Kyaninga Lodge, Travel Uganda. Photo | Courtesy | Edgar Batte
What you need to know:
Nothing beats its enviable night-life.
The places below are, but a tip of the iceberg as travel writer and photographer Edgar Batte shares.
Uganda is “The Pearl of Africa”, Winston Churchill said in 1907. But it attracts few tourists yet it is blessed with so much beauty, from wild animals in national parks to sprawling hills.
However, nothing beats its enviable night-life. The places below are, but a tip of the iceberg as travel writer and photographer Edgar Batte shares.
The Serena
Kampala and Kigo Kampala Serena Hotel is one of countable five-star facilities. It is an oasis that nestles modern architecture with nature on a 17-acre expanse right in the central business district of Kampala. Its beauty lies in green gardens dotted with decade-long trees, a well-mowed helipad, arty sculptures, water fountains, opulent, clean and inviting interior with breathing spaces.
Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa is a marvel in its right. It is located at the pristine shorelines of Lake Victoria. It has recently launched an 18-hole golf course that is another catch for the sporty type. You can dine by the marina at the resort that is also bird paradise.
Chobe Safari Lodge, Murchison
No many East Africans knew about Chobe Lodge before American musician Kanye West and his wife Kim Kardashian rented the whole property out.
Chobe is a luxurious lodge in Falls National Park Murchison Falls National Park with amenities that make travellers miss nothing about the city. The park has about 80 wild animals and 450 bird species and it is near the mighty River Nile.
Animals freely graze as guests enjoy a meal or a swim which makes for beautiful photography moments. While at Chobe, you can take a boat ride on the River Nile and all the way to the bottom of the Murchison Falls, from which the park derives the name.
Kyaninga Lodge, Fort Portal
Perched on the precipice of Lake Kyaninga, a crater lake formed thousands of years ago; the iconic Kyaninga Lodge is a beauty. For a photographer, and an early riser, the peaceful waters of the craters are a sight to capture and marvel at.
The lodge was constructed from locally available timber and rocks. What makes the lodge stand out is its fantastic elevated views of the forest on one side and a bird’s-eye view of the 220-meter-deep semi active volcanic lake on the other.
The nine-cabin estate is a good place to see it all and take it in. Each of the cabins is eco-friendly.
There is a newly constructed ballroom and a dairy farm producing gourmet handmade goat cheese.
Elephant Plains Lodge, Queen Elizabeth National Park
Elephants Plains is latest addition to Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is a luxurious lodge run under Uganda Lodges.
The lodge boasts of panoramic views stretching for miles over the huge open grasslands to Lake George. It is set on 80 acres of pristine wilderness, close to Lake Kikorongo where buffaloes and elephants freely roam. You see the wildlife from your cottage as you can sip on a Ugandan gin and tonic.
The cottages are thatched using savannah grass that not only blends into the surroundings but absorbs the heat and acts as a cooling system that is needed so close to the equator. The black granite stones used on the walk ways are from the Mukubu river which flows from the Rwenzori Mountains.
Mythos Bar & Restaurant, Kololo
Its confines say a thing or two about swanky Greek interior decor but Mythos Bar & Restaurant is a Kampala bar at heart. You will find good grill portions with a range of cocktails, as one of the big attractions. There is a cocktail lounge, overlooking the restaurant. It is located in upmarket Kololo.
The classic Greek meals served are prepared using local produce and imported Greek spices. Opened in 2014 the idea of the proprietors was to create a restaurant that serves the best Greek food in Kampala.
Equator Bar & Lounge, Sheraton Kampala Hotel
This is a bar located at one of three Uganda’s five-star hotels, Sheraton Kampala Hotel. Equator Bar is a spruced up with fine furniture, good lighting, comfy leather seats and attentive waiters and waitresses. Who doesn’t need a bartender on a beck and call while on holiday! Signature cocktails are a puller to this hangout but try an exotic medley of Martinis and speciality drinks.
