s speed boat.
Constructing the Teefe airstrip was a seven-year task. Lutaaya said it involved ferrying the machinery from the mainland to Bukasa. “Often I would take some machinery apart, bring it in by boat and then spend days reassembling,†he explains.
His task has now paid off. For the Directorate of Air Navigation and Regulatory Services at the Civil Aviation Authority on February 25 this year added Teefe to their list of international aerodromes in Uganda.
As Capt. Aaron Obiro of Eagle Air brought down the two-engine propelled “aluminum eagle,†crowds of Bukasa dwellers, some panting from the long run from their homes, gathered at the airstrip. In purple nylon uniforms, dampened and darkened by sweat, school children gleefully clapped their hands, some waved, others were transfixed as they looked at the first aircraft on the island.
Inspecting every inch of the runway, Uganda Investment Authority Chairman Dr. William Kalema and construction guru Max Rohrer of Roko Construction appeared satisfied. “Afande atutadde ku mapu,†said Mr. Nkunyingi, a tractor driver, in praise of Lutaaya for bringing the first aeroplane on the island.
A walking distance from the guest house, the airstrip became my saviour. A gateway into Uganda’s paradise. Seven minutes after I boarded the Eagle Air flight from Entebbe, I got my visa to “sanity.â€
Ten days of a hectic shift, editing reports at the country’s leading daily about: Saddam, Bush, Kony, Lubanga, and others whose names continue to make headlines undoubtedly pushes someone close to insanity. To recuperate, a weekend in Bukasa was my best choice.
Small and exclusive, the guest house hides in the shades of a tropical forest on the shores of lake Victoria. It is situated in large grounds running down to the lake.
The guest house has a massive sitting area, five large bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house-keeper says that some guests find camp-fires in the large compound tempting.
I, however, found the verandah more captivating, especially in the evening as the sun sets and the night brings in a magnificent view of sparkling fishermen’s lights reflecting on the dark lake. This is surely a bonus to the silhouette picturesque that the trees form against the tropical sky at dusk.
The well-equipped bar, abundant supply of tropical fruits and excellent cuisine is another important feature of the guest house, especially after a day out on the white sand beach or boat ride to the legendary Nanziri Falls. It is believed that at the falls, the spirit of the motherly Nanziri bestows blessings to people who visit the area. The blessings include multiple births to the barren.
Outdoor activities also include swimming, bird watching, forest walks, fishing and canoe rides. A ride on the tractor to various favoured spots on the island is memorable, especially to those often imprisoned in air conditioned vehicles or offices. A true tropical paradise, yet peaceful. It is a quiet retreat from Kampala’s bustle and even the whole world.
Ends
--After a hectic time editing reports at the country’s leading daily about the Iraq and Kony wars which pushed me close to insanity, a weekend at Bukasa Guest House recently was my best choice
Lake Victoria has many attractions; fantastic bird-life, tropical forests, water skiing, sailing, fishing, wonderful climate, spectacular sunsets and others. All these can be sampled at Bukasa Guest House, perched prettily on Buwanga hill.
the guest house peeping through the greenery of Bukasa Island in Kalangala district, was built in 1954 by former Ssese Chief Teefe Kaganda. It commands a view of one of the most beautiful sunsets on Lake Victoria.
It has a large verandah, large white doors and windows, typical of the colonial style of architecture. The chief’s home was turned into a guest house in 1972.
For two years, operations were smooth until management was forced to close due to lack of business following the collapse of the tourism industry in Uganda. “To make my father’s dream come true, I refurbished the place when I returned from the bush,†says Lt. Col. Andrew Lutaaya.
Lutaaya, formerly a transporter, enlisted in the National Resistance Army (NRA) in 1981. He was one of President Yoweri Museveni’s entrusted cadres during the guerrilla days.
He says he handled “special assignments,†which included making initial contacts with the NRA confidants serving in government forces in the early 80s.
