A Luxury Weekend at Jacana Lodge

Jason and I had our first experience of proper Ugandan luxury the other weekend, as we went to a safari lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, to celebrate my 30th birthday (I am now officially 'old'!).

Swimming Pool overlooking the Crater Lake

Jacana Lodge is a couple of hour's drive from Mbarara, in the Maramagambo Forest, which is in the southern sector of the park. The lodge is built on the shores of a crater lake, and each of the log cabins has a fantastic view. Everything about Jacana was fantastic: the accommodation, peaceful setting, staff, food, pool....it was so different to the hustle and bustle of Mbarara. The first morning we were there, we got woken up by chimpanzees calling to each other, which was an amazing sound. We also saw vervet monkeys in the trees as we were eating our breakfast, very cute indeed.

Our Chalet on Stilts!

Celebrating with a glass of pink fizz

Amazing view from our window

After lounging by the pool all morning, we wandered down to the park's visitors centre in the afternoon to go on a walk with a ranger. Jason wanted to go on a walk to see a bat cave (complete with resident python!), but it was out of bounds due to the possibility of contracting Ebola and Marburg virus from the bats - I have to say I was quite relieved we couldn't go, as I think I would have been slightly freaked out! It was also very unnerving that the visitor's centre was full of American researchers in full 'Outbreak suits', whereas we were just dressed in ordinary clothing with no protection from Ebola whatsoever.

In the end, we opted for a forest walk. We walked all the way around a small crater lake, and managed to see some wildlife, even though it had been raining heavily. We saw red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys (which can jump 30 metres between trees!), fish eagles and cormorants. Apparently there is a hippo who lives in the lake, but fortunately we did not run into him (hippos kill more people than crocodiles do). The walk was very pleasant, and took a couple of hours to do. Because it was so damp and dark in the forest, I kept forgetting that I was in Africa - it was very like walking in the Lake District or something (but with monkeys in the trees).

View of the Crater Lakes

Jason had arranged a birthday treat for me when we got back to the lodge - dinner on the 'Captain's Table'. This is a motorised raft that the lodge will hire out to you for cruises, drinks or dinner. Our personal waiter, Lawrence, drove us into the middle of the lake, put down an anchor, and then proceeded to serve us a wonderful three course, candle-lit dinner. It was quite surreal being in the middle of a lake, in the dark, eating dinner - but it was an experience I would definitely recommend.

Beautiful Sunset over the Lake

Dinner on the Captain's Table

Yummy!

Our waiter Lawrence was lovely, although we felt a bit sorry for him at first - it must be really awward being stuck on a raft with 2 tourists! We started talking to him, and had some very interesting conversations about Ugandan traditions.

We told him that my parents are coming to visit over Christmas, and he said that it is not allowed for the bride's family to stay at the son-in-law's house (so, Mum and Dad, I'm afraid you'll have to camp in the garden!). He also said that Jason cannot eat at the same table as my Mum, and cannot really have anything to do with her. On the other hand, whenever I meet Jason's parents I am supposed to kneel down in front of his Dad to show my respect. I am also apparently allowed to sleep in the same bed as Jason's Mum! How bizzarre.... When we got married, Jason's Dad should have really given my Dad anything between 10 and 15 cows as a bride price - if Jason ever wanted to divorce me, he would have to return me to my parents' house along with the cows. Some urban families don't keep cows any more, but they still decide the bride price in 'cows' and then convert it into Ugandan shillings using the current market value for a Friesian cow (apparently they are more valuable than Ankole cows).

Jason and I celebrating my Birthday

with a cake made for us by the chef at Jacana

We were sad to leave Jacana the following day, as it was so peaceful there, and it felt like we were on holiday. We've decided that weekends away are definitely a good idea, and we have a couple of trips planned for the next few weeks. We are going to Lake Mburo this weekend for a VSO cluster meeting, and then we're off to Lake Bunyonyi the following weekend for a relaxing break.

Vervet Monkey in the tree

Amazing multi-coloured Lizard


So peaceful!!