Finally Uganda.. such a long-awaited and longed-for trip….a country that managed to give us more than we expected. Our first real African experience, far from mass tourism and the usual destinations. A country that certainly deserves to be visited even if it doesn't offer the quantity of animals that can be found elsewhere. An answer to those who asked us in astonishment… honeymoon in Uganda.. why?!?!?! It's a nation rich in ever-changing landscapes, an infinity of shades of green, from savannah to tea plantations… from rainforests to banana groves.. from mountains to terraced farmland. Everything extremely tidy and clean, where even the simplest hut has its own courtyard with a few flowers, where the roadside verges are immaculately kept.. even along the most remote tracks, riddled with potholes that only an attentive driver can negotiate.
A population always on the move….women walking along the road with yellow baskets full of water balanced on their heads… men pushing bicycles loaded with bananas towards the nearest market…children who come running from the houses and fields to shout 'how are You?' waving their little hands when they see a car go by…a rather rare event. Everyone perfectly elegant and colourful on feast days…when they gather for religious services. The peace and quiet of the Resorts, always located in places where the views leave you breathless. Bungalows overlooking a lake or on the banks of the river where the animals come to drink, where you might even find the hippo that comes in the evening to graze on the grass in front of your veranda.
Special animals like the mountain gorillas, which with their presence are making a big contribution to the country's economy and to the development of local communities. Baby gorillas that, curious and amused, perform games and acrobatics, under the watchful and patient gaze of the Silverback ready to intervene in case of danger. Adults that instead look at you with a serious, so 'human' expression that it makes you sad.. perhaps aware that their survival and their protection depend exclusively on the 'generosity' of tourists who come from all over the world. Animals, not many but still present in the various parks, where the scarcity of tourists allows you to linger in complete solitude in the middle of a herd of elephants, a few steps from the white rhino or at the foot of a tree where the famous lions of Ishasha rest.
An unforgettable experience, thanks also to the professionalism of our guide and the seriousness and competence of the local agency (Uganda Wildlife Scene) that organised the tour for us. Just one hope… that despite being surrounded by giants in perpetual ferment, Uganda manages to maintain a peace that allows the country to grow and develop, including from a tourism point of view. If anyone is interested I'll be happy to provide more information. Elisa
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