Lutaaya, who hails from the Ssese Islands, was one of the best choices to undertake NRA escapades on the Victoria waters. He was always plying the Entebbe-Kisumu 16- hour route, transporting NRA fighters to and from the bush by a motorised canoe. He proudly recalls that he and Capt. Paddy Sekyalo and Lt. Busagwa (both deceased), had “successful missions†on the lake including transporting the then guerrilla leader Yoweri Museveni.
Lutaaya says he was introduced to Museveni, then minister of Regional Co-operation, by his brother in-law, the late Grace Ibingira. Lutaaya was last deployed in 1997 in the Uganda Revenue Authority(URA). After that, he was unoccupied and therefore devoted his energy to developing tourism in Ssese. He has now completed construction of an airstrip, bringing a new concept to tourism in Ssese. He is grateful to Museveni who last year ordered UPDF authorities to pay him all his remuneration including arrears since 1997 when he left URA.
Lutaaya is confident that dedication to eco-tourism is undoubtedly the right choice.
With the 1,100 metre-long Teefe aerodrome, Bukasa and Ssese in general is now just 10-15 minutes away from Entebbe by water. Unless one chooses to use another means of transport, gone are the days when the journey to Bukasa was a one hour and 30 minute boat ride from Entebbe or Munyonyo.
With the airstrip in place, Lutaaya says he would soon work out tour packages with Eagle Air. Good sailors can enjoy the boat ride aboard Victoria Eagle, Lutaaya’s speed boat.
Constructing the Teefe airstrip was a seven-year task. Lutaaya said it involved ferrying the machinery from the mainland to Bukasa. “Often I would take some machinery apart, bring it in by boat and then spend days reassembling,†he explains.
His task has now paid off. For the Directorate of Air Navigation and Regulatory Services at the Civil Aviation Authority on February 25 this year added Teefe to their list of international aerodromes in Uganda.
As Capt. Aaron Obiro of Eagle Air brought down the two-engine propelled “aluminum eagle,†crowds of Bukasa dwellers, some panting from the long run from their homes, gathered at the airstrip. In purple nylon uniforms, dampened and darkened by sweat, school children gleefully clapped their hands, some waved, others were transfixed as they looked at the first aircraft on the island.
Inspecting every inch of the runway, Uganda Investment Authority Chairman Dr. William Kalema and construction guru Max Rohrer of Roko Construction appeared satisfied. “Afande atutadde ku mapu,†said Mr. Nkunyingi, a tractor driver, in praise of Lutaaya for bringing the first aeroplane on the island.
A walking distance from the guest house, the airstrip became my saviour. A gateway into Uganda’s paradise. Seven minutes after I boarded the Eagle Air flight from Entebbe, I got my visa to “sanity.â€
Ten days of a hectic shift, editing reports at the country’s leading daily about: Saddam, Bush, Kony, Lubanga, and others whose names continue to make headlines undoubtedly pushes someone close to insanity. To recuperate, a weekend in Bukasa was my best choice.
Small and exclusive, the guest house hides in the shades of a tropical forest on the shores of lake Victoria. It is situated in large grounds running down to the lake.
The guest house has a massive sitting area, five large bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house-keeper says that some guests find camp-fires in the large compound tempting.
I, however, found the verandah more captivating, especially in the evening as the sun sets and the night brings in a magnificent view of sparkling fishermen’s lights reflecting on the dark lake. This is surely a bonus to the silhouette picturesque that the trees form against the tropical sky at dusk.
The well-equipped bar, abundant supply of tropical fruits and excellent cuisine is another important feature of the guest house, especially after a day out on the white sand beach or boat ride to the legendary Nanziri Falls. It is believed that at the falls, the spirit of the motherly Nanziri bestows blessings to people who visit the area. The blessings include multiple births to the barren.
Outdoor activities also include swimming, bird watching, forest walks, fishing and canoe rides. A ride on the tractor to various favoured spots on the island is memorable, especially to those often imprisoned in air conditioned vehicles or offices. A true tropical paradise, yet peaceful. It is a quiet retreat from Kampala’s bustle and even the whole world.
Ends